Analog Photo Display, With Felt!

Finding a way to display analog photos in a way that is both stylish, practical and doesn't damage the photographs, can be difficult. But look no further, this is it!

I had +200 polaroid pictures, taken over past two years, just sitting in a box. I wanted to create a design that could display them in the open, but still have the opportunity to have them in my hand, passing them around the room for all to see.

The traditional remedies for displaying analog photos: tape, double adhesive tape, strings, clamps, clips and magnets, all failed to meet the level of ease and elegance I wanted in my design. The tape was too permanent, the strings too unpredictable and jumpy, the clips and clamps were leaving small marks and scratches. However, velcro and felt, that was just the thing. It made it possible to move, customize and interact with ease. Displaying photos never felt this good!

Analog photos
I used Instax Wide, but it has worked with Kodak film as well, anything thicker than plain paper will do.

Velcro, backside adhesive
Tip: try finding a store that allows you to purchase only the hook side, as it is the only needed one.

Felt
This is the key element of the design. For the big walls, I used a 6 mm (0.23") thick, grey felt. The orange and blue strip is the most common thickness of felt, 1,5 mm. Tip: felt is easily cut by hand or lasercutter, you can customize your design by making all shapes and sizes, making them a perfect, personal fit.

Various Tools
Depending on how you're planning on fixating the felt to a wall, or mount. These are the ones I used.

It’s key to cut the velcro into small pieces. Otherwise the adhesion of the velcro, will be too strong and you will have to pull harder, running the risk of creasing the photo or tearing the felt from the wall.

Using (strong)double adhesive tape, the thin felt was mounted easily.
For the big walls of felt, i fixated them with screws. Hiding the screw behind a rolled top of the felt, giving it an elegant start, while making the screwheads disappear. I used some left over velcro strips, to ensure the rolled up parts, stayed up.

The essentials are now done, on with customization: how should my photos be displayed?

Tips:Try arranging the photos in tight grids, or maybe in random chaos? Maybe only one thin stripe of felt for top and bottom of the pictures?

This design has a lot of opportunity for customization and I hope you got inspired. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries you may have.