Australian Photographer Peter Lik reveals the world in his photography in new and fascinating ways with his vibrant, panoramic photos focusing on nature and landscapes. Part of his striking photography style is his specific photo printing, lighting, and displaying of the art. So that naturally begs the question: How do you print like Peter Lik?

Print Like Peter Lik with Fujiflex Crystal Archive HD Paper Face-Mounted on Acrylic Plexiglass

We dive deep into his art, the process he uses, and how you can learn to print like Peter Lik. And while we can’t teach you how to be as good as a photographer as Peter Lik, we can help you print your photos so they could hang side-by-side with Lik’s art in a gallery.

How To Print Your Photos Like Peter Lik

What makes it possible for people to enjoy Lik’s work, and to see the image as he first did squinting behind the camera lens, is his reliance on excellent printing – both materials and professional printers.

If you want to know how to print like Peter Lik, start at the foundation of your materials.

Find HD Photo Papers

The first step is to sift through the traditional print shops to find an actual print partner who has the right HD photo paper and the right ink to bring your image to life. The colors and composition within your artwork will likely drive this creative direction.

We recommend ImageTech Photo Gloss paper. This thick, professional grade paper has a high-gloss finish, which adds depth and richness to make your image, and offers amazing color and clarity that won’t fade.

Select The Right Ink

After you’ve selected your printing materials, it’s important to consider the ink (when applicable). While this part of the process doesn’t usually get much attention, it can determine how well your artwork will withstand the test of time. For instance, ink that includes UV curing or protection can take more UV exposure – not just outside, but sunlight coming into a room from a window.

Choose wisely and Like Lik, your artwork can be safely distributed worldwide without losing a hint of color or definition.

Use The Highest Quality Printers

Get the highest-quality fine art prints with the latest in dry photo lab print technology- the Canon iPF PRO 6100 printer.

The Canon iPF PRO uses a more environmentally friendly printing process compared to the old-school wet lab LightJet process which produces toxic chemical waste. Not only is this printing process more sustainable, it also produces brilliant images with:

  • High-fidelity color reproduction
  • Sharp, high-resolution
  • Outstanding image clarity
  • Improved gloss uniformity
Peter Lik one sheet cover

Here’s how you too can print like Peter Lik, download your copy of the Peter Lik Print Guide to get started.

Peter Lik’s Photo Printing Process

It all starts with the right photo. Of course, when you’re Peter Lik, there’s no wrong choice. So good luck in capturing an image as impressive as his Antelope Canyon most expensive photo ever sold (at the time)! We kid, we kid. Peter is nothing if not aspirational!

Beyond just the image itself, Peter Lik photos are stunning to look at because of the printing process, most notably, the choice of photo paper and advanced inks/printers.

HD Photo Paper

Fujiflex Crystal ArchiveHigh definition photo prints will reproduce the full essence of the moment that you captured that breathtaking image with a true art gallery-look to do your masterpiece justice. ImageTech Photo Gloss paper is well-known for its ability to hold amazing detail and produce rich, deep blacks and sharp, brilliant colors that other papers simply cannot capture.

ImageTech Photo Gloss paper has a high-sheen finish to give your the museum quality WOW factor you’re looking for.

Print Using Photo Paper On The Right Printer

Not just any photo printer can create museum quality fine art prints. It requires leveraging the skills of color management experts and the best-in-class photographic printers, like the new Canon PRO-6100 printer. This printer boasts a dense DPI, 11-color ink system, auto-calibration technology, and Chroma Optimizer that expands the color gamut and produces the highest quality one-of-a-kind fine art prints.

How YOU Can Print Photos Like Peter Lik

Let the beauty of your work shine through in the hyper-realistic printing of your photographs on ImageTech Photo Gloss paper and acrylic mounting, just like Peter Lik.

Of course, there is quite a bit more to making a million-dollar masterpiece than just using the same professional grade HD photo paper. You also need a printer who knows how to bring out the best in your work and your high-quality materials.

Peter Lik’s prints are enhanced by the high-quality materials used in professional acrylic photo printing. While it can take months or even years to capture the perfect award-winning image, once you’ve captured your stunning photograph, you’ll want to use the very best printing process available.

4-Step Process

Luckily, you already know a printer partner who artists like Peter Lik select every day. ArtisanHD makes the process of ordering gallery-quality acrylic prints a 4-step snap (pun intended)!

  1. Upload your photo to the HD configurator.
  2. Configure (fancy for customize). Select the size, material, mounting, and finishing options.
  3. Order your prints. Acrylic paper support is available if you need it.
  4. Wait patiently at your front door for the carefully packaged delivery – then enjoy!

Once we’ve created your HD image, our high-quality online professional printing and image creation services don’t stop there! In fact, our print artisans at ArtisanHD work just as hard to ensure your professionally produced photograph or digital artwork is masterfully finished and delivered without harm to ensure your artwork remains picture perfect and ready for display.

Frame and Mount Pictures Like a Peter Lik Gallery

What really makes HD photo paper spectacular is pairing it with acrylic photo mounting. The acrylic mount is applied directly on top of the print, known as second surface or face mounting. When you look through the acrylic to see the print, you still see the bright, defined print protected behind it. This is Lik’s go-to mounting option.

The second option is first-surface acrylic mounting, where the HD photo paper is mounted to a rigid board (Sintra, Dibond, etc.). Some papers have an inherent texture that diffuses glare which leaves the paper open to developing tiny little bubbles when it is mounted under acrylic, so first-surface mounting is best with these papers.

Gallery-Style Lighting for High Definition Photo Paper

Peter Lik’s photography is relished under the balanced lighting of galleries and private displays around the world. You can do the same for your own acrylic photos when you consider three lighting factors.

Invest in lighting for your art gallery display. In our professional opinion, the light gamut/spectrum should be as close to natural light as possible, to really bring out all the vivid color produced with high definition photo papers. We recommend using SoLux 4700K Bulbs, which are universally recognized as the ultimate in D50 daylight simulation and can be incorporated into any standard track or art-light fixture that accepts a low voltage (12 volt) MR-16 bulb (2 pin socket).

Think about the tone of the ambient lighting in your room, as well. This can affect the display of the print. Choose a soft glow to create drama and heighten the intensity of your image. This gentle ambient lighting can pull the viewer closer to ponder and enjoy the magnificent color and detail captured in your face-mounted acrylic photo prints.

Last but certainly not least, don’t forget to think about the color of the wall that the artwork will hang on. This color will affect the lighting, dramatically even with saturated colors. This is why galleries tend to have neutral wall colors. Darker colors will also absorb more of the light you are directing onto your art, and thus will require more lighting.

Peter Lik: The Man Behind the Camera

To truly capture some of Peter Lik’s style, you must first understand where it began: in Melbourne, Australia with a Kodak Brownie camera. This camera – which was first used to capture a spider web – started Lik down the path of landscape photography.

In the 1980s he visited the United States and began to work with panoramic shots. His early work in this period included Spirit of America, covering all fifty states and requiring 1,000 film rolls. As attention to his work grew, it landed him both high price tags and coveted display locations, including the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. in 2011 and 2012 for Ghost and Inner Peace.

One of his most notable captures is in our beautiful home state of Arizona. Phantom is a stunning black-and-white photo that depicts an underground cavern inside Arizona’s Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon formed as rainwater eroded the stone into narrow passageways. Phantom sold in 2014 for a record $6.5 million, making it the most expensive photograph ever sold at that time.

Get Printing Like Peter!

With inspiration from Peter Lik, high-quality HD paper, the right display setup, and a knowledgeable printing service like ArtisanHD, you are well on your way to printing just like Peter Lik. Showcase your work on the vibrant, defined ImageTech Photo Gloss paper and acrylic face mount that will really bring it to life!

Ready to go? Get started printing Like Peter Lik.

Trustpilot Review WendyArtisanHD offers a variety of printing options so that you can find something that works for your space as well as five-star customer service and support. Contact us today for a free consultation. support@artisanhd.com

*Updated 5/10/23

Peter Lik uses FujiFlex Crystal Archive HD photo paper, but due to supply chain disruptions this paper is out of stock as per the manufacturer. ImageTech Photo Gloss is a good representation of Peter Lik’s printing process.