FAQ
Common questions
Every answer to the questions collectors ask before a first purchase. For any specific question, do not hesitate to contact us directly.
On limited editions
What does “limited edition” mean?
Each photograph is issued in a strictly limited number — thirty copies at most, artist’s proofs included —, numbered and signed. The first three numbers (1 to 3) are reserved for the artist’s proofs. Once the edition is closed, the file is sealed: no further print will ever be made, in any other form or in any other format. It is this limit, set by article 98 A of annex III of the French General Tax Code, that gives the print its status of original work of art.
What is the difference between a numbered print and an artist’s proof (AP)?
The difference lies in what the print is for, never in how it is made: both come from the same file, the same atelier and the same paper, and are strictly identical in quality. A numbered print bears a number from 4 to 30 and is offered for sale on the site. An artist’s proof bears numbers 1 to 3 of the edition and remains traditionally reserved for the artist, for his archives and exhibitions: it is not offered for open sale, and its acquisition takes place at the artist’s invitation, at a price agreed privately. The three artist’s proofs are included within the limit of thirty prints.
On prices
How are prices calculated?
The price of each print is built on the real cost of making — printing, studio finishing and, where applicable, mounting and framing — and is calculated from the exact dimensions you choose, to the centimetre, together with the printing technique and framing option selected. It is displayed in real time on the work’s page as you configure it. The price also progresses with the rarity of the edition: prints 4 to 10 at the base price, 11 to 20 plus 25%, 21 to 30 plus 50% — an increase applied to the artistic part of the print, excluding the framing supplement. Artist’s proofs (numbers 1 to 3) are sold at a price agreed privately, at the artist’s invitation. All prices are inclusive of tax, including the 5.5% VAT applicable to works of art. The price displayed on the page at the time of ordering is the one that applies.
Before ordering
Can I see a photograph in place on my own wall?
Yes. On every artwork page, a button lets you view the print in augmented reality, at true scale, on your own wall: simply point your phone’s camera. You can try several formats before deciding — it is often what settles the final size.
Can I contact the photographer?
Yes, directly, with no intermediary. By email, on WhatsApp or by video call, whichever suits you: the answer arrives within four hours, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For a large format, a corporate project or simply a doubt about a paper, a conversation beforehand is worth more than hesitation.
On printing techniques
Which printing techniques do you offer?
Two techniques, both executed under the supervision of a master printer at the PICTO Paris atelier, a reference fine-art photography laboratory since 1950: paper prints — Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta (twelve-colour pigment printing) for colour, Lambda silver halide print on Ilford satin RC 190 gsm paper for black and white — or printed directly on museum-grade plexiglass, mounted on Dibond. Full details on the Prints & Editions page.
Why did you choose Fine Art Baryta for colour printing on paper?
Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta 315 gsm is a pure cotton paper, free of acid and lignin, of museum quality (ISO 9706 standard), whose barium sulphate coating recovers the gloss and the depth of blacks of silver baryta papers. It contains no optical brightener — the agents that make a paper look whiter at first, then yellow over time. Printed with 12-colour pigment inks, it holds more than a hundred years without colour shift.
Why did you choose Ilford Lambda silver halide for black & white printing on paper?
Because in black and white, no digital process yet equals silver halide. The Lambda print exposes a true silver-based emulsion with a laser onto Ilford satin RC 190 gsm paper, then develops it chemically: the material is continuous, with no dot pattern, and the greys keep a progression that inkjet does not reproduce. It is the reference process of contemporary fine-art black and white printing.
What is the point of a print on plexiglas?
The image is printed directly onto 3 mm museum-quality plexiglas: the eye travels through the material before reaching the photograph, which gives a depth and a luminosity no paper print attains. The whole is mounted on Dibond and delivered ready to hang, without glass or frame.
What is the Dibond used with plexiglas or framed paper?
Dibond is a composite panel: two thin aluminium sheets enclosing a polyethylene core. Light yet perfectly rigid, it does not warp and does not move with humidity. Mounted behind the print, it holds the work absolutely flat for decades and carries the hanging system.
Can I see or touch the papers before ordering?
For any material kit request — a set of samples of the papers and finishes — please contact us directly at contact@xaviers.photo.
How long do prints last?
Pigment baryta or Lambda silver halide print: 100 years and more. Pigment under plexiglass: 75 years and more. These durations hold under normal conservation conditions (away from direct light, in a temperate environment).
Is the print delivered framed?
Yes, provided you selected it: if framing is part of your order, the print is delivered framed, ready to hang. If no framing is selected, Fine Art Baryta and Ilford Lambda silver halide prints are delivered unframed, ready to receive the framing of your choice. The pigment print under plexiglass is always delivered ready to hang with its invisible hanging system (optional recessed aluminium frame for a floating effect).
Can I request a custom format?
Yes, by nature: each photograph is configured to the exact dimensions of your choice, to the centimetre, directly on the work’s page, in keeping with its original proportions and up to the maximum dimensions of the chosen technique — the price is displayed immediately according to the dimension and technique selected. For a need beyond this range (another medium, a specific hanging project),contact us directly for a tailored quotation. The numbering remains within the edition limited to a maximum of 30 copies, artist’s proofs, formats and techniques combined.
On ordering and delivery
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, with Klarna, to be chosen at the payment step. The amount is then split into three interest-free instalments: a first one when you order, then two automatic charges one month apart. The option appears for orders up to €3,000 delivered in France — the ceiling varies from country to country — and Klarna alone decides whether to approve it. It is for private buyers only: an order in a company’s name is paid by card. Your print is produced and shipped like any other order.
Is my banking data stored?
No. No banking data is stored on this site. Payment is processed exclusively by Stripe, a secure platform certified PCI-DSS Level 1: you enter your payment details at the time of purchase, and they are neither stored on nor accessible to xaviers.photo.
What are the delivery times?
On average, 15 days in mainland France, 3 weeks in the European Union and 1 month internationally; up to 30 days in mainland France and 45 days internationally. This includes production at the atelier (10 to 20 days on average) and delivery by DHL Express.
Is shipping insured?
Yes. All shipments are entrusted to DHL Express for photographs up to 150 cm in width, and insured ad valorem (up to the declared value). Beyond that, depending on the type of order, a carrier specialised in very large formats may be called upon — also insured.
Can I track my order?
Yes. A tracking number is provided to you upon dispatch. The photographer personally ensures the proper dispatch and delivery of the work, staying in regular contact with you until receipt.
Can I cancel my order?
Pursuant to article L. 221-28 of the French Consumer Code, the right of withdrawal does not apply to works produced to order (numbered and signed limited editions). Any validated order is firm.
This exclusion takes away none of your legal guarantees: the guarantee of conformity (articles L. 217-3 et seq. of the French Consumer Code) and the guarantee against hidden defects (articles 1641 et seq. of the Civil Code) apply in full. If the work arrives damaged or not as ordered, we replace it — same edition number, new print — or refund you in full, as you prefer, at no cost to you.
In practice: refuse delivery or record precise reservations on the carrier’s delivery slip, then write to us within 48 hours with photographs. Your guarantees do not depend on those reservations — they simply help us claim from the carrier. Full details on the Shipping & returns page.
Which carriers do you work with?
Prints travel with DHL Express, door to door with a tracking number. Beyond 150 cm in width, depending on the type of order, mounted or framed works may be entrusted to a carrier specialised in the transport of works of art. Unframed paper prints travel rolled in a protective tube, whatever their format.
Is the site secure? Are my payments secure?
The site is served entirely over HTTPS and protected by an application firewall. Payments are processed by Stripe, certified PCI-DSS level 1, with 3-D Secure strong authentication: your banking details never pass through xaviers.photo and are never stored there. No payment is taken before your order is confirmed.
What is the personal space?
It is your personal space on the site. There you find your orders and their tracking, your PDF documents — order form, invoice, certificate of authenticity —, your delivery addresses and the history of your editions. It is created in a minute with your first order.
How do I obtain an invoice?
Your invoice is issued automatically as soon as payment is made and reaches you by email. You can find it at any time in your personal space, together with your order form and your certificate of authenticity. For an invoice in a company’s name, enter your intra-Community VAT number in your billing information: it will appear on your invoice.
What is a proforma invoice?
It is a commitment document issued before payment: it lists the chosen work, its options, the shipping cost and the total amount, but it is not an invoice — it carries the words “no accounting value” and its own numbering (PRO-year-number). It is used to have a purchase approved by a company, a committee or an insurer, to prepare a bank transfer, and it accompanies shipments outside the European Union for customs (Incoterm DAP). You can download it as soon as your order is created, from the My orders page of your personal space; the final invoice is issued after payment.
On authenticity
How is the authenticity of my print guaranteed?
Each print is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity, numbered identically to the work, dated and signed by the artist’s hand. Upon confirmation of your order, a provisional certificate of authenticity is issued to you in digital form. Upon receipt of the work, once the delivery note has been signed, it becomes final: it is provided to you in printed and digital form, activated by a unique authentication QR code. A back label sealed to the back of the work carries this same QR code: it physically links the print to its certificate and allows its authenticity to be verified at any time.
Is the certificate of authenticity important?
Essential. It attests to the authenticity, the number and the nature of the work. It is an integral part of the print and conditions its value on the secondary market (resale, succession, appraisal).
What if I lose my certificate?
Contact us by email at contact@xaviers.photo. Upon presentation of your original proof of purchase, we will issue a duplicate of the certificate, marked “DUPLICATA” and dated.
On conservation
How should I conserve my print?
Avoid direct sunlight and UV exposure. Maintain a stable temperature between 18 and 22 °C, and relative humidity of 45 to 55%. Avoid walls adjacent to heat sources (radiators, fireplaces).
On taxation
Are the works subject to VAT?
Yes, at the reduced rate of 5.5% applicable to original works of art (article 278-0 bis of the French General Tax Code). This rate is included in the displayed prices.
Can I buy a work as a business?
Yes. Enter your company name and your intra-Community VAT number in your billing information: they will appear on your invoice. For businesses outside the EU, contact us before ordering: the work may be delivered free of tax (export regulations).
What is the tax advantage for companies based in France?
Article 238 bis AB of the French General Tax Code allows companies subject to corporation tax (IS) or to industrial and commercial profits (BIC) under the actual-profit regime to deduct from their taxable income the acquisition price of original works by living artists — which photographic prints in editions limited to thirty copies are precisely part of. The scheme has been extended until 31 December 2028.
The mechanism — how does it work?
- The deduction is spread over 5 years, at 1/5 of the purchase price excluding VAT per financial year, starting from the year of acquisition
- The annual ceiling is €20,000 or 5‰ (0.5%) of turnover excluding VAT, whichever is higher (a ceiling shared with other patronage expenses)
- The work must be displayed free of charge in a place accessible to the public or to employees during the 5 years of deduction (reception hall, reception area, open meeting room…). Offices and places reserved for customers alone are excluded.
Speak to your accountant.
For any further question, email us at contact@xaviers.photo.