Our favorite papers

[Shashin]

What do you like to print on and why? My favs are:

Hahnemuhle Baryta FB. It is just like a good fiber based B&W paper. It is glossy, but not mirror like and has the slight texture depth to it. Nice blacks and good whites.

Epson Sommerset Velvet. I am not sure they still have it, but it is a fine paper. Very much like a watercolor paper. It you want a soft print with vivid colors, this is really beautiful. Detail is lost and I would not use this if you have a lot of shadow detail. Your images will be low contrast and shadows are not deep.

Epson Enhanced Adhesive Synthetic Inkjet Paper. Want to stick something right to the wall. This is really good stuff. The contrast is low, but rich. It might peel if there is moisture on the wall, but you can remove this from the wall without damaging it. Hanging is a trip--try a 44" by 12' wide pano. While it looks like it would live a mark if buckled, it is very forgiving. But if you do not get the leading edge on right, you will screw up the mounting.

 

[Jack]

My two goto photo papers are Canson Platine Fiber Rag and Epson Exhibition Fiber.

On a side note I have to say I'm printing a lot less than I used to, and doing a lot more delivery in direct digital form...

 

[kdphotography]

Favorite paper is Canson Platine Fibre Rag. Hahn Photo Rag Baryta when I need a better lustre type photo paper. Kodak Prof Lustre and Breathing Color's Vibrance Lustre are excellent low end print lustre photo papers.

Breathing Color's Pura (like Optica One but w/o OBAs) is good for a smooth matte paper. Hahn Bamboo if I want a warm paper

BC's Lyve for canvas; 800M for canvas banners

Cone 5 or Cone 2 are my top picks for K7 B&W, followed by Canson Platine Fibre Rag and Harman.

Ken

 

[GregMO]

I like either Hahn Photo Rag 308 or German Etching depending on whether I want a smoother or textured paper for an image. I have started adding a Japanese Kozo paper for night scenes. It's a thin paper & the highlights bounce off it & create a luminescent feel.

 

[Dan Berg]

My favorites both for acrylic facemounting are Pictorico hi gloss film and Ilford Prestige smooth hi gloss.
When printed with dye inks they are as close to the cibachrome look as you can get.

 

[mranger211]

Canson Platine Fibre Rag if I want a paper that feels good, Harman Gloss Baryta for the everything else.

Epson Hotpress Bright for matte.

 

[tsjanik]

My favorites both for acrylic facemounting are Pictorico hi gloss film and Ilford Prestige smooth hi gloss.
When printed with dye inks they are as close to the cibachrome look as you can get.

I love both those papers for the Cibachrome look; but I have to ask why do you specify dye inks? I have some Cibachromes I printed years ago and some recent pigment prints of the same images and I find them equivalent behind glass(other than some gloss differential at odd angles).

Tom

More often I use IGS or Exhibition Fiber for stronger colors and Hot Press for more subdued images.

 

[kweide]

Hahnemuehle Baryta Fine Art 325 my Top Fav, followed by Photo Rag

 

[gnuyork]

Hahnemuehle Baryta Fine Art 325 also my #1 Top Fav.

Also Epson Exhibition - in sheets - I don't use it in roll form..doesn't get along with the Canon IPF printer, or so I have read…

I also like sheets of Ilford Gallery Gold - have never tried in roll form either.

 

[faneuil]

after a summer of testing sample packs with epson K3 ink set, I settled on Canson Baryta.
And haven't looked back. Love it. Hanhnemuhle baryta was close but had a pinkish cast I didn't care for and cost more!