Regardless of whether you choose to print photos at home or delegate that task to a service, one of the first aspects you’ll have to think about is the type of paper that you’re going to pick for your pictures. Discover the key characteristics of lustre vs metallic paper types and learn which option is better suited for your prints. Find out if it’s true that metallic photos are more durable and a more appropriate choice for landscape images and whether lustre paper offers more accurate skin tone reproduction while being less reflective than other printing options.
Pros
Cons
Lustre photo paper represents the middle ground between two other types of photo paper: glossy and matte. It offers the sturdiness and softness of matte photos and the shine and rich colors of pictures printed on glossy paper. As a result, you get a professionally-looking photo with beautiful colors and texture that doesn’t reflect a lot of light and can be comfortably viewed when framed under glass.
Because of the provided natural colors, soft tones, and artsy look, lustre paper can be used for an array of purposes including portfolios, gallery prints, wedding albums, and much more. It’s a terrific fit for portrait, landscape, and fine art photos while also being a great option for B&W photos because of its deep blacks.
Lustre prints also come with a protective finish that makes them resistant to fingerprints and moisture. However, since we’re still talking about photo paper, they’re not exactly suited to be hanged in high-humidity spaces like bathrooms.
Pros
Cons
Metallic photo paper comes with a pearlescent effect that is integrated into the surface and enhances your pictures with an eye-catching brilliance. Such paper offers a 3D-like effect while also adding a sense of warmth and color depth that you won’t find in any other printer paper type. The produced colors are vibrant and saturated, which is one of the main reasons why some photographers prefer this finish over other options.
Another benefit of metallic paper is its unparalleled durability. Such photos are resistant to tears, curling, and scratches but they are prone to fingerprints. Metallic prints are highly-detailed and sharp but since they have a bit of shimmer, it’s advised to frame them without glass or simply hang them unframed.
Despite the undeniable appeal of this photo paper type, it should be noted that it’s only suitable for select genres, with the main ones being landscapes and cityscapes. I advise against approaching photo printing services to print portraits on metallic paper since the produced skin tones aren’t going to look natural at all. Meanwhile, a metallic photo of the city at night will look simply stunning.
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