Matt vs Glossy
- Thread starter alwayschampion
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It doesn't have the 'feel' of traditional B&W.
I look at my Momma and Pappa's album with all those shots taken with those TLR and rangefinders? All are really nice, matt prints and all.
I look at mine, showed it to my Dad and he says, "Looks ok. But feels kinda funny. Look at the old album if you want reference."
I look at my Momma and Pappa's album with all those shots taken with those TLR and rangefinders? All are really nice, matt prints and all.
I look at mine, showed it to my Dad and he says, "Looks ok. But feels kinda funny. Look at the old album if you want reference."
jsbn said:
Ah, we are talking about different things. You are taking about things like the Epson papers used for the inkjet and similar devises.
My black & white images are made with equipments that might be at the same vintage as your dad's and mom's TLRs and rangefinders (they are still my tools). My B&W images are processed in the very old fashion manner using similar old silver papers in messy wet processes. But like most black & white traditional photographers, I use glossy practically all the time, although I do use semi-matt, matt, and ultra-matt, depending on the sort of images I am printing and the effect I want to create.
From my point, printing from the lab is the main topic.
However, you may also share views from printing from a home photo printing.
However, you may also share views from printing from a home photo printing.
jsbn said:
Still hear about that. But they (neighbourhood photo printers) got it a little twisted.
Mainly its because many normal consumers place their glossy photos directly into a photo frame, allowing the photo to touch the glass plate. This causes the photo to "stick" on the glass after some time, spoiling the photo.
And the other reason is that glossy photos retain fingerprints easily, and since they cloud the photo (if oily enough), so matte *must* last better.
i think someone mentioned it earlier, i think theres is a third one following matt and glossy...something like matt, but not as 'holey' as matt....more smooth a surface..
oh and i once tried using a magnifying glass to look at the face of a person a distance in the background in a matt pic....gosh. he's face looked as if it had been eaten by acid or something.. :sweat:
oh and i once tried using a magnifying glass to look at the face of a person a distance in the background in a matt pic....gosh. he's face looked as if it had been eaten by acid or something.. :sweat:
i would usually go for matt prints as glossy is too reflective for my eyes 
i hate to see things reflected into my picture, unless there's a reason for that to happen
i hate to see things reflected into my picture, unless there's a reason for that to happenBOTH, depending on needs and requirements.
By simple means of light reflection, a glossy surface presents a sharper image as there are less surface imperfections to distort the image.
However, as we all know, glossy surfaces present handling and storage problems.
In some instances, a matt surface, while made deliberately 'inperfect', may actually be more beneficial, especially if considering different mounting/viewing/exhibition lighting circumstances.
Matt is a lot easier to handle as the surface imperfections present a smaller surface area on which fingerprints and gunk come in contact with.
'In-between' are different grades of infinite variations called 'smooth', 'pearl', 'soft surface' etc.
It all boils down to what a specific requirement and need is.
BTW, don;t restrict yourself to just one or two types of paper surfaces; dare yourself to experiment and you could discover a subtle but very interesting new angle that affects the way your pictures are seen ... and sometimes, felt.
By simple means of light reflection, a glossy surface presents a sharper image as there are less surface imperfections to distort the image.
However, as we all know, glossy surfaces present handling and storage problems.
In some instances, a matt surface, while made deliberately 'inperfect', may actually be more beneficial, especially if considering different mounting/viewing/exhibition lighting circumstances.
Matt is a lot easier to handle as the surface imperfections present a smaller surface area on which fingerprints and gunk come in contact with.
'In-between' are different grades of infinite variations called 'smooth', 'pearl', 'soft surface' etc.
It all boils down to what a specific requirement and need is.
BTW, don;t restrict yourself to just one or two types of paper surfaces; dare yourself to experiment and you could discover a subtle but very interesting new angle that affects the way your pictures are seen ... and sometimes, felt.
:thumbsup: I have a whole lot of different paper, from archival matt, velvet to pearl to high gloss. I choose the paper to suit what I want. I'm now trying to get rag and art paper...Feinwerkbau said:
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