Print Styles

Here you will find a detailed guide on the print styles that I offer and comparisons between them. Rest assured that no matter the medium, your Limited Edition luxury fine art print will be meticulously crafted to museum-quality standards with full archival longevity. These breathtaking works of art are engineered to last a lifetime and beyond.


Moraine Lake in the Valley of Ten Peaks on a sunny morning in the summer.
'True Blue', Moraine Lake, Banff, Alberta. Limited Edition of 100.


Lumachrome® Trulife® Acrylic Prints

First off, what exactly is an acrylic print? In it's most simplistic form, acrylic 'face-mounting' a photograph is a process that involves printing a photograph on paper, applying a clear adhesive to the face of the image then adhering the print to a clear sheet of acrylic. Stiff backing material is then applied to the back of the print to protect it and provide rigidity. Finally, a recessed 'float-frame' and hanging hardware are attached to the backer.

Of all the photo papers in use across the globe, there is clearly one that stands above the rest and is praised by professional photographers worldwide. Lumachrome® is a proprietary, state-of-the-art paper that is simply the best printing material available today. This archival transparency paper is infused with iridium particles and features vivid, brilliant colors lasting over 120 years with incredible 3D depth and dimensionality. When lit with quality lighting, it's reactive properties make it literally come alive with a glowing response that is absolutely stunning.

When accent lighting is used on these prints, it refracts or 'bounces' within the acrylic, causing a unique effect that appears to illuminate the image from within. This captivating effect is unique to the acrylic face-mount style and is the reason they look so bright and vibrant, full of rich detail with amazing depth.

When it comes to the acrylics that are used on a face-mount photograph, experts agree that there is only one choice for a true museum-quality art piece. TruLife® is a revolutionary optically clear acrylic with an anti-reflective coating that VIRTUALLY ELIMINATES reflections and glare while allowing viewers to see the finest details in the image. The thickness of the acrylic gives the photograph an amazing three-dimensional depth with vibrant color and clarity that is unsurpassed. Additionally, this acrylic gives your art piece 99% UV protection, is abrasion resistant, has anti-static properties that repel dust and it cleans like glass with no special acrylic cleaner required.

Combining the best of both worlds, Lumachrome® technology coupled with TruLife® acrylic produces breathtaking works of art that offer incredible 3D depth, intense color, and razor-sharp clarity for the highest-resolution viewing experience possible. They are the absolute gold standard of photographic presentation. A recessed float-frame mounted on the rear of the art piece makes the print appear to 'float' on your wall for an awe-inspiring, contemporary presentation with no external framing required.

Due to the anti-reflective properties of these pieces, they are the MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED medium that I offer, especially when hanging in rooms with windows or other bright sources of light. Note that this is a VERY important consideration when choosing your print medium.


Can You Frame A Lumachrome® Print Yourself?

It is important to note that this print style is designed to be presented frameless, meaning that a recessed floating frame will be attached to the rear of the print which becomes invisible after hanging. Your print will appear to 'float' approximately one inch off of your wall.

If you intend to externally frame this print style, please consider a Charity Edition print instead, which is identical except that the rear floating frame is deleted and an external wooden frame is added. A full explanation of Charity Edition framed prints is provided below.

All Limited Edition Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic prints are accompanied by a hand-signed, laminated certificate of authenticity which is shipped to you separately. All prints are expertly packaged in custom crates and fully insured to arrive at your home or office free of damage and ready to hang.

Japanese maple tree with bright orange autumn foliage with sunstar shining though leaves.
'Radiance', Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Limited Edition of 150.

    Expanded view of the layers of a Lumachrome acrylic photographic print.
    Diagram of the various layers and floating frame on a Lumachrome acrylic photographic print.
    Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic prints are designed to be presented frameless. The recessed rear floating frame becomes invisible after hanging and will make your print appear to 'float' off of your wall.




    Charity Edition Framed Lumachrome® TruLife® Acrylic Prints

    'Charity Edition' prints are identical to Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic prints, but with the addition of any MUSEUM-QUALITY Roma® or Omega® Italian wooden frame and linen liner combination of your choice in a wide range of styles and colors for one-of-a-kind art pieces to suit your personal style.

    These Limited Edition pieces are by far the most highly sought-after by fine art collectors. The 'crème de la crème' of luxurious fine art print presentation, these exquisite hand-made frames add an approximate 6 to 20 INCHES to the total width and height of your personalized art piece for a detailed brilliance and warmth that is absolutely unequaled in sophistication and beauty. Below is an EXAMPLE of the actual dimensions you receive when you order a Charity Edition with a 4" frame combined with a 3" linen liner;


    Charity Edition 16" x 24" = Actual physical size you receive is 30" x 38"

    Charity Edition 24" x 36" = Actual physical size you receive is 38" x 50"

    Charity Edition 30" x 45" = Actual physical size you receive is 44" x 59"

    Charity Edition 40" x 60" = Actual physical size you receive is 54" x 74"

    Charity Edition 48" x 72" = Actual physical size you receive is 62" x 86"


    Due to the anti-reflective properties of all Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic prints, they are the MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED medium that I offer, especially when hanging in rooms with windows or other bright sources of light. Note that this is a VERY important consideration when choosing your print medium.

    So, why the name 'Charity Edition' for these framed prints? Feel positive with your personal contribution knowing that $50 CAD from EVERY Charity Edition print will be DONATED to CPAWS, a wonderful environmental charity whose mandate is to protect and preserve our public lands, oceans, freshwater and wildlife. Click HERE for more information on this amazing organization and your charitable contribution to CPAWS.

    All Charity Edition Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic prints are accompanied by a hand-signed, laminated certificate of authenticity which is shipped to you separately. All prints are expertly packaged in custom crates and fully insured to arrive at your home or office free of damage and ready to hang.

    Hawaiian coastal sunset photographic print framed with a Roma Tabacchino dark ash frame and black linen liner.
    'Surge', Charity Edition, West Coast Hawaii, USA. Limited Edition of 150.
    Closeup diagram of a Roma Tabacchino dark ash picture frame and black linen liner.
    Above is just one example of the hundreds of framing options available.



    Fujiflex® Crystal Archive Metal Prints

    So, what is a metal print? First off, all metal prints are NOT created equal! The most common type is made with a process called dye-sublimation. With this process, the image is printed on a special paper first, then taped down over a specially coated sheet of aluminum in a large heat press. The press is then closed, applying heat to the paper which then transfers the ink and infuses it into the coating on the aluminum. Although they possess nice color saturation and fair detail, there is a better way.

    Not to be confused with a typical dye-sublimation metal print, the Fujiflex® chromogenic prints that I offer are FAR superior in every way. Fujiflex® Crystal Archive is Fujifilm's premier professional photographic material which demonstrates incredible three-dimensional depth, contrast, vibrant color and razor sharp detail. After printing, the photograph is meticulously adhered to a robust sheet of aluminum, then covered with an exclusive high-gloss UV laminate for a perfectly flat, super-gloss archival finish completely free of any 'orange peel' texture.

    These prints are a stunning, contemporary presentation that arrives ready to hang with no external framing required. As always, a hand-signed, laminated certificate of authenticity accompanies the art piece which is shipped to you separately.

    Fujiflex® Crystal Archive metal prints are best suited for environments where reflections and glare are NOT an issue. This is a VERY important consideration when choosing your print medium.


    Can You Frame A Metal Print Yourself?

    The short answer is yes, it is possible. But it is important to note that this print style is designed to be presented frameless, meaning that a recessed floating frame will be attached to the rear of the print which becomes invisible after hanging, creating the illusion that the artwork is 'floating' on your wall.

    If you intend to externally frame your Fujiflex® metal print yourself after you receive it, you must contact me at the time of ordering so that I can be sure the rear floating frame is deleted, and the signature/edition number is relocated accordingly so that your frame will not obscure it. Your own framer will then attach alternative hanging hardware to the external frame. Also note that placing glass over the print is not recommended or required.

    Alternatively, if you desire a framed artwork I recommend that you consider a Charity Edition framed Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic print instead, as I have full access to the entire catalogs offered by the Italian framing experts Roma® and Omega®. This will save you the time-consuming and often inconvenient process of hiring an expensive third-party framer with the additional risk that your print may be damaged in the process.

    Custom framing is not intimidating at all, as I offer full guidance throughout the process and we can be sure to customize your artwork exactly as you desire for your own personal style and taste. A full explanation of the process can be found here.





    Flowing lava in S-curve shape with blue and orange colors photographed from helicopter.
    'Middle Earth', East Rift Zone, Hawaii, USA. Limited Edition of 150.
    Close-up diagram of the back and edges of a metal photographic print.
    Fujiflex® metal prints are designed to be presented frameless. The recessed rear floating frame becomes invisible after hanging and will make your print appear to 'float' off of your wall.



    Metallic Dibond® Prints

    Dibond® is an industry-leading, aluminum composite material that consists of a rigid, polyethylene core sandwiched between two thin sheets of aluminum forming a premium, super smooth and durable mounting surface. LexJet® Metallic is a stunning ink-jet photo paper resulting in a print that is remarkably rich, sharp and vibrant. The LexJet® Metallic print is expertly adhered to the surface of the Dibond®, then covered with a matte laminate which protects the print and markedly reduces reflections and glare.

    As always, a hand-signed, laminated certificate of authenticity accompanies the art piece which is shipped to you separately.

    With a look similar to a traditional metal print, the less expensive substrate material allows me to offer this print style as my most cost-effective option.


    Can You Frame A Dibond® Print Yourself?

    The short answer is yes, it is possible. But it is important to note that this print style is designed to be presented frameless, meaning that a recessed floating frame will be attached to the rear of the print which becomes invisible after hanging, creating the illusion that the artwork is 'floating' on your wall.

    If you intend to externally frame your Metallic Dibond® print yourself after you receive it, you must contact me at the time of ordering so that I can be sure the rear floating frame is deleted, and that the signature/edition number is relocated accordingly so that your frame will not obscure it. Your own framer will then attach alternative hanging hardware to the external frame. Also note that placing glass over the print is not recommended or required.

    Alternatively, if you desire a framed artwork I recommend that you consider a Charity Edition framed Lumachrome® TruLife® acrylic print instead, as I have full access to the entire catalogs offered by the Italian framing experts Roma® and Omega®. This will save you the time-consuming and often inconvenient process of hiring an expensive third-party framer with the additional risk that your print may be damaged in the process.

    Custom framing is not intimidating at all, as I offer full guidance throughout the process and we can be sure to customize your artwork exactly as you desire for your own personal style and taste. A full explanation of the process can be found here.

    Panoramic abstract ICM forest scene with orange, green and white colors.
    'Brushfire', Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. Limited Edition of 50.
    Diagram explaining the layers and hanging hardware on a Dibond photographic print.
    Metallic Dibond® prints are designed to be presented frameless. The recessed rear floating frame becomes invisible after hanging and will make your print appear to 'float' off of your wall.



    All About Limited Editions

    While many photographers offer their photographs as 'open editions', this means that an unlimited number of prints of the same image can be produced over time, severely limiting their value. It is important to note that NONE of the images in my collection are open editions.

    My philosophy is that your investment in a fine art piece SHOULD BE PROTECTED. That is why every print for sale in my collection is genuinely limited in number, with most as an edition of 50, 100 or a maximum of 150 for a small number of images. Every print is digitally embedded in an unobtrusive manner with my signature and your edition number (such as 26/50). A hand-signed, laminated Certificate of Authenticity is shipped to you separately for additional provenance.

    It is important to note that when each photograph has reached it's production limit, REGARDLESS of medium or size it will NEVER be produced again. EVER. This makes each art piece truly scarce and promotes it's value to you as a collector.

    Artist Proofs And Giving Back To Nature

    In addition to the Limited Edition series of each photograph, I also offer ONE 'Artist Proof' print for each image in my collection. These one-of-a-kind pieces are especially rare and valuable, intended for the fine art collector who wishes to make a difference by donating to CPAWS, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. An additional investment of $4,500 CAD is required above the cost of the print, regardless of size.

    Dean McLeod Photography will donate $1,000 CAD from every Artist Proof print to CPAWS and include your name (with permission) in the annual news release on this website. Please click HERE to find out more about Artist Proofs and this amazing organization.

    Feel positive that with the purchase of a one-of-a-kind Artist Proof print, you are directly helping to protect our precious wilderness for generations to come.