The most common means of storing pictures for easy display is in a photo album, but an album does not provide true display of pictures, since they are not actually being shown until someone opens the album. Placing pictures on display means making them visible by exhibiting them in some form, usually by framing prints and placing the framed pictures in a suitable location.

ENLARGEMENTS

Your best or most memorable pictures will almost always display better if they are first enlarged. The size of enlargement is governed by the size and quality of the original negative or slide, by how far from the viewer the print will be when displayed, and by the amount of space that is available in the display area.

Common enlargement sizes are 8" X 10", 11" X 14", 16" X 20", 20" X 24", 24" X 30" and 30" X 40". Commercially-available, ready-made frames can usually be found in these popular sizes. Most sharp 35 mm pictures that are blown up to these standard sizes will properly show detail with little or no apparent graininess.

Much larger prints are usually made from larger negatives or transparencies - from medium-format and large-format cameras. Image quality is the primary restriction in picture size when it comes to enlarging photographs. Negatives must be sharp. 

Machine-made enlargements from commercial photofinishers are often satisfactory, especially if the negative or transparency is properly-exposed, however hand-enlargement by a custom photofinisher or by yourself in a darkroom will almost always give better results. This is particularly true if select areas of an enlargement require special attention - burning-in, dodging, color-balancing, etc. Be prepared to pay more for custom work by a professional photo lab. The results are usually worth the additional expense.

If you are constantly changing pictures in your display, as on this studio wall, push pins are sometimes the best answer.

If you plan on displaying unframed prints on a wall that is curved, be sure not to have them mounted.

ALTERNATIVES TO FRAMING

Displaying pictures doesn't necessarily mean framing them first. You can display a picture by having it printed onto fabric - a t-shirt or apron, for example - or by having it digitally or photographically printed on a calendar or a coffee mug. Photographs can be printed on a variety of materials - even glass - and in many formats, including posters, murals and even jigsaw puzzles. Many photo studios change their displays on a regular basis, sometimes weekly, and rely upon artists' push pins, two-sided tape or simple candle putty to hold mounted and unmounted prints in place. Some studios may use a permanently-mounted mini-shelf, wall-mounted frames that permit prints to be easily changed or many other methods that allow their image displays to be regularly refreshed.

FRAMING & OTHER DISPLAY CONSIDERATIONS

This section discusses do-it-yourself framing, selecting a framer if you wish to have a custom frame made, and arranging your pictures for display. We hope the tips and pointers are helpful, and encourage you to send in your own display tips or important information on displaying pictures that we may have overlooked. If you can send an image to illustrate your tip, it may make it easier for our viewers to understand it. Use the "Submit your tip" link on the left side of this page to send it in. We will be sure to credit you with both the tip and the image if we use them on the site.

Framing your top prints is usually the best means of properly displaying them. The choices in framing are vast - from do-it-yourself to custom framing by a specialist.