If you had to pick one paper!

[3dogs]

Hi,

Silly question, but I'm curious what people would choose. Money not being an object, what paper would you pick (state your printer as well). (Glossy and matte your preference can be eggshell etc just pick two one being a more gloss and one being somewhat matte.) So what you love, and why

BTW, sorry if someone has created a thread like this, I've only gotten through three pages of paper chat!

Black and White Glossy -
Black and White Matte -
Color Glossy -
Color Matte -
100% cotton 300+gms smooth NON-PHOTO-PAPER -

New to this kind of printing, and just thought I'd see what people like.. Without having used much in way of papers, I'm leaning more towards Hahnemuhle Pearl Photo Rag / Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta 325 / Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth 305 from the reviews I've been reading, I'm itching to try those three, but would love to hear from others what they love and why.


Best!

Best advice I got was pick a couple of papers you like and 'learn' how to use them......properly!

Too easy to tell you what I use, pointless to say why because these days I have a 'feel' for what will print on what I use most. The prints that do not fit get the random treatment, that is I have a stock of papers and 'try them out', its a long slow process to find a new paper.
Finally, having attached and executed all my smarts I submit a sample of my best efforts to scrutiny and sure as hell, a gormless twat will surely stand in front of it and say..."Aah dooon't uuze maat peper 's thur flat" . At which point I am reminded of why I closed my retail shop and got a proper job.

As @ Roy Sletcher said the Art is gone out of printing, not artistic content but the art of practice.
In our now, now, faster, faster world the apprentice has truly gone. Few are willing to commit the time to learning from the foundations up. The most common theme I see is :- yesterday I was a Student at Art school, the day after I worked as an assistant to 'whomever' and today, day 4, I am a professional.
IMHO there is NO substitute for time and trial and error.


Nothing wrong with being Anal about printing........If you are not going to produce the best you are capable of each and every time.....why print at all?

I just do not believe in wasting my time and resources on 'Happy Snaps' of Mum and the Kids at the Christmas party.......use a p&s, and have that processed into 6x4's at the local print house.

In a commercial environment, today, few put any effort at all into matching paper to image, they have a stock paper in various finishes and will sell a person on the Quality of their Prints.......EVEN if the viewer has the ability to look at the outcome and knows it for crap.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

Best advice I got was pick a couple of papers you like and 'learn' how to use them......properly!

Too easy to tell you what I use, pointless to say why because these days I have a 'feel' for what will print on what I use most. The prints that do not fit get the random treatment, that is I have a stock of papers and 'try them out', its a long slow process to find a new paper.
Finally, having attached and executed all my smarts I submit a sample of my best efforts to scrutiny and sure as hell, a gormless twat will surely stand in front of it and say..."Aah dooon't uuze maat peper 's thur flat" . At which point I am reminded of why I closed my retail shop and got a proper job.

As @ Roy Sletcher said the Art is gone out of printing, not artistic content but the art of practice.
In our now, now, faster, faster world the apprentice has truly gone. Few are willing to commit the time to learning from the foundations up. The most common theme I see is :- yesterday I was a Student at Art school, the day after I worked as an assistant to 'whomever' and today, day 4, I am a professional.
IMHO there is NO substitute for time and trial and error.


Nothing wrong with being Anal about printing........If you are not going to produce the best you are capable of each and every time.....why print at all?

I just do not believe in wasting my time and resources on 'Happy Snaps' of Mum and the Kids at the Christmas party.......use a p&s, and have that processed into 6x4's at the local print house.

In a commercial environment, today, few put any effort at all into matching paper to image, they have a stock paper in various finishes and will sell a person on the Quality of their Prints.......EVEN if the viewer has the ability to look at the outcome and knows it for crap.

Oh, yeah, lots of wisdom there................

Going back to the question of the OP, "If there was only one paper....", I fudge. And three years ago it would not have the same answer as today, nor probably three years hence. Changing opinions due to both experience and tech changes.

I'm weighing in on using a Canon dye printer.

Money never a concern, just always probably getting the best results: Canon Pro Platinum

Money the primary concern, but wanting to stay in the realm of "real" layered and coated photo papers, Canon Matte.

Perhaps best all around, paper surface qualities and value, Canon Luster. Second place, Glossy II.

Alternatively, heavy double sided sheets for generic albums and proofing, Royal Brites Matte.

OK, not one, but four. I'm no longer futzing around with second or third party papers. I'm not saying that there aren't a lot of interesting papers in those categories, but for 98% of printing work, I just don't see the effort needed............for what? Especially once you do things like frame or mount behind glass.