Why Photography Prints Are Our Passion

Photographic art from capture to print

Photography records real scenes using light, time and physical location. The final image is shaped by camera choice, lens quality, exposure settings and the photographer’s judgement and creativity in the moment. These factors matter when artwork is printed at scale.

High-resolution photographic files retain detail across large formats. Fine textures, tonal transitions and controlled highlights reproduce reliably when handled correctly. This makes photography particularly well suited to wall prints, where viewing distance, lighting conditions and material choice all affect how an image is perceived.

Photographic art prints also provide clarity. What is shown is what existed at the time the camera shutter was opened. For many interiors, this realism works quietly and consistently across different spaces, from living rooms and bedrooms to offices and hospitality settings.

How Fotoviva began and why that matters

Fotoviva started in 2006, following the move from hobby photography to selling prints online. Early encouragement from friends led to the first sales, but the direction of the gallery changed when other photographers asked to contribute their work.

That shift turned Fotoviva into a collaborative platform rather than a single-artist website. Over time, the gallery grew to represent multiple photographers, each with a distinct approach, subject matter and working method, though our overall focus is on the natural world around us.

Since then, Fotoviva’s art prints have been supplied to private homes, interior designers, NHS environments, hospitality venues and television projects, including Channel 4’s 60 Minute Makeover. Throughout this growth, the gallery has remained centred on photography as a discipline, not as a decorative category.

Why we don’t sell paintings, illustrations or digital art

We have respect for all art forms, including painting, illustration and digital work. Each requires its own skill set and creative discipline. However, Fotoviva was built around photography, and remaining focused allows us to maintain technical and curatorial standards without compromise.

Photography has specific production requirements. Colour management, resolution handling, print scaling and material compatibility all differ from other art types. By working exclusively with photographic art, we can apply consistent processes, assess quality accurately and avoid treating photography as interchangeable with other mediums.

This focus keeps the gallery coherent and avoids the need to generalise or simplify production decisions.

The skill behind the image

Fine art photography prints rely on more than just subject matter. The photographers we work with use professional cameras and lenses, often working with full-frame sensors, controlled exposure techniques and creative, deliberate composition. Think not only Nikon, Leica and Canon but also very high end tools such as Hasselblad medium format cameras.

Many images involve early starts, repeat visits to locations and long exposure methods that require precise timing and stable conditions. These choices affect sharpness, tonal range and overall file quality, which in turn affect how well an image prints.

Richard Burdon recalls a typically challenging shoot at Graymare rocks near Dunstanburgh Castle. “We recced the location and the route to the rocks in the afternoon so we could find our way to our chosen vantage point in the dark an hour before sunrise the following dawn. Even so, traversing the rocks was a challenge and I christened the area ‘Breakneck rocks’.”

This level of planning and setup is particularly important when producing large format prints, where inconsistencies can become more visible when printed as large wall art.

Our photographers

Fotoviva works with a curated group of photographers, selected for both technical competence and consistency of output. Many have received awards for their work, exhibited publicly or been published in print and online media. Take one of our earliest contributors, Tim Wallace – he won ‘Best in Nation’ for Team GB representing England in the World Photographic Cup and got an award for Commercial Photography of the Year at the British Photography Awards in London. Jackie Schletter has won several awards for APA (American Photographic Artists) and in 2023 Rick Bowden won two awards in the British Landscape Photographer of the Year competition.

Their subject matter often reflects long-term engagement with a place, particularly British landscapes and coastlines. You can view their individual photography portfolios on our dedicated photographers page, which outlines their background, working methods and areas of focus.

Professional recognition and peer-led contribution

The photographers we work with are not only active practitioners, but are also recognised within the wider photographic community. For example, Doug Chinnery was invited by the Royal Photographic Society (East Midlands region) to be one of two speakers at their annual Landscape Spectacular event. He was joined by fellow Fotoviva contributor Peter Paterson.

Events such as this are peer-led and curator-driven, focusing on photographic practice, process and interpretation rather than commercial output. Invitations are extended based on the photographer’s body of work, consistency and contribution to the medium. Participation at this level reflects professional standing and reinforces the depth of experience behind the images shown in the Fotoviva gallery.

Post-processing as part of the photographic practice

The photographic process does not end when the shutter is released. In fine art photography, post-processing is a considered and necessary stage of image making. It is where photographers refine their files to reflect what they saw, and what the camera sensor alone cannot always record accurately.

Our photographers carry out their own post-processing, working directly on the original RAW image files. This typically involves adjusting exposure levels, contrast and tonal balance to ensure detail is retained across highlights and shadows. Colour work is handled carefully, with attention paid to white balance, colour relationships and consistency across the frame.

Most photographers work using professional tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. These allow for non-destructive editing through adjustable layers, ensuring changes can be refined without degrading image quality. Techniques such as dodging and burning are often used selectively to guide the eye, balance light across the image, or bring subtle emphasis to specific areas without altering the integrity of the scene.

This stage is not about adding elements or changing reality. It is about interpretation and control. Cameras record data; photographers decide how that data is translated into a finished photograph. Post-processing allows them to fine-tune mood, depth and clarity so the final image reflects both the conditions on the day and the photographer’s intent.

Because this work is done by the photographer rather than automated filters or presets, each image retains its individual character. It also ensures the file is fully prepared for printing, with tonal ranges and detail optimised for physical materials rather than screens. This way when you buy a large photography print from Fotoviva you can be assured of a quality result.

Documenting Britain’s landscape and coastline

A significant part of the Fotoviva collection centres on Britain’s natural and built environment. Coastal seascapes, working harbours, piers and shoreline structures appear frequently, not as abstract forms but as functional elements shaped by geography and history.

Planet Earth’s landscape also plays a huge part in our imagery, from Lake District photography to the Tuscan countryside.

Photography provides a practical record of these places. Our article Britain’s coastal heritage in one frame looks in more detail at how photographers document these environments and why they continue to be relevant subjects for photographic art.

Why photography remains our sole focus

After nearly two decades working exclusively with photographic art, the practical benefits of specialisation are clear. Photography prints demand technical understanding, careful production and informed curation.

By limiting the gallery to one medium, we can assess quality accurately, support photographers properly and maintain consistency across the collection. This approach avoids unnecessary variation and allows the work itself to remain central.

Photography prints are not an add-on at Fotoviva. It is the foundation the gallery was built on, and it continues to guide how we curate, print and present every piece of artwork we offer.