Peter Lik Alternative — Limited Edition Fine Art Prints by Alex Gubski

If you've visited a Peter Lik gallery, you already know the feeling. Those larger-than-life landscapes seem to glow from within, filling the room with a presence that's hard to describe until you've seen it.

What most people don't realize is that the same print technology — acrylic face-mounted silver crystal photography — is available directly from independent artists, without the Las Vegas gallery markup.

I'm Alex Gubski, a Calgary-based fine art landscape photographer. I produce every print myself, from the original capture through printing, mounting, framing, and packing for shipment. No factory. No middleman. Just the artist.

My prints start at $1000 USD — a fraction of Peter Lik's current gallery pricing — with free shipping to USA, Canada, and Europe, and a free room mockup service so you can see exactly how a print will look on your wall before you commit.

Browse the Collection → Request a Free Room Mockup →

How Alex Gubski Compares to Peter Lik

Peter Lik announced in January 2025 that he has moved from FujiFlex Crystal Archive silver halide paper to Hahnemühle Fine Art Paper with Epson SureColor inkjet printing. Alex Gubski continues to use silver crystal metallic paper with acrylic face-mounting — the same luminous effect, produced by hand in Calgary.

See All Prints & Pricing →

What to Look for in a Peter Lik Alternative

Not all alternatives are equal. The market for acrylic-mounted fine art photography has grown significantly, and there are now dozens of photographers and print shops claiming to offer “the Peter Lik look.” Here’s what actually matters when evaluating your options.

The artist makes the print personally.
Peter Lik’s prints are produced at a commercial facility. Most photographers selling in this style do the same — they send files to a lab and resell the output. The difference matters: when the artist handles every step from color correction to mounting to final inspection, you get consistency and accountability that a production line cannot offer. Ask any seller directly: do you make the prints yourself?

Edition size determines actual exclusivity.
Peter Lik’s standard editions run up to 950 copies. His limited editions go up to 450. These are not small numbers — at that scale, exclusivity is more of a marketing position than a practical reality. A meaningful alternative should offer genuinely smaller editions. My prints are limited to 25–100 copies per image, which represents a real constraint on availability.

Silver crystal metallic paper, not standard inkjet.
The luminous, backlit quality that defines this style of photography comes from metallic photographic paper — a substrate with metallic particles embedded in the emulsion. Standard photo paper, even high-quality archival inkjet, does not produce the same effect. Confirm your seller is printing on metallic media before committing.

Acrylic face-mounting, not direct-to-acrylic printing.
There is a meaningful difference between a print face-mounted behind optical acrylic and an image printed directly onto acrylic using flatbed inkjet technology. The latter is cheaper to produce and noticeably less sharp and vibrant. If the price seems too low for the size, that’s usually why.

Direct artist contact.
Part of what you lose at a gallery is the relationship with the person who made the work. A genuine alternative should offer direct communication — someone who can answer questions about the specific image, advise on sizing for your space, and stand behind the work personally.

Comparing Alternatives to Peter Lik Photography

Let's discuss prices. Currently, there are numerous high-volume print shops around the country and overseas that offer acrylic mounted print service to anyone. There is also a number of talented photographers that offer their work through those shops. So, the resulting prints are in every way very similar in finish and style to those you see in Peter Lik galleries. The finishing technique is not cheap and you're still looking to spend $3000 to $5000 for a large, framed print.

These prices come close to what is available through Peter Lik galleries but are often still a bit more affordable.

I have tried going this route too and eventually decided that I can offer better value to my clients by carrying out all tasks by myself. This way I can assure personal attention, quick fulfillment time, and a piece of mind of knowing how the print looks before I pack it for shipment.

Additionally, while most commercial nature photographers including Peter Lik rarely see the prints, they sell which are handled by the printing team of a specialized production facility. I handle each step of the production process from color correction to printing, mounting, framing, and building the crate for your artwork to safely travel to its final destination.

Why Edition Size Matters More Than Price

When collectors compare fine art photography alternatives, price is usually the first number they look at. It shouldn’t be.

Edition size is the more important figure — because it determines how rare the piece actually is, and how that rarity holds over time.

Peter Lik’s standard editions consist of up to 950 prints. That means, in theory, 950 people around the world could own the same image at the same size. His limited editions cap at 450. These numbers are not unusual for a high-volume gallery operation, but they do raise a genuine question: how limited is limited?

My editions are capped at 25 to 100 prints per image, depending on the subject. Once an edition sells out, it is retired permanently — no reprints, no open editions running alongside it. The edition numbers are not marketing language. They are a hard constraint on production.

For collectors, this distinction matters for two reasons. First, genuine scarcity means the work is less likely to appear on a neighbour’s wall or in a hotel lobby. Second, if the secondary market for fine art photography ever becomes relevant to you, a smaller edition is a more defensible position than a larger one.

Price matters. But when comparing alternatives, always ask: how many of these exist in the world?

Ready to Bring This Look Into Your Home?

You don't need to visit a Las Vegas gallery or pay gallery prices to own a museum-quality acrylic-mounted fine art print. Every image in my collection is available directly from me — the artist — with full customization, free shipping, and a personal service that no gallery can match.

Three easy ways to start:

• Browse the full collection — landscapes, wildlife, architecture, and nature from around the world
• See pricing and finish options — acrylic, metal, and custom framed prints from $1040
• Request a free room mockup — send me a photo of your wall and I'll show you exactly how it will look

Questions? I answer every inquiry personally. There are no sales staff here.

Contact Alex Directly →

Some of Peter Lik's collectors are also clients of mine, and I am always grateful when they compare the quality and presence of my work favorably. If you love a particular Peter Lik image but need a different budget or edition approach, consider the secondary market for Lik prints — and explore independent artists for original subjects you won't find anywhere else. When budget is not the deciding factor, buy what you love.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Alex Gubski’s prints the same quality as Peter Lik’s?
The print process is identical: silver crystal metallic photographic paper, acrylic face-mounting, and floating mount presentation. The materials are the same category of professional archival media. The meaningful differences are in edition size (mine are smaller), production method (I make every print by hand rather than through a production facility), and price (mine are significantly more affordable because there is no gallery network overhead). Several of my clients own Peter Lik prints and have compared the two directly — I’ll let their reviews speak to that.

Do the prints really produce that glowing, backlit effect?
Yes — and the effect comes from the materials, not from any post-processing or lighting trick. Metallic photographic paper contains fine metallic particles embedded in the emulsion layer. When light hits the acrylic surface and refracts through to the print, those particles reflect it back with a depth and luminosity that standard photo paper cannot replicate. The effect is visible in normal room lighting and changes subtly throughout the day as the light in your space shifts. It is the same physical phenomenon at work in every Peter Lik gallery.

Can I see how a print will look in my space before buying?
Yes. I offer a free room mockup service — send me a photo of your wall and I’ll composite the print into the image so you can see the scale and presence before committing. This is something no gallery offers. It’s one of the practical advantages of buying directly from the artist.

What if I’m not happy with the print when it arrives?
I inspect every piece personally before it leaves my studio and photograph it prior to packing. In the unlikely event something is damaged in transit or doesn’t meet the standard we agreed on, contact me directly — I handle every inquiry personally and will make it right. There are no customer service queues here.

Non-Affiliation Disclaimer

Alexander Gubski Photography is an independent business. Alexander Gubski is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Peter Lik or the other owners of respective brands mentioned on this website. As well as with any of their subsidiaries or their affiliates. All brand names, as well as any related names, marks, emblems, and images, are registered trademarks of their respective owners. These trademark holders do not sponsor or endorse Alex Gubski Photography or any of its products or comments.