How do you decide what paper to print on?

[One Frame at a Time]

Reading the forum it seems like many if not all the serious Printers here have settled on 2 or three papers to do most if not all their printing.  Maybe I am making too broad a generalization but it seems like most have a favorite matte and a favorite Semi-Gloss or luster paper.  What makes an image more suitable for one or the other? 

For now, I have been using Canson Platine for all my prints.  I like how it resembles the semigloss papers from my darkroom days, and the technical aspects that I've read about (no OBA's etc.).  I had some samples of the Baryta papers but they seem to have disappeared.  Also want to try some of the often mentioned Matte papers (moab and epson come to mind) but don't know how or when its appropriate to use one vs the other?

Thanks,

Paul

[texshooter]

I was in your shoes not long ago. I looked for a simple rule to help me decide what paper is best for my style. Unfortunately, if you want to make sure you have selected the best choice, you'll need to test many brands yourself. Here is why: My top choices turned out to be different than what many pros recommended to me. I'm glad I did not listen to them and instead tested them myself. If you sell your prints, then learning what papers sell the most could be useful, however. But if you are printing for your own pleasure, test baby test.

[bill t.]

There are non photographic issues as well.  For instance, if your planned presentation includes mounting, RC papers don't drymount as easily as rag papers.  And thick media bought on rolls can annoy you with curling problems both during and after printing.  Unless you plan to sell prints, media with a relatively thin base may be easier to work with.  And some media surfaces are too delicate for heavy handed galoots like me.

And don't forget about supply issues.  Papers that are frequently out of stock should be shunned.

[Light Seeker]

I too like Platine. I chose it because it's OBA free, the texture is not obtrusive (i.e. it's random and non-descrip) and the paper base is very close to neutral. Being near-neutral, as opposed to warm, gives my images more punch. These are the attributes that were important to me last time I selected a new paper, and Platine best met them.

Terry.

[neile]

Also want to try some of the often mentioned Matte papers (moab and epson come to mind) but don't know how or when its appropriate to use one vs the other?

This is going to sound dumb, but... "when the image calls for it". As a traditionally tech-y guy I can't stand this answer, but it's my honest answer after printing my own work. Sometimes it's clearly obvious to me when I want the subtle blacks of a matte paper, and other times I want the punch of a gloss paper. Sometimes it isn't and I wind up printing the image on all four of my favourites, and even then can't decide

Personally I stock four papers to give me all combinations of matte/glossy and warm/cool:

Warm/Glossy: Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk (or whatever the heck they've renamed it now)
Cool/Glossy: Harman by Hahnemuhle Gloss Baryta
Warm/Matte: Moab Somerset Museum Rag
Cool/Matte: Moab Entrada Rag Bright

I wrote up a little blog entry showing the same print on all four papers: http://www.danecreek.com/blog/2011/03/19/one-image-four-papers.html. Sometimes doing that is what's necessary to pick!

Neil

[JeffKohn]

You can somewhat narrow down the choice of papers to try by reading others' impressions as well as the manufacturers' descriptions. Specs like paper base, weight, and thickness can greatly affect the impression a print makes when handled. The presence or absence of OBA's are also worth considering if you're selling prints and have to worry about permanence. But in the end you really just have to try some different papers to find the one that best meets your needs. Fortunately sample packs are available for many papers to make the process a little less painful.

On the matte versus semi-gloss issue. For me I really like matte papers when texture is important to the image, or when the more painting-like effect of the matte surface complements the image. For some images, the matte paper really enhances the apparent depth of the image, due to the lack of any surface reflections.  Of course, once framed behind glass, much of the benefits of matte paper can be lost unless you're very careful with the lighting or use a high-end glass with anti-reflective coatings.

I tend to prefer semi-gloss papers for high-contrast images or images where deep and/or strongly saturated colors are important. The gamut in dark colors is much better on these papers. I prefer semi-gloss for images with reflections, because I think a matte surface can take something away from them. I've also found the semi-gloss papers a little easier to handle (though from what I've heard some of the higher-gloss papers with extremely smooth surfaces have their own problems with denting).

I've made the semi-gloss paper my default just because it simplifies things somewhat. For people who aren't familiar with matte inkjet prints, the semi-gloss print is probably going to be more along the lines what they're expecting from a photographic print. But I do offer matte prints for those who want them, and may even occasionally recommend it for specific images where I feel strongly it's the better choice.

[One Frame at a Time]

Thanks for the responses!  Much appreciated! 

Best,

Paul

[bretedge]

For me, it boiled down to trying a bunch of different papers until I found a couple I really liked.  The longer you work with certain papers the better you'll be able to determine which paper to use for which image.  Even then, some times the best way to decide is to make prints using each of the papers you're considering and make a decision based upon those proofs.  Certainly not the most cost-effective way to do things but if you're really picky, it may be your best option.

[RFPhotography]

I understand what Neil is saying and it's basically the same philosophy I use.

I categorise images into 'soft' and 'hard'.  Soft images are those without a lot of fine detail or a more ethereal look.  I do a lot of impressionistic photography so those images fit into that category.  Hard images are those that have a lot of fine detail.  Architecture and landscape generally fit that category, as examples.  A lot of macro work would fit the 'hard' category too.

Similarly, I place media into the 'soft' and 'hard' categories.  Soft papers are the matte, canvas and heavily textured types.  Hard media are the gloss and lustre surfaces.

In general, I print soft images on soft media and hard images on hard media.  What I would, personally, caution against is printing on a certain media simply because it's 'popular'.  Canvas and metal fit that category.  People are printing all manner of images on canvas and metal because those are popular right now but the pictures don't necessarily look best on those media.  Avoid the cliché.

[ehackett]

Bob, I really like your answer.  I think I do something similar, but hadn't articulated it quite that neatly. I find that some images call for a warmer paper to complement their tones--I like bamboo paper for this--while other images call for a cool paper.

Best wishes,

Ed