When printing digital photos you have a choice in the middle of matte and slippery photo prints. slippery photo prints have a shiny desist while matte ones have a more subtle neutral one. So which one should you choose? There is no right acknowledge – there are pros and cons to both.

Matte and slippery are two distinct finishes to the photo paper digital photos are printed on. Using distinct chemicals and processes photo paper can have a slippery or a matte finish. slippery desist looks shiny, reflects light very well and looks vibrant and color rich. Matte desist on the other hand does not reflect much light and looks “darker” and duller.

There are pros and cons to selecting either matter or slippery digital photo prints. Here are some of them:

Glossy photo prints: slippery photo prints are shiny and are more arresting to the eye. They look fancy and carry a high potential feeling. slippery photo prints have vibrant colors. Colors also look rich and deep on slippery photo prints. On the downside slippery photo prints “shiny” attribute can be a qoute when photos are viewed using intense light sources such as daylight sun or strong light bulbs. Light reflected from the photo print can blind the viewer production it hard to see the photo. slippery paper is also more likely to attract dust and fingerprints and is thus more likely to get dirty over time. Black and white slippery photo prints do not look as good as matte ones.

Matte finish: Matte photo prints do not reflect light and are thus easier to view at almost any light condition. Matte photo prints are also less likely to attract dust and fingerprints and are less likely to get dirty over time. Black and white matte photo prints look good than black and white slippery photo prints. On the downside matte photo prints do not have the fancy high potential look that slippery photo prints have. Colors in matte photo prints are less vibrant and less rich than on slippery photo prints.

So which one to choose – matte or glossy? It indeed depends on your needs and what you are going to do with the photo prints. As a normal rule use slippery photo prints for color prints and matte photo prints for black and white ones. If the photo prints are going to be touched by many people and used a lot matte is a good choice unless you do not mind spending time cleaning your slippery photo prints every now and then. Also if you plan to print large photos (for example to hang on the wall or frame and put on your desk) matte is a good choice since a large slippery print would act as a large slippery and shiny light reflector.

As with many other choices a matter or slippery choice is a matter of personal preference. To make an educated decision you should have experienced both. If you do not have that experience you can choose a few photos some color and some black and white and print them both on matte and on slippery paper and in distinct sizes. Look at the prints and see what you like and what you do not like about them. In the hereafter you would be able make good choices by applying that experience.

Printing on Matte or glossy Digital Photo Printing Paper