Photo Lab

Printing your photos can also add value to your images and is a wonderful way to share your work and make money as a photographer. You can sell prints online, to galleries, and even to restaurants or cafes that may require wall art. How do you start printing photos? Is it even possible to print your own photos at home and where do professional photographers go to print their pictures? There are two main options to consider when printing your work: printing at home or printing your photos in a photo lab. Nowadays it is possible to achieve high quality image prints with either, although each has its own strengths. This beginner's guide to home or lab printing provides everything you need to know to get the best quality printing from your photos. Some photographers say home printing is for the lazy or introvert who doesn't want to travel to a photo lab. In truth, there is nothing more rotten about it. In fact, it's the most complex and expensive option for printing your photos. To make your own professional photo prints, you need to invest in a good home printing system. This includes a reliable printer, print cartridges, and good quality photo paper.                   
 

The printer

There are two common types of printers that are commonly used in the home: inkjet printers and lasers. Both can print color photos, although quality, performance, durability, and cost can vary widely between the two. Inkjet printers are generally cheaper than laser printers. These types of printers have a print head that sprays liquid ink from a print cartridge onto the paper. Laser printers, on the other hand, have a print head that consists of a laser in combination with components that generate positive and negative electrical charges. Instead of ink, laser printers use powdered toner that melts from heat to produce printed images.          

Print cartridges

Most inkjet printers require at least two print cartridges that contain liquid ink: one black and one three colors, magenta, yellow, and cyan. Together, these cartridges can produce a variety of colors to match your images. Some inkjet printers require even more print cartridges, each with a different color, for the best results. In comparison, laser printers use powdered toner cartridges. This dust consists of small plastic and iron particles; It's much cheaper than ink, which means that while laser printers can be more expensive to buy, they are generally cheaper to run than their inkjet counterparts.         

 

 

Photo paper

Most likely, you don't want to print our pictures on plain paper that sits on top of a copier. Photo paper is specially designed to give printed photos a better aesthetic look and balance quality with a good visual result. When purchasing photo paper, it is important to understand that there are differences between papers made specifically for inkjet printers and papers that can be used in a laser printer. While both printer types can handle 80 to 100 g / m2 paper, inkjet printers can print on thicker paper than laser printers. Meanwhile, feeding specialty inkjet paper into a laser printer can cause problems because the paper is not designed to withstand the heat generated by the laser. To avoid damaging your printer, examine your photo papers to make sure they match the printing system you are using. High quality photo paper is available from most office supply stores around the world, so you can easily print your photos at home. Whether you're looking for a glossy, high-quality, or matte finish, you can likely find many different types of media in different sizes and weights for one reasonable price.