Best Photo Paper | 2024

Pros:

• Reasonably affordable
• Quick-dry coatings
• Durable and tough

Cons:

• Glossy paper can be susceptible to glare
  
  

Brilliant Supreme papers are bright white and feature special microporous coatings that are specifically designed to prevent bleeding (colours running into each other, degrading the quality of the final print) and over-laydown of inks and dyes. This coating also allows the image to be instantly handled the moment it comes off the printer. This is a useful feature if you’re an events photographer looking to produce quick prints to distribute to guests and clients.

Brilliant’s Supreme papers are available in both rolls and sheets in a variety of sizes, so whatever your printing workflow, there should be a product to accommodate it. They come in three varieties: glossy, lustre and double-sided matte. Let’s take a quick look at what these terms mean:

- Glossy: This is the most widely used paper finish, and probably the one you’re most used to seeing. Glossy paper is coated with a shine that allows for prints of impressively high quality, with even the smallest details discernable (though they are susceptible to glare).

- Lustre: A more professional, textured finish, lustre is quite unique, providing a professional look to images without too much gloss. Your images will have vivid colours and smooth tonality, though it tends to be more expensive.

- Double-sided matte: Matte paper, as the name implies, doesn’t have the sheen of glossier options, but it tends to be more affordable and is a good choice if you’re planning on making a lot of prints.

Pros:

• Produces vivid, punchy prints
• Very thick and long-lasting

Cons:

• More expensive than Supreme
  
  

If you want your prints to look as good as they possibly can, then Brilliant Museum is the paper for you. Specially engineered for fine-art photographers demanding the utmost in quality, Brilliant Museum paper (thickness 300gsm) comes in a choice of base tones – White and Natural. The White paper has been optically brightened a little to give prints a little extra punch, while Natural is a non-brightened paper that has been optimised not to produce the dull yellow look that can plague non-brightened paper.

The Museum paper is also available in two different substrates, SilverGloss and Satin Matte. Let’s take a closer look at what these mean:

- SilverGloss: Brilliant’s SilverGloss papers, a glossy style, are alpha-cellulose papers that have been specifically designed to emulate the kind of classic glossy fibre-based silver-halide papers that have been used in black-and-white printing for an age.

- SatinMatte: These papers are, as the name implies, more of a matte finish, and are constructed from a 100% cotton rag substrate media designed to produce a surface that is matte but not flat or lifeless, as some cheaper papers can be.

Pros:

• Beautiful thickness from 100% cotton
• Large colour depth
• Comes in A4, A3 and A2

Cons:

• Gets expensive at large sizes
  
  

Hahnemuhle is known for its high-quality photo papers beloved by professionals, and boasting a 320 gsm rating, Photo Pearl is so named for its pearlescent quality that gives prints a lustrous sheen. Compatible with inkjet systems, the paper delivers bright, detailed and vivid prints with an impressive level of colour depth. It has been treated with special coatings to improve performance in both colour and monochrome printing — so no worries if you’re strictly a monochrome photographer and printer. On this paper, blacks are deep, and tonal gradations are handled well.

The cotton fibre gives it a feel that’s similar to traditional baryta paper. Be aware that the exceptional thickness may make it difficult to feed multiple sheets at a time into your printer, so you may be best off handling your prints one at a time. 

Pros:

• Affordable option
• Fast-drying
• Pearl finish

Cons:

• Lower gsm than other options
  
  

While photo papers can and do get quite expensive, Canon LU-101 is an excellent affordable option for anyone who doesn’t have the budget, or wants a bit of licence to experiment. Available in A4, A3, A3+ and A2 sizes, Canon’s LU-101 has a satin finish that gives your prints a good deal of vibrancy, and it dries nice and quickly. 

The gsm of this paper is lower than many of the other options on this list, meaning you don’t quite get that professional-feeling thickness. Canon says you’ll get the best results if you use Canon inks (though they would say that), but whatever you use, this paper will provide you with great-looking prints at an affordable price. If you’re just dipping your toe into photo printing, Canon’s LU-101 Photo Paper Pro Luster is an excellent starting point.

Pros:

• Resistant to water and scuffs
• Brilliant monochrome performance
• Available in rolls and sheets

Cons:

• Expensive in larger formats
  
  

Producing museum-quality prints (hence the name), Permajet Museum Heritage is a satisfyingly weighty paper stock that can last the test of time. It’s acid-free and resistant to water and scuffs, so while you should still of course treat your prints with care, you don’t have to be quite so paranoid about preserving them in aspic. While it’s great for colour, Permajet Museum Heritage particularly excels for monochrome printing, producing a stunning range of tonality with excellent levels of shadow detail. This is available in a range of sizes and roll types.

Thanks to its 310 gsm thickness, this is a rigid and solid paper that feels high quality. Its white textured base is compatible with pigment and dye inks. If you want your prints to last a lifetime and perhaps beyond, we can recommend Permajet Museum Heritage without hesitation. Like we said, the clue’s in the name.