What Is an Open Edition Print
An open edition print is a print with no set limit on how many copies get made. If people keep ordering it, more will be printed. My Sunset at Golden Gate Bridge print is an open run, and here is what that means for you.
Spring flowers line the California hillside overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. From here, I snap this stunning photograph of the Golden Gate Bridge, perfect for any wall in a home or a office.
Additional Information:
Please allow 5-10 days for printing and shipping.
I have the ability to print custom sizes and material (like wood, gatorboard, etc.). If this interests you, please reach out to dj@dalton-johnson.com for a free quote with the size and material you desire.
The easiest way to understand it is to compare it with a limited edition. A limited edition is capped. Maybe fifty prints are made, and then that is it. Once they are gone, they are gone, and the scarcity is part of the value. An open edition has no cap. You can order the print in the size and material you want, whenever you want, and it will be made.
Why would a photographer choose an open run? The appeal is access. Anyone can enjoy this photograph without racing to buy it. There is no waiting list and no sellout. If you like the image, you can have it, and it does not have to cost a fortune. The print starts at $26.95, and the price rises with size and material.
Does open mean lower quality? No. The photograph is the same. The materials are the same. You still get a real image, printed on paper, metal, or canvas, and made by a person standing on a hillside above the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset. It was not made by AI.
What about signatures? Limited editions are often signed and numbered, and open editions may or may not be. In my case, I am trying to sign the prints, but I cannot guarantee that every print will be signed. If a signature matters to you, tell me before you order.
Who are open editions good for? They are great for people who want good art on the wall without a big investment. They work well for gifts, for offices, and for first apartments. They are also a good fit if you care more about enjoying an image than tracking its rarity.
Who might want something else? If you collect art as an investment and scarcity matters to you, a limited edition may suit you better. That is a fair way to buy, and it is not what I am offering here.
I will say what I think about value. A print is worth what it does for the room. If it makes a wall feel finished, and if it reminds you of a place or a feeling, that is worth something no matter how many copies exist.
The sizes are 8x10, 8x12, 11x14, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, and 24x36. Paper with a frame is usually the cheapest, metal is usually the most expensive, and canvas sits in the middle, though large canvas can cost more.
Consider what an open run means for the photograph over time. Because the image is not capped, a print ordered today is made the same way as one ordered a year from now. What changes is only the size, the material, and whether I have managed to sign it.
It is also a friendlier way to give a gift. You do not need to move fast, and you do not need to worry that the piece will vanish before the occasion. Pick the size that suits the person, choose paper or metal, and allow 5 to 10 days for printing and shipping. Add a simple frame if you go with paper, and the gift is ready to hang.
It ships in about 5 to 10 days, and custom sizes are available on request.
Go check out all the prints by Dalton Johnson.
About the Author
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, writer, and filmmaker who tells stories about real people pushing themselves in the outdoors, from the High Sierra to the far reaches of every continent. He has shot and written for brands, tourism boards, and editorial outlets, including Nike, Patagonia, Four Seasons, PBS, GoPro, and Ford, with more than 160 campaigns and hundreds of published articles to his name. Off assignment, he bikepacks, trail runs, swims open water, chases big waves, and rock climbs.
