Top 3 Tips on Creating a Gallery Wall

This is art. These are not hard and fast rules, but they are a great place to start when planning a portrait display. The whole point is to have the warm fuzzies when you walk into your space, so that’s the ultimate test!

#1 Determine the size of your display.

This is by far the most important thing. Most people think of an 8x10 as an "enlargement."

I'm here to tell you right now that 8x10s don't belong over couches.

Why? Because the couch itself keeps you from getting close enough to appreciate the details of a portrait…and it’s very unbalanced.

A good rule of thumb when choosing something to hang over a piece of furniture is that the width of the piece should be somewhere around 75% of the width of the furniture.

This could be a grouping of images or one large statement piece.

#2 Consider how the frame affects the portrait and the space.

The color and texture of the frame will “pick up” colors in the image and the room.

This white frame “picks up” the white sky, drawing your attention away from the subject.

This textured frame “picks up” the texture in the grass, also drawing your attention away from the subject.

Ah! I love this one! This smooth, dark frame draws attention to the smooth, dark dog. It’s so much more impactful!

#3 Plan your arrangement.

Believe it or not, I do this before I pick up my camera. What? You heard me! What I want more than anything is for my clients to enjoy their images, and this requires some forethought.

Think of it like planning dessert before dinner.

Now I know what I’m shooting for.

I also bring plain paper templates like this when I come to install the portraits so that we can all agree on the placement before I start putting holes in your wall.

How awesome is this! I created variety and captured the personality of the subject by using different crops, angles, poses, and expressions that work well together. This is what my clients see even before they place their order using my handy mock-up software and a picture of their own room.

This gives me all the warm fuzzies!

And the best part is I handle all of the details. Planning, photographing, editing, designing, delivering, installing—I even take away the packaging. It’s the best! Comment below and tell me what you think!