Are aluminum metal prints the be-all and end-all?  

Not perfect but pretty darn close.

Aluminum MetalPrint

Aluminum is becoming a common photographic medium to display photographs.  In non-digital photography,  medium refers to the art of producing pictures by means of the chemical action of light on a sensitive film or on  paper, glass or metal, As the world turns to digital photography, medium refers to the physical product used to display an image such as photographic paper, fine art paper, canvas and metal to name a few.  

What makes metal prints special?

When you view a typical photographic print, your eyes only see the light bouncing off the image. With a metal print, you also see the light that has passed through the image and bounced back from the metal to your eyes through the print. You see more brilliant light because you see light that has been reflected both from and through the image.  Colors are more vibrant and shadow detail is highlighted due to the additional backlighting of the image.  Aluminum is a good metal to use as a medium as it reflects light like a mirror without changing the tint. WOW.

So are aluminum metal prints the be-all and end-all for photographic prints. Not really because images are appreciated in a variety of settings. Inside, outside, on computer monitors, on paper documents just to name a few.  Obviously aluminum metal prints will not be ideal for all these uses but when used for home indoor display of images, they are hard to beat.

How are aluminum metal prints made?

Traditional digital photographs are printed directly onto a medium using dye or pigment based inks. Metal prints start in a similar process but use specialized sublimation inks printing on a medium that will used to transfer the image to metal. After printing, the image is placed on an aluminum plate  and placed in a heat press. The heat causes the "pores" of a polymer coated aluminum to open and the solid inks to transform directly to a gaseous state without going through a liquid state.  This process is called sublimation.  The resulting gas then infuses into the coating and base aluminum.  As the medium cools, the pores close trapping the now solid ink within the metal. This makes a product that is scratch resistant, long lasting and doesn't require a glass covering.  While it can be framed, it can be displayed directly on a wall.  Metal prints a darn good choice for indoor display of images.

What images are ideal for aluminum metal?

Aluminum metal prints can allow a color to pop and can bring out the detail in shadows. The first image in this blog post is a good example.  A metal print allows the heron to really stand out against the background.  In addition there are some deep shadows in the background vegetation that just never seems to be visible in a traditional print or even on a computer monitor.  The detail is easily appreciated when viewed on an aluminum metal print. Below are a few more images that are enhanced using this medium.

How do I order a metal print?

I have made the process easy-peasy..

To order a MetalPrint at Checkout 

Step 1: Medium, select "High Gloss MetalPrint"

Step 2: Select your desired image size

Step 3: Style/finishing, choose "1/2" Float Mount Hanger"

                This is a ready to hang MetalPrint

                Select "No Back" if you plan to frame the image

Step 4: Select "Instant Checkout" or "Add to Cart"