I was lucky enough to be given two packs of Epson A3 Photographic paper from Calumet in Manchester as a trial to experiment with the different textures and finishes.
I had never experimented with printing photographs on different paper, so for me it was an exciting experiment.
The different types of paper included were as follows:
Traditional photo paper
Velvet Fine Art Paper
Hot press natural
Cold press natural
Hot press bright
Cold press bright
Each type of paper, has different specifications and benefits.
I decided to go for a textured surface, as I felt it would bring the texture of my images to life. At first I couldn't decide between Cold press natural and Cold press bright. This was due to slight variations of colour between the two papers. I also wondered if the matt surface of the above papers would effect the overall finish of my images. The image I used is below:
Taken whilst I was visiting, Brodick Castle. This was taken in the woods near by. I have also re sized all the images to a ratio of 16x9.
I decided to look closely at the specifications of ordinary traditional photo paper and Cold press natural and compare the findings, these are as follows:
Traditional photo paper :
Feature Benefit
Acid, Lignin, and Chlorine free Preservation of fine art and photos
Alpha-Cellulose Fiber Long term durability
Soft texture True fine art reproductions
Bright white surface Prints with exceptional contrast
1440 dpi printing High quality Output
Dries instantly Best performance with Epson Ultrachrome inks
Buffered Best performance with Epson Ultrachrome inks
Outstanding D-Max Extreme high black values
Lightfast Ratings Over 60 years based on line tests
Paper Specifications Sheet/ Rolls
Basic weight 330 gsm/ 300 gsm
Thickness 305 um/ 305 um
Opacity 97 %
ISO Brightness 99 %
Base Material Cellulose Fiber
Surface Finish Soft Gloss
Recommended printer setting Premium Glossy Photo paper 250 for stylus Pro printers
Cold press natural:
Feature Benefit
Acid, Lignin and Chlorine free Preservation of fine art and photos
100% cotton rag Long term durability
Two sided coating Added versatility for presentation or portfolio
Cold press, textured finish No optical brightening agents (OBA)
2880 dpi printing High quality output
Dries instantly Best performance with Epson Ultrachrome inks
Buffered True archivability
Outstanding D-Max Extreme high black values
Lightfast Ratings Over 60 years based on line tests
Paper Specifications Sheet/ Rolls
Basic weight 340 gsm/ 305 gsm
Thickness 533 um/ 480 um
Opacity 98%
ISO Brightness 96%
Base Material 100% cotton rag
Surface Finish textured
Recommended printer setting USFAP on Epson Stylus Pro, VFAP on Epson Stylus
Photo printers
As I found from above there is many differences. The one most notable change is the Surface Finish, the Tradional photo paper has a soft gloss, where the Cold press natural has a textured surface. For me this was an experiment as all of my images are printed something similar to Traditional photo paper. I asked the departments technician ,Kevin to print a sample photograph on the Cold press natural, to see how the image would look on a textured paper. Kevin explained that he normally uses paper that has a soft gloss , with a smooth finish.
Kevin and I were really interested to see the difference of the paper. I felt extremely pleased with the results of the experimentation, however I want to now experiment with another image.
Please note: all experiments will be included on hand in off this brief.
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