Exhibiting your works

From the WhiteWall expert Katharina Wergen

You have come a long way up to this moment. You've learned how to use your camera, gone in search of subjects and edited your pictures. Now comes the most beautiful moment: after all this work, which has undoubtedly been a lot of fun, it's time to save the finished image. A process comes to an end. But what happens to the work? Should it gather digital dust on the hard disk? No, you've put too much effort into it for that. The decision to share the work with the world has already been made. This is no longer about small formats - this is about thinking big. Here you can find out what presentation options are available, what steps you should take when exhibiting your pictures and what you need to pay attention to.

The right basis: an overview of substrates

Art begins with the material you choose. You need to take care of a few points in order to present your picture in the right way. The motif, presentation location and message are very important factors. 

A matte or reflective surface, a frameless aluminum Dibond or a textile canvas - everything influences the effect of your picture. Here you can find out what options you have and what the differences are. 

The photo paper

Let's start with printing on photo paper. Classic photo paper is divided into four surfaces. Matte offers a light structure and is non-reflective. Glossy is a reflective surface that ensures maximum color brilliance. Silk promises a silky, rather matte sheen with a fine structure. Velvet is a glare-free, very velvety and matte surface.

If you want to make your print even higher quality, you can also use Fine Art papers. These are offered at WhiteWall by paper manufacturers such as Hahnemühle, Fujifilm, Canson and Epson and are characterized by a unique structure and characteristic surfaces. An elegant white border is often an additional eye-catcher for the print.

Black and white prints are particularly important in printing, and professional print service providers often offer special types of paper for these. WhiteWall offers Ilford Baryta paper, for example. The properties of Ilford Baryta paper ensure strong contrasts and a silky gloss in gallery quality.

There are also other effect papers that create special looks. WhiteWall offers metallic effect prints, for example. The ultraHD print creates a metallic shimmer on the white parts of the image. The ever-improving quality of the sensors makes it possible to reproduce ever finer details, which are highlighted by the metallic effect in the print. 

Click here for the photo prints from Whitewall. 

Acrylic glass 

The depth effect of the image is greatly enhanced by positioning it behind acrylic glass, and the glass and print also ensure a particularly brilliant color. This variant is therefore particularly suitable for large-format, colorful landscape prints. The image is stabilized by a carrier plate. The surface protects the image and has a very high-quality appearance. 

Here you can find the acrylic glass range from Whitewall

Aluminum dibond 

The main advantage of aluminum dibond is its low weight. This makes the pictures easier to transport and hang. In addition, aluminum dibond is characterized by its reflection-free surface, which promises no disturbing light spots when viewed. The presentation with this option looks particularly stylish in modern surroundings.

Here you can find the aluminum dibond prints from Whitewall.

Canvas

The canvas is the expression of art. A picture on real canvas is definitely a statement in itself. You can also choose between matte or glossy canvas, with the structure of the canvas giving the print a natural and warm effect. With this print, the structure of the carrier material is always visible and shapes the artistic effect of the images. 

Here you can find the canvases from Whitewall. 

Frame

The picture frame is and remains a classic way of presenting pictures on the wall. There are countless ways to skillfully showcase the high-quality print with a stylish frame. The frame can be a simple presentation surface - or, as with the WhiteWall Pop Art frames, it can even become part of the artwork. 

There are many different types of frames available today, offering different options depending on the presentation location. In addition to classic wooden frames, there are also frames with acrylic glass in front of the picture or aluminum frames for light and modern hanging. A special highlight in the WhiteWall range are frames with a shadow gap, which create a slightly dark frame around the picture due to the shadow cast by the print, thus drawing the viewer's eye to the picture.

Here you will find the frames from Whitewall.

High quality and elegant: wall mounting 

As well as choosing how to present your pictures, you can also decide how you want to design the presentation. Should your picture hang on its own or in combination with other works? What effect will the wall color have on the motif? And last but not least: What visual design options are there for a creative and stylish presentation? Here you can find out interesting facts about the most popular presentation options. 

A tip: Use your image editing program to design your planned hanging. If you take a photo of the planned area, you can use Photoshop, for example, to place the photos that are already digitally available on your computer. Arrangement, format and size can then be easily tried out and determined. 

Petersburg hanging

Perfect order in chaos: the Petersburg hanging or salon hanging. Several pictures are hung on the wall in different formats, sizes and frames, but at equal intervals. In this way, each motif works on its own and the hanging creates its own overall effect.

The Petersburg hanging is suitable for picture series or a growing photo story, such as a repeating motif from different vacations. 

Hexagons and circles 

You can print your image on any number of hexagonal or round tiles. The exciting format allows you to leave out parts of the image or create an interesting photo collage. The hexagon alone is an unusual shape. Several next to each other, which together form a picture, are a real creative firework. This gives landscapes or portraits a special effect. 

The round format also creates a special accent on the wall. The format works individually, arranged in several special formats or as a highlight within a Petersburg hanging. But be careful: not every picture works in these special formats - the format has priority when selecting pictures. 

You can find out more about the round formats and other shapes at WhiteWall here.

Inside the Lines

Here, several pictures, often thematically related, are hung in a geometric shape. Whether it is a circle, square or oval is left to your own taste, as is the question of whether each picture is given the same frame, each one a different one or whether you opt for an overall frame with many picture spaces. The orderly geometric shape of this hanging supports the storytelling of the pictures. 

The "Inside the Lines" hanging appears more cohesive and clearer than the Petersburg hanging. The shapes allow for a self-contained narrative structure and are suitable for a series of portraits or an unforgettable event such as a wedding or a vacation. 

Triptych 

The power of a single picture can be enhanced by dividing it up. This is the idea behind triptychs or multiples. A picture is divided into three or five parts. All segments can be the same size or differ in length and width. Printing on canvas or acrylic glass is particularly popular. 

Wide landscapes and pictures with lots to discover are particularly suitable for this large-scale and creative hanging. 

You can find out more about the multi-part hanging options here. 

Grid 

For lovers of clear shapes and lines, there is the grid or chessboard suspension. Equal spacing, clear geometry and orderly lines ensure a stylish and tidy appearance. 

If you want to skillfully present several pictures on the same theme or a series of similar motifs such as plants or cars, there is hardly a better method. The clear style looks classy and is an eye-catcher in the home or office. 

Large format printing 

It exists: the "one in a million shot". The photo that everyone behind the camera dreams of. The perfect picture. If you have already taken your picture, there is hardly a better way to present it than in a large format - finished by WhiteWall. The motif should unfold and make an impact. This requires a large-format, high-quality print and sufficient space. 

Regardless of which picture support and which hanging you ultimately decide on, there are some basic decisions to be made.

The picture must be able to work where it hangs. Dark corners, confusing corridors or hidden niches are not places for large-format works of art. Give the picture enough attention and space. Light is also important. A picture that is illuminated by the sun most of the time or that needs its own lighting but has none will not be considered. The mounting must also be considered. Think about adequate fastening, the nature of the wall and the total weight, which may be higher depending on the surface. 

WhiteWall Coffee Table Book: Memories in series 

One of the most beautiful ways to present many pictures is the photo book - as a WhiteWall Coffee Table Book. The modern version of the classic photo album offers excellent opportunities to showcase your pictures. There are many different approaches and concepts that you can use.  

Modern photo books, such as the WhiteWall Coffee Table Book, offer an impressive variety of design options. Of course, the right design also increases the impact of the pictures. There are a wide variety of shapes, formats and bindings, which play to their strengths depending on the occasion of the book. Let's take a look at the possibilities together. 

The format 

The first impression is made even before you see the book or the cover. The format and size determine the style of the book. Classic formats are portrait or landscape format, but square format or coffee table format can also be the right choice depending on the occasion. 

The cover 

The first eye-catching impression of your photo book or coffee table book is the cover. A picture that clearly shows the contents, a fine leather cover or packed in a gift box - high-quality and stylish, page-long memories remain worth seeing even after years. 

The possible uses are unlimited: As a portfolio book for architectural photography, as a gift for the bride and groom whose wedding you photographed, as a look back at a vacation, a birthday or the past year. You've already put so much effort into the pictures that even a simple photo book is an elegant way of presenting them in a handy, high-quality format.

The slightly different print 

The other presentation options should not be forgotten either. These range from exclusive acrylic blocks to photo prints on wood - the right motif for the right occasion, creatively implemented, can be a complete success. 

You can find creative gift ideas from Whitewall here. 

Conclusion  

After a long process of photographing and editing, the final and perhaps most beautiful phase of your photographic art is now imminent: the presentation. The right carrier material and presentation method play a central role in achieving the desired effect of your image. Whether photo paper, acrylic glass, aluminum Dibond or canvas - each material has its own aesthetic advantages. The choice of a suitable frame and the right hanging method will give your work additional splendor. Various presentation options such as Petersburg hanging, geometric shapes or grid hanging offer creative ways to showcase your pictures. Large format prints and photo books are also elegant ways to present your artwork in a fitting manner. Creative presentation ideas such as acrylic blocks and photo prints on wood round off the wide range of options. In this way, your works will receive the attention and appreciation they deserve.