Printing photos have become increasingly less popular among people nowadays with the use of various smart phones and social media. However, having physical photos are still preferred by some as a way to preserve precious moments and have them close to you. While the service of printing photos can be done in any print store, you can also print them yourself at home for a lower cost and it only makes the photos more memorable and special. Find below a basic checklist that you can follow;
Use a pigment printer
When you print photos by yourself, it is important to get the best quality for your pictures hence obtaining a pigment printer that is specifically used for the print of high quality photos is important. Unlike cheap brochure printing, photo quality requires special inks and pigments. A pigment printer places ink on the surface of the paper while a normal or dye printer will have the ink sink in to the paper. This makes a remarkable difference in deciding how long the photos will last as well as their quality.
Photo size
There are different types of photo sizes you must choose from before you start printing. The size mostly depends on your personal preferences or the purpose of the photos being used such as for framing or family albums. Some photos can even be printed on a large scale like the ones that are being used for poster printing online; however you will have to have a special printer to accommodate such large prints.
Paper quality
Another important factor to keep in mind is the type of paper that you choose. It can largely be either glossy or matte finish. You can go for luster finish for something in-between. The glossy paper is ideal for showing details and vibrant colours in the photographs but is susceptible to reflections as the shiny surface reflects light. A matte finish does not do this and is great as it prevents any fingerprints. The luster finish is mostly used by professionals and is best used in wedding photographs.
Ink cartridges
Most of the printers come with recommended ink cartridges that you can purchase for your specific model. It is best not to use third party cartridges if not recommended as the quality cannot be ascertained and may not fit with your specific printer model until it is tested out. It is often best to find out the types of cartridges that can be used before buying the printer so that you know what to expect.