 |
» |
|
|
|
|
Introduction |
|
|
|
You love taking digital photos and sharing them with family and friends. And you'd like to print these pictures
at home so they look like they came straight from the photo lab.
Follow our five simple tips for choosing the right paper and ink and you'll create crisp, vibrant, long-lasting
digital prints every time with your home inkjet photo printer.
|
|
|
1. Choose paper that's made for photos |
|
One of the biggest myths about digital prints is that they don't last as long as traditional prints. It's simply not
true—so long as you use the right paper. Plain copier paper might be readily available, but it doesn't work well
for photographs because it results in prints that look dull and faded.
HP photo paper is specifically designed to produce high-quality, true-to-life colour images that are as good or better
than traditional lab-developed photographs.
2. Choose photo paper to suit your needs |
|
You're ready to get your hands on some photo paper for your inkjet printer. But which photo paper? HP offers a wide
variety, ranging in thickness and finish. There's something for every type of print or project.
Take a look at what's available:
| Paper type |
Description |
Sizes available |
Usage ideas |
| HP
Premium Plus photo paper |
HP's best photo paper
Because of its special coating, this paper has exceptional fade resistance and produces vibrant,
professional-quality photos that last for generations*
|
4" x 6"
5" x 7"
4" x 12"
8.5" x 11"
11" x 17"
13" x 19"
|
Important event photos
Photos you'll frame
Photo album pages
Scrapbooks
Photo gifts
|
| HP
Premium photo paper |
Designed to look and feel like a traditional photograph
|
4" x 6"
8.5" x 11"
|
Enlargements
Photo album pages
Calendars
|
| HP Advanced photo paper |
Heavier photo paper
Dries instantly and resists smudging
Great for printing in humid environments
|
4" x 6"
5" x 7"
8.5" x 11"
13" x 19"
|
Photos for party guests
Photos for kids
Photos for framing under glass
|
| HP Everday photo paper |
Affordable alternative to plain paper
Thicker than plain paper so colours don't show through to the opposite side
|
4" x 6"
8.5" x 11"
|
Displaying pictures on the refrigerator
School projects
Holiday letters
Newsletters
|
| HP Premium photo cards |
Great for personalized cards
Professional quality sheen
|
4" x 8" with envelopes
|
Wedding announcements
Greeting cards
Baby announcements
|
*Based on light fade testing under glass using HP Vivera Inks on HP Premium Plus photo paper and HP Premium photo paper,
according to Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc.
3. Choose the right paper size |
|
Most of HP's photo papers come in a variety of sizes. To achieve photo-lab quality, choose from convenient 4" x 6"
paper, with or without tabs—this size print fits perfectly into most photo albums.
Print spectacular panoramic photos, such as a tropical sunset, using 4" x 12" paper. When you're making studio-quality
enlargements of family or pets, 13" x 19" is ideal. And try 11" x 17" paper for calendars and posters.
With HP Photosmart Essential software, you can quickly and easily print common sizes or select a custom size. It also
includes printer settings preset for lab-quality photos, so you get great results with your HP printer, regardless of
whether you have a new or older model.
If you don't have HP Photosmart Essential pre-loaded on your HP PC, you can
download
a free copy.
4. Choose the right finish |
|
There's a variety of photo paper finishes available, ranging from extremely glossy to matte. Glossy produces deep,
vibrant colours while matte offers rich textures and resists fingerprints. Each finish has its recommended uses:
| Type of finish |
Available in these HP photo papers |
Usage ideas* |
| High gloss |
HP Premium Plus photo paper
|
Family albums
Scrapbooks
Framed photos
Photo greeting cards
|
| Soft gloss |
HP Premium Plus photo paper
HP Premium photo paper
HP Advanced photo paper
|
| Glossy |
HP Premium photo paper
HP Advanced photo paper
HP Photo paper
|
| Semi-gloss |
HP Everyday photo paper |
Printing photos from e-mail or the Internet |
| Matte |
HP Everyday photo paper
|
Black-and-white prints
Reprinting vintage photos
|
Try an HP paper sample pack
with various weights and finishes. That way, you can see for yourself what kind of results you get.
5. Choose photo paper that's made for your printer—and your ink |
|
Paper designed specifically for your printer looks better every time. There's
a good reason for this: HP creates and tests its inks and papers to ensure that
they work together. All our inks are designed for the absorption properties
of HP photo paper. Third-party inks (including refills) can flow too fast or
slow, causing ink puddles, fuzzy images, and other flaws.
Find out more about the science behind ink
and paper.
Learn more |
|
|
|
Award-winning support |
|
|
|
Related links |
|
|
*Based on light fade testing under glass using HP Vivera inks on HP Premium Plus photo paper and
HP Premium photo paper, according to Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc.
|
Printable version
Del.icio.us
Digg
Magnolia