It can be stated that photo printing using an inkjet printer in the present context of professional and amateur photography has become inevitable. With the advancing technology in the market today, it is quite possible to get high-quality prints on your photos from the comfort of your home or even your workplace. However, to excel one needs more than a good printer; the selection of the photo paper is as important. This article is devoted to the description of inkjet photo printing paper and to the definition of the aspects that need to be taken into consideration.
Categories of Photo Printing Paper
Thus, to make the right choice, a person must find out the types of inkjet photo printing paper:
- Glossy Photo Paper
One of the most used papers in the printing of photos is the glossy photo paper type of paper. It also has a shiny finish that enhances the color brightness and contrast making images look actual. Bright and shiny, glossy paper has one disadvantage: fingerprints and glare. This is especially true when it is installed in offices and other working areas where the lighting may be off sometimes.
- Matte Photo Paper
Matte paper or photo matte paper is a paper that has a very non-shiny or non-glossy surface hence such prints can be framed and hung. The reason is, that it is less likely to get Fingerprints and smudges hence looks very clean and professional. It is not as shiny as gloss paper, but it is suitable for black and white prints as well as fine details.
- Semi-Gloss and Satin Photo Paper
Semi-gloss and satin photo papers are the mid-gloss types of photo paper that are offered between glossy and matt papers. It is a little less shiny than that of the glossy paper but offers deeper color than the matte paper. The above-mentioned types of paper are also general and can be utilized for any kind of print media.
- Canvas Photo Paper
Canvas photo paper mimics the feel of the actual canvas, thus it is artistic. This kind of paper is suitable for producing painting-like photo prints, and therefore ideal for portrait and landscape photos.
Key Features to Consider
Selecting the inkjet photo printing paper involves the following features which may influence the quality of the printed documents as well as their durability. Here are the crucial aspects to consider:
- Paper Weight and Thickness
There is paperweight in grams per square meter (gsm) which explains the density and the capacity of the photo paper. As it is observed, thick paper means the paper weighs more than 200 gsm hence it is more resistant and gives a luxurious look to the printed material, thin paper is comparatively cheap and used for occasional printouts. The throat, perhaps due to thickness, is to ensure that the paper does not wrinkle or curl when it receives the ink.
- Paper Finish and Coating
This implies the nature of the finish on the photo paper as it defines the final outlook of the printed picture. It is possible to distinguish three general types of finishes according to their characteristics, namely, glossy, matte, and satin as mentioned above. In addition, the kind of coating on the paper is also important in the technology of the paper. Professional coating technology is used in a large number of high-quality photo papers, and it can be noted that such coating is mostly multi-layered. Such features as the 4-layer coating technology for instance in Liene’s papers enhance the color density, contrast, and sharpness of the picture. It equally has water and UV resistance, scratch resistance and grain-less quality to enhance the photos and the prints will last longer.
- Brightness and Whiteness
The contrast and brightness of the paper, especially its white color, dictate the kind of colors that can be developed on it. Increased brightness known as Brightness Rating allows the colors to be displayed as close to real life as possible. They identified that the color parameter of whiteness affects the non-aggressive nature of the paper. Works brightness and white index mean selection increase the quality of works by a considerable degree provided the paper used is of high brightness.
- Ink Compatibility
This means that any given type of ink may not be compatible with any given type of photo paper and so it’s advised that one check. Of equal importance is that the photo paper for inkjet printer that you use should be compatible with the ink that is in your printer. Most manufacturers declare the compatibility on the packaging, that is on the label or a sticker. If an incorrect type of paper is used there will be a problem of poor quality of the printed material and wastage of ink.
- Size and Format
Inkjet photo printing papers come in many formats and sizes that are commonly used in photo printing. Standard sizes are normally 4×6, 5×7, 8×10, and other professional sizes. Make sure the paper’s size fits both your printer and your printing requirements before using it. Some of the papers similarly also come with borders which are pre-punched to make framing easier.
- Drying Time
To achieve this, it is recommended that one uses photo paper that dries very fast, and this is vital to ensure that no smudging occurs once the prints are touched. At the same time, quick-drying papers enhance the productivity of work and do not cause any negative impacts on the prints when touched.
- Longevity and Archival Quality
It is thus rather obvious that the permanency of the photo prints is due to a combination of both the kind of ink used as well as the type of paper which is used. It means that recommending photo papers that are of archival quality, are papers that can last for years before showing signs of fading. The papers offered by Liene are waterproof, UV-protected, scratch-proof, anti-fingerprint coated sheets of paper that are perfect for what they make: safe-guarding memories.
Conclusion
Choosing the right inkjet photo printing paper is critical to getting a high-quality picture with rich and long-lasting colors. Generally, different kinds of paper and many points that have to be considered, like the paperweight, the finish, the brightness, the compatibility with the used ink, the size, the drying time, and the archival character of the paper, can be learned here. Choosing high-quality photo paper improves the quality of the printed pictures and makes them have a longer life span. For any person, be it a photojournalist or an amateur, selecting a photo paper to use in making those special memories is an important decision to make.