| By :
Mark Etinger
While many casual photographers are content printing their work on regular printer paper, most serious photographers know that a good picture deserves photo quality inkjet paper. In fact, we cringe at the thought of anything less. That being said, printing photographs isn't as simple as opting for photo paper, as this still leaves a variety of materials and sizes to choose from. When most people think of photo paper, they think glossy — those shiny sheets that remind us of the non-digital photographs of our childhood. Pictures printed on inkjet glossy photo paper will benefit from deeper colors and darker blacks, but they are susceptible to the same problems as glossy laptop screens. In both cases, the shiny surfaces are sometimes too shiny, and they pick up a distracting glare when hit by too much light. Thus, glossy paper is not ideal for photographs you intend to frame. Additionally, glossy paper can easily be marred by fingerprints, so it should be avoided for pictures you plan to pass around to a large audience. For photographers, premium matte photo paper is the primary alternative to glossy paper. Matte will not give you trouble with excessive glare or fingerprints, although its colors tend to show up flatter. Again, it is similar to matte laptop screens. Some photographers swear by glossy photo paper and refuse to print their work using matte (or vice versa), but you shouldn't feel the need to choose between the two paper types. In fact, many photographers use both kinds, letting each specific photograph dictate its ideal paper choice. For example, although glossy paper is known for better absorbing and reflecting colors, an intentionally light picture of a snowy forest might benefit from the inherent softness of matte. Of course, material isn't everything — another important factor to consider is size. Most good photo paper stores will also stock large format paper, which will allow you to print bigger versions of your photographs than what is standard. Increasing the size of your pictures comes with certain risks, however. If your picture has a small problem — a shadow in the corner of the shot, for example — this irregularity will only become more noticeable when blown up to a larger size. Additionally, you have to think about how you want to show off your photo. If you're planning to present your photographs at a gallery, bigger certainly is better, however pictures of this size would be difficult to fit in your purse for showing off to friends and family. We've been talking about photographs here, but it's important to remember that both matte and inkjet glossy photo paper are useful for other reasons, too. If you're planning a presentation with diagrams and sketches, for example, printing on this type of paper can help to showcase your ideas. Some people even like to print their hand-drawn greeting cards on photo paper!
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