I’m looking for recommendations on lighting gallery walls
I’m considering arranging three A2-sized photo frames per column, with the middle frame positioned at eye level and each frame spaced 10 cm apart.
Each wall will have 1-3 columns.
For lighting, I’m thinking of installing a 4 bulb ceiling spotlight fixture per photo, angled so that the line from the spotlight to the floor and the line to the center of each frame form an angle of 30 degrees. This means the spotlights are 450mm, 600mm and 750mm from the wall. 30 degrees is to minimize reflections
From previous testing, a "350w" (actual draw 4.7w) LED spotlight at 85% power (~300w) is sufficient for a single A3 photo when the spotlight is placed in an optimal position directly in front of the photo.
I would then expect an A2 photo to require "600w" placed optimally, and double that to "1200w" if placed on the ceiling because half the light will end up on the wall and not the photo.
1) Is 3 photos per column too much?
2) Is there a better way to handle lighting
3) Should I be catering for frames larger than A2 sized (less frames, but larger ones)
The lighting on the frames will vary throughout the day (automatically dimmed at night)
First, are your frames vertical or horizontal? Having laid out a number of exhibitions, my initial reaction is that you are stacking too many images vertically on the wall. The angle of view for the upper and lower images will be quite steep and require your viewer to be back at least 10' to be able to view these images comfortably. Unless this is a vertical triptych, I wouldn't stack more than two high for A2 imagery.
Second, are your frames glassed? If so, the user images will have major glare issues. It's a risk you run with any image placed above eye level.
How large is your gallery space? With images this size, folks will need space to step back. Be careful about blocking up the center of the gallery.
I don't understand your lighting numbers and am unable to provide any meaningful comments, but your numbers see high to me. But, that might be due to national differences.
Have you done a plan and drawings of each wall layout. That will prove very helpful
Lastly, who's eye level. Yours? Mine? I''m above average height and images hung at my eye level are a little high for most viewers.
Kevner wrote:
aCuria, there are lots of questions.
First, are your frames vertical or horizontal? Having laid out a number of exhibitions, my initial reaction is that you are stacking too many images vertically on the wall. The angle of view for the upper and lower images will be quite steep and require your viewer to be back at least 10' to be able to view these images comfortably. Unless this is a vertical triptych, I wouldn't stack more than two high for A2 imagery.
Second, are your frames glassed? If so, the user images will have major care issues. It's a risk you run with any image placed above eye level.
How large is your gallery space? With images this size, folks will need space to step back. Be careful about blocking up the center of the gallery.
I don't understand your lighting numbers and am unable to provide any meaningful comments, but your numbers see high to me. But, that might be due to national differences.
Have you done a plan and drawings of each wall layout. That will prove very helpful
Lastly, who's eye level. Yours? Mine? I''m above average height and images hung at my eye level are a little high for most viewers....Show more →
I intend to use horizontal frames. Its just my images so I can choose
You may be quite right that its too many images, trying to solve the issue of insufficient wall space in my house to hang what I want to hang.
The frames have glass or plastic in the front. What do you mean by care issues?
Its a "gallery wall" in my house, not a gallery per se.
The walls are big enough for 1, 2, or 3 A2 images, so potentially up to a 9x9 layout.
