What a Fine Art Landscape Print Costs, and What You Are Paying For
By Ning Ma
A signed landscape print from me costs $300, $600 or $3,000. The price depends on the size, the material and whether the edition is limited. Shipping inside the United States is free on all three.
My prices
| Size | Edition | Included | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper, small | 8.5 Ă— 11 in image in a 16 Ă— 20 in mat | Open | Signed, matted, unframed | $300 |
| Paper, large | 13 Ă— 19 in image in an 18 Ă— 24 in mat | Open | Signed, matted, unframed | $600 |
| Metal | 24 Ă— 36 in | Limited to 20 | Signed, numbered, certificate, float frame | $3,000 |
Every photograph in the shop comes in all three.
What sets the price of a print
How many will exist. This is the biggest factor. My metal prints are capped at 20 for each photograph, in one size, and then the edition is closed. Open editions have no cap, so they cost less.
The material. The metal prints are ChromaLuxe aluminum panels. The paper prints are on HahnemĂĽhle Photo Rag Metallic or Museum Etching. Both are made to last, but a framed 24 Ă— 36 inch metal panel is a far bigger object to make and ship than a sheet of paper in a mat.
The size. A print three feet wide has to hold detail from across the room and from a foot away. That starts with the camera file and ends with a careful print.
What is done by hand. Every print is signed. Limited editions are also numbered, and each comes with a certificate of authenticity that records the title, edition number, print date, size and materials.
What the price does not include
- A frame for paper prints. They arrive matted and unframed. The mats are standard sizes, 16 Ă— 20 and 18 Ă— 24 inches, so ready-made frames fit. See how to frame a matted print.
- International shipping. It is calculated at checkout, and your country may charge import duty.
- Sales tax, where it applies. It is added at checkout.
Metal prints need nothing else. The float frame is included and the print arrives ready to hang.
Comparing prices between photographers
Two prints at the same price can be very different things. Ask these before you compare:
- Is the edition size the total, or per size? An edition of 50 in each of five sizes is 250 prints.
- What is it printed on, and who rates how long it lasts? Look for a named paper or panel and an independent permanence rating.
- Is it signed? Numbered? Is there a certificate?
- Is it framed, matted or bare? Framing a large print yourself can add a lot to the cost.
- Can you return it? My open editions can be returned within 14 days of delivery, unused and in the original packaging. Limited editions are final sale, because each one is numbered to its buyer.
Serpentine, Sossusvlei, Namibia.
For help choosing, see limited or open edition, metal or paper and the size guide.
Quick answers
- How much does a limited edition landscape photograph cost?
- Mine are $3,000. That is a 24 Ă— 36 inch ChromaLuxe metal print in an edition of 20, signed, numbered, with a certificate of authenticity and a float frame.
- How much is a signed open edition print?
- $300 for an 8.5 Ă— 11 inch image in a 16 Ă— 20 inch mat, or $600 for a 13 Ă— 19 inch image in an 18 Ă— 24 inch mat. Both are signed and unframed.
- Is shipping included?
- Shipping inside the United States is free on orders of $65 or more, which covers every print. International shipping is calculated at checkout.
- Can I return a print?
- Open edition prints can be returned within 14 days of delivery if unused and in the original packaging. You pay return shipping. Limited edition prints are final sale. A print that arrives damaged is replaced or refunded.