We’ve all been there – gone on holidays and taken lots of photos with great intentions of printing them out. Then months pass and they remain stashed on our iPhone with the other photos we are digitally hoarding! This is a missed opportunity as many of these photos deserve a place on the wall for all to see.
You can of course get your photos developed, however, that can be time-consuming and often gets pushed to the bottom of our tasks. There’s an easier way to bring these memories to life- by using your home printer, of course. Check out our tips for printing photos with your home printer below.
Should I buy a photo printer or a normal inkjet printer?
Many inkjet printers have a high resolution suitable for printing photos so there’s no need to buy a photo printer if you’re only occasionally printing photos. However, if you are interested, you can also opt for special photo printers. These photo printers usually have a much higher resolution than standard inkjet printers, so you are guaranteed the best photo print result.
Canon has many specialised printers geared towards printing high-quality photos. These specialised photo printers, such as the Canon PIXMA Pro series or the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO series take up to 8 specialised Canon ink cartridges designed for printing detailed colour photos. These include specialised photo ink cartridge colours such as photo magenta, photo cyan and photo yellow, and even red, green and grey ink cartridges.
These specialised photo cartridges offer more detailed and vibrant colour displays so you can expect sparkling shades of blue water or the greenest shades of grass from your holiday photos. This is because they use a dye-based ink that produces more defined shades when printing a photo.
Print photos straight from your mobile
A simple and convenient way to print your photos is to print them directly from your mobile. This will cut out the time required to transfer them to your PC. With this convenience, you’re more likely to bring these photos to life. All you will need to print from your mobile straight to your home printer is WiFi capabilities. Many printer manufacturers have their own app that is designed to do so or you can make use of AirPrint for iOS devices or Google Cloud Print for Android devices.
The type of paper you print your photos on is crucial
Buying a printer or photo printer with a high resolution does not automatically guarantee the highest quality prints. This is because the printer itself is not the only component for printing high-resolution prints. The paper type will also affect the print quality. Normal paper absorbs more ink and is not suitable for printing photos. That is why it is important to invest in quality photo paper.
Photo paper is slightly heavier and thicker than regular paper. It also has a special coating that absorbs the moisture from the ink. The coating creates a glossy effect, so your photos have that ‘real-life’ look. Another important difference between photo paper and regular paper is that photo paper has qualities that prevent your photos from losing colour or fading due to exposure to daylight.
On top of that, different types of photo paper offer different brightness, gloss/matte levels and textures. When deciding which paper to print photos on, it’s important to consider the colours, contrasts and tones of the particular image you want to print.
Check your ink levels in advance
It’s advisable to check the ink levels of the printer before printing your photos. You don’t want to run out of ink mid-print!
You can order cheap ink cartridges for your home inkjet printer or photo printer at 123ink.ie, a local Irish printer consumable brand. They offer original ink cartridges for great, low prices, and speedy delivery times. They also offer a compatible version of many original cartridges, without compromising on quality.
Their own-brand printer cartridges offer more ink for less, translating to a cheaper cost per print for you. They also come with a lifetime guarantee. You can also opt for a multipack which will have all the colour cartridges you need in one pack, often for a cheaper price.
123ink.ie also have their own range of low-cost photo paper available in matt, high gloss, silk gloss and canvas photo paper, each having a different finish, specific to your needs. If you need any help with our 123ink branded photo paper, our customer service team is on standby to help you get the best result.
We hope you enjoy printing out those precious memories and showing off your photography skills! Once you’ve printed your photos you’re free to hang them on your wall, frame them or send them to a relative.
