
Compared with the more subdued look of a matte finish, the glossy finish has something of an eye-catching, promotional aesthetic. A gloss finished foam board print is a popular choice for high-contrast or high-saturation photos. But the advantage is that the gloss will repel moisture rather than absorb it like a matte finish would. Glossy finishes are prone to finger prints and glare, so be mindful when handling and setting up your print. Not only will water weaken the surface of the print, but it will cause the inks to run. It is also important to keep in mind that the matte finish on foam board prints is closer to inkjet paper than it is to photographic paper – this means that it should not be exposed to moisture. Matte finishes can, however, give certain photographs a grainier look than might be desirable – especially if the image contains many high-contrast elements. Black ink tends to take better to matte paper than to glossy paper, so photographs with many dark elements with subtle differences will look best on matte-finished foam board. It also has an appearance that is soft and subdued, which it retains through glass. It’s important to keep in mind that, should you order foam board prints from a large format printer, chances are the paper color will be a standard, bright white.Ī matte finish has the advantage of being resistant to finger prints and glare-free. Which finish you pick depends upon the image and how you would like the photograph to be displayed. Just like with photo paper, foam board photo prints typically come with either a matte or glossy finish. Foam board is an excellent solution for teaser prints, meant to entice visitors into an exhibition where they can see the real thing.įinishing Options & Printing Considerations

But foam board prints can be deceptively attractive for how inexpensive they are, and this utility makes them incredibly useful for short-term displays and promotional purposes. Without framing, foam board mounted prints are light enough that they could easily adhere to a wall with just some masking tape or tacky on the back.įoam board prints are not typically meant to be sold or displayed as fine art, and their low price reflects that. This makes foam board prints exceptionally easy to transport and hang, even in the most low-effort scenarios. As a sheet of thick paper mounted to a polystyrene core, foam board is lightweight yet rigid enough to lie flat on its own. Here are four of the most common materials for digital printing, their unique advantages, and best practices.įoam board is often used as backing for framing photographs, but it also makes for a low-cost and versatile printing material by itself.
#PHOTO PRINT OUT PROFESSIONAL#
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or are just starting out as a photographer, a familiarity with common photo printing materials can help your work look its best when it comes time for display. With so many different materials, dimensions and finishing options to choose from, digital printing makes it possible to achieve the exact specifications that best suit your specific use case. But the overarching advantage of digital photo printing is flexibility.

There are many reasons why a photographer may choose to display or distribute their work on digitally printed mediums: ease of replication, cost, time constraints, display environment, or personal preference, to name a few. But as digital printing rapidly advances, beautiful prints of all styles and sizes become increasingly accessible to photographers with every year. Without question, traditional photo printing methods such as darkroom development or lithography carry a distinct, even intangible quality that is inextricable from the craft.
