20in x 16in prints
Photographers have used this size since the darkroom days, so frames for it are widely sold. At 508mm by 406mm, it is a strong size for a single portrait on a wall.
A squarer shape than your camera.
This size has a ratio of 5 to 4, so it is closer to a square than almost anything else on our list. In a room, it is about the size of a big tea tray. It suits portraits very well, since it leaves less empty space either side of a head and shoulders. Hung in a stairwell or on a narrow wall, it looks solid and deliberate.
What the crop will cost you
A camera file is not this shape, so something has to go. Here is what happens in practice.
| Your file | After cropping | Lost | Result at 20in wide |
|---|---|---|---|
| DSLR, 6,000 x 4,000 pixels | 5,000 x 4,000 | One sixth of the width | 250 pixels per inch |
| Phone, 4,000 x 3,000 pixels | 3,750 x 3,000 | A sixteenth of the width | About 188 pixels per inch |
Both of those will look good at normal viewing distance. The thing to check is your composition. A group shot taken right to the edges will lose someone's elbow, so do a trial crop first. If the crop hurts, an uncropped print with white borders inside the sheet is a neat way round it.
Prices
| Quantity | Price each |
|---|---|
| 1 print | £11.99 |
| 5+ prints | £7.99 |
| 20+ prints | £5.99 |
The 5+ and 20+ rates count every 20in x 16in print in the order, so a family set of different portraits can reach them. Ordering just one or two? Check with us first, because large format poster printing carries a £35 minimum.
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Inches or centimetres? It matters here
Frame shops sell 16 x 20in frames, and they also sell 40 x 50cm frames. They sound like the same thing, but they are not. A 20in x 16in print is 508mm x 406.4mm. A 40 x 50cm frame is 8mm too short on one side and more than 6mm on the other, so the print will not go in. Buy a frame in inches or trim to fit, and check the exact size before you go ahead. Our price list rounds the metric size of this print, so use the figures here.
Using a window mount
This size is also a classic frame for a smaller print. Put a 16in x 12in print behind a window mount in a 20in x 16in frame and you get an even border of about two inches on all sides, before allowing for the overlap of the mount. That border gives a modest picture a lot more presence. Our page on 16in x 12in prints looks at that size, and framed print options covers what we can do for you.
Gloss or matt at this size
Gloss brings out colour but picks up reflections from windows. Matt calms things down, and helps if the print is going behind glass in a bright room, as you will already be dealing with one layer of reflection. For portraits, many people like matt, because it is kinder to skin. See matt or gloss posters for the fuller comparison.
Portraits and framed sets.
Your questions.
What is 20 x 16 inches in centimetres?
It is 50.8cm by 40.6cm.
Can I order the print to fit a 40 x 50cm frame?
Ask us. That is a different size from the one on our list, so tell us the frame opening and we will let you know what we can do.
Is it portrait or landscape?
Either. The size on the list simply gives the two sides, so tell us which way up you want it and set your file up to match.