Photo Paper

Photo paper is a type of paper that is specifically designed to present a high-quality professional appearance. Whether you are capturing memories or moments, creating photographic prints, advertising flyers, presentations, single sheet printing or other presentation documents at home or in the office, Cromwell stocks a high-quality photo paper range at affordable prices from leading brands in the printing & photography industry such as Q-connect, Hewlett Packard, Canon, Offis and Epson.

What is photo paper?

Photo paper also known as photographic paper, inkjet photo paper, photo printing paper or picture paper are special purpose paper types that have undergoing a number of processes to offer different colour absorbance and effects.

Why photo paper?

Photo paper has a chemical coating applied that ensures ink is absorbed neatly and evenly when printing, unlike uncoated printing paper that bleeds into the other side. There are a variety of different surface finishes that effect certain factors such as the smoothness of the paper and how much ink is absorbed.

When are photo papers used?

Photo papers are used in all types or printers to achieve a high quality printed pages in both domestic and professional settings. This can range from a single sheet to a multipage catalogue.

Photo paper types

The choice of photo paper will be dependent on two factors:
The type of print finish you are looking to achieve and the weight of the paper measured in 'grams per square meter' (gsm).

The most common finish types of photo paper are:
• Glossy  -   shiny, smooth surface finish that creates a high-quality professional appearance, absorbs ink extremely well for rich and vibrant colours. Most often used to create detailed images, photographs and prints.
•Matte  -   typically has a different feel and texture to glossy photo paper, usually faster drying and boosts black and white contrast making it easier to read. Good for displaying text on flyers and leaflets.
•High Gloss  -   the glossiest and shiniest glossy paper available. Crisp resolution, rich colour reproduction.
•Satin  -   also known as 'semi-gloss' is cross between glossy and matte photo paper. It absorbs ink well but is less sharp and does not have a shiny finish.
•Silk  -   soft texture, shiny surface, (similar to glossy paper) creates a luxurious look and feel. Used for posters, magazine pages, portfolios.

The paper thicknesses type 'gsm' will also impact outcome:
• 70gsm - 80gsm  -   magazine paper (very thin).
• 90gsm - 100gsm  -   catalogue paper (thin).
• 115gsm - 130gsm  -   brochure paper (thin).
• 130gsm - 150gsm  -   standard leaflet paper.
• 150gsm - 200gsm  -   image reproduction, premium leaflet and brochure paper.
• 250gsm - 350gsm  -   thin to thicker board.
• 400gsm - higher  -   cardboard (thick).

Considerations when choosing photo paper?

Finish and texture  -   the selection of photo printing paper will affect the overall look of the print. Different types of photo paper finishes and textures can be selected to show finer detail and better contract or display richer colours.
GSM  -   different weights of the photo printing paper will be more suited to specific tasks. For example, a thicker glossy paper can be used to create a more traditional looking photo print than a thinner gsm photo paper.
Size  -   the size measurements of photo paper use a mixture of measurements most commonly referred to in inches(in.), millimeters (mm) or centimetres (cm) formats.

FAQ

What size is A4 photo printing paper?

A4 printing paper is: 210 x 297 mm (8.3 x 11.7 inch)

Can photo printing paper be used in any printer?

Most modern printers are capable of printing on photo printing paper but always refer to your printers instruction manual.