Papers

The right inkjet paper has the perfect weight, thickness, brightness, and feel. Some of these qualities are subjective, but all of these inkjet papers are made of the finest materials and with longevity in mind. Choosing the right paper is as important as choosing the right printer and can make or break your photo. Always buy a paper that is designed for inkjet photography, not simply for inkjet printers. As a general rule, avoid papers wrapped like copier paper in reams.

A quality paper has a receiving layer that can protect ink from airborne contaminants, oils and lotions from hands, minor scuffs, and even light ultraviolet exposure. The paper must also be archivally stable or it may react with your ink or become brown. Archival quality paper is "acid-free." To qualify, the paper must be pH neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 7.0 to 8.5.)

If possible, handle a sample of the paper. Is it thick and does it feel substantial? Hold it at the edge and shake it to hear its "snap." The sound it makes should be clear and deep. Test the "tooth" by rubbing the surface with your fingers. Unless it is an artisan type paper, it should be smooth to the touch. Visually, compare the whiteness and glossiness of the papers.

When a sample is not available, quality inkjet papers have one or more of these specifications printed on the package:

• Weight expressed in either grams per square meter (gsm or g/m2) or in pounds (lbs.) Papers suitable for inkjet photography are about 170gsm (apx. 65lbs.)
• Thickness expressed in mil. Look for nothing less than a 8mil thickness.
• Opacity is measured in percent. Your quality threshold should be about 93% with 96% or more being preferable.

The ultimate test of quality is in the print. Testing papers have been part of photography since the first commercial paper and is an important part of digital photography. Before you make up your mind about an inkjet paper, test as many as you can. Try different brands and different surfaces and print a variety of test images on each paper.

Quality is a measure of how well the paper handles the ink you put on it. Top-flight papers produce sharp, vibrant images with good tonal range in shadow areas. Low quality papers let ink bleed which blurs and muddies an image. Ink will soak through into the paper's base causing the paper to buckle and become soft. Ink may even bleed through to the other side.

These papers are specifically designed to continue the standard set by their traditional counterparts. They are heavy and smooth to the touch and come in a variety of surfaces. Brands with an excellent reputation include Epson, Ilford and Mitsubishi.

"Glossy" varieties of this paper have a traditional, high polished finish that enhances the vibrancy of color and maintains details in highlight and shadow areas. The base material can vary greatly from warm , creamy color to bright white, and glossiness can range from near semi gloss to high gloss.

"Semi gloss" varieties (including lustre, satin, pearl, semi gloss, etc.) have a soft, low-glare surface often with a subtle pebbled texture. Flattering to faces of all types, it is a popular choice for color portrait and wedding photographers.

"Matte" varieties have a versatile no gloss surface that accepts both dye and pigment based inks well. Quality mattes yield beautifully deep blacks while maintaining very good color and detail.

Cast Coated, RC and Nanoporous Photo Papers
These terms refer to types of coatings used on photo quality glossy and semi gloss papers. "Cast coated" papers have a low-gloss surface created by being polished on rollers during production. Cast coated papers absorb ink more readily than RC papers but yield a slightly lower color vibrancy and, under heavy saturation, shadow detail can block up. "RC" papers have a resin coating that produces a high gloss surface. This high reflectance bounces light back through the ink yielding slightly more vibrant colors. Under heavy ink saturation, RC papers can suffer from slow drying times and inks pooling on the surface. "Nanoporous" (a.k.a. "microporous") papers feature a unique layer designed to transport ink off the immediate surface and protect it while it dries. These papers yield instant "dry-to-the-touch" results, have good ink droplet control and produce colorful images.

These heavy, textured papers are designed to give images an artful quality. Most feature a warm base and some have a woven or parchment pattern applied. Quality versions are acid-free and made from 100% cotton rag. Artisan papers are known to yield deep, velvety blacks, balanced mid-tones and sharp detail which makes them ideal for black & white applications, landscapes and art photography. Well respected papers in the artisan family include Crane¹s, Hahnemühle, and Lumijet.