The paper that is used to print B&W anything (portrait, stilllife, landscape), is, I've gathered, important. I do not do my own printing. What brand or grade of paper does what? I don't really need names of shops that could help me, but maybe if you know of web addresses that have this info.

Thanks, Jim C.

-- James G. Curione (mrjimhex@bellatlantic.net), February 20, 2000

Answers

Hi James. Yes. paper is important, but excluding the rare exceptions (Ektalure makes a great portrait paper, etc.) most paper will work for most applications. What is important is that you find one that has a look you like. What's also important are the other factors used in getting the print, the developer and toners, and the characteristics of the film itself, among other, more minor variables. Do you have anything specific in mind already, a 'look, or a paper which you have seen prints made from?

-- shawn gibson (SeeInsideForever@yahoo.com), February 20, 2000.

You'll get more info on papers here:

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=B%26W%20Photo%20%2d% 20Printing%20%26%20Finishing

... t

-- tom meyer (twm@mindspring.com), February 21, 2000.

Try Oriental Seagull (like Ansel Adams used)for whatever you want as it seems a pretty decent paper. The best thing to do would be to get trial packs of the papers that intersst you and print the same image on each, trying to keep exposure time equal in the first instance, then repeat at a time suitable time as the may be some differences, (ilfords' new cooltone paper is reputed to be a bit faster than normal). As for grades the higher the contrast the higher the grade. Usually,however it can be a matter of printing at a grade that suits the image e.g a portrait of a craggy old man may be better suited to a higher grade than a portrait of an attractive young lady, and so on.

-- David Kirk (David_J_Kirk@hotmail.com), February 25, 2000.