The finish you choose changes a photograph as surely as the light it was taken in. Matte softens and deepens; lustre sharpens and lifts; canvas turns a frame into texture. After a decade of proofing, here is how I think about each one.
Matte cotton rag: the quiet default
Nearly every Tidewick print ships on 308gsm matte cotton rag, and for good reason. It kills reflections in bright rooms, renders deep blacks without glare, and gives colour a calm, painterly weight. If your wall faces a window, start here.
Lustre: when detail must snap
Cityscapes and wildlife portraits with fine feather or steel detail love a lustre surface. The slight sheen adds punch and perceived sharpness — at the cost of catching a window's reflection at certain angles. Hang lustre where you control the light.
Canvas: texture as a feature
Canvas forgives imperfect walls and skips the glass entirely. Landscapes with big skies and soft gradients translate beautifully. Just know that the weave eats the finest detail, so reserve it for large sizes viewed from a few steps back.
My rule of thumb
- Bright room with windows — matte, always.
- Detail-led frames (birds, facades) — lustre.
- Big soft landscapes over a sofa — canvas.
- Unsure? Order the smallest size in matte first; it suits nine rooms out of ten.
Care keeps it archival
Keep prints out of prolonged direct sun, frame behind UV glass where you can, and handle by the edges. Do that, and the rated century-long life of archival pigment is not marketing — it is chemistry.