Competition Prints
The Jonathan Penney brand has been built on nearly two decades of making beautiful fine art prints that score well in print competitions. Our Competition Prints include unique presentation options plus amazing fine art prints made with or without Creative Edits™. All Competition Prints are printed on specially chosen Canson™ fine art papers.
We highly encourage you to order Competition Prints long before competition deadlines as we occasionally stop taking orders near deadlines once our schedule is full. An additional benefit of ordering your prints early is that they make excellent studio samples.
Special Instructions
This box is for any special instructions you may have including any relevant need-in-hand-by-date” if you are within 3 weeks of needing the print. You can also note edit style direction.
Upload Image
A RAW or high-quality JPEG file ensures optimum print quality. If your image file is over 7 MBs, please upload a JPEG image sized to be 500 pixels on the longest side. After your order is placed, you will then receive an email with an easy-to-upload link where you can upload larger files in any format.
Mount/Print Size
Competition prints can be either 16” x 20” or 20” x 24”. Choose an appropriate print size within the correct mat size to match the aspect ratio of your image.
Edit Option
A Print Ready image file is printed exactly as it is uploaded with no review or adjustments made by our printmakers. Print-ready files should be cropped and sized correctly for the intended print size. This option does not include any email proofs.
A Natural Edit™ is a good choice when you want high-quality global and local editing steps done with the intent to make it match the original subject and/or scene as much as possible. The result shows natural colors while respecting any intentional warm or cool tones caused by lighting. It is a “politically correct” image in that we don’t substantially alter the size, shape, or other characteristics of people.
This edit includes collaboration and email proofs with images sized to be 1,800 pixels on the longest side.
Jonathan Penney Printmaker’s Tweak™ is a good choice for images that have already been edited, but you want us to look at each image and “tweak” them to optimize global tone, contrast, and color—to result in a print with visual impact. We find that most files benefit from our review and global adjustments.
Files should be cropped and sized correctly for the intended print size. A Printmaker’s Tweak™ does not include an email proof.
Jonathan Penney Creative Edits™ are the results of collaboration between photographer and printmaker working to transform straight-out-of-camera images into extraordinary fine art work. The edit process includes stylistic interpretation along with retouching, cloning, burning/dodging, texture overlays, and other localized adjustments
Collaboration begins with one of our printmakers taking a first-pass edit that is sent to the photographer as an email proof with images sized to 1,800 pixels on the longest side. The photographer then has the option of requesting changes, or suggesting an entirely new direction. This collaboration concludes when the photographer approves the image. Ninety-percent of our collaborations conclude following one or two email proofs.
Paper Choice
Watercolor – Canson™ BFK Rives 310 is beautifully textured fine art paper for images where a light texture is appropriate. BFK Rives has a unique pure white tone obtained without the use of OBAs and a very specific smooth and velvety texture that is excellent for most photographic prints and especially images that are illustrative in style.
Smooth Matte – Canson™ Rag Photographique is a wonderful 100% cotton museum grade white fine art paper with a unique extra smooth surface with a sensual feel. It also provides one of the highest achievable Dmax currently on the market.
Semi-gloss Fibre – Canson™ Baryta Photographique 310 offers the look and aesthetic of the original darkroom baryta print. It is a museum grade photo paper that shows excellent black density and great image sharpness making it ideal for black and white photographic prints—as well as color prints.
Presentation or Background Style
An appropriate presentation will substantially improve competition print scores.
Debossed Panel Float Mount – This is the classic Jonathan Penney presentation that features a unique curved debossed background featuring a float mounted print.
White or Black 8-Ply Bevel-cut Overmat – A heavy 8-ply mat board is mounted directly over the print, which is mounted on an 8-ply backer board.
White or Black 8-Ply Bevel-cut Float Mounted – This highly recommended choice features an 8-ply mat board mounted on an 8-ply backer board. The print is then float mounted on a 4-ply board with either a Deckle Edge or 1/8” White Border. This design helps protect the print as the surface of the print is a 4-ply board thickness below the face of the face matting.
Black or Color Background Border with Stroke Border on 3/16” Gatorfoam board – Image will be presented in a digital black or color background with a stroke border around the image. The print is mounted on 3/16” Gatorfoam.
Flush Mount Print on 3/16” Gatorfoam board - Choose this option to have a print be mounted on 3/16” Gatorfoam.
Print Edge Finish
Generally, the best Edge Finish choice is Deckled. However, you may also choose a 1/8” White Border.
Protective Coating
It is highly recommended that you choose Yes when your Paper Choice is Canson™ Baryta Photographique 310.
