I was visiting my friends Kim and Laura at the State Port Pilot office the other day to bring in an updated version of an ad. I had printed it on the heavy weight paper that I normally use for digital photo printing because of its high quality. Kim was amazed at the quality of the print and she suggested that it might be a good topic for a column. So...
There is an often-used saying in the Real Estate business, that the three most important aspects of selling a property are Location, Location, Location! Similarly, the three most important things in digital photography printing are Paper, Paper, Paper! The is an astounding difference in quality among the many types of papers available in the marketplace, and finding the right paper for your printer (and for your budget) is the most critical factor in getting photo-quality prints.
Of course, you need to start with a printer that is photo print capable. Most of the ink-jet printers on the market today have this capability to some extent. But if your goal is photo-quality prints, you should look for a printer that is advertised as specifically for photos. These printers are not much more expensive that other ink-jet printers, and can also do double duty as regular color text printers. The clue in seeking a photo quality printer is to find one that has six color inks, not four, and definitely not three. I don't want to get off in the technical weeds here, but having six color inks permits much more subtle shading, especially in light and skin tones.
Supplies, especially ink cartridges, for these printers are a bit more expensive, but worth it. But the most important thing is the paper you use.
In general, paper falls into three categories. The first is non-glossy (matte) photo paper. This is just good quality ink-jet paper and does not have a glossy surface. This is suitable for quality printing of flyers, etc. but not for true photo-quality pictures. You might use this paper, for example, as an informational sheet on your house for sale (with picture). The clue: this paper usually costs pennies per sheet.
The second category is glossy photo paper. This paper is usually heavier that the first type, and has a glossy surface. The packaging will specifically say it is intended for photo printing. The clue: this paper usually costs about $.40 per sheet. This type of paper produces excellent results, and I commonly use it for the type of photo you might send in the mail to Aunt Bessie or hang on the refrigerator door. The biggest drawback of this paper is that it is usually not full photo weight - i.e. it is thinner and less rigid than regular photo paper.
The best type of paper is called "glossy film". Unfortunately, the term "film" is confusing here, and refers to the type of coating, not to photographic film. Glossy film paper used to cost about $2.00 per sheet, but has come down in price recently to less than $1.00 per sheet. If you want true photo-quality prints, this is the stuff to get.
Where do you get paper like that? Most of the printer manufacturers (Epson, HP, Canon) and Kodak all sell good paper. But if you start to shop around, you will find that there are a number of specialty shops selling paper of far better quality. My favorite is from Digital Art Supply (http://www.digitalartsupply.com). I have used their "Professional Photo Gloss 264" with outstanding results. I believe this is now called "Tetenal Spectra Jet 264" - check with them. This paper has outstanding picture quality, heavy weight, and excellent drying characteristics. They also carry a number of other papers.
For a list of other print supply vendors, see the following Yahoo category: Business and Economy > Shopping and Services > Photography > Digital > Supplies and Equipment.
I have no connection with Digital Art Supply or any other vendor.
(Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport / Oak Island area. You can visit his website at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail him at bsc@bobseidel.com).