Nature Prints Wall Art: Landscape & Wildlife Photography

So I’ve been photographing landscapes for like 15 years now and curating nature photography for clients’ homes, and honestly the whole nature prints thing has gotten SO much better than it used to be. Like, you don’t have to settle for those generic birch tree canvases from HomeGoods anymore (though no shade, I still have one in my guest room).

What Actually Works on Your Walls

Okay so first thing – size matters way more than people think. I see so many people buy these tiny 16×20 prints and hang them on a massive wall and it just looks… sad? A good rule is your art should take up about 2/3 to 3/4 of the furniture width below it. So if you’ve got a 7-foot sofa, you’re looking at something in the 50-60 inch range. I learned this the hard way in my own living room and had to return like three prints before getting it right.

For nature photography specifically, landscapes work best when they’re wide. Think 30×40 or even better, panoramic formats like 20×60. Wildlife shots can go either way but I’m personally obsessed with large format animal portraits – there’s this grizzly bear print I got for a client’s study that’s 40×60 and it’s just… commanding. You walk in and that bear is THERE.

Print Quality Stuff You Gotta Know

This is gonna sound boring but it matters – you want giclée prints on archival paper or canvas. Regular poster prints fade SO fast, especially if you’ve got any natural light in the room. I made this mistake in my first apartment with this gorgeous Yosemite print and within two years it looked washed out and sad.

The paper type changes everything:

• Matte fine art paper – my go-to for black and white landscapes, gives this gallery feel
• Glossy/lustre – better for wildlife shots with lots of detail, makes colors pop
• Canvas – I know it’s popular but honestly it softens the image too much for my taste, though clients love it for that “painterly” look
• Metal prints – okay hear me out, these are AMAZING for water scenes and anything with vibrant colors, the depth is insane

Metal prints are pricier but they last forever and you don’t need glass. I have a waterfall print on metal in my bathroom (risky I know) and it’s been there for 4 years with zero issues.

Where to Actually Buy Them

So you’ve got options and they’re all over the place price-wise. I’ve tested pretty much everything because my clients always want to know where I’m sourcing from.

Fine Art America / Pixels – This is where a lot of photographers sell their work directly. Quality is solid, you can customize sizes and framing. I probably order from here most often? Prices range from like $30 for small prints to $500+ for large framed pieces. The search function is kinda annoying though.

Etsy – Hit or miss honestly. You can find incredible independent photographers selling digital downloads (you print them yourself) or physical prints. I got this moody forest print from a photographer in Oregon for $45 and it’s one of my favorites. But you gotta read reviews carefully because quality varies wildly.

Society6 and Redbubble – Good for trendy stuff and the print quality has gotten way better. Not as archival as fine art prints but decent for the price. My niece got me a sloth print from Society6 as a joke and it’s actually held up really well.

Wait I forgot to mention – if you want REALLY high-end stuff, look at galleries that sell photography prints. Artists like Peter Lik (controversial in the photography world but whatever, his landscapes are stunning) or more affordable options like limited edition prints from up-and-coming photographers. These start around $200 and go up to… I don’t even wanna know, thousands.

Matching Prints to Your Actual Space

This is where I see people mess up constantly. They fall in love with a print online and don’t think about their room at all.

Your wall color matters SO much. Nature prints on white walls – easy, everything works. But if you’ve got colored walls:

• Gray walls – cool-toned landscapes (mountains, oceans, winter scenes) look incredible
• Beige/warm neutrals – go for golden hour landscapes, autumn forests, warm deserts
• Dark walls – you need high contrast, think snow-capped peaks or wildlife with bright elements
• Blue walls – this is tricky but sunset/sunrise scenes or fall foliage creates nice contrast

I’ve got this client with dark green walls in her dining room and we put up this massive elk in a misty meadow print and it’s genuinely one of the best placements I’ve done.

The Vibe Thing

Okay so this is gonna sound weird but different nature subjects give totally different energy to a room. I’ve been tracking this across like 50+ installations and there’s definitely patterns.

Mountains/peaks – make a room feel grounded and calm but also kinda aspirational? Works great in home offices and bedrooms. My favorite are the Dolomites or Patagonia shots with those jagged peaks.

Forests – cozy and introspective, perfect for reading nooks or bedrooms. But avoid super dark/dense forest shots in small rooms because they can feel claustrophobic. I learned this when my cat knocked over a lamp and I really looked at my bedroom for the first time in months and realized my giant dark forest print was making the whole room feel smaller.

Ocean/water scenes – calming obviously, but the style matters. Stormy seas are dramatic and work in large spaces. Calm beaches and tropical waters are better for bathrooms and bedrooms. I have a Great Barrier Reef print above my bathtub and it’s the best decision I’ve made all year.

Wildlife portraits – these add personality and can be conversation starters. But they need to fit the room’s formality level. A majestic eagle works in a traditional study, but maybe not in a modern minimalist space where a simple deer silhouette would be better.

Desert landscapes – underrated! They bring warmth without being too busy. Great for modern spaces. Those Southwest desert prints with the red rocks and cacti are having a moment right now.

Framing Because It Actually Matters

Ugh okay so framing is where your budget can explode or where you can save money if you’re smart about it.

Custom framing at a frame shop – beautiful but expensive. We’re talking $200-400 for a large print easily. Worth it for investment pieces or if you’ve got an oddly-sized print.

Ready-made frames – this is what I use probably 70% of the time. IKEA’s RIBBA frames are actually great quality for the price. Michaels and Hobby Lobby (wait for the 50% off sales, they happen constantly) have decent options. Amazon has some good basic frames too but measure carefully because their sizes can be weird.

For nature photography I almost always recommend:

• Black frames for dramatic/moody shots
• Natural wood for warm landscapes and wildlife
• White frames for bright, airy beach scenes or minimalist compositions
• No frame (gallery wrap canvas or metal prints) for modern spaces

Matting adds like $50-100 but makes prints look way more professional. White mats are safe, but I love using off-white/cream mats with warm-toned photos.

The Gallery Wall Approach

Oh and another thing – if you can’t afford one large statement piece, a gallery wall of smaller nature prints can be just as impactful. I did this in my hallway with 9 different 11×14 prints of national parks (I’m working my way through visiting all of them, only 27 to go…).

The trick is having some unifying element:

• All black and white
• Same color palette
• Same type of subject (all birds, all mountains, etc.)
• Same frame style even if subjects vary

Layout matters – use paper templates first before hammering nails into your wall. I cannot stress this enough. I’ve patched so many unnecessary holes.

Practical Installation Tips

Okay so you’ve bought your print, now you gotta hang it. Eye level is typically 57-60 inches from the floor to the center of the artwork. But that’s in a vacuum – adjust based on your ceiling height and furniture.

For large heavy prints (anything over 24×36 with glass), use proper wall anchors or find studs. Those command strips work for lighter stuff but I don’t trust them with expensive art. I had one fail at 3am once and the crash woke up my whole building.

Lighting changes everything with photography prints. If you can add a picture light or position it where natural light hits it during the day (but not direct sunlight which causes fading), it’ll look 10x better. I installed some cheap LED puck lights above my landscape prints and the difference is crazy.

Trends I’m Seeing Right Now

This might help you decide what style to go with. Abstract nature photography is huge – think blurry intentional camera movement through forests, or super close-up texture shots of tree bark or water. It’s artsy but still recognizable as nature.

Black and white landscapes are coming back strong after years of everyone wanting super saturated colors. Ansel Adams vibes are in.

Aerial/drone photography of landscapes is everywhere and honestly I get it, those top-down views of rivers and coastlines are mesmerizing. There’s this one of a winding turquoise river through Iceland that I’ve sold prints of to like five different clients.

Moody/dark nature photography instead of bright and cheerful. Think foggy forests, stormy coastlines, dramatic mountains. It fits with the whole dark academia aesthetic that’s popular.

Digital Downloads vs Physical Prints

Real quick – digital downloads are usually $5-30 and you print them yourself at a print shop or online service like Printful or Nations Photo Lab. This is cheaper if you’re doing large sizes, but you gotta understand file sizes and DPI (aim for 300 DPI minimum).

I do this when I want to test a print before committing to expensive framing. Print it at Staples for like $10, tape it up, live with it for a week, see if you still love it.

Physical prints come ready to go but cost more and you can’t customize the size as easily.

Seasonal Switching

This is extra but some people (including me in certain rooms) switch out nature prints seasonally. Summer I’ve got bright coastal scenes, fall I swap in autumn forest shots, winter is snowy landscapes. You don’t gotta do this but it keeps things fresh and it’s fun. I store the off-season prints in those under-bed storage containers.

Look, at the end of the day, the best nature print is one that makes you happy when you look at it. I’ve broken like every rule I just told you in my own house because I fell in love with certain images. That’s totally fine. These guidelines just help if you’re feeling overwhelmed by options.

The main things – get the size right for your space, invest in decent print quality so it lasts, and don’t overthink the subject matter. If you love penguins, get a penguin print even if it’s “not trendy.” Your space should reflect what you actually enjoy, not what some designer (me) says is cool right now.