You've taken a beautiful photo on your phone or camera. It looks perfect on screen. You print it, and it's disappointing – colours are off, details are lost, it looks amateur. Let's fix that.

Choosing the Right Printer for Photos

Inkjet is essential: For quality photo printing, you need an inkjet printer. Laser printers can print photos, but they'll never match inkjet quality for images.

Ink configuration matters:

  • Basic 4-colour (CMYK) gives acceptable photos
  • 6-colour adds light cyan and light magenta for smoother gradients
  • 8+ colour systems approach professional quality

Dye vs pigment inks:

  • Dye inks produce vibrant colours and are standard for consumer printers
  • Pigment inks last longer without fading but cost more

Paper Makes a Massive Difference

Never print photos on regular office paper. The difference is dramatic:

Glossy photo paper: High shine, vivid colours, deep blacks. Best for most photos. Shows fingerprints easily.

Semi-gloss/satin: Slight sheen, reduced fingerprint visibility. Good balance of vibrancy and practicality.

Matte photo paper: No shine, subdued colours, artistic look. Good for certain styles and framing behind glass.

Canvas and specialty papers: For fine art printing. Require specific printer capability and profiles.

Weight matters: Quality photo paper starts at 200 GSM. Premium papers run 260-300 GSM for a substantial feel.

Getting Colour Right

The frustrating reality: screens and printers show colour differently. Monitors emit light; prints reflect it. Some adjustment is always needed.

Colour management basics:

  1. Use manufacturer's photo paper with matching paper profiles
  2. Select the exact paper type in print settings
  3. For best results, calibrate your monitor with a colorimeter
  4. Accept that some colours visible on screen can't be printed (screen gamut exceeds print gamut)

Quick fixes without calibration:

  • Print slightly darker than screen appearance
  • Boost saturation slightly in editing software
  • View your monitor at an angle – if colours shift dramatically, your monitor needs calibration

Resolution and Image Size

Photos need sufficient resolution for printing:

Standard viewing distance: 300 DPI is the standard. A 6x4 inch print needs 1800x1200 pixels minimum.

Large prints viewed from distance: 150-200 DPI can work for posters viewed from several feet away.

Phone photos: Modern smartphones have plenty of resolution for 6x4 and 8x10 prints. Larger prints may show limitations.

Never 'upscale' low-resolution images: You can't add detail that doesn't exist. If the source is low resolution, print it smaller.

Print Settings That Matter

Print quality: Always use 'Best' or 'Photo' quality settings. 'Draft' and 'Normal' are for documents.

Paper type: Match this exactly to your paper. 'Photo paper glossy' isn't the same as 'Photo paper matte.'

Colour management: Let either the application or the printer manage colour – not both. Double management causes errors.

Borderless printing: Enable this for prints without white edges. Some image cropping occurs to achieve borderless.

Common Photo Printing Problems

Banding (horizontal lines):

  • Run printhead cleaning cycle
  • Print more slowly (some printers have a 'reduce banding' option)
  • Check ink levels – low ink can cause banding

Colours look wrong:

  • Verify correct paper type selected
  • Run printhead alignment
  • Check you're not accidentally printing in grayscale mode

Prints are too dark or light:

  • Adjust brightness in your editing software
  • Check for driver-level colour adjustments that might be applied
  • Consider monitor calibration

Ink smears or doesn't dry:

  • You're using wrong paper type (plain paper in photo mode)
  • Paper is loaded wrong side up (photo paper has a coated side)
  • Let prints dry before handling (ink needs a few minutes)

When to Outsource Photo Printing

For truly special photos – wedding albums, gallery prints, gifts – consider professional printing services. Their equipment, calibration, and paper quality exceed consumer capability. Home/office printing is great for everyday photos and quick output.

At ilexDigital, we help businesses and individuals optimise their photo printing capability. From printer selection to colour calibration, we ensure your prints match your expectations. Contact us for photo printing advice and service.