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Guest WPalank

Virgil,

I respect your diagnosis. ;) But can anyone explain to me why we should be using matte papers besides and I mean specifically environmental factors?

Since I have been using Baryta papers mainly Canson, but also by Hahnemühle FineArt, I have completely walked away from matte. Yes, matte papers feel great for the 15 seconds you hold them before putting them behind glass.

 

First off, matte papers bleed by definition making the image look less sharp. Secondly, most of the charts and reviews (never trust the paper company itself) show you can get a higher, richer D-Max when printing with photo black on Baryta or Baryta like papers, me thinks.

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Except for several experiments, I have used Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta for the last three or so years. I had similar thoughts about matt paper--would not produce nearly as sharp images, but I have to say that the Hahnemuhle Fine Art Photo Rag (smooth) proved to be a nice surprise. The paper had a warmer feel to it, but still produced sharp images with excellent shadow tones.

 

I have reverted to Baryta in large part because I don't like switching back and forth, but if I had a major project that was appropriate for a warmer feel, I wouldn't hesitate using the Photo Rag.

 

Jack Siegel

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For a long time, after switching from HPR matte paper to Baryta papers, I used mostly Ilford Gold Fibre Silk. But now I also use Canson Baryta and Platine (less frequently). And since the ImagePrint folks have made a profile for it, I've found Innova Warm Cotton Gloss to be a wonderful paper!

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Virgil,

I respect your diagnosis. ;) But can anyone explain to me why we should be using matte papers besides and I mean specifically environmental factors?

Since I have been using Baryta papers mainly Canson, but also by Hahnemühle FineArt, I have completely walked away from matte. Yes, matte papers feel great for the 15 seconds you hold them before putting them behind glass.

 

First off, matte papers bleed by definition making the image look less sharp. Secondly, most of the charts and reviews (never trust the paper company itself) show you can get a higher, richer D-Max when printing with photo black on Baryta or Baryta like papers, me thinks.

 

I only print on Matt, I have tried the Baryta's and the many of the recommended papers, matt for me has texture and depth that is at least in part lost with flatt sheen papers. Yes they can look great in the right light at the right angle, but get them off angle and the sheen loses it for me.

 

My favourite matt papers are

 

HFA Museum Etching 350g

HFA Photorag 308g

Epson Cold press natural 340g

Museo Max 365g

 

I love them mounted or simply printed to appreciate. Whilst the D-max is lower, if your printing is correct this assumes you are in the correct viewing position with Baryta papers. Having one Baryta print next to a Matt often the matt looks 'inkier and richer' it depends on the light and the angle

 

Regarding detail, I can see more detail with an 8X loop than by eye on a matt print, what am I missing ?

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Guest WPalank

Thanks for the reply IWC.

 

But you are hitting many of the points I am trying to make.

 

Most of my clients mount the prints behind glass, i always recommend non-reflective, I see NO difference. Most of your statements are about (seemingly) pulling a print out of a drawer or box. I don't get it. Yes maybe for family posterity, but to me a nice print should be Matted, glassed and framed (my point).

Maybe it's how i handle my printing, but I see loss of detail in all the matt prints in comparison. :confused:

 

Thank you for your reply as i wanted to stimulate a good, healthy discourse (unlike what typically happens in Barnack's as of late).

 

If ever in the San Francisco Area, feel free to call me and drop by my studio if you like. I have several magnification and lighting systems. Please bring your prints.

 

I would love to hang prints unglassed, but do not live in a Dust Free House and UV light comes into play. :)

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Thanks

 

I am very open to other papers, I just haven't found ones I bond with more. I also mount behind glass, I'll try to mount two of the same image and see how I get on.

 

I have tried mounting without glass but didnt really get on with that either. If it helps to get the best with inky blacks experimentation is quite important. I persisted with ABW mode using a 3880 and do run slightly unconventional settings.

 

I like prints in the hand and on the wall so texture does have a bearing for me

 

I went to a very interesting printing course by epson recently and was one if the few who printed a lot on Matt. But I did seem to enthuse a few others to try !

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William, just tried canson baryta. Hands down its the closest I've seen to silver printing. Feels great too. I was not happy with the brightness of Epson fiber...which feels like cardboard.

And I like it much better than Harmon regarding blacks.

Detail is surprisingly better and that's what I don't understand. Printing 16 bit on IP same file, same printer.

Superb.

Thanks.

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Guest WPalank

My findings exactly Virgil. Don't you love the smell of that stuff as well? "Smells like.....Victory." ;)

 

Image Print just added profiles for two new papers that might be interesting.

Ilford Galerie Prestige Gold Cotton Smooth

Hahnemuhle Photo Matt Fibre

 

The only problem with Canson is shipping the image to clients. Shipping flat is very expensive and there is the chance that the one if not all of corners may be dinged. It is very difficult to roll, due to thickness, so one can get it into a tube without getting a crease which means a do-over.

But once you have it in the tube, by far the safest way to ship. IMHO :mad:

 

But then you have to beg the client to take it straight to the framer without dragging it out of the tube. I always ship with a pair of white cotton gloves to be on the safe side.

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I find that matte papers work well for color photos. For Monochrom files, using matte papers results in a loss of detail and resolution. I use Canson Baryta and Epson Fiber for my MM files.

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