Photographers print their work less often nowadays. It’s not because they don’t care; it is due to one fundamental issue: whom do you trust?
I love printing my work. It’s the last step in the creative process, but this step can also become the most overwhelming. Why? It’s because some internet sites promote themselves as the best printers for your work. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Three printing companies struggle for every successful one. So who do you trust? Lumaprints.
Who Is Lumaprints
They are a California-based print-on-demand company that specializes in producing museum-quality products for photographers and artists. Founded in 2010 by CEO Kenneth Li and his brother Yong Li, they focus on turning digital images into high-quality products like canvas, metal, and fine art prints. They can connect with major e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, WooCommerce, and Squarespace to automate fulfillment — all while shipping to customers with no Lumaprints branding. If you asked me to describe Lumaprints in two words, it would be quality and affordable.
How I found Lumaprints
I was being cheap. I received an offer for a solo show when money was tight and those funds needed to be spent elsewhere in the business. Solo shows are usually high cost with low return. It was fine, I decided; it was only cash. My search for inexpensive printers with strong reviews led me deep into the internet. Stumbled upon Lima Prints and started looking at the reviews, I thought I’d give them a chance. Initially, their pricing caused some concern. My prior experience here involved a printer whose cost was low, performance terrible. I placed my order and waited.
Lumaprints Quality
Finally, my prints arrived, revealing printing lines on several. I emailed, and within the hour they emailed back and stated they would replace the entire order and get it shipped out. That instance stands unique. Quality concerns ceased following that incident. Their quality is over the top for the price you are paying. Over time, I have ordered more than just their fine art prints. In a recent order, I tried their metal and canvas prints, with impressive quality. I have never had an issue with their color or density of the prints. I assure you they will resolve any issues without complaint. Their goal: your satisfaction, ensuring repeat business for future needs.
Premium Papers: They print on thick, fine art papers that feel substantial in hand. They’re acid-free for long-term durability, with a range of weights, tones, and finishes so you can match the paper to the image. The result is a surface that holds color well and keeps detail where it matters.
Quality Frames: The frames are solid wood with clear, optical-grade acrylic up front. A 4-ply white mat with a clean bevel keeps the presentation simple, and everything is finished on the back with a dust cover and hanging wire — ready to go on the wall.
Color Accuracy: Printed using calibrated Canon giclée printers for consistent, accurate color. The pigment inks produce rich tones without feeling overdone and are built to last — resisting fading for decades.
Products
The standard products many photographers order are available from them. You can get prints in metal, canvas, fine art, foam-mounted, and even framed fine art options. They offer a unique product: peel and stick prints. In addition, they provide framed canvas prints.
Canvas Prints: High-quality stretched or rolled canvas prints. Made with carefully hand-stretched fabric on a wooden frame, our prints will showcase your work in bright, stunning colors that will last for decades.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Next-day and same-day production available
- Printing method: Giclée, eco-solvent inkjet
- Available sizes: 6×6″ to 52×100″ (stretched), 52×300″ (rolled)
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Framed Canvas Prints: Choose from floating, decorative, or traditional gallery frames — a perfect blend of elegance, depth, and versatility for any space. The vibrant, stunning colors of the print lure in viewers’ eyes.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Next-day and same-day production available
- Printing method: Giclée, eco-solvent inkjet
- Available sizes: 6×6″ to 52×100″
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Fine Art Paper Prints: Fine art paper is a great way to add a unique look and feel to your art and photo prints. It’s a durable and archival medium that creates an elegant, classic aesthetic. The vibrant colors give off a gallery feel that won’t fade easily.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Next-day and same-day production available
- Printing method: Giclée
- Available sizes: 4×4″ to 43×110″
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Framed Fine Art Prints: Framing your prints is a great way to protect and showcase them in a more professional, polished manner. It adds to the longevity of fine art papers, enhances the overall look of the images, and protects delicate surfaces from scratches or smudges.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Printing method: Giclée
- Available sizes: 5×5″ to 40×60″ glass size (image size + mat size) (depending on frame type)
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Why I purchase: It never fails that someone will want a print that is framed for an office but doesn’t want to pay top dollar for the matting and framing from a frame shop. Because of Lumaprints, I can offer these “penny pinchers” a product that is of quality that I okay with and it saves them a few bucks; it’s a win, win. The quality of the framing is amazing as well as the frame build, they seem indestructible!
Foam-Mounted Fine Art Prints: Discover a new way to showcase your art and photos with foam-mounted fine art paper prints. These lightweight and sturdy prints offer the perfect solution for stunning, professional presentation. Enjoy the combination of vibrant paper print and durable display.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Printing method: Giclée
- Available sizes: 5×5″ to 39.5×59.5″
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Why I purchase: In the past a few competitions as well as client requests, have called for a mounted print. For one, its easy to order and I no longer have to take the time to mount my own prints which saves me a ton of time and the cost of keeping supplies on hand. In the past, there have been companies that have failed me
Metal Prints: Display your photos and artworks in a way that’s both beautiful and durable. The infusion of the image into the aluminum’s coating offers a level of vibrancy and vividness not seen in other print mediums. Plus, their protective polymer coating makes them durable, scratch-resistant, and water-resistant.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Next-day production available
- Printing method: Giclée, dye-sublimation printing
- Available sizes: 5×5″ to 40×60″
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Why I purchase: Metal prints are a dime a dozen and easy to find a place to print them at. I choose Lumaprints because I am getting value and quality all in one. Their colors always match my edits, and there is no going back and forth with them correcting the issue. The colors are vibrant and I am never disapointed. The quality matches that of national print labs without the high costs!
Peel and Stick Art Prints + Wall Murals: These offer your art and photos without the headaches of hanging prints. Peel and stick art prints and wall murals are incredibly easy to install, remove, reposition, and replace without damaging the walls they’re applied to. Printed on high-quality woven fabric with a wide array of sizes.
- Production time: 2–3 business days
- Printing method: Giclée, eco-solvent inkjet
- Available sizes: 5×5″ to 49×150″
- Standard, custom, and large print sizes available
Competitive Pricing
Their pricing is very competitive! I have always been happy with the price versus the quality they provide. This pricing structure offers good profit potential for artists and photographers wishing to sell their creations. I placed an order for fifteen 18×24 fine art matte prints for a cool price of $184.69. If I had placed that order through a west coast lab known across the nation, it would have set me back $813.75. The print quality received many compliments at the show.
Give Them a Try
Even if you have a printer that you love, I would recommend that you sign up for a free account with Lumaprints and try them. They may not offer every product under the sun like some printers, but they offer what has been popular with photographers over the last several years! They offer high-quality products that I am proud to offer to my clients at a very affordable price! Photographers frustrated by printers unable to capture their artistic vision will find Lumaprints ideal.
In the End
In a world that offers many companies that believe they offer high-quality print products only to let you down, Lumaprints has found the medium between quality, customer service, and a competitive price. My concerns about quality relative to expense were unfounded, as the adage “you get what you pay for” was demonstrably false in this instance. Photographers like myself will find Lumaprints the premier printing service for the foreseeable future.