Isn't digital technology amazing? A decade ago, it would have been unheard of to print off your own photos at home. It would have been the sort of thing that prompted the question, “What, you have a darkroom in your basement?” But nowadays, we have the option not only to take photos digitally an alter them with our own computer programs, we don't even have to have them professionally printed anymore! Just by clicking a button on our own home computer, we can have our own photos printed at home, without having to leave the house!
The problem, of course, is getting our printer to create a picture that looks like the real thing. While you may have a printer that can print good, professional quality photos, you still have to find the right kind of paper to use. Doesn't that seem like a strange detail? But, ridiculous as it sounds, the difference between a professional-quality picture and a cheap, printed snapshot can be as simple as the difference between satin photo paper and normal copy paper.
But does it really matter that much what kind of paper you use? Yes, it does! Having a print that looks like a quality photo requires the right kind of satin photo paper; otherwise, your photograph might just look like a quick-printed birthday card. Don't you want your photos to look their best?
Another reason to use satin photo paper is because of the lasting effects. While many types of paper might be able to make your photo look good, an acid-free satin photo paper will be able to ensure that your photo has an extended life expectancy. A good satin photo paper will be able to protect your photographs from smudges, water, and the harmful long-term effects that some acidic papers will have. Using a good satin photo paper will be able to improve the quality of the photos you print off, and they'll be able to increase the amount of time that your photo lasts.
So, when you're reaching for a stack of paper to print off your Christmas cards, or maybe just print off a few photos for Grandma, make sure you're not just reaching for plain computer paper. Your pictures will come off with a much better quality, and last significantly longer, if you use a good, high-quality satin photo paper. You don't have to go to a copy shop to get a good quality print; you just need a good printer and the right kind of paper.
