You may have an excellent printer and ink cartridges, but to get a high quality print of your photo you also need good photo paper. The overall look of your final prints often depends on the type and texture of the printing paper you use. You can get inkjet printing paper in assorted thickness and finishes. The paper generally comes in gloss, semi gloss and matte finishes. Photo paper comes in various sizes with the most common being 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10 inches. It also comes in various levels of whiteness and is rated on a scale of 1 to 100 with 100 being the whitest. The paper's whiteness affects how your images will look once they are printed on the paper as they generally look better on whiter paper.
Most inkjet papers are rated between 95 and 100. It's a good idea to use printing paper and ink cartridges that are light, quick drying and water resistant. Some high quality papers can withstand fading 20 to 30 years and look and feel just like traditional film photographs. Most paper is compatible with dye and pigment inks.
To save money and good paper you should only print your final version on high quality paper. You can get an ink cartridge and 100 sheets of 4x6 inch paper for as low as about $25.
