Baby Boomers U. S. (The Blog) |
| An Amateur Photographer Guide to Printing Photos Posted: 06 Jan 2013 03:16 AM PST This is a Guest Post by Ran of Photo Paper Direct. If you would like to Guest Post for Baby Boomers US, check out our Guest Post for Us page. The age of digital photography has allowed many individuals to embrace photography as one of their pastime hobbies and to turn their home into a mini-printing factory. Filming and photography so it seems, is particularly popular with senior individuals as a form of leisurely pastime activity. Digital format is a clever way to store, delete and print only the images you really want making the art of digital photography a regular fun activity that individuals from all walks of life can enjoy. When digital cameras first took mainstream appeal some industry experts predicted the end of hardcopy photography, but the opposite has actually happened. More and more individuals are using home printers to print anything from custom-made invitation cards to images of their loved ones or something they passionately care about. When using the current type of photo paper, results can exceed what was the sole domain of professional printing houses from just a few years ago. Choosing the correct type of photo paper to capture your work depends on matching a suitable printing media to meet your expectations. Printer Technology – Home printers either use Ink or Laser technology. Your paper of choice must support the precise printer type. If you attempt to feed laser photo paper into an inkjet printer or of course the other way around, you will damage the printer. Therefore, if you haven't already you need to establish which printing technology your printer supports. Size – Photo paper is available in many sizes from the smallest 10x15cm to huge A2 sheet. Common sizes that home printers will support include 10x15cm, 13x18cm, A5 and A4. Popular A3 photo paper (twice the size of an A4 sheet) and A3+ (or over-sized A3) require a dedicated printer, which most individuals won't have. The two smallest sizes 10x15cm and 13x18cm are often used to print images that are inserted into a photo album, while A5 and A4 are commonly used to print images that are than framed. If you have purchased a size too big, you can always cut it down to size, though you might have saved some money by buying a smaller size to begin with. To reduce waste and to reduce the time you spend cutting the print to size, ensure that you buy the correct size to meet your printing needs. Weight – All print papers are measured in grams per square metreor GSM in short. Uncoated printer paper (a.k.a bond paper) tends to contain 80gsm or 90gsm in some cases. Photo papers on the other hand vary from 120gsm to 300gsm. The higher the weight is, the better quality the paper is. Quality is measured in the degree of colour spread and longevity. In addition, weight will often influence the price. The heavier the printed media is, the more you should expect to pay at the till. Again, complete satisfaction and reducing waste will come from matching the correct weight to the printer's intended use. Brand – New users to the world of printed photography incorrectly think that they must use paper made by their brand of printer. The fact that you have an Epson, HP or Canon printer does not mean that only papers made by these manufacturers are compatible. Printer manufacturers rarely produce photo paper in their factories, as specialized manufacturers of paper often produce it for them. Most photo paper including generic ones such as ILFORD offers universal compatibility often resulting in substantial cost savings. If you have come across a photo paper you like, regardless of its manufacturer, read the description for further compatibilities. Finish – Of the various considerations, the most fun is choosing the finish. Your options vary from a very shiny to a dull finish. Glossy is the finish with the most sheen, while matt does not include sheen. In the middle you will find satin (a.k.a pearl or semi-gloss) which offers a good balance between the two. It is purely down to personal choice. Enjoy your printing at home! About the Author: Ran writes for PhotoPaperDirect.com, an on-line vendor of Epson photo paper for the home and commercial markets. You may also want to join the Baby Boomers US Forum for conversations by Baby Boomers about topics important to Baby Boomers!  |
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