How to Light a Pin-Up Photograph
The right lighting can enhance a work of art. Pin-up photographs are vintage black and white photographs of glamorous Hollywood starlets from the 1940s and 1950s such as Dorothy Lamour, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe. They are collected as antiques and art, but also are reproduced as decorator prints for men's home offices, recreation rooms and bars. All pin-ups should be framed with a special UV glass to protect the photograph or print from fading. This is the main reason why it is best to display a pin-up photograph with artificial light, away from sunlight. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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How to Light a Framed Pin-up Photograph with Artificial Light
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Decide where the framed pin-up photograph will be displayed. Keep in mind it should not be displayed on a wall where direct sunlight can fall on the surface of the photograph.
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Review lighting options. Choose lighting best suited for the particular room and photograph. Follow personal taste when making decisions.
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Install lighting fixture. Be careful lighting does not generate too much heat on the framed photograph as this will cause fading over time. Follow manufacturer's recommended bulb wattage for the lighting device.
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Adjust lighting for best possible coverage on the photograph. Light should be centered on the face, with light softening toward the edges of the radius.
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If lighting is too warm or too cold, replace bulbs. To create a period look, replace with colored bulbs.
Lighting Options for a Framed Pin-up Photograph
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Attach a portable lamp to the top of the picture frame to achieve museum lighting. These elegant lamps are ideal if the collector wants the pin-up photograph to be lighted constantly, even in a darkened room.
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Mount three spotlights on a metal track attached to the ceiling to create a gallery lighting effect. These systems replicate a modern art gallery's approach to lighting. Track systems usually come in black or white designs. Plug in versions of these lighting systems can be easily installed by the collector by following instructions of the manufacturer, or they can be wired directly into the wall by a professional electrician.
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Use a smaller wall-mounted lamp below the framed photograph for an antique or reproduction art deco wall sconce look. This lighting option can be beautiful and dramatic and perfect for creating a theme look to the lighting scheme.
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Another variation to the antique look is to use a vintage reproduction free standing sconce lamp. This can be a nice secondary light source to use with a main light source.
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Tips & Warnings
Sometimes two lights will create a nice atmosphere for lighting a framed pin-up photograph. For group lighting, add other photo items on wall with the pin-up photograph to create a period-themed grouping.
Visit a specialty lighting store that carries vintage and reproduction lights to see all of the creative lighting options available. Consult with a lighting specialist for more options.
Some collectors prefer not to hang their framed photographs on the wall, but to install a wooden shelf rail at eye level so that framed photographs can be displayed on the shelf and moved around at will. Track lighting is ideal for such displays because spotlights on tracks can be reset as photographs are changed.
Many collectors display their framed pin-up photographs in a faux art gallery setting hung on white walls.
