So you’ve decided to ditch the digital, roll up your sleeves and get old school by using photo printer paper. Well that’s a great first step, undoubtedly… but it is still just the first step.
For those going into this decision blind, here’s a quick recap of some of the more well-known photo printer paper types:
Gloss/Semigloss
A popular choice amongst new shooters, glossy photo printer paper is known for the extraordinarily rich colors it provides. This type of photo printer paper is highly recommended for any beginner just looking to put together some snapshots for friends and peers. The only major downside with these styles is that the gloss can actually obscure or block your image due to reflections and glare off the gloss itself. As you become more experienced, you’ll likely move on.
Matte
Once you start concerning yourself more with deeper, fuller contrast, you’ll likely be pushed towards Matte photo paper. Not only does this style provide better contrast, it also holds on to detail better than gloss or semigloss.
Canvas
If you’re looking to frame a snapshot, canvas is probably the highest recommendation we can offer. The reason for this is that quality canvas paper provides contrast and color equal to Matte, but also allows the colors to stay naturally vibrant, especially from a distance.
