Descriptions of Photo Paper

 

Nowadays, many people like printing their photo out so that can make a good memory for their whole life. So, before you printed photos you may hesitate to choosing which photo paper. And, even many people don’ t know what is photo paper. Today, I will introduce some information of photo paper.
Photo paper is a paper coated with a light-sensitive chemical formula, used for making photographic prints. When photo paper is exposed to light it captures a latent image that is then developed to form a visible image. The light-sensitive layer of the paper is called the emulsion.
History
Early photography often relied on the use of metal or glass plates instead of paper. The American Museum of Photography says that thin paper was coated with an egg white and salt solution as well as a layer of silver nitrate. The resulting single finished image appeared in brown tones, and the white areas had a yellow cast. Another later technique, developed about 1890, was Collodion paper, which utilized silver chloride and could be used to make many prints of the same image.
Modern photo paper
The print image is traditionally produced by interposing a photographic negative between the light source and the paper, either by direct contact with a large negative (forming a contact print) or by projecting the shadow of the negative onto the paper (producing an enlargement). The initial light exposure is carefully controlled to produce a gray scale image on the paper with appropriate contrast and gradation. Photo paper may also be exposed to light using digital printers, with a camera (to produce a photographic negative), by scanning a modulated light source over the paper, or by placing objects upon it (to produce a photogram).
Tips
Despite the introduction of digital photography, photo papers are still sold commercially. Photo papers are manufactured in numerous standard sizes, paper weights and surface finishes. A range of emulsions are also available that differ in their light sensitivity, color response and the warmth of the final image. Color papers are also available for making color images.

The Way to Get Photos on Self Adhesive Photo Paper

Creating stickers and decals with your personal pictures allows you to use those pictures in a variety of crafts and projects. Printing photos on self-adhesive sticker paper is a fun option with many creative uses--scrapbook pages, greeting cards and gifts. Preparing the images beforehand includes ensuring that the pictures will print clearly in high quality. These templates are designed to be used with Microsoft Word. No knowledge of advanced digital imaging software is necessary.

1.      Purchase self-adhesive sticker paper from an office or craft store. Be sure to buy paper that is compatible with your system--if you have an inkjet printer, don't buy laser paper. Also, make sure the paper is the right size for your printer. Some computer papers are designed for 12-inch wide scrapbook pages. If your printer only accepts 8.5 by 11-inch paper, that won't work.

2.      Open up which photographs you want to print editing program on your computer, such as Photoshop or Windows Media Center. From the file menu, open up the photo you wish to print.

3.      Insert adhesive paper into your printer tray. Because adhesive paper tends to be thicker, you will have better luck inserting the paper and printing one piece at a time. Insert more photos into your sticker template, or if you prefer, make a sheet of the same stickers. Do this by clicking on the image you want to copy. Click on "Edit" then "Copy." Move your cursor over the spot you want to fill. Click on "Edit" again, then "Paste."

4.      Choose "Print" from the file menu in your photo editing program and open the print preferences menu. Under "Features," choose the highest quality print option and mark the option to print the image to scale. Preview your picture.

5.      Print the picture and allow it to rest in the print tray for ten to fifteen minutes. Because of the amount of ink used to print pictures and the quality of adhesive paper, it may take awhile for the ink to dry. Touching the picture right away could result in smearing.

The Pros of Matte Coated & High Glossy Photo Paper

When printing or purchasing photographs, there are various photo paper options. High glossy photo papers are shiny and smooth while matte coated photo paper are dull and textured. Glossy prints shine with sharpness and quality while matte finishes showcase professionalism and eloquence. While, deciding which to use depends on how you will use the photograph, the image in the photo and personal preference. When choosing what type of print finish to use for your photos, it is important to weigh the pros of the two.
Colors

• High glossy photo paper tend to make colors in photographs appear more vibrant; they are slick and shiny. Images appear sharp and if they are ever digitized, the texture of the print will not be picked up by the scanner. Matte  coated photo paper are more muted and less flashy. When matte prints are digitized, the texture of the paper with be recorded by the printer.

Glare

• One of the major drawbacks of glossy photographic prints is image glare. Because glossy finishes are so shiny, light reflections on the surface can distract from the actual image. It is often difficult to look at a glossy print from anything other than a straightforward angle. Viewing glossy images from diagonal angles is often impossible because the finish will bounce glaring light, overpowering the image. Matte prints are not as reflective as glossy images, making them viewable from all angles in most lighting conditions.

Black and White

• Matte finishes make monochrome, or black and white, pictures tend to look better. Monochrome photography is based on light and dark values within the frame. Matte frames keep outside light from obstructing the composition.

Enlarged Photos

• Matte coated photo paper tends to benefit enlarged prints simply because of the lack of gloss. A large glossy print is essentially going to be a gigantic light reflector picking up the glare from any light it faces, causing a major distraction. Such problems do not occur on a matte finish. Eliminating shine from a large photo makes it far more visible.