By MICHAEL MILLER
Advice for Printing at Home
Posted: 2007-06-27 15:15:44
Printing your photos on a home printer is a good option for many amateur photographers.
Color printers can be had for as little as $100, and the relatively low cost of photo print paper makes this an affordable alternative. Plus, it's really convenient: click a button, and you have the pictures you want in your hands in just minutes.
What kind of printer should you use? Well, even a low-priced color inkjet can make surprisingly good prints, although the better your printer, the better the results.
Some manufacturers sell printers specifically designed for photographic prints. These printers use special photo print paper and output prints that are almost indistinguishable from those you get from a professional photo processor. If you take a lot of digital photos, one of these printers might be a good investment.
The quality of your prints is also affected by the type of paper you use. Printing on standard laser or inkjet paper is okay for making proofs, but you'll want to use a thicker, waxier paper for those prints you want to keep. Check with your printer's manufacturer to see what type of paper it recommends for the best quality photo prints.
Making a print is an easy process. Any photo-editing program will let you print your pictures from within the program. You can also print directly from Windows XP using the Photo Printing Wizard.
You launch this wizard by opening the My Pictures folder, selecting a picture and then selecting the Print Pictures option in the Picture Tasks panel. The Photo Printing Wizard then appears and walks you step-by-step through the printing process.
You'll select options such as which pictures to print, which printer to use, which layout to use and how many prints to print. When you complete the wizard, the printing starts just as you specified.
Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.
Color printers can be had for as little as $100, and the relatively low cost of photo print paper makes this an affordable alternative. Plus, it's really convenient: click a button, and you have the pictures you want in your hands in just minutes.
What kind of printer should you use? Well, even a low-priced color inkjet can make surprisingly good prints, although the better your printer, the better the results.
Some manufacturers sell printers specifically designed for photographic prints. These printers use special photo print paper and output prints that are almost indistinguishable from those you get from a professional photo processor. If you take a lot of digital photos, one of these printers might be a good investment.
The quality of your prints is also affected by the type of paper you use. Printing on standard laser or inkjet paper is okay for making proofs, but you'll want to use a thicker, waxier paper for those prints you want to keep. Check with your printer's manufacturer to see what type of paper it recommends for the best quality photo prints.
Making a print is an easy process. Any photo-editing program will let you print your pictures from within the program. You can also print directly from Windows XP using the Photo Printing Wizard.
You launch this wizard by opening the My Pictures folder, selecting a picture and then selecting the Print Pictures option in the Picture Tasks panel. The Photo Printing Wizard then appears and walks you step-by-step through the printing process.
You'll select options such as which pictures to print, which printer to use, which layout to use and how many prints to print. When you complete the wizard, the printing starts just as you specified.
Michael Miller is a writer and commentator on technology and digital lifestyle topics.
2006-06-18 11:06:00
