fiber based papers

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i know this could be subjective, but do fiber based ink jet papers just plain look better then regular photo papers?

 

is fiber based in its various offering just the way to go plain and simple?

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By "regular photo papers" do you mean including silver-based photo papers, or just digital/inkjet?

 

And which fiber-based papers? - there is a lot of variation in "look" even within this category. You can't lump 'em together.

 

Personally I find Harman Fiber Gloss (made by the silver-film Ilford, but now marketed through Hahnemuhle) to be the single nicest paper I've ever seen B&W photos on, but the change in distribution has made it harder for me to buy. A rich gloss with deep-but-detailed blacks, that looks at least as good as good photo paper in the 1970's. And an extra depth from an additional overcoating of gelatin (Ilford does know how to coat gelatin).

 

Epson Exhibition Fiber and some other "fiber" papers have a cardboardy surface that makes them about as enticing as the printing on a cereal box (IMHO). The grain of the paper shows through to the surface (which it doesn't in well-coated silver paper).

 

Frankly I think Moab Lasal Photo Gloss (which probably counts as a "regular" paper) looks better than most of the fiber/baryta papers - except the Harman.

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starting to do a lot of experimenting with epson papers.

 

I like the look of the exhibition fiber but too glossy and white for my taste so far.

 

Really loving the epson velvet fine art and the cold press natural is pretty cool too but maybe too dramatic.

 

 

will keep working.