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If you’re a photographer selling prints, the client is not really buying the print. They’re actually buying the feeling they get from seeing that print on their wall, they’re buying the pride they get from showing it to friends.
And this can be helped tremendously by allowing them to preview the print in a room – either a generic room from a few predefined examples, or, better yet, overlaid on a photo of their own room.
From the buyer’s perspective, shopping for wall art is like shopping for clothes: they need to “try them on” before taking a purchase decision.
In the photography website space, eCommerce platforms are usually completely lacking such a feature. You can often choose print sizes, finish options, framing, but you can’t get a preview of how the print would actually look like on a bedroom wall.
There’s a big gap in the market. WordPress, with its entire ecosystem of plugins, still doesn’t not have a strong solution for this.
With this being a common web-design request from photographers, I’ve done some research into what your options are:
1. Platform-agnostic solutions
Top choice: Artplacer
If you’re serious about selling prints, this is your best option. Period.
I’m not paid to say this, and I have absolutely no affiliate relationship with ArtPlacer. I just really like their website widgets after testing them out and integrating them on several client websites that I’ve built.
At the time of writing this, you’d need to get their $23/mo plan for website integration, but it has a bunch of features that might make it worth:
- users can pick from an arrow of existing room preview, or upload their own photo (with real artwork scale and the proper wall perspectives)
- dragging and dropping to change the position of the image on any wall of the room
- simulating frame materials and colors too!
- an augmented reality widget of superimposing art on surrounding walls, using the camera of your phone or tablet
- the ability to integrated all of this or any website platform with simple instructions
Examples:
- https://elenadragoi.com/collections/floral-fine-arts/products/scent-of-a-rose-flower-prints
- https://www.dickandrosanne.com/product/marvelous-magnolias/
Here’s a demo of ArtPlacer widgets in action:
Hoverlay
A good solution with AR capabilities and a WooCommerce plugin.
Swift Galleries
Probably the best option for (traditional or virtual) in-person sales meetings.
2. WordPress-based solutions
There’s this WordPress plugin, but it’s $390 (yes, you read that correctly, it’s way too expensive).
Nothing else? Nope. I couldn’t find any other good solution for WordPress sites, despite its vast ecosystem of plugins. Know of one? Let me know.
So if you have a WordPress photography website, ArtPlacer (mentioned first above) is still my go-to recommendation.
3. Other website platforms
ArtStoreFronts
A dedicated eCommerce platform for photographers with live preview & AR capabilities for prints.
4. Static “print on wall” image generators
Web apps
Pictorem Canvas Print Simulator
It comes with an excellent array of room, wall color, and framing options:
WallApp
Nice an easy to use online too:
PhotoFunia
Fun way to create all sorts of effects:
Smartphone apps
- iArtView iPhone/iPad app
- Shoot & Sell iPad app
- ARTSEE iPhone/iPad app
- Artrooms iPhone/iPad app
- InsiteArtRoom app
Conclusion
If you’re selling fine art prints, showing realistic previews of your prints on a room wall is a must.
At a minimum, take the free approach and create some static previews with the generators mentioned above.
But if you’re a serious fine art photographer, looking to command premium prices, you can’t go wrong with Artplacer, they’re an excellent tool for this job, regardless of what platform you’re using for your site.
And if you’re doing a lot of in-person sales meetings with your clients, Swift Galleries is the way to go.
Leave a comment below if you have experience with these or any other tools for showcasing your prints.
