When thinking of printing my photographs, I was looking for a way to capture some of the original sky’s grandeur in the prints. I took a look at a lot of different options, rejected quite a few, and finally decided on the following:
All Skies by Gabriele Golissa™ photographs are available as original photo prints under 0.24 in (6 mm) acrylic glass. The photographs are printed on Fuji Crystal DP II or Kodak Pro Endura paper using a Durst Lambda laser exposure system followed by photochemical development. The prints are then mounted on an aluminum dibond backing, a composite material made of two platinum-white aluminum sheets and a polyethylene core. In a next step, the photographs are sealed behind a crystal-clear, glossy acrylic glass sheet and the edges are precision cut and smoothed using a CNC milling machine. Finally, metal rails are fitted on the back of the aluminum dibond. This hanging system is invisible from the front, but gives the picture a floating appearance (approximately 0.39 in (1 cm) off the wall). This complex process not only ensures gallery-quality and durability of the prints, it also adds depth and brilliancy and lets the skies become alive again!
Some of my photographs I also offer as HD metal prints. For this, a just 0.04 in (1 mm) thick aluminum panel is first prepared with a special coating to allow for complete absorption of the ink in the following actual printing process. Then, an inkjet print on a special transfer-paper is created and transferred to the aluminum panel using extreme heat. This thermal sublimation printing produces vibrant colors, staying radiant for a long time. As with the acrylic prints, the metal prints come with aluminum rails for hanging which also give the panels a floating appearance. But in addition, the HD metal prints are scratch and weather proof and can be displayed indoors as well as outdoors and also in normally difficult surroundings like bathrooms or even saunas. They have a glossy, brushed surface and the texture of the material shines through, especially in the brighter parts of the pictures. I offer HD metal prints for Skies by Gabriele Golissa™ photographs that show an unusual array of colors that is accentuated by this kind of print.
I did not think canvas the right medium for photographs but I am beginning to change my opinion on that. Some skies call less for a print that emphasizes brilliancy or depth but colors and atmosphere. Therefore I offer some of my Skies by Gabriele Golissa™ photographs as canvas prints on a solid wood stretcher frame. The canvas has a matte, textured surface transporting calm and tranquility. In an 8-color pigment print the photographs are printed on a Berger canvas (360g/m²) with an Epson Ultra Chrome print system using K3 ink (Vivid Magenta technology). Resin-encapsulated color pigments ensure water-resistant prints. The image is mirrored on the edges of the canvas so that the print extends around the edges of the frame. The frame itself is made of sustainable German spruce triple reinforced with metal braces. The frame is stable enough not to need wedges so that later tightening or loosening is unnecessary. Smaller canvas prints are mounted on 0.79 in (20 mm), larger canvas prints on 1.57 in (40 mm) stretcher frames.
In the olden days, photographers produced their own prints in their very own darkrooms. Nowadays, we can choose from a variety of printing options, many of which require a multitude of expensive hardware and expertise in using the same. I rather concentrate on taking the pictures and rely for the production of all my photo prints on a professional photo lab. After comparing different options, I chose WhiteWall – based in Germany – as my one and only photo lab, because only they are able to produce photographic prints reproducing the skies as they were when I took the pictures.