Professional photo
printing at home
This article sponsored by Kirkland Signature™
Professional Glossy Inkjet Photo Paper,
the clear choice for obtaining high-quality
photo prints in the comfort of your home.
By choosing the right paper you will maxi-
mize the quality of your prints, whether
you are printing digital pictures, making
photo enlargements, producing reports and
presentations or scrapbooking. Kirkland
Signature Photo Paper features a micropo-
rous ink -receiving
coating on a on a
resin-co ated
base pa per. This
coating , coupled
with tod ay”s high-
resoluti on inkjet
printers , results
in excep tional
image c larity and
resoluti on.
WITH A WIDE VARIETY of top-quality inkjet printers available at reasonable
prices, printing photos at home is an excellent option for many photo enthusiasts. Printing at home gives the photographer creative control over the final
print. Here’s a primer to achieve the best results.
Use the right paper
By choosing the right paper you will maximize the quality of your prints,
whether you are printing digital pictures, making photo enlargements, pro-
d ucing reports and presentations or scrapbooking.
Specialized inkjet photo paper features a microporous ink-receiving
c oating on a resin-coated base paper. This coating, coupled with today’s high-
r esolution inkjet printers, results in exceptional image clarity and resolution.
T he photos dry instantly and the images are water and smudge resistant.
The special papers typically come in two popular sizes: 8. 5 by 11 inches for
l arger prints, and 4 by 6 inches—the traditional photo-print size.
S oftware for the job
After you transfer your images from your camera to your computer, one
o f the key things that will determine how well your printed photos turn out is
y our ability to use your photo software. Take the time to familiarize yourself
w ith key features of your software. With many programs, you can:
• Sharpen your photo. Use the image editor’s sharpening tool to correct an
out-of-focus, “soft” or grainy look.
• Increase the gamma. If your photo editor has a gamma correct tool, use
this function to manipulate dark images to correct the brightness. The
changes will be more apparent in the midtones of your image and less on
the extremes.
• Make the subject stand out. A variety of techniques enable you to accentuate
the subject of your photograph, such as cropping the image and softening
the background. By softening the background of your photograph you can
draw attention to the main subject. To accomplish this, select the area comprising the main subject, then reverse the selection to select the background.
Use your software’s softening function until you achieve the desired result.
