Guide and Tips for Printing Photos Using an Injet Printer

How to print photos using an injet printer at home or in the office

mrfdn – Printing photos is fun. In the past, when it was still analogous, photo cliches had to be washed and then printed to be able to see the photos.

If not now. Armed with a digital photo file that we have, we can print the photos we want via an inkjet printer.

It’s nice, when you see the results of the photo in a printed state rather than in the form of a digital file.

Seeing photos from a cellphone is different, it feels like seeing it in print. Isn’t that a real photo?

This time I want to share the experience of printing my own photos with an inkjet printer.

There are several things that must be considered to make photo prints look good. Alright let’s start..

1. Photo size

To get optimal photo prints we must have a large photo size. The point is not the size of the file in megabytes, but the size of the dimensions of the photo itself.

Printing photos with a size of 3×4 cm or so-called passport photos, the results will be different from printing photos with a size of 10×15 cm, with the same file.

For example,

I have a photo file with a size of 300x400pixel. Then I printed it with a size of 2x3cm. This result will not break.

On the other hand, when I print the file with a size of 10×15 cm or 4R, the result will look broken.

If you see for yourself the results of this photo are actually a little blurry, because the file is small.

Why?

Because if in the properties in Photoshop, there we can see the maximum size of the photo file that can be printed. If the file dimensions are smaller than our print media, the result will be broken. The pixels contained in the photo file will be forced to be large, according to the photo paper.

In the image below you can see how big the maximum file size that can be printed is in centimeters.

the size of the photo is small the result will be broken

2. Photo paper

To get optimal results we can choose various types of photo paper. There are various types of photo paper, ranging from glossy, matte, doff, silky and others.

Photo paper has different sizes ranging from photo paper 4R, 5R, 8R, 10R, 12R, 20R, 24R, 30R. For printers that are usually at home, a maximum of photos can be printed on A4 photo paper.

I’m trying to print my photo file onto silky paper with a size of 4R or 10×15 cm.

The results are quite satisfactory.

I used 4R size 10x15cm photo paper. Silky paper makes photos not glossy but slightly blurry, but when viewed from the side it will be a little shiny. 🙂

I can see the details of my photos, and can also keep them for a long time as a memory. Haha..

Use photo paper that has good absorbency. Good photo paper is usually quite expensive, but it is the best photo paper.

Even for fine art needs, there is photo paper that is specifically used by photographers. With this paper the photo prints will look better.

If you want to know the paper, please just google it with the keyword fine art photo paper. Later you will get a good brand of photo paper.

Before printing photos onto the photo paper used, make sure your photo file has dimensions that are at least the same size or can cover the size of the paper we are using.

For example,

If you print a photo with a size of 10R, at least the image file size with 2000 pixels on the longest side.

This is to prevent the printout from becoming blurry, unclear, not detailed.

When printing photos, don’t forget to pay attention to which side of the photo paper is used to print photos. Don’t turn it upside down. Because if the result is reversed, the ink may not dry.

Therefore it is necessary to understand what type of paper is used.

Read also :: Various types of photo prints from various materials not only from photo paper

3. Type of printer used

To get optimal results, use a printer that can print better photos. More expensive printers usually have a higher dpi.

What is dpi?

Dpi stands for dots per inch. The larger the dpi printer, the more detailed the resulting printout.

Printers are also divided into photo printers and regular printers (printing documents). Using a regular printer to print photos the results will not be as good as with a photo printer.

Read also :: Large photo printing experience

The difference between the two lies in how big the dpi is, and how many cartridges or colors of ink are used.

If a regular printer usually only has 4 colors, namely: c (cyan), m (magenta), y (yellow), and k (black).

While photo printers usually have more colors, there are 6, to 11. These additional colors are usually represented by light colors, such as light cyan, light magenta, and so on. I don’t know if there is a printer that has more colors.

4. Printer Ink used

The role of ink is very important. The printer has original ink that will function normally according to the type of printer.

Don’t because of the low price you buy printer ink that is not original. This will greatly affect the results of the photo, even more so on the age of your printer.

Always use your printer’s original ink.

There’s nothing wrong with setting aside more money by buying original ink. Because in addition to getting optimal photo results, the printer life is also longer.

Actually it is also the risk of having an expensive printer. Maintenance is also not cheap.

5. Quality of photo files

Lastly, regarding photo quality.

Make sure before printing your photo file, double-check the exposure, color and contrast, and photo sharpness.

Because printing photos is an activity that consumes printer ink. Especially if you use high quality print mode in your print settings.

exposure is a little underexposed

You can also notice which parts of the photo are dirty, which you might be able to fix with Photoshop.

If everything is optimal, the photos that will be obtained will also be optimal and satisfying.

The final word

These are the tips and tricks to consider before printing photos using an inkjet printer.

I hope this information is helpful.

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