Print Your Work with Intention: Best Photo Paper for 2025
You Need to Print Your Photographs! Here’s Why:
I think as a society, we have lost touch with the physical. Digital products consume us, especially in the art world. We are constantly looking at photos through our phones and consume thousands of photographs a day through them. Photographs used to be all about the physical print. Photographers would spend hours over one image in the darkroom to provide us with the perfect gelatin silver or chromogenic print image. Museums are filled with photographs by Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Man Ray, and Henri Cartier-Bresson. The print provides a value to the image that digital cannot replicate. As wonderful as the digital image is for accessibility and sharability, I think it’s time to return to the print and encourage more self-taught photographers to jump into printing their work!
In this blog post, I’ll cover:
Why I’m printing my photos and how it’s helping my photography
My favorite papers to print on
Where I’m getting lab prints done
Importance of editioning your printed work
Why I’m printing my photography
I began printing my work as a BFA Photography Major at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016. In my first semester, we started in the Darkroom, printing black and white film photography. Eventually, by my Junior year, we went into digital printing. Printing was a vital aspect of our curriculum. We would have 10-15 prints due each week (still wondering how I managed)! I truly believe this emphasis on printing improved how I photographed and my editing skills. When you are able to see your photograph in all its detail, you can navigate the flaws and mistakes that can hide when viewing something digitally. Every print I’ve made has allowed me to review my images in a way that isn’t possible on a screen.
Printing your own work is the best choice a photographer can make. It allows you to truly see your image and not hide flaws behind lower-resolution screens. In an age where photography is mostly on our phones or computers, having prints of your work is such a huge step in taking your practice to the next level. It allows you to visualize your work in a new way, and provides a tangible, high-quality object that you can also share with friends, showcase in exhibitions/venues, and even sell! Printing your photographs invites you to be intentional and deeply engage with your work. By printing my photographs, I have been able to archive and share my art in more intimate and physical ways.
My Favorite Photographic Papers to Print On
Photographic paper comes in all types and sizes. There are many brands to pick from that offer you high-quality results. Below, I will share some intro papers that you can start on, as well as more fine-art papers for higher-quality prints!
The two main types of paper you will encounter in your printing journey are RC and Fiber. All offer different qualities and styles:
RC (Resin Coated) paper
RC-based paper describes paper stocks that contain a plastic/resin coating. This type of paper includes many surface finishes such as luster, satin, semi-gloss, gloss, or pearl.
RC is a very popular, versatile choice for many entry-level photographers, due to its lower costs and durability. This paper also tends to have a faster drying time than fiber paper.
Fiber Paper
Fiber-based paper is a high-quality, inkjet-compatible paper designed to mimic the luxurious look, feel, and archival permanence of traditional darkroom fiber-based prints. It is highly sought after by fine art photographers for exhibitions and galleries. These papers are typically heavier and thicker than standard photo paper. It is available in a variety of finishes, including matte, semi-matte, and soft gloss (satin), which can be smooth or subtly textured.
Now that you have a bit of vocabulary, let’s get into my favorite photographic papers! You will see that many of the more advanced papers will be fiber-based!
For the entry-level photographer just starting to print:
This photographic paper is perfect for those who are just getting into their printing journey. I use this often when teaching students to print! You can get it in various sizes, but 8.5x11 is typically the most universal and cheapest size to start.
Ideal For
Entry-level printers that still want high quality
Highly saturated colors
A shiny/luster finish
This photographic paper is another perfect option for those just starting to print, but who want a little more shine to their image. It has an ultra-smooth and bright white finish.
Ideal For
Entry-level printers that still want high quality
Highly saturated colors
A glossy/high shine finish
This photographic paper is another option for those just starting to print, but who want to experiment with Matte paper. It has an ultra-smooth and bright white finish. This paper is perfect for non-glare photographs, craft projects, and signage.
Ideal For
Entry-level printers that still want a high-quality image
Heavyweight, bright white, ultra-smooth paper
Matte Finish
For the photographers who want to sell/exhibit their work:
Canson Infinity - Platine Fibre Rag
This photographic paper is perfect for those who are stepping into their professional printing journey! Canson Platine is 100% cotton platinum paper with a microporous coating that simulates true darkroom fiber paper. This was a go-to when I was in art school, and I still use it to this day. This paper provides the aesthetic and feel of the original F-Type Baryta Fibre paper, having a true pure white tone without using optical brighteners that are known to affect the longevity of digitally produced images. However, it tends to be on the more expensive side compared to other papers I love. I suggest grabbing 11x17in or 17x22in paper to start playing with larger prints! You will definitely see the difference and beauty in the details.
Ideal For
The look and feel of original platine darkroom prints
Deep blacks, exceptional grey tones, saturated colors
Fine photographic reproductions – for sale, for display at home, or for exhibition work!
Print enthusiasts
After I left college and started looking into alternative papers to Canson (basically what I used throughout), I came across this wonderful brand called Red River! I fell in love with this paper right here - the Palo Duro Soft Gloss Rag. This paper is also 100% cotton and gives you the classic look of a darkroom print, even better than Canson. It has a beautiful texture and is categorized as a Museum-Grade paper. This paper is also lower cost. For 25 sheets of 17x22in, Palo Duro runs around $124 versus Canson Platine for $145.
Red River also has a wider variety of size ratios - mimicking darkroom print ratios like 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, and more. As someone who photographs with a 4x5 large format camera, this was a deal breaker, so I didn’t have to buy paper, more so for digital formats! It meant less waste!
Ideal For
The look and feel of original platine darkroom prints
Deep blacks, smooth gray tones, true saturated colors
Fine photographic reproductions – for sale, display at home, or for exhibition and gallery showings!
Refined print enthusiasts
I mentioned Canson Platine above, but Canson also has a paper called Baryta Photographique ii. But we aren’t talking about that; say hello to Canson Baryta’s biggest competition - Palo Duro Baryta 2!
Baryta paper is as close you can get to a darkroom print for digital photography, and Red River takes the cake in this one. This paper holds a close resemblance to darkroom prints due to the whiteness coming from the barium sulfate that is integrated into the coating of the paper. This contributes to the stability of the paper's whiteness over time.
Palo Duro Baryta has been described as "as close as you can get to Oriental New Seagull G", which was a favorite of Ansel Adams.
Ideal For:
Superb saturation and black density
Those looking to replicate the look of wet darkroom fiber paper
Prints for sale, exhibition, or gallery showings
Your best work printed for sale or presentation
Pro model inkjet printers that can use heavy/thick media
This photographic paper is perfect for my Matte finish lovers! This is an acid-free paper that features a natural white tone and smooth surface. A cool thing about this paper is that it contains no optical brighteners! This is a benefit because the paper will retain its original shade over a long period of time. As a bonus, you can print on both sides of this paper! I’ve used this paper for handmade photo books, postcards, and even when I feel like printing a photo Matte (which isn’t often, haha).
Ideal For:
Those seeking a warm tone, smooth cotton photo, and art paper
Those who want a heavyweight cotton paper
Prints intended for very long-term display
Landscapes, portraits, warm tone black & white, art reproduction prints
Important to note:
Many of these papers for printing at home need a high quality, reliable inkjet printer. I can go more in depth in another post but for now I will suggest the following options by price:
Under $500
$500 - $1,200
Over $1,200
Where To Get Your Lab Prints Done
If you don’t have access to a printer, getting your work printed by a professional lab is the next best thing! Now, these locations I list will only really be helpful if you’re local to Rhode Island, but if you’re reading from another state, I implore you to look into your local print labs!
I printed with them for my exhibition at WaterFire Arts Center, and they did a wonderful job! I worked directly with the owner, Brendan, and I was able to come in on a print day to proof the images and see the paper available with my own eyes. Prices here are very affordable, and they even gave me some matte board for free when I asked!
I have not printed with them personally; however, I have a close photographer friend who works there, and another friend of mine printed work there recently. They have many options for large-scale printing, including bynal and fabric!
I have not printed with them in a while; however, they did a decent job when I went there to print and frame some images for my exhibition. One thing I wish I were more hands-on with, however, was the type of paper they used. When I was taking these photos out of the frame to reuse them for a different image, I found out they printed the photos on Matte paper (which I wouldn’t have asked for). But that was on me to assume it would be a soft gloss fiber paper. They also tend to be a bit on the pricier side, but overall, a good space!
Importance of Editioning Your Printed Work
If you are new to printing, you may not know what editioning a print means. Editioning a print includes numbering and signing the image. This means you only print a limited amount of a certain size. For example, if I want to print the image shown here at 16x20in, I would only print a total of 8 prints. This is, of course, my preference, and you may choose to print 10 or 15. By limiting the number of prints you make of an image, you instill value in the printed work.
If I were someone who wanted to purchase your photographs, I am much more likely to pay $100, $200, $500, or even $5,000 if the image cannot be reproduced an infinite number of times. The smaller the edition, the more value the image has because of its limited availability. Of course, a lot more goes into how you price your work, but having it in editions adds to it. Museums also like to see work editioned when searching for pieces to acquire.
If you start editioning your work, make sure to keep some for yourself (and maybe important family members or next of kin). I like to keep the first edition for myself, and then maybe keep the second edition for a close relative or possibly my kids when I eventually have them. It’s nice to think about how you can pass down your work.
I hope this post here got you excited (not nervous) about finally printing your work! It truly is a vital step to take as a photographer. Good luck!
This blog is fully written and run by photographer Caterina Maina. If you like what you read, please leave a comment, like, and/or share it on your social media! All photographs are taken by Caterina Maina Photography and are subject to copyright
And if you have any questions, suggestions on topics, or an interesting exhibition Caterina should check out please feel free to leave them in the comments or email her at caterinamainaphotography@gmail.com!
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