Questions often asked
Q: What is a "giclee"?
Short answer: A "giclee" is an individually produced, high-resolution, high-colour-fidelity, long-lasting reproduction made on special eight-colour-ink printers. Long answer: Please see the "What is a giclee?" link on the left.
Q: Is an unframed giclee just a regular print?
No way! Unframed giclees are laminated with our exclusive "Galleria" finish. It is a clear durable acrylic, permanently bonded to protect the surface of the print. It has a classic linen texture to lend an understated elegance to the surface. It is washable, and ready for framing.
Q: Do you sell your images framed or unframed?
We sell both. When you click on a thumbnail image in the catalogue, a larger image will appear with pricing information for both framed and unframed giclees.
Q: What choices in framing do I have?
Our "Galleria" prints are framed like you would frame an oil painting, with a seamless white or off-white "liner", a white or gold inner "lip", and a furniture-finish moulding, or "cap", on the outside. You can see some samples of frame corner samples of our most popular combinations on the page that appears when you start your order. We do not use glass or mats.
Q: It's hard to tell how a picture will look in a certain frame without seeing it. How do I know I will like the frame I choose?
We understand. That's why you do not actually order your framing online. Look at the framing samples and get familiar with the options. Then, when you place your order we will call you to discusss the framing. If you would like, we can put your picture in the frame you choose and take a "picture of your picture" and email it to you for final approval. You will see your finished picture framed as you like before it ships.
Q: How can I be assured my credit card order will be safe?
We have been in business for 40 years with satisfied clients all over the world. We do not ask for your credit card online. We always want to speak to our customers to discuss framing and shipping. At that time you can give us your credit card number. There is no risk.
Q: How do you ship orders and what are the costs?
All unframed prints and the smaller framed sizes are sent by Canada Post worldwide. We wrap very well; safe delivery is guaranteed.
The large framed sizes, and most of the panoramas, are too large to mail. They are shipped by Purolator Courier in Canada and by UPS to the US and worldwide. Couriers will not deliver to post office boxes and they will not leave a package at your home if you are not there. Please give us your actual street address, or a work or office address if you are not at home during the day.
The prices for shipping depend on the size of the package and the destination. Our pictures do not weigh very much, but the boxes are large for full protection of your order. In all cases the first or largest print is charged the full shipping price. Additional prints travel free. And remember, safe delivery is guaranteed.
If you want us to ship by another courier (perhaps because you have an account with them and can get a better price) we will be happy to do so. We will still wrap very well, but we cannot guarantee safe delivery like we do with Purolator/UPS and Canada Post. We will, however, insure the shipment for full purchase value.
Q: How can I be assured that my purchase will arrive safely?
Everyone asks this question. We have had a guaranteed safe delivery policy for the 40 years we have been in business. We know how packages get handled in shipping, and we know how valuable our product is. We wrap very, very well. Any print, framed or unframed, that we wrap and ship by the couriers we use, is guaranteed to arrive in good condition at your door. If it does not, we will send another one. Guaranteed. You have absolutely no risk.
Q: When will my order be ready?
All orders are framed and ready to ship within three days. If you want to approve the framing by e-mail first, we will e-mail you the "picture of your picture" for your approval within three days. It is very important that your daytime telephone number be included with your order.
Q: What about sales taxes?
Orders shipped to Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland are charged the applicable HST. Orders shipped to the rest of Canada are charged the 5% GST only. We do not charge provincial sales tax.
Orders shipped to the United States are totally tax free, to your door. Some countries (including most of Europe) will charge you their VAT upon arrival.
Q: Are there any duties to pay?
Photographic art travels duty-free to the United States and most other countries with very few exceptions.
Q: What about currency exchange?
All prices quoted on this website are in Canadian dollars. If you are ordering from the US or any other country, your final cost will be converted to your local currency by your credit card company.
Q: How do I take care of a Lane giclee?
The acrylic surface is washable. You dust the print with a damp cloth or one sprayed with window cleaner. You dust the frame the same way. There will be a label on the back of the print to explain this.
Q: Will a picture of an iceberg melt?
Seriously, we were asked this question once. No. Your heart will melt when you see the beauty that is fashioned into every iceberg. The iceberg itself will eventually melt. But the print will give you years of pleasure.
Q: Where do they make the icebergs?
"They" make the icebergs in Greenland. Icebergs are "calved" off the glaciers there and drift west and then south, with some eventually making their way to the bays of northeastern Newfoundland. They appear here in May and June every year, but never in the same location or quantity from year to year.
Q: Where can I hang the print?
Anywhere! Our images go with any decor, in any home or office. They are rich looking and make great conversation pieces.
Since the prints are sealed and laminated (not under glass which can trap moisture) you can hang them in damp areas like bathrooms, or even outdoors on patios. All art should be kept out of direct continuous sunlight, and should be hung in "normal" room light, accented with a table or floor lamp nearby, a spotlight in the ceiling, or a frame light attached to the back of the frame.
Also, the museum inks we use in printing out giclees are permanent and will not change over time.
Q: Do the prints retain their sharpness and quality when made large?
Absolutely yes! All our older, pre-digital images are scanned from film at a high resolution, up to the equivalent of a 60 megapixel camera! An 8" x 10" print when finished and framed looks exactly the same as a 30" x 40" one. And our newer digitally captured images are even clearer and sharper. The Galleria finish adds to the colour richness and sharpness as well, completely eliminating any "grain" effect sometimes noticable in large prints.
Q: I love your pictures. Do you have more? Where can I see them?
Thank you. Yes, we have about 4000 in our ever-changing collection, but we just cannot put them all on the website. The 400 or so here are the ones that have proved most popular over the years, or are personal favoutites.
You want to see more? Come to St. John's, Newfoundland, book yourself a room at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, and come see us in the lobby. Let us know you're coming and we'll put the kettle on!
Q: Does any famous person own any of your images?
Of course. But we don't name drop. Our clients range from riff-raff to royalty. 40 years in business in the nicest hotel in St. John's means our customers are worldwide.
Q: Are your giclees limited?
Yes. But we do not number them in the conventional method of limited edition prints. We do not make all the prints of each image at one time. Since they are available in different sizes, and since there are so many different images, we make the giclees in the sizes we need, one at a time, as we sell them. It is impossible to number them because they are not printed all at once. However, we keep an accurate record of the sales of every image. When an image starts to sell over 200 prints worldwide, we stop making it in the smaller sizes. In this way, the image becomes more expensive to buy, because only the larger sizes are available.
Q: Why are some images only available in larger sizes, while others are available in all sizes?
See the previous question. When an image starts to sell over 200 prints worldwide, we stop making it in the smaller sizes. In this way, the image becomes more expensive to buy, because only the larger sizes are available. On the order form accompanying each image, the available sizes of that particular image are listed.
Q: Can I use one of these images in my website or brochure?
The simple answer is NO. All our images are protected by copyright internationally. It is illegal to use the pictures in any commercial way other than your personal enjoyment. We have in the past, and will continue to take legal measure to protect our copyrights. However, we do operate a stock photography service. The images on this site are only some of thousands we have of Newfoundland and Labrador. If you want information about reproduction rights, please contact us.
Q: I want to know more about Newfoundland and Labrador. How can I learn about it?
Visit the Newfoundland and Labrador tourist information website.