Printing Your Photos
BONUS PHOTO CHALLENGE | Print out some of your favorite photos to display at home, share with family, give as gifts, and hopefully we can get something set up for a gallery display soon. If you do print, take a few photos to show us what you chose and your response to seeing your photos in print.
If you’re a photographer, you need to experience your work in print. Computer screens don’t always show flaws such as blown out highlights or lost shadow detail as much. Printing your work will allow you to see where you need to improve your exposure and retouching.
If you want to print at home with any notable quality, you need to be ready to invest in a good printer for great prints. A couple of printers that are popular with pro photographers are the Epson SureColor P800 and Canon’s ImagePrograf Pro 1000.
Working with a professional printer also definitely has its advantages. A professional printer can give you expert advice on paper weights and finishes, as well as image resolution and sizing. You will spend more on your prints through a professional lab than through your local store’s print center, but there is an undeniable difference.
Some things to know when printing:
Different devices and outputs use different color profiles | Have you ever printed an image just to see a color wash out or not be true to how you saw it on your computer? I have, and this is the primary difference and reason you should print through a lab. The quality of paper and ink and color calibration is closest to Adobe RGB colors and the conversion from your computer to the printer is translated as best as possible.
Sizing your photos | Size and resolution go hand-in-hand. If you want to print large high-quality prints for wall art, your image resolution needs to be very high. Otherwise, the pixelation will be visible to the eye. You need to set your Resolution at Output in Photoshop or Lightroom to at least 300 DPI.
DPI stands for “Dots-per-Inch” and it’s the number of dots per printed inch. Digital images are made up of square-shaped “dots” (pixels). The more dots, the higher the quality of the print for sharpness and detail.
DPI is calculated using your digital image’s pixel dimensions and the output size. This is the size of your print. 300 DPI is the minimum for artwork if you want the best results.
Choosing the right paper | You need to choose the right paper for your needs. Whether you’re printing at home or having your photos professionally printed. There are a variety of weights and finishes available. Glossy papers enhance an images vibrancy, but the sheen and light reflection doesn’t display well, it is also most susceptible to scratches. Most photographers prefer the contemporary feel of matte or semi-glossy papers, especially for display purposes.
You should print your photographs on paper specific to the medium of photography. These papers allow the ink to be held on the surface rather than absorb into it.
Weight is measured in GSM, which stands for “Grams per Square Metre”. A low weight paper will feel flimsy. Look for paper that is at least 150-200 GSM for standard prints. For portfolios and fine art prints, use 200-300 GSM.
Where to print? | There are a lot of great labs out there, but many are restricted solely to professional photographers. So in order to get the best results without the extra cost and hassle of professional labs, MPIX has been hobby photographer’s go-to for many years. If you’re going to print for clients and for large displays (or a gallery), this is my recommendation.
Printing your photographs is the ultimate challenge. You’re translating an image into a completely different form.
Whether you print your own photos or get them done professionally, you’ll see them with completely different eyes.