Paper Choices
A few decades ago we were promised the paperless office, but paper still seems to be hanging in there and right now I’m in the middle of great heap of the stuff as I test out a ream of different papers to combine with my new printer, the lovely, big dumb lump that is the Canon Pro-2600.
Before diving into specifics of various papers it’s worth stating four maxims that apply (in our gallery at least), which might simplify matters somewhat.
(1) The ordinary punter (as opposed to collector) doesn’t give a fig about archival properties. They are much more interested in the image and how it’s presented. I know this to be true by experimenting with our customers (none were harmed in the process). Whatever great words I wrote (or didn’t) about pigment inks and archival qualities, it made bugger all difference to sales.
(2) Choosing a bright white paper with a large colour gamut will make it easier to re-produce the image you see on your screen, so if you like the easy life it’s that simple.
(3) Most paper types (matt, glossy, lustre, smooth, textured) look much the same under (normal) glass, at least as far as a customer’s buying decision is concerned.
(4) If you’re printing daily, the handling characteristics are as important a factor as any other. I could eat a full English breakfast off a stiff, matt paper and still display it, where-as a thin gloss paper wouldn’t survive a bowl of cereals.
Stack the maxims up and a cheap, thick, bright white, matt paper is the only logical choice! … But surely logic and rationality aren’t the reason for taking and printing photographs, so let’s forget about what Spock might have thought and more of what Kirk would have done.
Though customers don’t care about archival qualities, I do. I love the idea that a print I’ve produced is still alive, vibrant and strong, long after I’ve shuffled off this mortal coil. I like the feel of different textures of papers between my figures and the sounds they make as I rip up one bad print after another. I enjoy the rich vulgarity of lustre and gloss as much as the understated subtlety of satin or matt. I love that a paper adds something to the mix, rather than being a simple recipient of ink.
Here, therefore, are my favourite papers of the moment, starting with the sensible choice.
Smooth Matt - Pinnacle Velvet Fine Art 275
My smooth matt of choice is Pinnacle Velvet Fine Art. It’s thick enough, bright enough, archival enough and suits just about every image. On top of that, like all Pinnacle papers, it’s great value for money. There are more expensive, brighter, smoother papers out there, but with results this good why bother!
Textured Matt - Hahnemuhle Torchon
If you’re going to go textured, go bold and make a statement. Hahnemuhle Torchon is my textured paper of choice. The texture adds a third dimension to landscapes and clouds, especially clouds. It’s also bright with a great big colour gamut and archival qualities. It’s one to show off both the paper and the image, so leave a large Torchon shaped border when framing.
Satin - Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Satin
I really love the subtlety of Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Satin. It’s difficult to describe, you just have to see it. If it wasn’t so expensive I’d use it for nearly every print, but it is, so I don’t.
Photographic - Any thick Baryta
Why Baryta over a lustre or pearl, It’s simply the texture and the way it looks under light. It’s now a grudge match between the four types of Baryta paper Hahenmulhe offer, and the one offering from Pinnacle. Why Hahnemuhle have to offer four subtly different types of Baryta, I don’t know. Eventually I’ll just pick one and have done.
Specially Paper 1 - Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Metallic.
If there’s one paper I prize above all it’s Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Metallic. It has a beautiful soft texture and stunning reflective quality. I treat it like gold leaf, only my favourite photographs are allowed onto this paper. I love it so much I go to the expense of non-reflective glass to show of its subtle and beautiful qualities.
Specially 2 - Fotospeed Metallic Lustre.
Fotospeed Metallic Lustre shimmers and shines, adding real depth, vibrancy and sparkle. It’s a little thicker than the Innova equivalent, which gives it an edge on handling. It won’t suit every photograph, but flowers and autumn colours just pop off the page even when tamed behind glass.
Special Mention - Awagami Unryu (Swirling-Fibers)
Awagami Unryu is a not just a paper, it’s a work of art. It would look good framed and mounted all by itself. I still don’t know quite what I want to print on it, or how to present it, but I’ll find a way!
There are of course, other paper suppliers out there producing wonderful paper. Honourable mentions go to Canson (whose satin paper I use), Epson, Innova and Permajet. Plus there’s a host of others across the pond, which I’m sure I’d be happy with, but it’s impossible to test every paper … unless, of course, you are the legend that is Keith Cooper!