What Media is Best For Printing Photos?
Many factors will impact your printed photos' final look and feel, including your chosen printing method and the media you print on.
Different photo media materials add unique textures, finishes, and aesthetic qualities to your photo prints. Therefore, understanding these materials and their potential impact on your artwork is pivotable to achieving your desired outcome.
This post explores the materials most commonly used for photo prints and we hope it helps you make more informed decisions about printing your photo art.
Canvas Photo Prints
Canvas is an excellent choice for photo printing material, especially if you are new to printing your photos and want to sell or display them. Canvas is both affordable and has a classic texture that many professional artists and photographers prefer for displaying and selling their art.
The texture, look, and feel of canvas most closely resembles traditional fine art, making it an excellent option if you are seeking a more artistic presentation.
Canvas is also very durable and long lasting and so it's a good choice if you're printing photos you hope will become durable art pieces you plan to display or sell.
Canvas is also a good choice of you plan to display your photographs in a brightly lit room because it's surfaces are not reflective. Photos framed with glass or printed on glossy paper might cause glare or reflections in brightly lit rooms.
The Stackhouse Printery canvas prints have a protective coating that adds to their durability and visual appeal. We offer both satin and matte finishes.
Paper Photo Prints
Common paper choices for photo prints offer an extensive range of styles with diverse textures and finishes. Whether you're aiming for a glossy, vibrant look or a subdued, matte feel, there's likely a paper type that will enable you to achieve your vision.
The most important things to consider if you're seeking professional quality photo prints is the quality of the photo paper and the type of ink used in the printer. Low-quality paper and dye-based inks often lead to disappointing results.
Therefore, choosing an experienced printer who uses high-quality photo papers, archival pigment inks and bests in class printing technology is essential if you're seeking exceptional quality photo prints.
Matte vs. Glossy Photo Papers
Glossy photo papers help enhance photos with a lot of contrast or vibrant colors that you don't plan on framing behind glass. The shiny nature of glossy photo papers enhances the colors and contrasts in your photos thus making them appear more attractive and professional.
Matte photo papers on the other hand are a better choice for classic black-and-white images and are more durable. They also resist glare and so are a good choice if you plan to frame your photos behind glass, display in a brightly lit space or want them to be durable enough for selling or gallery shows.
Matte papers are also less sensitive to fingerprints making them a great choice for printing photos you want to save in an album or pass around for people to look at.
Matte paper is also good for images with a lower color contrast when you want to achieve a soft, painterly aesthetic.
Giclee Photo Prints are High-Quality and Durable
If your goal is premium-quality photo prints, giclee printing is your best option. Giclee printing uses best-in-class printing technology and long-lasting archival inks to achieve the best color accuracy and longevity.
Choosing a professional printer proficient in giclee printing is crucial, as the process requires specialized equipment and knowledge.
The Stackhouse Printery offers everything you need to print the best-quality and longest lasting photos. We offer three types of museum-quality photo printing media, and use the best giclee printing materials and techniques, to ensure your photo prints meet and exceed your expectations.