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Design a room around fine art photography

Photography: A Tried and True Design Element

“In the early days of photography, art aficionados didn’t consider photographs a “real” form of art. Today, we know that isn’t true. You can purchase a vast variety of photographic art or create your own – and it’s just as beautiful and engaging as any other form of art you can display in your home.”

Modern Farm House Decor Dining Room
Modern Farm House Decor Dining Room by Edward M. Fielding – www.edwardfielding.com

Fine art photography is photography created in accordance with the vision of the artist as photographer. Fine art photography stands in contrast to representational photography, such as photojournalism, which provides a documentary visual account of specific subjects and events, literally re-presenting objective reality rather than the subjective intent of the photographer; and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to advertise products or services.

 

The Grid method of art display
Going for the Grid
When hanging a collage of themed photography, rely on the style standby of matte black picture frames. They don’t compete with the artwork and provide an elegant boundary. In this display, the repetition of black and white photography is what provides the excitement. The punctuation pop of the red lampshade doesn’t hurt, either.

Art PrintsArt PrintsArt PrintsSell Art OnlineArt PrintsPhotography Prints

Decorating with Contemporary Fine Art Photography in the Modern Home

Black and white flower photography by Edward M. Fielding
Black and white flower photography by Edward M. Fielding

Until the mid-1950s it was widely considered vulgar and pretentious to frame a photograph for a gallery exhibition. Prints were usually simply pasted onto blockboard or plywood, or given a white border in the darkroom and then pinned at the corners onto display boards. Prints were thus shown without any glass reflections obscuring them. Steichen’s famous The Family of Man exhibition was unframed, the pictures pasted to panels. Even as late as 1966 Bill Brandt’s MoMA show was unframed, with simple prints pasted to thin plywood. From the mid-1950s to about 2000 most gallery exhibitions had prints behind glass.

Since about 2000 there has been a noticeable move toward once again showing contemporary gallery prints on boards and without glass. In addition, throughout the twentieth century, there was a noticeable increase in the size of prints.

Old Red Vintage Tractors Prince Edward Island Framed Print
Old Red Vintage Tractors Prince Edward Island Framed Print by Edward M. Fielding with barn wood frame

But for the home,  most people like a mat and frame or simply display the photography without a frame either printed on canvas or floating on the wall via a metal print.

Modern Home Modern Photography
Modern Home Modern Photography

Try a display wall of black and white photography

Art walls of simple black frames, white matted black and white photography works great as a collage wall or as a more formal arrangement because each element adds to the over all effect without any distraction of color.

The photography can be themed say around old vintage tractors and barns or it can be random as the common elements of black and white monochromatic tones brings everything together.

Art wall of black and white photography
Art wall of black and white photography
Display wall of black and white photography
Display wall of black and white photography
Collage wall of black and white fine art photography
Collage wall of black and white fine art photography