David Prince: Using Paper to Enhance Photography
Paper choice can influence the way we experience photography in a printed piece. Lightly colored paper can elegantly shift the tone of an image, while subtly textured paper can make a big statement. Have you ever thought how choosing the right paper can add a unique and surprising layer of interest?
Tips on how to use paper to enhance photography:
- Use material changes to emphasize conceptual changes. A shift from warm to cool or cool to black and white can signify change in time or meaning.
- Look to lighter papers for traditional 4-color photography. Lighter papers will spark interest and make a subtle statement without taking over the image.
- Combine black and white with color. When colored paper is the backdrop for a black and white photograph, the results are unexpected and often dramatic.
Production Notes
Offset Printing
A commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat (planographic) image carrier on which the image to be printed obtains ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a water-based film (called "fountain solution"), keeping the non-printing areas ink-free.
Materials Used
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