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Distinctive fine-art papers can add some pizzazz to your gallery show.
Digital images come and go but a well-made photo print will stand the test of time. Don't believe us? How many computer monitors displaying digital images do you see hanging in galleries and museums these days? No, not many. So while photo portfolios may be getting more digitized thanks to the popularity of iPads, tablet computers, et. al., there's still a place on the wall for a print. Here's a rundown of some of our favorite inkjet paper out there right now for making frame-worthy photo prints at home or in the studio.
RED RIVER POLAR PEARL METALLIC
We picked Red River's new Polar Pearl Metallic paper as a PDN "Object of Desire" a couple months ago and the more we've tested it, the more we've discovered how surprisingly versatile it is. A relatively lightweight, 255 CSM (66 Ib.) high-gloss paper, Polar Pearl Metallic reminded us a lot of Kodak's Endura Metallic lab paper and that's no coincidence. Red River Paper says it spent several years studying Kodak's Endura Metallic process and it shows in the professional-looking prints we made on Polar Pearl Metallic with an Epson Stylus 3880 InkJet printer. The pearl-like stock base of the paper gives it the feel of a darkroom substrate but the side effect is an orange peel texture in our photo prints that's noticeable on close inspection. Don't let that bother you: At regular viewing distance, the delicious silvery sheen of this paper will make the blues in your images look crystalline; whites appear sparkling and stately; and bright colors, positively lustrous. Though it fares well for portraits, Polar Pearl Metallic, with its iridescent, almost 3-D look, is ideally suited for landscapes or commercial work, particularly any images with cooler tones. And even though it's a "metallic" paper, we had no problems using it with our inkjet printer.
RED RIVER POLAR PEARL METALLIC
8.5 x 11 inches (50 sheets) $42.00
13 x 19 inches (50 sheets) $132-40
17 x 22 inches (20 sheets) $103.45
24 inches x los-feet (roll) $236.05