Best Paper to Print Fashion Photography?

[The View]

To print my fashion images I am looking for a paper that can display great, strong color and sharp detail.

I like Hahnemuhle Baryta, except for the surface texture.

I dislike Ilford Galerie Smooth Gloss. It feels hazy to me, as if there was a layer between the image and me.

Matte paper doesn't seem to be the right choice for me, but I'm really open to all suggestions.

Because of my past in black and white film photography, Baryta paper has a magic spell over me.

But I don't do black and white at all any more.

What paper is best for color, if you also like sharpness and a direct feeling (versus the hazy feeling of rag papers and Ilford Galerie Smooth Gloss).

Comments and suggestions very much appreciated!

[huguito]

Epson Luster and Canson Baryta Photographique
The Epson is very inexpensive, very bright.
The Canson is really beautiful
I use them both on my Epson 9600

[JayWPage]

Have you considered Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl? It has less surface texture than the Hahnemuhle [Fine Art] Baryta and is a bit "whiter" in colour. I find it produces very deep blacks and rich colours.

[Schewe]

What paper is best for color, if you also like sharpness and a direct feeling (versus the hazy feeling of rag papers and Ilford Galerie Smooth Gloss).

Comments and suggestions very much appreciated!

For what purpose? Are you going to matte & frame or keep the prints flat and loose in a box/portfolio? What sort of longevity are you looking for? What sort of durability?

If you are gonna matte & frame, the particulars of the paper pretty much go out the window and the only criteria is color, tone and sharpness. For this, Epson's Exhibition Fiber Paper is really good (if a bit expensive). But, the paper surface isn't very durable and longevity is not the longest.

Luster is a really hard paper to beat except when holding single prints because it's an RC paper and thus not very "tangible"...

So, what you really need to do is zero in exactly what you are gonna be doing with the prints. The answers to the questions will help lead you to the best paper for your needs.

[hugowolf]

Would the best paper for insect or flora macrophotography be any different? Such an odd question.

Personally, I don’t like Charmin.

Brian A

[Some Guy]

I'd go with the Epson Luster also.  Fashion seems to like the glossy shiny world and I don't see a matte-type paper working there.  Luster seems more of a good fit than a flatter surface.  Glossy may be too much too.

SG

[The View]

Have you considered Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl? It has less surface texture than the Hahnemuhle [Fine Art] Baryta and is a bit "whiter" in colour. I find it produces very deep blacks and rich colours.

Thank you. Is the Hahnemühle Fine Art Pearl an RC paper?

Epson Luster and Canson Baryta Photographique
The Epson is very inexpensive, very bright.
The Canson is really beautiful
I use them both on my Epson 9600

Thank you.

I just came across the Canson Baryta, and read it has a better image tone, and that the profiles are better than for the Hahnemuhle Baryta.

I am printing on a Canon 9500 mark II, so I don't know if there are any profiles for the Epson paper.

[The View]

For what purpose? Are you going to matte & frame or keep the prints flat and loose in a box/portfolio? What sort of longevity are you looking for? What sort of durability?

If you are gonna matte & frame, the particulars of the paper pretty much go out the window and the only criteria is color, tone and sharpness. For this, Epson's Exhibition Fiber Paper is really good (if a bit expensive). But, the paper surface isn't very durable and longevity is not the longest.

Luster is a really hard paper to beat except when holding single prints because it's an RC paper and thus not very "tangible"...

So, what you really need to do is zero in exactly what you are gonna be doing with the prints. The answers to the questions will help lead you to the best paper for your needs.

For now, I'll be using the paper for my book as a fashion photographer that will be presented to potential clients in meetings.

It will be used with a lost luggage/case envy three-hole portfolio book with a frosted, clear cover and adhesive strips, that add a three-hole flap to the paper and will have a one inch hold at the back of the paper: http://www.caseenvy.com/products_icenine_pro.php

Images in a book are usually only used for about six months, then new images come in. For the images that should last longer I'll consider reprinting if they get damaged over time.

Thank you for the tip with Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper for exhibition. I have an exhibition coming up in a few months and I will do tests with this paper (if I can find a canned profile for my Canon printer - I currently don't have the equipment to do custom profiles).

I am curious about the luster paper - in which way are they hard to beat compared to e.g. Canson Baryta or Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper?

I see many on this forum use Epson papers - is it because they also use Epson printers, or are they the best papers?

And, also, I have this thing against RC papers from my black and white lab days - I simply got much better tones with baryta papers. Has this changed at the age of the inkjet printer because the images is basically "sprayed" onto the surface?

[JRSmit]

Canson  baryta photographique or Hahnemuhle photo silk baryta both have a large color gamut, vreat density and a fine tone curve from white to black, and are capable of showing very fine detail aka very sharp. Also canson platine fibre rag is a fine paper , albeit a slighty warmer white and a bit more surface texture. However you have to have good printer profiles in order to get the right colors, gradations etc to get the best show-of of the fashion .

[PeterAit]

Moab Slickrock Metallic Pearl. I kid you not, very glossy, terrific detail and dynamic range.

[The View]

Moab Slickrock Metallic Pearl. I kid you not, very glossy, terrific detail and dynamic range.

Thanks! I was thinking of taking a look at metallic papers. (I never tried a metallic paper, so this is really a great unknown)

Canson  baryta photographique or Hahnemuhle photo silk baryta both have a large color gamut, vreat density and a fine tone curve from white to black, and are capable of showing very fine detail aka very sharp. Also canson platine fibre rag is a fine paper , albeit a slighty warmer white and a bit more surface texture. However you have to have good printer profiles in order to get the right colors, gradations etc to get the best show-of of the fashion .

Canson Baryta Photographique is a sure test candidate. From my research it seems to be the best baryta photo paper out there. From what I have read it is better than the Hahnemuhle Baryta (without the silk) I have been using so far.


So here's the current list of recommended papers for fashion:

a.   Canson Baryta Photographique

b.   Epson Luster

c.   Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper

d.   Moab Slickrock Metallic Pearl  

e.   Hahnemuhle Photo Silk Baryta


PS: My printer is a Canon 9500 mark II, and I don't own a device to create custom profiles. I know you can buy those profiles from diverse sources - is that a good way to go? Or should I rent a tool like the Colormunki and do a custom profile myself?

[Damir]

Hahnemuhle Photo Glossy

Give it a try, great color and detail, very shiny.

[howardm]

Canson also makes a super high-gloss RC paper in 315g weight.

[JRSmit]

The View,

Colormunki is fine for making paper profiles, except for papers with a high OBA. Most glossy photopapers have high OBA content, such as the Epson papers in your list, or the glossy papers suggested by others in this thread.
The canson baryta, platine or the hahnemuhle photo silk baryta have no OBA or just a low amount and will not cause problems with the Colormunki.

[rgs]

I am printing on a Canon 9500 mark II, so I don't know if there are any profiles for the Epson paper.

The Canon Luster is also quite good for an RC paper. And Canson Infinity also makes some nice RC Satin papers. Red River's Polar Arctic Luster is a very nice premium RC paper.

[The View]

The Epson Exhibition Fiber also has a high OBA content?

[The View]

Looks like I have to try out Luster RC paper to try it out.

The Epson brand would probably not work as the high OBA content doesn't allow for a good Colormunki profile.

Generally, from my darkroom days I have almost a allergy to RC papers - which is very likely wrong, as an inkjet is a totally different game than processing paper in liquid developer.


Have you tried both Baryta and RC Luster?

I like the Bartya for its depth.

What would the strong point for RC luster be?


And, by the way, we only had one recommendation for metallic papers. Any comments?


I already own several barely used boxes of photo paper (matte, photo rag, and ilford smooth gloss) - looks like I'll add at least another one, as trying things out will go over studying it for too long in printing I believe.

[hugowolf]

The Epson Exhibition Fiber also has a high OBA content?

Yes, it has a high OBA content, and it would seem it is also prone to OBA burn out, but you aren't worried about longevity, that shouldn't be a problem.

Personally, given what you have said during the post, I don't think it would be worth profiling Epson papers. There are plenty of third party and Canon papers that would fit your criteria, with available profiles, so why not start there.

As for baryta vs RC: many baryta papers need careful handling to avoid surface scuffing.

Brian A

[rgs]

Generally, from my darkroom days I have almost a allergy to RC papers - which is very likely wrong, as an inkjet is a totally different game than processing paper in liquid developer.

I share your aversion to wet lab RC papers - convenient but never as good as Bayrta. But digital is indeed different. Some of the most beautiful papers - in a traditional photographic sense - are RC papers. And, as a dye printer (Canon PRO 100), I find the RC papers are also the most permanent.

With your pigment printer, you will most likely find Bayrta papers work very well (they typically don't work well with dye - especially in color). You will probably also find the RC luster papers work quite nicely but glossy RC papers a bit more of a problem. The glossy papers work best with dye.

[shadowblade]

Unfortunately, no-one currently makes a non-RC, smooth, high-gloss, OBA-free paper. The most you can get is semi-gloss (Platine, Hahnemuhle Photo Rag and the various barytas). At present, if you want a truly 'wet', pearlescent or metallic look on paper, your only option is RC paper, barring some combinations of spray-on varnishes.