How to Arrange Antique Cameras on Wall

Plan which room the cameras will be displayed in and on what wall. Stay away from direct sunlight, and make sure the wall is well lit. If the lighting isn't adequate, install ceiling track lights or add portable lighting. Paint the wall color to coordinate with the colors of the cameras that will be in the display or simply paint the wall white to replicate the feeling of a photography gallery.

Spread all your cameras on the floor to get an overview. If you have different types of cameras, divide them into groups: 35 mm, box cameras, folding plate cameras, etc. If you have one special camera, such as a family heirloom like your great-grandfather's plate camera or the first camera that you ever owned that took all your family photos, plan a special place for it on a small, single glass shelf.

Look at the overall grouping you have created and make adjustments. Typically, midsized cameras, such as 4-by-5 and 5-by-7 inch view cameras should go on bottom shelves because they will look visually heavier than the smaller box or 35 mm cameras. A nice option for a large view camera is to mount it on an old wood tripod and display it in front of the wall arrangement.

Continue studying the arrangement and making adjustments to what you have thus far. When planning the overall arrangement on the floor, be sure to stagger the arrangement so that shelves will not be positioned on the wall in a repetitive manner (such as all in a row or stacking like a bookshelf,). A secret that many interior designers employ when planning arrangements is to squint their eyes a little so they can see the shapes of the objects and colors in a composition. Try this, it may work for you. Look for pleasing relationships, and move the cameras around to match the composition that is beginning to crystallize in your mind.

Measure the camera groupings and the individual highlighted cameras and make a list of the glass shelving sizes that will have to be purchased for the display. Make a sketch of your arrangement or take a digital photo of it for future reference.

Purchase the glass shelves and mount them to the wall at eye level according to your plans. Place the cameras on their respective shelves.

Now, "fine tune" the display. Add "accent" items to the wall grouping (near or around the existing shelving) such as old photos next to the family's camera that actually took the photos, or old unexposed roll film boxes, plate holders, flash units and old cased photos like tintypes. Once again, feel free to move these around and try various ideas. For instance, many old cameras have leather cases with straps--try hanging them from a hook on the wall as part of the display. Introducing an unexpected display approach like this will add visual "movement" and "energy" to the overall design.