~ This is a featured post. ~
As an avid photographer, I take my prints
seriously. They’re an expression of you and what you think is important in life,
and if you like to scatter them throughout your home as I do, you want people
to be viewing the best quality you can provide. Not everyone can afford to go
to a top-quality printers though, and why should you when it’s just as easy to
do it yourself? So, here are some top tips for printing the best photos
to wow your guests.
Camera
vs Computer
Many cameras these days have the option to
print straight from the device, rather than having to upload them to a computer
first. Surprisingly, both approaches can produce very different results, so
it’s a good idea to test the different settings available first, so that you
don’t print out dozens of images only to find that they’re of a very poor
standard.
Choose
an InkJet printer
Printer manufacturers have caught on to
people’s desire to print their own images at their leisure, so if you can,
invest in an InkJet printer. These have been made specifically to cope with the
demands of photograph printing, and will give you a far cleaner and more
professional image with little bleeding of lines, when compared with a standard
printer.
Are
you using the right settings?
Of course, every printer is going to be
different, so make sure you have all the right settings selected before hitting
“Go!”. For example, under the quality section on most printers, you’ll have an
option to print for media or magazine; while quality is usually automatically
selected for you at “good”, you have the option to change this to “best”. These
are very simple settings that can make a huge difference.
Follow
all the rules!
You’ll find that most manufacturer’s give
guidance in their manuals about obtaining the best results, so it’s always a
good idea to check the handbook. However, if that’s too technical, consult
their websites instead. They may have blog posts or other guides available
online that are written in brief, how-to formats.
Buy
different samples
Other factors that can make the world of
difference are the materials you’re using. Try different paper samples to see
if there’s a difference in quality, and make sure that the type of ink you pick
is the correct one for the job, and for your model of machine. As this can end
up costing a fortune if you go to the wrong place, always buy from a specialist
website for these supplies, such as cartridgepeople.com.
Try
photo editing software
Finally, if it’s the image itself that’s
bugging you, there are tonnes of free photo editing software downloads that you
can use to increase exposure on shots, reduce blur and so on. It’s worth doing
your research on the best one for your needs, but you can check out a good
guide here.
How do you use your family photos? Let me
know in the comments section…