Many home desktop printers are capable of producing a good quality photo.
Printing a photo sounds like an easy enough task, but there are some details to consider if you want to get the best possible print quality. You can always use regular printer paper, although many specialty papers are available to achieve a sharper image with better color and contrast. You should also consider the resolution of your image and clean the ink nozzles of your printer for best results.
Instructions
1. Open the image you want to print in an image editing program. Choose the "Print" command, usually located under the "File" menu. If you do not have an image editing program, open it with your computer's Photo Printing Wizard by right-clicking the image's icon and choosing "Print." Follow the prompts to navigate through your particular make and model's print options.
2. Select the orientation of your printed image. This usually defaults to Portrait, which prints an image so that the paper orientation is taller than it is long. To print the image so that it is longer than it is tall, choose "Landscape."
3. Find the option to select the type of paper you are using. This can notably affect the quality of your image. Select "Plain Paper" if you are using regular printer paper. Other options can include "Glossy Photo Paper" or "Heavyweight Matte Paper." Refer to the print settings suggestions that accompany the photo paper you may have purchased. If there are no suggestions, make a selection based on whether the surface of your paper is glossy or matte.
4. Choose the print quality based on the options available. These can range from a "Draft" setting that makes a quick, rough print to "High Quality," which uses the most ink and takes the most time. If the print quality is of less concern to you than the time it takes to print, consider using a print quality setting somewhere in the middle of your listed options.
5. Click "Print" after you have selected these options. Observe the resulting print. If you are unsatisfied with the color and contrast, you may have options in your printer's utility program to adjust this. Make any necessary changes and print the image again. If your image is pixilated, you may need to choose an image of a high enough resolution for printing.
Tags: print quality, print image, your image, color contrast, editing program, image editing, image editing program
