Typically, printing is no longer an option today. If you look at how people take, share, and post their photos, you’ll see how most don’t even bother to print them anymore. However, many still value the essence of photo printing — especially people from the arts industry.
Surprisingly, professional photo printing is still thriving in this day and age. Many artists rely on photo printing to showcase their works. Digital arts and photography artists utilise printing in many ways.
However, there are instances when printing just doesn’t seem to justify an artist’s work. Have you experienced seeing a great picture on your laptop? Because it’s so beautiful, you decide to print it. But then, the quality, colours, and overall look of the printed photo are suddenly different from the one you’re seeing on your screen.
Unfortunately, this happens often to many people. Thankfully, many professional photo printing exists to do the work. If you’re a starting artist or photographer who often experiences this, don’t worry. In this article, let’s discuss five factors that affect the quality of your printed photographs.
1. The resolution of your file.
In most cases, an image may appear great on a monitor screen. However, its quality and resolution can instantly change once printed. According to photo printing experts, your image’s resolution determines the overall quality of your print.
Before printing, it’s best to check the settings of your file. For beginners, it can be frustrating to adjust which size would best fit your print. If you know nothing about file resolutions, pixel size, and formats, I suggest going to a photo printing service first.
Why? First, you can ask them what settings to adjust when printing a high-quality file. Second, it could help you save time and money as well. If you need to print a file immediately, you can’t just sit around and guess which setting to adjust.
If you do a trial and error method with your settings, you’ll likely waste a lot of ink, paper, and time. The best thing you can do is consult a printing professional and ask them how to manage the settings accordingly.
2. The settings of your printer.
The second factor that can affect the print quality is the printer. There are cases when a file’s settings are adjusted accordingly. But even though that’s the case, its print quality is still not on point. If this happens, maybe your printer’s settings are not adjusted.
Sometimes a printer’s settings can go back to their default arrangement — without any warning. To avoid that, I suggest double-checking your printer’s settings beforehand. It’s even better if you make it a habit to always check it before clicking the print button.
Check your printer’s properties first. Go over your printer’s preferences before proceeding.
3. The type of printer.
The type of printer could affect the quality of your print as well. If you’re using a small printer for a high-quality file, don’t expect it to print exactly how it looks on screen. Instead, you’ll likely need a pro-printer to do the work for you.
Of course, other printers can still produce quality prints as long as you adjust your settings. But, you’ll need a pro-printer if you need to see the small details of your file. If you look at professional photo printing shops, you’ll see various printer models.
Huge and machine-like printers exist for a reason. One of which is to bring to life an artist’s work.
4. The type of paper.
The type of paper can make or break the quality of your print. People who are after fine art prints require Permajet and Hahnehumle papers for their works. These types of paper can perfectly define and showcase the details of an artist’s work.
If, for example, you’ll be printing a photo that has details of shimmers, you can’t use a matte paper finish for that. A matte finish won’t be able to bring out the shimmer detail of your photo. Instead, you should use a gloss finish paper.
Before printing, make sure that the paper you’ll be using will complement the details of your file. Again, no matter how beautiful your file is, if your paper is not the right type, it won’t justify the intricate details of your work.
5. The type of ink.
The type of ink will affect the quality of your prints. A typical printer usually uses four colour inks. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black are the colours most printers use. Isn’t it amazing how these four colours can print striking photographs?
However, if you’re after printing a print that defines every detail of a photograph, you’ll likely need highly pigmented inks. For fine arts prints, they use Epson precision core and Ultra-Chrome inks. These inks are designed for professional use, commonly for commercial print production.
Have you tried printing a photo using your home printer? If yes, I assume that the colours have changed from the digital copy. Commonly, mustard yellow can turn into bright yellow after printing. Professionals don’t recommend using a four-colour ink set for a high-quality file.
If you want to give justice to the details of a photo and not waste any of your money, it’s better to go for professional photo printing.
Every detail matters as much as every material you use.
For artists and photographers, every detail of their work matters. No matter how small or unnoticeable those details are, they still affect the overall quality of their work. That’s why they take pride in their work. Artists put their very best into every detail.
That’s why printed material should be able to execute each detail as it is. Each of these factors could either make or break an artist’s work. The next time you print, make sure to check these five factors. That way, you get to make the most out of your print — and not waste any money, resources and time.
About the author:
Bianca Banda is a writer for DS Colour Labs Ltd (DSCL), a professional photography lab that offers a vast range of products and services for photo and print needs.
