 BetterPhoto Member |
How to Conserve Photo Paper When Testing? I have recently purchased a wonderful Epson R2400 photo printer. My interest is in printing large prints. What is the best way to test print images without wasting large photo paper? Many times I will print many test prints before wanting to print the final large print. Thanks, Paula Leslie
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Brendan Knell |
I would say to use either a very low grade of photo paper, or don't even use photo paper. Just use regular printer paper. You won't get great results with regular paper, but after the first few times you use it - then print it on photo paper - you will start to get an idea of what it will look like on photo paper after you print on regular paper.
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Christopher A. Vedros |
Another option would be to get a box of 4"x6" paper in the same brand and quality as your large photo paper, and print small test prints.
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LightAnon.com - Steve Parrott Contact Steve Parrott Steve Parrott's Gallery |
As previously stated, using 4 x 6 paper of the SAME brand and qualiity as the large print paper you want to use is the best way to do it. You will be chasing your tail if you use any other type of paper for your test prints. When you get it looking good on a lower grade, different brand paper, then print it on your "good" paper, the results will very likely be totally different. You have to be able to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges. With that being said, the true best method is to not have to make "test" prints at all. Get a monitor calibrator and get your setup working so that what you see on your monitor is at least very close to what you get from your printer. It really beats making test prints and shooting in the dark trying to match print output with monitor display.
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Malcolm Garth |
You could use an A4 sheet of the same paper and when you are ready to print a sample only print a portion of the photo onto the paper. This way you could print multiple "parts" of multiple photos on a sheet by running the sheet through the printer for each photo. You would need to be able to crop and place the image accurately without overlapping. I'm sure someone with more skill in this area could explain it better but it's like an old test strip. Calibration of all parts of the system is the best option.
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Joan Bellinger |
I once saw an article that showed how to make a digital contact sheet as you would in a film darkroom. You would open a new, blank image file and paste several small copies of your photo into it. Make different, small adjustments to each image. Use the text tool to make a note below each copy of the changes you made to it and make a print. If you like one of the images, apply the changes you made to the sample print and apply it.
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Bob J. Klein |
Buy the brightest business laser printing paper you can find at your office supply store. It will show a rating of 94 or better Brightness Radiant White. This will give you superior contrast and give you a pretty good idea of what your final picture will look like and cost a fraction of what your photo paper cost.
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