Displaying photographs

glazing

If you’re able to, I suggest using either tru vue museum glass or tru vue optium museum acrylic in your frame. Both of these options offer reflection resistance. Most frames on the market include glass or acrylic that don’t have this reflection resistance. This makes it tricker to see the art clearly when standing in front of it, as the frame is reflecting everything off of it. For the best viewing experience, I recommend getting the frame of your choice and then replacing the glazing with either of the tru vue options mentioned. Blick Art Materials store carries the glass in their Berkeley location, their San Francisco (Market St.) location, and likely their Oakland location. Take your frame and your print and they will cut the museum glass to size and frame your photo for you. Call them and ask when their next sale is. They consistently have glass / acrylic sales up to 50-60% off. Outside of the Bay Area, Here is a store tracker to see if there’s a location in your area. If you’re not able to go with the tru vue recommendations, don’t worry! Just aim for any 99% uv protected glass or acrylic that you can get.

*In my opinion, glass is a good option at any size under 600 sq in. For anything larger, consider acrylic. With either choice, it’s important to mount your frame on the wall properly.

Location

To bring your print to life while still protecting it from excessive uv rays, display it on a wall that gets greeted with only a quick & fleeting amount of window light each day.

visual interest

If you like this look, surround your image with a mat (border) inside of the frame to add to its visual weight, making the overall piece take up more space on the wall. Here is a decently solid and budget friendly online shop for framing, with the option to mat. If you want a frame made locally with love, go with Form Framing (an Oakland based independent framer I highly recommend).

Quality of storage

If possible, see to it that all products used in your frame are archival quality (this means acid-free at the very least). The frame store in tip #3 uses acid-free materials.

*If your artwork is rolled up when you receive it, unroll it and store it flat until you get the chance to frame it.

dust

When dusting your frame, be gentle and use a lint-free cloth or a balled up, soft, clean t-shirt. Remember liquid cleaners can create permanent marks on your glass or acrylic and are very unnecessary, unless for spot cleaning. When using one, go for one without harsh chemicals such as ammonia. And be sure you’re using a cleaner that is correct for the material (glass or acrylic).

*I’ve noticed that museum glass is particularly sensitive to liquid cleaners (leaving permanent streaks if not careful).

enjoy your art for years :)