burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Priorities:

Hardware + software calibration kit from DataColor or X-Rite.

Better monitor

Knowledge of ICC color management

Printer, paper, and matching ICC profiles

... in that order!

To adjust images for printing, your monitor MUST BE calibrated and profiled.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I mostly print glossy images because the detail shows better and the colors are more intense. I print my "artistic images " on semi-matte Moab Kayenta.

out4life2016 Loc: Bellingham, Washington

In my experience I have found that its best to take a few sample photos and print in both. I have learned that with landscape sometimes Matte looks better then glossy. It really is a preference that you will have to decide. Anyone can give you their opinion about what printer to use and so on but in the end does it really matter. Its what you like best. That's the joys of experimenting with different looks, you may discover something new.

PS. I have not found it worth the expense of having your own printer. Not very cost effective.

LambertJooe Loc: napa

Keith - I think this is my first response ever. - I use a Canon MX922 all in one - cost about $50.00 - It is my second one. It prints 4x6 5x7 & 8x10 - I use Canon Glossy II for 4x6 and whatever is cheaper on Amazon for everything else. I have one box of Epson 8x10 Matte (used mostly for portraits) and one box of Kodak 8x10 glossy. I use Arthur Imaging ink from Amazon. perfectly happy with paper and ink. Have pictures of 8 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren hanging on kitchen wall for past 10 years or so and don't notice any fading. Hope this will help. Joe

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

Unless you have color balanced you monitor your prints may not look like you planed. A lot of info on paper but none on why the monitor should be color balanced to make great prints. Especially since "I am new to this" is mentioned. A pic on the monitor may not come out like you think it should. I use the Spyder 5 Pro. Once I started using it my prints from any printer I have look good.

brooklyn-camera I Loc: Brooklyn, NY

My man...I feel the same way. Look up a few reply's ( sorry it's on page 2 near the bottom) I feel the exact way, I use the MX922 too.

Logan1949

My favorite paper is Moab Entrada Rag Bright 190gsm (that is 51#, 15.5 mil). This paper is matte, thick, somewhat soft, and 103(?) for brightness. I would be wary of putting it through an HP All-in-One because of the thickness. It is a more neutral white than some of the Epson luster papers which are slightly more blue and darker. It really makes a difference in the reddish brown colors. But then, I mostly do Art prints on an Epson P400. Flower colors are outstanding on this paper. Select the 190 from: https://www.moabpaper.com/entrada-rag to see sizes and costs.
This paper is not cheap; cost is just over $3 each for 13x19 inch sheets.
By the way, I have printed hundreds of test prints on this, and other papers. (usually in smaller sizes)
And yes, I have used Costco (half the $ of Walgreen's for the same quality) for larger prints, but the semi-gloss finish and curling of their posters is not as desirable. At least with www.shortrunposters.com I can pay $5 more to have it shipped flat, not rolled; but their finish is only either matte or laminated (in smaller than 20x30 inch sizes).

gerdog

I wasn't going to get into it, but all the professionals with advice about the need for expensive printers and expensive monitors and color calibration software are just going to confuse someone who just wants to print a few pics for his personal pleasure. The simple fact of digital equipment is that when you take your digital data from your digital camera or digital scanner and move it onto your computer which sends it to your digital printer, it will be the same digital data printing out that your camera collected in the first place. Unless you start doing a lot of adjustments with processing software, such as Photoshop, you don't need to recalibrate your monitor. You may want to shop for a higher quality printer as time goes by, but you are going to be amazed and pleased with the photos you create with that inexpensive printer. You are doing it for the fun of creativity, not worrying about how you can get perfect quality by spending LOTS more money. I have used both glossy and matte paper with a $49 HP all in one, and been happy with the results with both. The printer has different settings for each type of paper, so that's where you need to be careful before pushing that final "print" command. Keep the quality at "best" and make sure the correct size and type of paper you are printing on is correct, and smile when you see how nice everything looks in the end.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I wish that were true for everyone, but it isn’t. I’ve helped hundreds of newbie photographers out of the color ditch over the years.

The most frequent problem is that when the image looks weird on a monitor, you want to change it. But if the monitor is off standard, adjusting the image before printing it will screw up the color that might have been decent at the start!

I used to work in a pro lab. I was the Digital Products Manager, running several departments, including color correction and all the printing areas.

When we received jobs from photographers who played around in software without a decent, calibrated monitor, the color was often not just “off,” but WAY off. Sometimes, it was so far off, we could not fix it, either because the original wasn’t white balanced, or a JPEG was adjusted “out of latitude bounds” before we received it.

I have no qualms in saying that if you adjust images, the single most important thing you can do is to learn good ICC color management practices. Then establish a known good match of your monitor to your printer. Always use the correct paper profile for your paper and printer combination.

It’s not hard. It’s not even expensive, because it is easy to burn through a lot of ink and paper and time, by trying to make prints on an uncalibrated, unmanaged system!

Keith S Loc: Federal Way, Wa

Today I will print something and see how it comes out. Yes this is a learning experience and all your comment help with that learning.

Thank you all.

Keith

gerdog

Agreed completely. When you start changing the original picture is where you have to have faith that your monitor is displaying properly. Sometimes you even get lucky and your print looks better than how the monitor displays. It's all a fun learning process.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I get very good results with an HP all-in-one and an ancient HP Deskjet (the better of the two). Paper too thick is a constant challenge, because different types have thickness measured in different units, so you can't compare apples to apples. Some papers guarantee they will go through any printer, and it's not always true. >Alan

GrandmaG Loc: Flat Rock, MI

All of my Canon all-in-one printers did an excellent job on pictures (they were all Pixma printers and designed to print pictures). Hp and brother...NO!

To answer the OP’s question. It’s really personal preference and it depends on the use of the picture. Personally, I like luster. Between your two choices, I would choose semi-gloss.

jdedmonds

I cannot tell you why, but long ago I developed a preference to matte finish prints (although I think that glossy finish prints might give more detail than matte). I don't think there are many, if any at all, absolute dos or donts in making prints, and I don't think you can make any real mistakes when you choose a particular print finish for your images. Just print some samples (and many paper vendors offer very nice and reasonably priced samplers) and decide which you like best. Keep in mind that a different finish from the one you choose may very well look better to you for a different image.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Yes, there is no universal