Living With Photography

You have acquired a stunning collection of photographs. Now what? There is nothing more paralyzing than facing that blank wall and wondering how to begin. The good news is that there are a few guidelines and suggestions that will help you make that commitment, hang the pictures and still keep the “Wow!” factor that drew you to the images in the first place.

Start by studying your collection and looking for patterns or themes. Are they mostly Black & White? Do you prefer color landscapes? Or is it an eclectic mix? How about your room décor? Is it traditional and formal? Or do you lean toward casual and unstudied? You can choose an arrangement that complements the space.

If you have one large eye-popping image, your job is a little easier. But a small or medium sized photo can look lost on a large wall. Grouping a collection of photos can have more impact than dotting them around the room. Group photos by topic (architecture, landscapes, rusting cars, etc), style (black & white, color, dark and somber, etc), or by frames (black metal, brown wood, barn siding, etc). And sometimes the unifying theme is its diversity.

This process is highly personal and there are no right answers, only results that make you feel good. Here are a few tips to get you started:

-Use newspaper or brown craft paper cut in the size and shapes of your art and try out different arrangements by taping them on the wall. Or lay the artwork out on the floor to help you visualize the result.

-A grouping of photos works best with 2-3 inches between frames, you can tack strings on the wall using a level to keep a consistent space between photos.

-Framed photos can be grouped on shelves.

-Arrange smaller pictures around a large anchor picture.

-A row of photos hugging a chair rail emphasizes the architectural detail.

-Anchor your art to a large piece of furniture. As a general rule of thumb, a large grouping of pictures over a sofa should be about two-thirds of the width of the sofa and about 6 or 7 inches above the back.

-When not anchoring to furniture, hang at eye-level.

-But the most important thing to remember is; always follow your gut and break the rules when it feels right.

--Janet Worne