Why Aluminum?

In sort of an effort to open up the old stream of consciousness for future blog posts, I wanted to get things started by responding to a question I get asked a lot; why do you print your photos on Aluminum?

Well let's start by actually going into what an aluminum print is in the first place, and it's very simple. It's merely a sheet of aluminum where the ink is actually injected into the metal, instead of sitting "on top" of the medium, like a normal photo. Although the jury is still out as to if these prints actually last longer than a traditional printed photograph, the one thing that's for certain is that they have way more "pop."

Even within the aluminum "family" there are a few different approaches to achieving that aluminum look and feel. The method I currently choose, for the time being at least, is just the simple solid piece aluminum. The images are injected into the metal and are ready for hanging right away with no frame necessary. Another style within this medium is to take that same piece of aluminum and place it between two pieces of acrylic, with the end result being that each corner will be dotted with a piece of round metal that holds the two pieces of acrylic to the actual print. I would assume the acrylic would add some shelf life to the image, but for the most part people only choose this method based on esthetics. It's essentially a matter of taste, which is really what this art form is all about.

Another method of aluminum printing is something more similar to what you would expect an actual printed photograph to look and feel like. It's still printed on aluminum, but the aluminum is flimsy and thin, thus requiring a frame, but still has that pop you would expect from an aluminum style print. It's actually my favorite medium for photography but it has one draw back; it still needs a frame. Which brings me to the ultimate answer as to why I use solid aluminum prints: PRICE.

The price you see listed for one of my images is the only expense you'll have once you receive your photograph. For somewhere between $250-$400 you're getting a piece of art that has no other associated costs. If I were to sell the aluminum style print that requires a frame, I could sell them for half the cost of the solid piece, but once that image is in your hands, you're looking at another $400-$500 minimum to have it framed, maybe more in some cases. So now the total cost is upwards of $700. And even once the image is framed you're married to that style of frame for a while, so any future furniture or interior design changes will need to match that frame. So in an effort to create a fair and simple starting point for any potential purchasers of one of my images, I choose solid piece aluminum as main medium for spreading my photography.

Now having said that, I can provide you with just about any style print you choose; canvas, soft print, acrylic etc. I can also provide varying sizes for just about any image I have listed for purchase, from small like a 11x14 ($65) to massive like 48x96 ($2,000).

Here are some recent photos sent to me by people that have found new homes for my images!

Cheers!

JMS