FAQs
Paper & Materials
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Our core fine-art paper lineup is built almost entirely on 100% cotton rag, museum-grade Hahnemühle stocks—crafted in Germany by a mill operating since 1584. For our entry-level studio workhorse, we complement Hahnemühle with Breathing Color Vibrance Luster, giving photographers an ultra-sharp, cost-effective option for open editions and portfolio proofs.
What services do you offer?
Are all your papers OBA-Free?
All of our premium Hahnemühle cotton rag stocks (Photo Rag® Baryta, Photo Rag® Matt Baryta, Photo Rag® Metallic, and Art Canvas Smooth) are 100% OBA-Free. They rely on natural mineral brightness rather than perishable chemical dyes, ensuring they never yellow over time. Our Breathing Color Vibrance Luster and Hahnemühle Photo Pearl 310 contain minimal OBAs to achieve their bright white points, making them perfect for commercial work and modern displays.
What is the ISO 9706 standard?
ISO 9706 is the international benchmark for archival paper permanence. To qualify, a paper must be 100% acid-free, buffered against environmental pollution, highly resistant to tearing, and free of perishable fibers like raw wood pulp. All our fine-art cotton papers meet or exceed ISO 9706 requirements, guaranteeing true museum-grade longevity.
What is Baryta paper, and why do fine-art photographers love it?
Baryta (Barium Sulfate) is a traditional coating originally used in darkroom fiber-based papers. In modern inkjet fine-art printing, Hahnemühle Baryta papers feature a micro-porous coating that delivers extraordinary D-max (deep, velvety blacks), brilliant white highlights, and rich tonal contrast without using artificial optical brighteners. It gives digital prints the weight, subtle sheen, and depth of a classic silver-gelatin darkroom exhibition print.
What is Metallic paper, and when should I use it?
Metallic paper (like Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Metallic) features a high-gloss surface with a unique iridescent metallic shimmer. Light bounces off the metallic pigment layers, making highlights literally gleam. It is ideal for images featuring reflection, chrome, architecture, high-contrast black-and-white, liquid surfaces, vibrant sunset skies, or night astrophotography.
Print & Colour Tech
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What ink technology do you use?
We print using an 11-color Lucia PRO archival pigment ink set plus a dedicated Chroma Optimizer. Unlike commercial labs that use dye inks, pigment inks consist of lightfast microscopic mineral particles that bond deep into cotton fibers. The Chroma Optimizer coats the print surface to eliminate bronzing, control surface glare, and ensure ultra-deep, uniform blacks across every paper type.
Do you spray or finish your fine-art prints?
Yes. Every fine-art print and canvas wrap receives a hand-applied protective finish. Our fine-art rag prints are sealed with a micro-thin, invisible UV protective spray that shields the surface against fingerprints, moisture, and scratch damage without altering the natural feel or sheen of the paper. This is done at no extra charge.
Do you crop my photos to fit standard frame sizes?
By default, we prioritize native 3:2 camera proportions (and native original aspect ratios) to respect 100% of your original composition without cutting anything off.
If you choose a traditional frame size (such as 8×10′′8×10′′, 11×14′′11×14′′, or 16×20′′16×20′′), your image will require cropping to fit those non-native proportions. In these cases, we always send a digital crop proof for your approval before sending the job to print, ensuring you maintain full artistic control over what gets framed.
Why doesn't my physical print look exactly like it does on my screen?
Screens emit active light (backlight), whereas physical paper reflects ambient light. If your computer screen brightness is turned up to 100%, an image will look bright and glowing on screen, but paper cannot emit its own light. Additionally, uncalibrated monitors often display cooler or more saturated colours than are actually present in the file. To ensure a 1:1 match, calibrate your display to 100–120 nits or use our custom Canon PRO-2600 ICC soft-proofing profiles before submitting your order.
Warranty Breakdown
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What is your Archival Warranty, and how does it work across different papers?
We stand behind the longevity of our prints with tier-based archival coverage under standard indoor framing conditions (framed under glass or UV acrylic):
125-Year Archival Warranty: Applies to all 100% OBA-Free Hahnemühle cotton rag stocks (Photo Rag® Baryta, Photo Rag® Matt Baryta, Photo Rag® Metallic, and Art Canvas Smooth).
75-Year Archival Warranty: Applies to Hahnemühle Photo Pearl 310, reflecting its resin-coated composition while still far exceeding commercial standards.
Standard Studio Guarantee: Breathing Color Vibrance Luster is designed as an un-warranted studio workhorse for volume portraits and open-edition proofs.
If any warranted print shows signs of material failure or fading due to manufacturing, we will reprint it free of charge.
125 years sounds too good to be true—what's the catch?
No gimmicks or hidden fine print, just pure colour science and common-sense art care. There are only two conditions to keep our archival warranty valid:
Proper Display & Care: Fine-art cotton rag is a natural fibre. To prevent premature degradation, the print must be framed using acid-free materials and displayed indoors away from direct, harsh UV sunlight and excessive moisture (like a steamy bathroom).
Reprint Requirements: If a warranted print ever experiences premature fading or material failure under normal indoor conditions, we cover the full cost of re-printing the piece free of charge. The customer simply provides the high-resolution digital file and covers the flat-rate shipping cost to deliver the new print.
Care & Handling
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How should I handle my fine-art print when it arrives?
Always handle cotton rag and fine-art papers with clean, dry hands—or ideally, clean cotton gloves. Hold the print strictly by its white borders or extreme edges. Pure cotton fibers absorb natural skin oils and moisture, which can leave faint marks on unvarnished surfaces or transfer dirt.
Do I need to flatten my print before framing?
No. Because we ship all orders 100% flat in rigid, dual-reinforced museum mailers, your print arrives completely flat and ready to drop directly into a frame or mat board immediately upon unboxing.
What are the best practices for framing and displaying archival prints?
To maximize the lifespan of your print and uphold our 125-year warranty:
Use Acid-Free Materials: Always frame using 100% acid-free, archival mat boards and backing boards. Cheap cardboard backing emits off-gasses that yellow paper over time.
Glazing: Use UV-filtering glass or acrylic (such as Museum Glass or Archival Acrylic) to protect against atmospheric dust and ambient light.
Avoid Direct Sun & Moisture: Never hang fine-art prints in direct, unfiltered sunlight or high-humidity environments (like unventilated bathrooms).
Can I wipe or clean the surface of my print?
Canvas Wraps & UV-Sealed Prints: Our canvas wraps and UV-sprayed prints can be gently dusted using a dry, clean microfiber cloth or feather duster. Never use liquid cleaners, chemical sprays, or wet rags.
Uncoated Cotton Rag Prints: Fine-art cotton prints (like Photo Rag® Matt Baryta) have a delicate, velvety surface. Never rub or wipe the face of an uncoated cotton print, as friction can burnish the matte fibers. Dust should only be blown off with a clean air bulb.