I think we all agree the industry has done a relatively poor job of teaching us how to print as opposed to teaching us how to use our cameras, light our subjects, pose a model, or even how to take photos. Printing just as isn’t glamorous as some of those other topics so I think it often gets overlooked.

The reality is, making prints is the only way you can control what people see. It also enables you to truly show off your talent and ability as a photographer. Viewing an image on a computer screen, a cell phone or tablet device doesn’t show the full measure of what you can do. Low resolution images taken at high ISO will look fine on a cell phone. Prints are a much higher resolution product and the low resolution pixels on a screen can’t compare. The choice of paper is the critical factor enabling us to convey our unique artistic signature, even more so than what camera or printer your are using.

This free presentation will address the one burning question in everyone’s mind, “What paper should I use to print my photographs on?”

The answer is not as simple as one would think. Sure, there are some quick and easy suggestions but what would be the fun in that? For those who really want to investigate this topic this class is for you!

We will talk digital inkjet paper in all of its technical and aesthetic components that might help us make a decision about what specific paper to use vs. others. Archival permanence and what that concept means will certainly be part of the discussion. It all is part of the same conversation.

All questions are welcome. There is no such thing as a dumb question. I have conducted lectures in rooms filled with beginning photo students and the next day in a room filled with the top photographers in the world and guess what? They all ask the same questions when it comes to digital printing.

Via Zoom, I will show images from my personal portfolio offering insights and thoughts as to why I chose a specific paper to print that image on. For every image I intend to print, I make the decision as to what paper that image will be printed when I am composing the image, in camera. To me, the paper choice is a critical choice in creating images as I very much incorporate the unique personality and characteristics of specific papers in to my composition.” – Eric Joseph