A Step-by-Step Metal Print Guide: 5 Tips for a Beautiful Print
- Metal Print Guide: Set the Stage for a Stunning Metal Print With a High-Quality Photo
- Metal Print Guide: Enhance the Visual Impact of Your Metal Print With Basic Composition Tips
- Metal Print Guide: Choose the Right Look by Picking an Appropriate Metal Print Finish
- Metal Print Guide: What to Consider When Choosing a Reputable Metal Print Company
- Metal Print Guide: Keep Your Metal Print Looking Its Best By Giving It Appropriate Care
- Recommended Photography Gear
- Preserving Memories: The Longevity of Metal Photo Prints
- Choosing the Right Image: Tips for Selecting Photos for Outdoor Metal Prints
Metal Prints are one of the trendiest ways to showcase your photos, and if you want to learn how to create the perfect ones, you’re in the right place! In this step-by-step metal print guide, we’ll share the five things you should always do to ensure your prints look great (and how to keep them looking that way for years).
We’ve included our top tips for before, during, and after the printing process. So, regardless of your photography level or experience with metal prints, you will get the best results. Additionally, we’ll recommend one of our favorite places to order high-quality metal prints.
With that in mind, keep reading to discover how to quickly and easily transform your images into beautiful metal prints!
Table of Contents
Metal Print Guide: Set the Stage for a Stunning Metal Print With a High-Quality Photo
The first step to a successful metal print (and arguably the most essential) is selecting a high-quality photo. While a metal print can take an attractive photo and make it shine brighter, it can’t take a poorly shot image and make people like it. Therefore, you should aim for in-focus photos with good composition and vibrant colors. That said, black and white images also look stunning when printed on metal because they enhance contrast.
It is important to note a “high-quality” photo doesn’t only mean one that is visually appealing, though. It must also be an image file compatible with your printer, which requires you to pay attention to often overlooked things like file type, size, etc.
Metal Print Guide: Enhance the Visual Impact of Your Metal Print With Basic Composition Tips
An easy way to create a strong catalog of photos to choose from is to follow the basic composition rules of photography. Composition is crucial in photography because it’s the glue that holds everything together in an image. Additionally, images with excellent composition are more captivating and attract attention to your subject.
The most fundamental composition rule is the “rule of thirds.” It splits the frame into a grid with nine even sections and states that the areas with the most visual impact are where the lines intersect. Other composition tips are the golden ratio, leading lines, and symmetry.
Check out the video above by Jamie Windsor for more composition tips that will help you take better photos.
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Metal Print Guide: Choose the Right Look by Picking an Appropriate Metal Print Finish
Once you select your image, it’s time to pick a surface option that best suits your photo and the desired look you have in mind. Every unique metal finish has different strengths and weaknesses, and knowing what they are beforehand is a simple way to achieve a more beautiful metal print.
The most common surfaces are white gloss, white matte, silver gloss, silver matte, and white gloss ext. White gloss and white matte are the most popular thanks to their smooth finish and luxurious appearance. Silver adds an extra metallic feel, which looks fantastic with landscape photos. White gloss ext is the same as the traditional white gloss but for outdoor metal prints.
Metal Print Guide: What to Consider When Choosing a Reputable Metal Print Company
Although a quick Google search for “metal prints” will yield hundreds of results, the quality of metal prints produced by different manufacturers varies immensely. That’s why it’s imperative to always choose a reputable and reliable metal print company.
You should consider the following things (besides price) when deciding upon a metal printer: print quality, customer support, ease of use, and client feedback. One amazing company that checks all the boxes for us is Shiny Prints! They sell gorgeous metal prints at super affordable prices.
Shiny Prints is a cutting-edge metal print company that exclusively prints on metal. This specialization is rare in today's photography industry and lets them constantly work on delivering the best metal prints possible. In addition, they offer outdoor metal prints and allow you to customize your orders by choosing the surface, mount, and shape/size of your print.
Metal Print Guide: Keep Your Metal Print Looking Its Best By Giving It Appropriate Care
Finally, if you want your metal prints to look great for years, you have to give them the TLC they deserve. Metal prints are naturally more durable and have longer lifespans than paper or canvas prints, but by cleaning and caring for them regularly, you can make them long outlive you and me.
The best way to keep your prints in good condition is to hang them safely and securely, ideally somewhere without a lot of dust or direct sunlight. The one exception to this is if you purchase an outdoor metal print. Furthermore, try to avoid moving them regularly. However, if you must transport them, do it carefully since this is the easiest time to scratch or dent them.
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