Photo prints, canvas or fine art: which feels right?
Compare everyday Photo Prints, stretched Canvas Prints and Hahnemühle Bamboo Fine Art Prints by surface, display style and the photograph you want to enjoy.
The same photograph can feel quite different as a small glossy print, a stretched canvas or a textured fine art print. There is no single best choice for every image. Think about where it will live, how closely you will look at it and whether you want to add your own frame.
Here is a practical way to choose among the three products we print at Online Photo Prints.
Photo Prints: flexible, familiar and easy to share
Choose Photo Prints for albums, small frames, photo walls and extra copies for family. They are an easy starting point when you want to print a collection rather than one statement photograph. Choose from the available sizes and paper finishes on the product page.
A glossy surface has a more reflective look; a less reflective finish may suit a print you will handle or view in changing light. Neither finish changes whether your original image is in focus. Start with a good original and a considered crop, then choose the surface you enjoy.
Canvas Prints: a photograph that becomes part of the room
Our Canvas Prints arrive stretched on a wooden frame, with a textured surface and finished sides. They work particularly well when you want a photograph to stand on its own without choosing a separate picture frame. Consider a family portrait, a wide landscape or a place that matters to you.
The edge is part of the design. Reflected edge extends a mirrored strip of the photograph around the sides. Full wrap continues the image around the frame, using some of the picture for those sides. White or black edges give the photograph a solid-colour surround. Keep faces and important details away from the edges, especially for Full wrap.
Use the product page’s edge illustrations to compare the styles, and review your crop in the editor. The flat print preview is not a three-dimensional proof of the finished canvas sides.
Fine Art Prints: paper with a presence of its own
Our current fine art paper is Hahnemühle Bamboo. Its manufacturer describes a natural-white, matte paper made from 90% bamboo fibre and 10% cotton, at 290 gsm. That warm paper base and tactile surface can be especially appealing for gentle landscapes, portraits and black-and-white photographs.
A natural-white paper is part of the finished look; it is not the same as a bright, backlit screen. Choose it because you like that character, rather than expecting every paper to look identical. Fine art prints are supplied unframed. Plan the frame and mount as part of your display.
Three questions that make the choice easier
- Where is it going? An album points towards Photo Prints; a substantial wall piece may suit canvas; a carefully framed image may suit Bamboo.
- What do you want to notice? The surface and presentation should support the image. A quiet, textured print and a reflective glossy print give different impressions.
- How large can the file comfortably print? Review the editor’s Resolution warning and your crop. Choosing a premium material cannot restore missing image detail.
We profile our monitors and printers, but your display and viewing light may differ. If a particular colour is critical, contact us before ordering so we can discuss the result you need.
Choose the print that suits your photograph.
Explore Photo Prints, Canvas Prints or Bamboo Fine Art Prints. Unsure? Tell us what you plan to print and where it will be displayed.
Paper specifications: Hahnemühle Bamboo manufacturer’s data sheet (PDF).
