Printing Digital Photos

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Printing Digital Photos

• Edwin Remsberg
• University of Maryland

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Technology has changed
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Dye Sub Printers

• Good quality
• Fast
• Limited surface choices
• Limited longevity
• Lots of material waste
• Kodak picture kiosks are dye sub

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Mini Labs

• Fuji Frontier Noritsu
• Traditional photo paper
• Cost effective
• sRGB color space
• Custom profiles available from Dry Creek

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Digital Silver Prints

• Durst Lambda
• Print on traditional photographic paper
• Available at custom photo labs
• Test proofs usually available inexpensively
• Good lab will help you

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Inkjet Photo printers

• Excellent quality
• Variety of media
• Low cost
• Can be archival

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The secret to great prints is
Printer Paper Profile
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Photo Inkjets

• Have more inks (6-8 vs. 4)
• Archival stability

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Good Inkjet printers

• HP Design Jet 30/130
• HP Photosmart 8750
• Canon i9900
• Epson R800/1800
• Epson 2400/4800/7800/9800

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Dyes and Pigments

• Dyes have larger gamut but are less stable
• Pigments are very stable but have issues with
  bronzing and Metamerism

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Inks

• Cheap inks give uncertain results and can clog
  your printer. Use original inks or good quality
  archival inks such as -
• Lyson Cave Paint
• Media Street Generations
• Cone Editions Piezography

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What is Giclee?

• Vulgar French slang
• A term coined by printer Jack Duganne in 1991 to
  describe an inkjet print

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Choosing papers

• Finish
• Weight
• Stability
• Coating
• Compatibility
• Every paper requires its own profile

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Paper coatings

• Affect how ink interacts with paper
• Wicking, dot gain, and drying time
• Uncoated papers work best with dye based inks

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Papers to look at

• Epson
• Hahnemuhle
• Red River
• Media Street
• Crane
• Arches
• Legion

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Colour Management
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Managing Color

• Do nothing
• Let the driver do it
• Use ICC profiles
• Use a RIP

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ICC Profiles

• Printers are RGB devices
• Are printer, paper, and ink specific
• Use generic profiles
• Purchase custom profiles
• Make your own

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Raster Image Processor

• Replaces printer driver completely
• Helps maximize paper useage
• Excellent black and white from color inks
• ImagePrint

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Output resolution

• 300 ppi for dye sub and silver
• 240 -360 ppi for inkjet is optimum
• 176 ppi is possible
• Viewing distance determines resolution needs

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What will viewing distance be

• 1.5x diagonal of print
• Location of display
• You dont need a huge file to make a huge print

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Sharpening

• For dye sub and silver sharpen to taste
• For inkjet over sharpen slightly
• For inkjet on matt textured or uncoated papers
  sharpen till it hurts

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Print care

• Sunlight
• Humidity
• Abrasion
• Glass
• Sprays
• Lamination