The Soul of a Print: Why I Choose Fine Art Paper Over Metal
“To Kingdom Come” X Fine Walnut | 24” x 36” Artist Edition
Photographs deserve to breathe—to have texture, depth, and soul. That’s why I choose fine art paper over metal.
There was a time when I thought metal prints were the pinnacle—sleek, modern, and ready to hang right out of the box. But something about them never felt quite right. The more time I spent studying light, texture, and the feeling a photograph can evoke, the more I realized: fine art paper carries a soul deep within its fibers that metal just can’t hold.
It draws you in.
It softens the light.
It invites you to pause—and feel the scene, not just see it.
For me, printing isn’t just a technical process. It’s about honoring the wilderness I work so hard to capture. That’s why every print I offer—whether it’s part of my Signature Edition or my Artist Edition series—is made using archival fine art paper. I didn’t land on this choice casually. I spent months doing side-by-side comparisons, test printing, experimenting. And eventually, it became clear.
It’s not that metal prints don’t have their place. They absolutely do. But for my work, fine art paper brings a tactile essence, a warmth, and a depth that ultra-smooth surfaces like metal just don’t deliver. It makes the photograph feel alive.
One of the biggest reasons I choose paper is control. There are so many different kinds of fine art papers, each with its own tone, surface, and response to light. That variety gives me the ability to hand-match each photo with the paper that brings out its character best. Sometimes that means using a subtle metallic paper to enhance shimmer and glow. Other times, it’s a thick cotton rag with heavy texture that draws out the quiet and detail of a misty forest. These choices aren’t random—they’re intentional. They let me translate the emotion I felt while taking the image into something you can hang on your wall.
It might be subtle. Most people won’t notice.
But I do.
And I’ve come to believe—how you do anything is how you do everything.
With paper, I can photograph cacti glowing in the desert sunrise and print it on a softly reflective metallic rag that enhances both the sharpness of the plant and the radiance of the light. Or I can take a photograph of a foggy woodland and use a matte textured paper that soaks up the shadows and builds atmosphere right into the print—texture meeting texture, light meeting feeling.
Metal, on the other hand, offers a one dimensional line of finishes—from glossy to satin. To me, it feels more like a digital screen than an artwork.
That said, metal still has its place. It’s incredibly durable. It can withstand the elements. It’s easy to clean and comes ready to hang without the need for a frame or glazing. In outdoor spaces, modern offices, or high-traffic public areas like hotels, metal is often the practical choice. And for things like astrophotography, where high contrast and vibrancy are key, metal can absolutely shine.
After intense work and research looking for the best solutions, I do believe I have found the best of both worlds.
I still use fine art paper, but I mount each print onto ACM (aluminum composite material), a thin, rigid panel made of aluminum with a polyethylene core. This gives me the strength and flatness of metal without sacrificing the soul of the paper. From there, I frame the piece by hand and protect it with museum-grade glazing. That extra effort gives me the freedom to treat every piece as a complete, intentional work of art.
It’s not the quickest or simplest method. But I didn’t get into this to cut corners. I got into this to create something incredible—something that brings the beauty and awe of the wild into your home with soul and authenticity.
For me, it’s not just printing a picture or taking a photo.
It’s building a story—layer by layer, choice by choice—until it lives and breathes like the moment I first captured it. The final result is a creation—something that didn’t exist before and now does… God that’s so cool.
“American Dream” X Rustic Oak | 16” x 22” Artist Edition