Choosing your Perfect Paper for Photo Printing

07 April 2018

 

I thought it would be useful to introduce 3 primary types of photo paper - Gloss, Satin and Matte - and help you to explore each of them in a little more detail.

 

Ultimately there is no 'right' or 'wrong' paper to use in photographic printing. The best paper is the paper that YOU or YOUR CUSTOMER likes the most! Most photographers have great fun exploring different types of media and setting aside one for say portraits, another for seascapes, another for old motorbikes and rusty metal etc... Most media comes in various shades of white - generally many people find they prefer the warmer shades of white for black and white prints for a sepia feel and for printing warmer tones such as sunsets and beach scenes and they opt for cooler blue white media for seascapes, blue sky or cold steel industrial images. 

 

In short, you are the maestro - and you get to decide what you like best!

 

Gloss Paper

Most gloss papers are best used when you have a printer that uses dye based inks but equally there is no reason why you can't use pigment based inks as well. 

 

A gloss paper is highly reflective and it makes colours more saturated and bold. Many people are attracted to glossy papers because the prints appear to have very "rich" colours and many competition prints will be made in gloss (combined with special lighting conditions). The smooth surface helps prints to look sharper and it can also show up a lot of detail. However it also has some drawbacks - it is less forgiving in some photographic situations because it shows fine details so may bring out skin imperfections for example, and in this cases Satin would be a better media to use. 

 

Paper Handling:

The gloss needs to be handled carefully to avoid finger prints. If your prints are going to be handled often then it's better to buy Satin media rather than Gloss. If you plan to frame your prints then also be aware that glossy paper will show glare from both the print and the glass of the frame.

 

Uses of gloss paper in Photography:

Fashion Printing

Commercial Printing

High Contrast Black and White 

Head Shot / Portraits

Sports Prints

Industrial Printing

Vibrant landscapes

To convey "cheerful" and "happy" 

 

Satin / Semi-Gloss / Luster / Lustre Paper

It has many names! Satin is used in most photo labs and is the most popular/best selling of photo papers. Most photography looks good on Satin because it balances a lower reflective quality against good saturation and detail. Most satin/semi-gloss papers are best used when you have a printer that uses dye based inks but that's not to say that can't be used on pigment based inks as well.

 

A satin paper produces images that aren't quite as sharp as images produced on gloss paper, and they don't show up quite as much detail as the Gloss images.  This is because the satin surface breaks up reflections and glare, making them easier to view from all angles.

Satin paper offers some unique advantages - for example it helps mask some imperfections in body features and skin.

 

Paper Handling: 

The satin paper has a light texture which is great at resisting fingerprints and dirt etc. 

 

Uses of Satin paper in Photography:

Every day photo printing

Portraits

Vibrant Landscapes 

Nature

Scenic shots

Various black & white images

 

Matte Paper

Matte papers are best used when you have a printer which uses pigment based inks. A matte paper is specially designed not to create distracting reflections and it will deliver darker blacks with even better contrast than gloss paper. The paper/media is often smooth and always features a non-reflective finish which ensures that 'details' are the primary focus of the print. A quality matte paper holds even finer detail than a gloss paper which is important when detail and texture are critical. 

 

Matte is a great choice for black and white photos, low contrast images, landscapes and more artistic work. This paper is available in double-sided versions which can also work extremely well for book and portfolio production.

 

Paper Handling:

The pigment inks tend to sit in a thin layer on top of the surface of the paper, without fully embedding into the coating. This can make matte paper prone to scratching and abrasion which means that you need to handle most Matte papers with extra care.

 

Uses of Matte paper in Photography:

Nature

Wildlife

Flowers

Landscapes 

Lower contrast images

Artistic Black & White

Portraits

To convey "moody" and "sombre"