Print Better ImagesWriten by TJ Tierney
It is often the simple things that spoil an image. Using simple techniques and a little care, you can easily give you images the attention that will do them justice. The materials used in printing your images play an important factor in the quality of the finished print.
Printer: When buying a printer think about the materials that youll be using. If your are going to be printing your images in large format buy a printer that can handle rolls of photographic paper. These printers are usually more expensive, but great savings can be made when buying paper.
Paper: Photographic paper comes in many different sizes and textures. It doesnt do any harm to test a few different papers from different manufacturers to see which one suits your needs.
Ink: When buying inks for your printer I would strongly recommend that you buy from your printers manufactures. Third party inks will give you great savings but may not be suited for your printer.
When buying a printer, photographic paper or inks, it is advisable to plan well in advance. If you are only going to print a small amount of images it may be better using your local photo lab. If youre planning to sell a large amount of images, your own printer will be very valuable. Having your own printer will ensure that you can process orders immediately after getting them.
In todays world, offering a speedy delivery can be the difference in making a sale. Using a third party to print your images may take a week or more before youll get your images back. This will not be good for your business.
Presentation.
When you are happy with the quality of your printer you now need to consider presentation. Placing an image in to a cheap frame will not do anything for your prints. Presentation is all about giving your images the impact they truly deserve. Before you print your images start thinking about presentation.
It is often very effective to add a white border in Photoshop before printing. If you decide against Photoshop I would recommend that you mount your image before framing.
When finished printing match your prints to your computer screen. If you think you have a problem with your final print you may need to calibrate your computer. This is a common problem with a lot of people printing at home. Most advance photographic software comes with a basic calibration program, which can be simply used in improving results.
Printing Tips:
Before you print your images do a final check to make sure colours are perfect and that there are no marks on your image.
Make sure that you have the right quality settings on your printer.
Always use the best printing options available on your printer.
If you are using heavyweight paper - load the paper one sheet at a time. This will avoid clogging.
Once you are happy with your printing, allow your prints to rest for 24 hours, place a sheet of plain paper between each print when storing your images.
Other printing tips: Most ink and paper companies claim that their product dry instantly - this means that they are dry to touch. If you print you own images there are a few important points to follow before framing.
1 - allow your prints to rest for 15 minutes after printing.
2 - after 15 minutes place a sheet of white paper over the print - use standard paper - dont use photographic paper. The paper acts as a sponge absorbing the outgoing gases from the printing process. Allow this process to continue for twenty-four hours.
3 - if the plain paper is crimped once removed, repeat the process for another twenty-four hours. If not, your image is ready for framing.
TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape Photographer. If you are looking for more tips visit: Photo tips. To view some of his images visit his on-line gallery: Pictures of Ireland