When shopping for wall art, you have options. You can go with a painting, a photograph, a wall-hanging, and more. But not every option will be right for you in your home or office. It’s important that you choose the right kind of art to suit your tastes and preferences. It’s also important to make sure that art will stand up to what life on your wall will dish out to it. Because of this, we recommend that you choose a fine art photo instead of something more one-of-a-kind to decorate your wall with.
Hold on here, I bet you’re thinking that I’m recommending photography over other forms of art because I’m a photographer and I want to sell you my photos. Well, that would be true. I won’t deny it but there’s so much more to it than that.
I’ve been closely watching my sister with her young boys for a while. They are messy as all children that age are. They are now old enough to throw things high enough and far enough to hit the art displayed on her walls. She needs something which will stand up to children. Even if you don’t have children at home anymore, I’m sure that you see your grandchildren as frequently as you can. They can still do damage to wall art in your home too.
This is why I’m talking about my top 5 reasons why you should buy a fine art photograph over a painting for your home.
Most fine art photography is displayed behind a pane of glass by default. It’s only the specialty options like canvas, metal, acrylic, or wood prints which don’t go behind glass for display. Glass is much easier to clean than surfaces like painted cloth are. You don’t have to risk poking holes in, discoloring, or otherwise ruining your art by trying to clean up after one of life’s many messes if you go with art behind glass.
If you do end up with a ruined photo, it’s usually an easy, if expensive, business to replace it with another just like it. Simply contact the photographer whom you bought the photo(s) from and order a new copy.
If you do end up with a ruined piece of wall art, like a painting or a wall hanging, it probably won’t be so easily replaced. Several wall hangings are commercially made and thereby can be replaced at least as easily as a photograph can be. Paintings are usually one-of-a-kind pieces of art. There’s no good way to get a replacement if the original painting is damaged or destroyed in some way.
When you buy a painting, you are buying someone else’s idea of what the person, place, or thing looked like. It might not even be something real which is depicted. That’s not the case when you are buying a photograph.
When you buy a photograph, you are buying an actual representation of what the subject matter looks/ed like. It’s not something which you will notice a huge difference if you meet the person in real life. It’s the same thing with fine art photography such as landscape, nature, and wildlife photography.
If you didn’t know, paintings require special handling. You cannot place a glazing over the top of an oil painting without risk of damaging it. Plus, newer oil paintings might not be dry yet. They require open air to dry. You must cover watercolors with glazing as water will cause the paint to run and spoil the image. Oil paintings, in particular, require special handling as they age. This will prevent or mitigate alligatoring. You must also protect them from direct sunlight to prevent fading. Paper and canvas especially will mold and rot in high temperature and humidity conditions. Paintings take special care to clean as well.
While fine art photos do require some of the same treatments, such as indirect light, temperature control, and low humidity, you will find that photos are much easier to deal with overall. They have fewer weaknesses like water. They will not alligator over time.
I know there are exceptions but I’m here to discuss the general rule. That rule is that photography, at least from an overall labor perspective, is cheaper. While a photographer still puts in lots of time towards a photo, it’s not nearly the hours, days, and weeks which a painter puts into a painting. This labor cost difference goes into your final purchase price. While a good artist (photographer, painter, or otherwise) charges what he or she is worth, the labor alone is not equal. Therefore, even with a sizeable price tag, you’re probably getting a better deal when buying from a photographer rather than buying an equivalent-sized piece from a painter.
Perhaps you now understand why you should consider buying a fine art photo over a painting. Indeed, fine art photography is well worthy of hanging on your walls. So, I hope that you will consider shopping for a fine art photo when shopping for new wall art.
If you are indeed now considering buying a fine art photo, then you might consider checking out my online store. I sell beautiful and unique fine art landscape photography. You may also order it matted and framed as well.
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