By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

No matter how great your images may look after you shoot and edit them, all may be lost if your inkjet printer isn't in shape to output them accurately. Here’s how to make sure that it always is.

If you begin to experience blots of ink, blurry lines, streaking and smudges, they are most timely to be caused by problems with your printer’s ink delivery system. This can usually be fixed by running the printer’s cleaning routine. Although this function may be automatically run from time to time by the printer itself, it sometimes needs to be initiated by the user, especially if the printer has been idle for more than a week.

BLOCKED NOZZLES CAUSE MOST PROBLEMS

Uneven results can be due to ink drying in the printhead nozzles through the ink is squirted onto the paper. Some printer manufacturers have attempted to minimize this by incorporating Teflon coatings into their print heads but here’s a time-tested way to avoid having to deal with this problem. Make it a habit to use your printer at least once a week. This is especially important if you live in a dry environment such as wintertime in a cold climate or in a warmer environment where air conditioning is usually running all the time to keep humidity low.

If problems persist, start troubleshooting by printing a nozzle check using plain paper. The results will show if there is any blockage in the printhead nozzles that are preventing an even distribution of the ink. If there are gaps in the lines that are printed out, run a cleaning cycle which will attempt to dissolve any dried up ink blocking a clear flow. Then do another nozzle check to see if there’s an improvement.  Bear in mind that cleaning cycles use ink to dissolve the blockage so if you can't clear things up after three cycles,  let the printer rest a few hours or even overnight  to give the dried-up ink time to soften. Then do another nozzle check to see if they are all firing.

A perfect  nozzle check pattern for a four-color printer shows no gaps in the lines for each color.

You may find that after a cleaning, your nozzle check shows most nozzles now working perfectly except for one or two. Instead of running continuous cleaning cycles (which use a lot of ink) print a purge color or colors just for those nozzles that are still blocked. These are available for  free download for different printer models and include colors for  each ink cartridge your printer uses (See Resources below). Make sure to use the quality setting on your printer that you normally use when printing images. In most cases, a couple  of cleaning cycles and, if necessary, printing some purge colors are are all you need to restore your printer’s capability to print well.

SOME BLOCKAGES MAY REQUIRE STRONGER MEASURES

However, in some stubborn cases, following the steps above may still not give you a satisfactory nozzle pattern . Before you take your printer in for a possibly costly repair, there are still a couple of other remedies available. Both require that the printhead be able to be freely moved by hand. However, your printer is turned off using its power button, it becomes locked in place to one side. To allow it to move freely along its track, turn the printer on and then remove its plug from the electrical outlet. 

TO CLEAN THE PRINTHEAD MANUALLY, dampen a few thicknesses of paper towel with a commercial printhead cleaning solvent (see Resources below) or make up your own solution by mixing a 50-50 solution of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water. Place the towel pack on the printhead rail and slowly slide the printhead over it, leaving it in place for the solvent to dissolve the caked up ink. After a few minutes, you can move the printhead gently from side to side before sliding it off the toweling. If the toweling is heavily caked with ink, you can repeat the process with fresh towel pack. Then run a nozzle check.

Commercial printhead cleaneers are available if you don't want to mix your own and most work quite well.

TO FLUSH THE NOZZLES DIRECTLY , place dry paper toweling under the printhead  as explained previously. Then remove each ink cartridge from the printer and give the now-exposed opening on the printer (where inks would normally flow from the cartridge to the printhead) an injection of liquid cleaner. A commercial printhead cleaners usually come with an injection syringe. Then replace the cartridge and repeat the process for all the other cartridges. By the way, modern cartridges have chips that "marry" to the printer, keeping track of ink levels even when removed and then inserted again so that function will usually not be affected. When you’ve finished, run a couple of cleaning cycles to re-fill the printhead with ink,  and follow that with a nozzle check.

OTHER ISSUES THAT CAN CAUSE BAD PRINTS

You may also want to perform a few other easy, routine maintenance procedures because print output can be degraded by dust and other debris that can build up in the printer and on its paper path. A mini-vacuum or canned air can quickly clear it out.   Paper rollers may also need a cleaning as there might be some build-up on them. You can do this by hand with a lint-free cloth and alcohol but it’s simpler to order a package of roller-cleaning paper from Red River Paper and run a few sheets through the printer from time to time. (see Resources Below)

There may come a time when you turn your printer on and it will not allow you to print. The first thing to do is check your cable connections. I once had a problem with a printer that seemed unsolvable until I realized the family cat had been playing with the USB cable that ran from the printer to the computer and had loosened it just enough to make  the connection unstable which caused the printer work sometimes and not at others.

In most cases the preventive maintenance procedures we’ve discussed will keep your printer humming along. But if you need to clear a bad paper jam and can’t get to all of it, you’ll probably have to get some professional help. Likewise if your strange clicking or grinding noises, it’s best not to tackle these unless you have the skill to do it.

However, most Inkjet printers are made quite well and usually do not have serious mechanical issues; most problems are can be prevented by doing the easy periodic maintenance we’ve discussed. If you make it a habit to do that regularly, every print you output will shine.

RESOURCES:

The site below offers free color purge test images for your printer, printhead cleaning kits and excellent vodeo tutorials that will guide you through various maintenance procedures.

https://www.marruttusa.com/printer-maintenance/inkjet-printe...

 Red River Paper Roller Cleaning Sheets

https://www.redrivercatalog.com/accessories/inkjet-printer-c...

NONE OTHER THAN ONE OF RED RIVER PAPER'S MOST POPULAR SELECTIONS.

David Bergman is a New York based commercial photographer and photo educator who specializes in portraiture, music, and action. As the official tour photographer for Bon Jovi and Luke Combs, he has documented bands on stage and on the road in more than 30 countries and shares his experience with photographers of all skill levels at his unique "Shoot From The Pit" live concert photography workshops. In addition to his many celebrity clients, Bergman has 13 Sports Illustrated covers to his credit and has photographed numerous Olympics, World Series, Super Bowls, NBA, and NCAA Championships.

Enjoy our Success on Paper Recap with David on his recent creative assignment:

The Client

Bon Jovi

The Assignment

Document the legendary Hall of Fame band on stage and off throughout multiple world tours

The Execution

“Bon Jovi’s guitarist Phil X is one of the most dynamic players I’ve had the pleasure to photograph. His playing is ferocious and he genuinely has a great time on stage. Since I photograph the band every night, my goal is to top my pictures from the show before. On this night in Connecticut when Phil went into the solo during ‘Keep the Faith,’ I focused in on him and blasted away. Light, composition, and emotion came together just perfectly, and I knew I had the shot!”

Post Production

“I shoot everything digitally in color, but if the colors don’t add anything to the image, I’ll strip it away. I use Silver Efex Pro from the DxO Nik Collection to do all my black and white images. It allows to me to add realistic film looks and texture to make the image pop.”

The Output

"I love Aurora Natural 300 for my black and white images. It easily handles the gradients while holding detail from the digital grain. There is absolutely no surface reflection and the paper has a slight texture, which gives the image a subtle third dimension.”

Contact:

Workshops: www.ShootFromThePit.com

Portfolio: www.DavidBergman.net

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/davidbergman

Creative Cloud logo © Adobe Inc.

At Red River Paper, we have at least four Creative Cloud accounts at any given time. Since it is a subscription service, we are charged monthly or, in some cases, yearly. The accounting department requires receipts for proper recordkeeping.

This is where the problem starts. Adobe does not send a monthly email receipt to remind you of your purchase. Instead, you have to log into their site and navigate through several pages to locate and print a receipt.

If you want to quickly access your receipt in two steps, here is how:

1. Log into your account at www.adobe.com.

2. Go to https://anyware.adobe.com/billing/billingList.htm, which will display a list of your recent receipts.

You can print any receipt by clicking the “Print” icon on the right side of the page.

You can now save the URL above as a bookmark in your browser and return to it each month, after logging into your account, whenever you need to view or print a receipt.

If you own a wide format printer like the Epson 3880, Epson 4900, or Canon iPF6300, take advantage of the 17×25 size to make beautiful and bold 16×24 prints.

Continue reading Inkjet Paper Sizes for Full Frame Image Printing

THROUGH MUSEUM-QUALITY PRINTS MADE EXCLUSIVELY WITH RED RIVER PAPER

From Courtroom to Camera

Since founding his business in 2010, artist and author Xiomáro (pronounced SEE-oh-MAH-ro) has carved a singular path through the art world — one that began with a cancer diagnosis, a camera, and a quiet act of reinvention. After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, the former entertainment lawyer found solace wandering New York City's streets with a camera. That meditative practice evolved into a thriving career, including commissions from the U.S. National Park Service to photograph historic sites across the country.

What sets Xiomáro apart is his deliberate focus on the overlooked. Rather than chasing iconic landmarks, he turns his lens on lesser-known national parks and the everyday streets of large cities, revealing the hidden humanity and history that tourist maps rarely capture. That work has earned him solo exhibitions at Smithsonian-affiliated museums, PBS coverage, and a growing catalog of street photography books chronicling urban life as "future history."

Enter Red River Paper

Xiomáro does all his own printing, something that surprises many gallery visitors who assume the quality demands an outside lab. For that level of results, he turns exclusively to Red River Paper, relying on a variety of sizes and finishes to suit each project.

His “absolute favorite” is Polar Luster Metallic 255 (17x25"), prized for its rich contrast, luminous color depth, and a luster finish that enhances without creating glare. For exhibitions where lighting demands a subtler surface, he reaches for Polar Matte (17x25") or the cotton-rich Aurora Art White 250 and Aurora Art Natural 250 — each lending a distinct fine-art character. Red River's 17x25" sheet size is itself a practical necessity: it's the largest format Xiomáro can print without cropping, a dimension he notes other manufacturers rarely offer.

See More of Xiomáro's Work
Xiomáro's National Park photography is currently on view at the Long Island Museum through September 13, 2026, as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. His next book, Street Photography of the Wildwoods, released March 31, 2026. Explore his work and upcoming projects at his website. Want to see Xiomáro’s review of his “Top 10” favorite Red River Paper products and the meaning behind his name? Read our full Q&A below.

Enjoy our Q&A with Xiomáro

What year was your business founded and how did you get started?
My business was founded in 2010. After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, I transitioned out of a career as an entertainment lawyer representing recording artists. During my recovery, I found peace in the solitude of wandering with a camera. Experimenting with photography and acceptance into an artist-in-residence program eventually led to commissions from the National Park Service. In between commissions, I engaged in street photography during my daily encounters in Manhattan as a way to sharpen my skills. The reinvention from attorney to artist was commemorated by adopting a pseudonym — “Xiomáro” (pronounced SEE-oh-MAH-ro) — which literally means “ready for battle.”

Tell us a little about what product or service your business offers.
I am an internationally exhibited artist and author. Since 2012, the U.S. National Park Service has been commissioning me to photograph their iconic sites. Museum exhibitions, gallery walks, talks, and workshops all help raise awareness of their history, culture, and natural beauty. Publishers also contract me to author street photography books that chronicle candid urban life as “future history.”

What makes your business unique?
Rather than photographing commonly known national parks or urban tourist attractions, I use my images to draw attention to smaller sites and common streets. Historical parks associated with presidents George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt, for example, tell the story of the nation. Street photography of large cities and towns celebrate the humanity of their residents and reveal the hidden beauty overshadowed by well-trafficked tourist spots.

Where do you source your raw materials from?
Cameras and lenses are from Nikon, Panasonic, and Sony with Manfrotto and Oben tripods. Additional lenses are from Sigma and Tamron. For image editing, I use DxO PhotoLab and Photoshop. Printers and inks are from Epson. American Frame provides my mounting and presentation materials. All my papers are exclusively from Red River Paper.

In what ways does the business reflect your own personality?
My personality is, in part, the sum of my family. My uncle painted and introduced me to oils and watercolor. My father was a cabinet maker and reproduced one-of-a-kind museum pieces for clients such as Chris Jussel, who was later cast as the original host of PBS's “Antiques Roadshow.” Eventually, both parents became avid collectors and appreciators of the history represented by their acquisitions. This influenced my interest in art and history, which — as a life-long New Yorker — also gets expressed in my street photography.

Who are your typical customers?
Photography clients are typically the U.S. National Park Service and its many partner organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. Museums are the client when I am doing an exhibition, lecture, talk, and gallery walk. Libraries, historical societies, and school districts are typical clients for photography workshops. My books are authored for sale by Sutton Publishing and Arcadia Publishing. Then there are the institutions and individuals who purchase my prints for their collections.

What is the most interesting project you've encountered in the course of your work?
New Jersey’s Morristown National Historical Park commissioned me to photograph George Washington’s key military headquarters during the American Revolutionary War. This resulted in a solo exhibition at a Smithsonian-affiliated museum and coverage by PBS. It was a moving experience to go beyond the velvet ropes and enter the very rooms where Washington walked, ate, and slept.

What has Red River Paper done for your business? Is there a particular challenge Red River Paper has helped you overcome or a goal they helped you meet?
I do my own printing and Red River’s 17x25" papers are the largest size I can print without having to crop the image. It seems that other manufacturers commonly produce 17x22" sheets. Red River, on the other hand, has a wide variety of paper types and sizes in 17x25" to suit the variety of prints my work requires.

Which Red River Paper products do you use, and what do you appreciate most about them?
I’ve been using Red River for well over a decade. Although their papers have always been well-protected for shipping, I’ve seen them improve the packaging. Their downloadable .icc profiles, easy-to-understand instructions, and printing information are a great resource. These are the papers I use:


Polar Luster Metallic 255 (17x25")
My absolute favorite. It’s now my go-to paper. It has great contrast, rich color with depth and luminescence, a beautiful grain/texture, and the luster finish is just the right amount — shiny enough to notice and enhance the photograph, but not so much that it creates glare.


Polar Gloss Metallic 255 (17x25", 13x19", 11x14", 12x12", and 8.5x11")
My favorite until I became aware of the Luster version! It’s a great paper for many of the reasons I described above. I love the shine and it’s the paper I’ve used in the vast majority of my exhibitions. I switched to Luster because in some galleries, the light from the ceilings or windows create glare.


UltraPro Gloss 270 (17x25" and 11x14")
The paper I used when I first started out before switching to the Metallic papers. I still keep plenty in stock.


Polar Matte 230 (17x25")
Some museums request matte to minimize glare and for certain images that benefit from a “fine art” look with high contrast and smooth feel.


Aurora Art White 250 (17x25")
I like varying how my matte photographs look. The 100% cotton has a bit of a tooth and luxurious feel that looks great with certain images.


Aurora Art Natural 250 (17x25" and 4x6")
This is another matte variation I use for certain exhibitions. It has a warm tone that gives depth and richness to blacks and other colors. The 4x6" size is perfect for creating wall labels.


Premium Matte 230 (5x7")
I always print wall labels for my exhibitions. I also print announcement cards to promote my exhibitions and books. This paper is ideal for both purposes.

UltraPro Satin 270 (5x7" and 4x6")
I like the UltraPro papers enough to get the smaller satin version for wall labels and announcement cards — just to have some variety in the paper type.


Pecos River Gloss 320 DUO (4x6")
I used these for double-sided announcement cards. The high gloss finish made the cards very eye-catching.


Inkjet Photo & Fine Art Sample Kit
The kit is a handy reference when selecting new papers to try out.

How can people purchase your products/service?
My books are available on my website; through my publisher, America Through Time; as well as Amazon and other online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Anyone interested in purchasing or exhibiting my photographs can contact me at my website or through my gallerist. For talks and workshops, reach me though my website.

Do you have any future growth plans?
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, my National Park photography is part of an exhibition at the Long Island Museum, which is on view now through September 13, 2026. Visit my web page “The Seat of Action” for details.

My latest book, “Street Photography of the Wildwoods,” was released on March 31, 2026. I also have a commission to photograph George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia and am doing street photography in Greenland for a book and exhibition.

Is there a special story you’d like to share about your work?
Many visitors to my exhibitions or my studio assume that my photographs were printed by an outside service. They are surprised to learn that I do my own printing and that I get such high-quality results. Although I use many different Red River papers, viewers particularly like the luminance and depth of color from the Metallic papers.

By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

Three ways to save a huge amount of money on expensive printer inks without affecting the quality of your printed images are: 1. Purchasing alternative inks from after-market suppliers, 2. Keeping your printer on at all times, and,  3. Choosing the right quality setting at which to print your images.  Let's take a closer look at each of them. 

Alternative inks are also called  Compatible, Replacement, Comparable, or Third-Party, ( a legally derived  term in which the first party is the manufacturer, the second party the customer and the third party any outside vendor).  Whatever you call them, alternative ink supply companies claim their inks are equal in quality to manufacturers’ inks, cost a great deal less, and can save you 50% to 80%. Depending on how many pages and/or images you print, this could add up to hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars a year.

According to a Consumer Reports review, branded printer ink can cost between $13 and $75 per ounce— more than human blood and many other expensive liquids. Compared to $4.00 for a gallon (128 ounces) of gasoline, the same amount of brand-name printer ink can cost between $1,664 to $9,600 if purchased in OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridges.

Why the high price of ink? Printer manufacturers’ business models are nearly identical to that of the Gillette Corporation, developer of the safety razor in in the early 1900s which sold the the razors cheap and reaped huge profits on the sales of throw-away blades. Printer manufacturers claim that if they relied on profits from printer sales alone, printer prices would have to skyrocket.

Using Alternative Inks Will NOT Void Your Printer’s Warranty

When compatible inks were first offered for use with inkjet printers, manufacturers warned that your printer warranty could be voided unless you used only their OEM inks, but this argument was rejected by the courts as a violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act which said that that consumers could not be forced to use specific brands to maintain warranty on their purchases. So unless a printer manufacturer can prove that an alternative ink destroyed a mechanical part of their product, they cannot void warranties. 

Do Alternative Inks Really Save That Much?

If you do a lot of printing on a desktop in inkjet printer, your ink costs can average several hundred dollars a year or more. If you use a more sophisticated wide carriage printer with more than six colors, your yearly ink costs could soar to a thousand dollars or more. If you want to reduce those costs considerably, keep an open mind as we look at the pros and cons of using alternative inks for your printer. Later on I’ll discuss two methods that will cut down on ink usage even if you decide not to try alternative inks.

Choose A Reputable Alternative Ink Supplier

As with any product or service, there are good and not-so-good ones, so it’s important to choose a reliable supplier of inks. After reading hundreds of customer reviews of alternative ink suppliers, I found several that have established themselves and appear to be good choices for you to investigate (see Resources below). Most suppliers offer free shipping if you purchase more than $50 worth of inks, and a low, fixed shipping price of just a few dollars if you spend less than that amount.  

What To Know About Alternative Inks:

1. Remanufactured vs. Compatible: "Compatible" cartridges are brand new but made by a third party, while "Remanufactured" ones are recycled OEM shells refilled with high-quality ink. Both are generally reliable if sourced from reputable vendors.

2. Some printer manufacturers have tried to use various methods to try to block third-party cartridges from being recognized. In the unlikely event that this should happen, there are scores of sites on the web that offer work-arounds. Or you can contact tech support at your alternative ink supplier for a solution applicable your specific printer model.

3. Don’t buy by price alone. The cheapest inks can sometimes result in lower page yields or inconsistent quality.

4. While you can buy bottled inks in bulk and refill your own cartridges I don’t recommend it if this is your first encounter with alternative inks. It can be a challenge and messy and the savings are not going to be that much more over pre-filled cartridges. But bottled inks, however, are fine for printers that use them such as all-in-ones.

Conserving Ink When Printing

If you think all the ink you use ends up on the printed page, think again. In extensive testing, Consumer Reports found consumers are getting only about half of the ink they think they’re paying for. Many printers they tested consumed a significant amount of ink each time they were turned on by going though heavy cleaning cycles that use more ink than is normally used during periodic maintenance cycles that are usually performed from time to time even when the printer is idle.

Keeping Your Printer On All The Time

If you only print every few weeks, then having your printer go through complete start-up cycle may be required. But if you print at least once a week, try this: leave your he printer on at all times (which will only consume a few watts of power). Then, before printing use a sheet of plain paper to run a nozzle check, which consumes only a minuscule amount of ink. If the pattern looks good, you're set to go and you’ve saved a lot of ink that would have been used for the printer’s full start-up routine.

Choosing The Right Output Quality

Here’s another way to save ink. Your printer usually offers four (or more) output quality options such as Draft, Normal, High Quality, and Ultra High Quality. They many not be named exactly the same as those I’ve used, but they indicate the quantity of ink the printer will squirt onto the paper.

The lower the setting, the less ink the printer will use and the faster the printing time will be. Higher quality settings will use more ink requiring slower printing times. In many instances the difference between an image printed at High Quality compared to one printed at Ultra High Quality may not be able to be detected by the human eye.  i But the slow printing speed at the highest quality setting gives you a clue as to how much more ink is being used; it could be up to twice as much.

Summing It Up

1. If you buy alternative inks from a reputable supplier you’ll save a considerable amount of money without compromising on image quality.

2.  Keep your printer on all the times.

3.   Choose the next-to-highest quality setting when outputting your prints. 

Did You Know That...

Over 375 million empty printer cartridges are thrown away annually in the U.S. and accumulate at a rate of 1 million per day in landfills They can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. 

RESOURCES:

Here are some recommended companies that sell alternative inks.  For more, Google: Best Third Party Inks.

• LD Products:  they have over 25 years of experience.
• Inkjets.com: Known for high-yield cartridges.
• E-Z Ink: A popular choice on major marketplaces like Amazon.
• Ink.com: Specializes in deep discounts (up to 85% off). 
• CompAndSave: For high-volume users and small business.

NONE OTHER THAN ONE OF RED RIVER PAPER'S WATERSHED COLLECTION MATTE PAPERS.

Kah-Wai Lin is a landscape, travel, and nature photographer based in New Jersey who has led hundreds of photo tours and workshops and has presented at over 250 seminars around the world. He was awarded First place at the International Photography Awards in 2015. Named as one of the top 10 exhibitors in the world by Photographic Society of America in 2015 and 2016, Lin was also honored in 2016 by being appointed as an Artist-in-Residence by US National Parks Service. In recognition of his photographic excellence and invaluable contributions to the photographic community, he was the recipient of the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. In 2026, he received the Medal of Merit from the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for his contributions to cultural preservation and wildlife conservation in Mongolia, as well as a Medal of Merit from the Governor’s Office of Bayan-Ölgii Province for his role in promoting the province’s culture and tourism.

Enjoy our Success on Paper Recap with Dr. Lin on his recent creative assignment:

The Client

I was leading an annual winter aurora photo workshop in Norway and was doing a personal creative assignment while photographing the landscape there.

The Assignment

I photographed this aurora image on Senja Island, the second largest island in Norway. It was a cold winter night and I was monitoring the weather and aurora activities in my hotel room and realized there was a good chance of seeing strong aurora activity in the next hour. I told my attendees to get ready and we went to the Bergbotn Viewpoint, which faces the amazing fjord landscape to the Northwest. Once there, everyone eagerly began setting up equipment in anticipation of the show, which began as predicted. No matter how many times I have seen them, I am always excited to witness these magical lights in one of the most spectacular settings on earth.

The Execution

Successful aurora photography is determined by many factors, including the precise prediction of aurora activity, chasing the weather, understanding the environment, and technical and esthetic knowledge of photography. This was a very fast-moving aurora; therefore a short exposure time of 3.2 seconds was used in order to capture its distinct shape. The image was made with a single exposure, thanks to the moonlight illuminating the mountain and fjord.

Post Production

I used Adobe Camera Raw for converting the raw image and then Adobe Photoshop for most of the post-production workflow. The Nik Collection is among my favorite plug-ins.

The Output

The image was output on both Red River Polar Matte 230 and River Linen 230 papers using an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer. The Red River Polar Matte 230 papers deliver excellent color accuracy and show color gradations extremely well. The contrast between white and black is also very well presented. On the other hand, River Linen 230 has a textural surface that significantly enhances the visual sensation of fine detail in landscape images.

See More of Dr. Lin’s Work:

Website: kahwailin.com

Facebook: facebook.com/kahwailin

Instagram: instagram.com/kahwailin

All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist and used with permission from the artist.

By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

Outputting high quality inkjet prints involves many variables and choosing the right ones can be confusing, to say the least. This post will set you on the right track by giving you a quick guide to getting prefect prints.

1. Run A Nozzle Check On Your Printer

If any of your printer’s ink nozzles are clogged, your prints may look washed out, have horizontal streaks, or be missing colors. To perform a printer nozzle check, you can use either the printer's built-in Setup or Maintenance control panel or the software utility on your computer. You can run these checks using plain paper.

If there are any gaps in the test pattern (see image above), run the printer through one or more cleaning cycles (if needed), checking the nozzle pattern between each. Nozzles can become clogged if the printer is not used regularly or the humidity is low, causing ink to clog them. Some printer manufacturers use Teflon on their print heads to try to solve this problem, but the only way to confirm that the print head is not clogged is to run this test.

2. Make Sure Your Monitor Accurately Displays Your Image

Your printer uses your original image for color and other information when printing your photo. It couldn’t care less how that image looks on your monitor. If your monitor is not accurately displaying the information in your image file, you will never get satisfactory results.

Here’s why. Let’s say you’ve taken a portrait of someone, but your monitor displays it with a greenish cast. You then correct that in your imaging program and print it out. Whoops! Now the face is too red. How did that happen? Simple. Your monitor was not displaying the colors in your image file correctly. In fact, the face might have had perfect color, but your monitor was displaying it on the green side. So when you corrected it, you actually changed the original file from perfect to a red cast. 

You can waste a lot of paper trying to fix the print by trial and error, or you can purchase a monitor calibrator (see image above and Resources below) and take a few minutes a month to hang it over your monitor screen so it can go through its paces to keep your monitor colors in sync with your original image. In the meantime, you should print some color test patterns available online and compare them to what’s displayed on your monitor to see if they match.

3.  Images You Print  Must Have Adequate Resolution

Lack of adequate resolution is usually the biggest killer of high-quality print output. Digital images are composed of tiny, square pixels. When they are enlarged too much, they become noticeable (pixelate), causing jagged lines, blocky shapes, and loss of fine detail. You cannot get good prints unless your images have enough pixels to produce a smooth, sharp image at the size you've chosen. How many pixels? 300 pixels per inch (PPI) is usually sufficient for printed images up to 16x20 inches and sometimes even larger.

Your imaging program lets you change the size of your image by resizing or resampling it. You can try resizing your image to a larger size using the number of pixels it already has. If your monitor (or print) shows pixelation at your selected size, try resampling it. Your program will then use an algorithm to add additional pixels to the image, increasing its resolution. This solution is usually adequate for most moderately enlarged photos. But if that still isn’t satisfactory, AI upscaling software will usually do the trick.  The image below shows a low-resolution portion on the left and another portion on the right that has been upscaled to provide sufficient pixels for a good print. (see Resources below).

4. Paper Profiles Can Give You More Accurate Color

Paper profiles (also known as ICC profiles)can help you make a better match between what you see on your screen and the specific paper type you’re using. Different paper surfaces, such as glossy, matte, and canvas, absorb ink and reflect light differently. Even the same surfaces produced by different manufacturers can have different characteristics.

If you want consistent results, you can easily install profiles for the papers you use most and then select them in your imaging program’s print menu prior to printing. Red River Paper offers free paper profiles for use on a multitude of printer models. They're easily downloaded from their website for use with your specific printer. (see Resources below.)

5. Choose The Correct Output Settings

Choosing the correct output settings on your imaging program can make a big difference in your print. Using Photoshop as an example (most other image programs are similar), here are suggested settings for maximum print quality. NOTE that they may be found in different locations on different printer menus and may be named slightly differently. If you need to, use the Web to get more detailed information about where to find these settings for your printer. model.

IF YOU USE ICC PAPER PROFILES: In the Color Management menu, select Photoshop Manages Colors and select the specific ICC profile for the paper you are using from the drop-down menu.

IF YOU DO NOT USE PAPER PROFILES:  In the Color Management menu select Printer Manages Colors.

Image Resolution: 300 PPI (sometimes incorrectly referred to as DPI) is the standard for high-quality prints. For your information, PPI stands for pixels per inch in your image. DPI (Dots Per Inch) refers to the number of circular ink drops-per-inch required to reproduce those pixels.  So, for example, selecting "Draft" quality outputs prints with fewer Dots-Per-Inch, and "Super Fine" with the most. 

Color Space: Work in Adobe RGB (1998) for a wider color gamut, which most inkjet printers can output. However, some photographers prefer the color output of sRGB. Print the same image using both, and decide for yourself. Then make it your default for subsequent prints. NOTE: If your monitor gives you color space options, select the same one you’ve chosen for your prints.

Rendering Intent: "Relative Colorimetric" is usually best for photos.

Black Point Compensation: Make sure this is checked to insure good shadow detail.

Print Quality: Printers usually offer four levels of print quality. When set to the highest level, you will use more ink, it will take more time to print, and image improvement may not be noticeable compared to the next lower setting. So make a test print at each setting and decide for yourself which to use on a regular basis.

Once you make these five steps part of your workflow, you’re on your way to making beautiful prints. And you’ll be surprised at what your inkjet printer can do once it gets the right instructions.

RESOURCES:

Monitor Calibrators

Learn about basic free AI upscaling software

Learn more about Topaz professional grade upscaling software

Read more about using paper profiles

When image presentation matters as much as image accuracy, many ultrasound professionals turn to high-gloss thermal paper. Sony’s UPP-110HG has long been the reference standard in this category, delivering sharp, high-contrast images with a glossy finish preferred for patient handouts, referrals, and records.

Today, clinics and imaging centers have a proven alternative.

Red River Paper’s RRP-110HG High Density Gloss is engineered to match Sony’s performance, compatibility, and output quality, while offering a smarter long-term supply option. This comparison breaks down how the two products stack up and why many facilities are confidently making the switch.

What Is High-Gloss Ultrasound Paper?

High-gloss ultrasound paper is a specialized thermal media designed for medical video printers used in ultrasound systems. It differs from standard high-density (HD) paper only in surface finish.

Key characteristics:

• High-resolution thermal coating for diagnostic detail
• Smooth glossy surface for enhanced contrast and visual impact
• Black-and-white output optimized for ultrasound imaging
• Long-term image stability when properly stored
• Designed for dedicated medical thermal printers

The glossy finish is often chosen for:

• Patient keepsake images
• OB/GYN practices
• Referral documentation
• Any setting where presentation quality is important

Functionally, HG and HD papers are identical in printer compatibility and performance. The difference is purely aesthetic.

Sony UPP-110HG Overview

Sony UPP-110HG is the company’s high-gloss, high-density thermal paper designed for medical ultrasound printing. It is widely used and trusted across hospitals and private practices.

Key specifications and features:

• Width: 110 mm
• Roll length: same as HD variant
• Output: approximately 235 prints per roll
• Finish: glossy (noticeably more sheen than UPP-110HD)
• Print type: black and white thermal
• Printer compatibility: same Sony and Mitsubishi medical printers used with UPP-110HD

Sony’s HG paper is often selected when image presentation is a priority, offering deeper blacks and a polished surface appearance while maintaining the diagnostic clarity expected from OEM media. It remains the product many users start with, and the standard against which alternatives are evaluated.

Red River Paper RRP-110HG High Density Gloss Overview

RRP-110HG High Density Gloss is Red River Paper’s direct replacement for Sony UPP-110HG.

It is manufactured to the same dimensional standards, thermal response characteristics, and printer compatibility requirements as Sony’s HG media, making it a true drop-in alternative.

Key specifications and features:

• Width: 110 mm
• Roll length: equivalent to Sony HG
• Output: 235 prints per roll
• Finish: high-gloss thermal coating
• Printer compatibility: identical to UPP-110HG and UPP-110HD supported models
• Pack size: 10 rolls

Red River designed RRP-110HG specifically for facilities that want:

• The same glossy image presentation
• The same printer performance
• The same workflow and setup
• With improved supply flexibility and cost control

In practice, users report indistinguishable handling and output compared to Sony’s original paper, allowing clinics to standardize Red River without retraining staff or adjusting equipment.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Sony UPP-110HG set the standard for high-gloss ultrasound printing. Its image clarity, consistency, and reliability have made it a trusted choice for years in medical environments where both diagnostic accuracy and presentation matter.

That same standard is exactly what Red River Paper RRP-110HG was built to meet.

RRP-110HG delivers the same print density, the same glossy finish, the same printer compatibility, and the same output volume per roll without requiring any changes to equipment or workflow. It installs the same way, performs the same way, and produces images that meet the same professional expectations.

For clinics and imaging centers looking to reduce operating costs, improve supply flexibility, or simply avoid OEM pricing without risking print quality, RRP-110HG offers a practical upgrade path:

• No printer changes
• No staff retraining
• No compromise in image presentation

Sony defines the benchmark. Red River Paper makes it easier and more economical to maintain it.

For facilities already using UPP-110HG, RRP-110HG provides a proven, compatible replacement that protects both clinical image quality and long-term operating budgets.

By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

You can shoot stunning panoramic images with a digital camera or smartphone, stitch them together with free software which you probably have as a feature on your imaging program and then output them– even on a humble, letter-sized desktop printer. And it can all be done in just an hour or so.

Panorama photos pack a punch, showing vistas much as the human eye sees them. From the mid-1800’s professional photographers were shooting panos all over the world with highly sophisticated (and expensive) cameras that required photographic glass plates. In fact, during the American Civil War, these super-wide photographic images helped plan military strategy for both the Union and Confederate armies. But it wasn’t until 1900 that Kodak’s Panoram 1 camera using flexible film and a swinging lens hit the consumer market enabling amateur shutterbugs to experience the excitement of the genre.

If you’ve never shot a panorama– maybe because you thought it was too complicated– rest assured. It’s become so easy to do that you can shoot your first pano images in just a few minutes, then have them combined automatically, and end up, printing your finished composite in less than an hour. So let’s begin with the basics.

PANORAMA IMAGE BASICS

1. Hold the camera vertically when shooting. This will give your final stitched image some height so that it doesn’t look too long and skinny.

2. Limit the number of images you take. Four to six images will give you perfect results.

3. Make sure the camera as level as possible when you shoot your images, whether you’re hand-holding the camera or if it’s on a tripod.

4. Frame each new image to include 30 to 50 percent of the previous one. This makes it easier for the pano software to have reference points to allow it to stitch your photos together seamlessly.

5. If you flub one of your mages when shooting, no problem. Just shoot it again and exclude the bad one from the mix before giving the stitching app the go-ahead.

6. Static scenes are best to begin with. If there’s motion in them (people or vehicles) you may get some unwanted blurred or double images when they are stitched together. But it can work if moving objects are far enough apart. (see ski pano above).

USING SOFTWARE APPS FOR STITCHING

Many imaging programs now include a pano stitching function. Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop Elements and some others do a creditable job so if you have access to one of these, try them first.

However, if you want to go further, then Hugin (pronounced You-gin) is FREE software you may want to consider. Although its forté is complex stitching challenges (such as pano sequences shot from drones), it also has a simple mode to allow automatic, three-step stitching. You just load your images, and Hugin aligns them and creates a perfect panorama – no need for you to fiddle around with control points or other technicalities. (see RESOURCES below). 

ASSEMBLING YOUR iPHONE PANO IMAGES

iPhones have a built-in pano image maker and there’s also an inexpensive app, Bimostitch, for Android phones (see RESOURCES below).. iPhones also have a built-in guide to aid you while you’re taking images to assure the best possible results. As you pan to acquire your images, there’s a horizontal line displayed with a moving arrow overlaid to help you keep your camera level.

After you acquire your shots the phone stitches them together and shows you a finished panorama. Don’t like it? Just do it again until it meets your expectations. When satisfied, resample your image to the size that will fit best on the paper size you'll be using.

PRINTING YOUR FINISHED PANO

Red River has several long-length papers in popular surfaces that are perfect for printing panorama images (See Resources below). And what’s a little-known fact is that most printers (even small, letter-sized models) can output prints that are longer in length than standard sizes.. Check your printer’s specs to see the length of inkjet paper it can print.

If you have a desktop printer, an excellent blog post to read is How To Get Bigger Prints From A Small Printer which was posted on March 28, 2025. (see RESOURCES below.)

Printing your p[panorama is really the easiest step in the process. And once it’s done, framed and hung, the impact will be awesome. So go to it and have something unique to display or offer to shoot one for a client.

REOURCES:

Hugin Free Pano Software

Red River Inkjet Pano Papers

 Red River8.5 x 25 inch Pano Paper

Blog:How To Get Bigger Prints From A Small Printer

Bimostitch for Android Phones

By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

With months of bad weather facing most parts of the country, why not shoot images from the comfort of your living room? With a simple click of its remote, your TV can whisk you to locations and events all over the world where you can capture images and turn them into beautiful prints.

THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS

You can use captured TV images in many ways as long as they are for your own personal use, for example, to create photo collections of your favorite celebrities, sports action, wildlife, hobbies, landscapes and more. Or capture and print some beautiful views of exotic locations for home decorations. You can also send your captures as email attachments to friends and relatives or use them as greeting card illustrations. But you cannot use them commercially and/or receive income from them, nor can they be used to promote services or sales of products.

You can, however, use images created before 1929 that are displayed on TV as those are in the Public Domain, free to use without restrictions. Other images, regardless of age are also in the Public Domain if they were created by the U.S. Federal Government as part of employee’s official duties. These include those produced by the Military, NASA, the National Park Service and many other federal agencies.

IMAGE CAPTURE ON ANALOG TV WAS A HASSLE

From its early development through the end of the 20th century, TV signals were displayed on screens using cathode ray tubes (CRT) and were transmitted as interlaced picture signals. Halves of the image were transmitted in rapid succession at 1/30th of a second which the viewer’s mind merged into a single picture. To capture the entire image, your camera’s shutter speed could be no faster than 1/15th of a second and that usually made it necessary to use a tripod to avoid camera shake.  

TODAY’S DIGITAL TV SCREEN CAPTURE IS EASY

Today’s TV screens are digital and their high resolution images appear intact without being split into two parts. Coupled with their impressive resolution, they look smooth and sharp. Compared to analog images with resolutions of 640 x 480 (and lower), most current, digital 4K TVs have resolutions of 3840 x2160 and display impressive picture quality. Better yet, because each frame shows a complete image, you can use higher shutter speeds that don’t require a tripod. And most TV remotes allow you to pause and advance the image frame by frame) which makes it easy to capture sports and other fast-moving images at the peak of action.

CHOOSING THE BEST SHUTTER SPEED

Although modern digital TVs display complete images, they may do so at different rates of speed. This is called their Refresh Rate and is specified in Hertz (hz). Without getting entangled in technical details, in the US and Canada they’ll usually be transmitted either 60Hz or 120Hz. This translates into 60 or 120 images every second. The easiest way to tell which shutter speed(s) will give you the best results with your TV’s refresh rate is to shoot a few test shots. Set your camera’s ISO to 200 (as a starting point) and your Mode to Shutter Priority and begin with 1/60 sec. Then use multiples of it such as 1/120, 1/180, and 1/240 (or as close to them as your camera allows).

You don’t have to worry about aperture since you’re shooting a flat object and everything will be in focus regardless of the f-stop your camera automatically chooses to use. But if, for some reason, you want to shoot at a specific aperture and keep your shutter speed locked in, you usually can do so by adjusting your ISO. Remember, though, if the ISO is set too high, you may begin to pick up unwanted “noise” and other artifacts in your image.

Time out: I’m frequently asked this question: “If I pause or freeze a frame of the image, do I have to be concerned about Refresh Rate?” Answer: “Yes.” While the content of the image is stable and frozen, your TV display hardware is actively working to refresh that still image as many times a second as it was when originally transmitted.

After you’ve shot a few tests at different shutter speeds, examine them as printed images because it's usually easier to see any artifacts that way. Choose the best one and use the shutter speed at which it was shot as your standard shutter speed.

TIPS FOR CAPTURING THE BEST TV IMAGES

1. Set your camera to Shutter Priority (Tv) and to the the speed determined to be best by the screen refresh tests recommended above.

2. Nighttime is best to shot your images with no bright external light that may cause reflections on the TV screen. However if you can get the room reasonably dark, go for it. It’s okay to keep some low lighting on as long as they do not cause reflections on the screen.

3. Set the focal length of your lens to a wider field of view rather than its telephoto. When hand-holding cameras at slower shutter speeds, wider angle lens settings (under 50mm equivalent) minimize camera shake.

4. Try framing the photo so that only the TV screen is in the frame. However It is likely that the image aspect ratio is not the same as the camera’s, so unless you crop the image in-camera you may have to do some cropping in your imaging program.

5. Keep the camera lens as parallel to the screen as possible rather than shooting at an angle. 

6. Moiré patterns can sometimes appear. They are caused by Interference between the fine, repetitive pixel grid of the screen and the camera's sensor grid  and  can usually be eliminated by adjusting the camera's position or settings. Change your shooting angle slightly, zoom in or out or try a slower shutter speed.  If you must use the photo, most imaging programs offer a fix. 

SMARTPHONES CAN ALSO CAPTURE TV IMAGES

Smartphones are usually automated allowing the user no control over traditional camera functions such as aperture and shutter speed. But despite that, some can do surprisingly well. Take a few test shots and see for yourself.

If you’re not satisfied with the results but still prefer to use your phone, all is not lost. There are several apps that can enhance the camera functions of many iPhone and Android models that cost just a few dollars. Consider adding an app that allows you to set your smartphone camera to different shutter speeds as this will usually do the trick.

RESOURCES:

Google the following:

 Smartphone apps that allow shutter speed control.

..

By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

Old-time images from Christmas (and other) holiday cards that circulated during the late 1800s and later have been digitized and can be used free of charge to give your own holiday cards some nostalgic flavor.

A good image source to begin with is Vintage Holiday Crafts (see Resources below), which not only offers free Christmas card images, but also many old time card images for other holidays and occasions as well.  Other sites also offer free retro images but many intermix free and pay-for images together and can be somewhat of a chore to navigate.

Most vintage images will require minor size modifications after you download them in order to fit the standard, folded 5×7-inch greeting card dimension.( NOTE: Before folding the card, paper size will be 10x7- inches.) All of this is  easy to do with the help of free templates that Red River Paper supplies for different-sized cards and imaging programs. (see Resources below.) If you're new to card-making, their short, video tutorials will have you up and running in no time. (See Resources below.)

ACQUIRING YOUR FREE IMAGES

Before we begin, all images you download at Vintage Holiday Crafts for personal use are free. Notices at the site about payment do not apply unless you intend to use the cards commercially. Also, ignore the “Get Templates” ads at the site since, as I've mentioned previously, you can get these free. (see Resources below).

I've   used Photoshop Elements for the following steps but the procedure is pretty much the same for any imaging program.

1. On the Vintage home page, click on Easy Art Finder and then, when there, select a category.

2. Go through the thumbnail images. When you click on a desired image, a larger version will appear.

3. Click on the image and drag it to your desktop or other desired location on your computer.

4. Alternatively, you can download and save it in Windows or Mac by right clicking on the image and using the drop-down menu to save it to any location on your computer.

CHOOSING YOUR OUTPUT RESOLUTION

Most images have resolution of 96 ppi, but not to worry as their final printed size on the card is not more than 5x7 inches. Run a test print and decide for yourself. Remember, it's easy to resample your images in your imaging program to higher resolutions– even to 300 ppi without losing noticeable quality. In fact, if you'd like to frame some as artwork or otherwise display them larger­– as household decorations, for example– you can upscale them to really high resolution using a free app called Upscayl AI (see Resources below.)

ONCE IT'S IN YOUR IMAGING APP

1. Bring you selection into you imaging program and choose Image>Image Size.

2. Make sure Resample Image and Constrain Proportions boxes are checked.

3. Enter either the vertical or horizontal size required by the template. You will note that you probably cannot specify both. Not to worry.

4. Enter a Resolution value of 200 ppi.

5. Then Click OK.

You will now have image that may not fit the exact dimensions called for in the template. You can crop the image to the exact size needed but you might lose some of it. Usually that's not a problem but if you want to be precise and retain the entire image there's another way to go

.AN EASIER WAY TO RESIZE THE IMAGE

Instead of following Step 2, do the following: Uncheck the Constrain Proportions box and enter the exact image size called for in the template to fit the card– along with your desired resolution. Then go on to Step 4. This may produce a tiny distortion of the image, but it's usually unnoticeable. Remember to check the Constrain Proportions box again when you've finished.

MAKING A FEW SIMPLE IMAGE TWEAKS

Some of these images may lack adequate color saturation (because they've faded over time) and may also be a bit soft (though some card makers feel it's part of their charm). Here's what I suggest:

1. First try something simple. Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast. Sometimes moving these sliders a bit is all you'll need to “pop” the image up.

2. If necessary, you can also use Image > Adjustments > Hue and Saturation which will give you control over the richness (saturation) of the colors.

3. If it has an overall color cast that you want removed, then go to Image > Adjustments > Color Balance and get rid of it.

4. After the image looks good, try a touch of sharpness to see if it makes it look better. It won't require much, so even Enhance > Auto Sharpen may be all that's needed. If you're comfortable with Unsharp Mask, you can try that, instead. I've found that an Amount 50 is usually all I need as anything higher starts to look a bit weird.

Now, on regular inkjet paper (to avoid wasting card stock) make a dew test prints at different resolution settings until you hit it on the nose. For example, you might be able to get a perfectly good print from a resolution of 100 ppi. On the other hand, it might take 300 ppi to give results you like. You are simply looking for a good, clean image,

TRY DIFFERENT CARD STOCK SAMPLES

You'll also want to try some different card paper surfaces My preferences are Mat papers because they reflect the time period in which these images were used and also minimize minor imperfections. But, some card-makers love a glossy finish. A great way to make a decision is to order a Card Shop Sample Kit (see Resources below). This will help you make paper surface and envelope comparisons and also includes other valuable information about how to set up your printer.

READY, SET, GO!

Once you have the simple technical details worked out, you can now easily send cards to celebrate other holidays and events. Emailing cards may be easy, but they're ephemeral and are usually trashed. A paper card (which you can produce for under a dollar) has staying power; it can be touched, displayed and cherished forever. Which would you prefer to receive? I'll bet the vintage cards you send will be the ones most admired, remembered and shared with others. Happy Holidays!

RESOURCES:

Vintage Holiday Crafts

Red River Card Shop  Here you'll find information about different card stock. If you're new to card making, scroll way down to the section on HELPFUL LINKS and view Five Easy Steps To Printing Greeting & Note Cards.

Red River Templates for Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements and other imaging programs are found here. You will also find links to tutorials, and more.

Red River Card Sample Kits

Upscayl AI  A free, easy-to-use image upscaler that uses Artificial Intelligence to make flawless enlargements of low resolution images.  An in-depth, recent blog review can be found here. 

For ther retro card image sites Google: Fee vintage holiday card  sites.

NITE: All images from Vintage Holiday Crafts unless otherwise attributed.

THROUGH LIMITED-EDITION BOOKS HANDCRAFTED WITH RED RIVER PAPER.

Bound by Purpose

Since founding his business in 2001, Frank Hamrick has been creating limited-edition handmade books that merge his passions for photography, bookmaking, and advocacy. Some volumes are blank sketchbooks with striking graphics on the inside covers, while others contain his photography. All reflect his deep interest in letterpress printing, papermaking, and book binding, and Frank often donates a portion of proceeds to support causes like voter registration and flood relief.

Take "Stronger Than the Waves Crashing on Us" (shown above and below), for example. Featuring photographs from the 1999 Tibetan Freedom Concert in Amsterdam, the book cover is crafted from cotton rag paper Frank made himself, giving him complete creative control. As for printing the photographs, he gets a little help from us.

Enter Red River Paper

Frank's mission to create museum-quality books demands materials that balance professional results with practical affordability. He relies on our Premium Matte 170 Double-Sided paper for its ideal weight and smooth, non-reflective surface, which beautifully reproduces original art and photography.

"The affordability and the weight of the double-sided matte paper" are what Frank appreciates most, enabling him to maintain the integrity of his limited editions while keeping production costs manageable. This approach has allowed him to place his work in the hands of libraries, museums, and private collectors.

See More of Frank's Work

Watch for more books of his music-related photography, including volumes featuring photos from the first Bonnaroo Concert in 2002. Explore current creations at his Etsy store and follow his journey on Instagram, where he often shares creative works from his students at Louisiana Tech University's School of Design. (His 9/17/25 post showcases stunning leaf images from a chlorophyll printing workshop.) Read our Q&A below for more insights into his "Stronger Than the Waves" book, with 10% of proceeds going to the Tibet Action Institute.

Enjoy our Q&A with Frank Hamrick

What year was your business founded, and how did you get started?
I started my business in 2001.

Tell us a little about what product or service your business offers.
I am a photographer creating limited-edition handmade books, printing my photographs on Red River Paper.

What makes your business unique?
I produce my own books. So, if you want a Frank Hamrick photography book, it comes from me. My books reflect my interests in photography, letterpress printing, papermaking, and bookbinding.

Where do you source your raw materials from?
The photographs are printed on Red River Paper, but my covers are handmade, cotton-rag paper that I produce myself.

Who are your typical customers?
Private collectors, libraries, and museums.

What is the most interesting project you've encountered in the course of your work?
Photographing the [folk/Americana band] Dave Rawlings Machine when John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin was playing mandolin for them.

What has Red River Paper done for your business? Is there a particular challenge Red River Paper has helped you overcome or a goal they helped you meet?
Red River Paper produces an affordable Premium Matte 170 Double-Sided paper that I use in my books.

Which Red River Paper products do you use, and what do you appreciate most about them?
The affordability and the weight of the double-sided matte paper.

How can people purchase your products/service?
They can visit my Etsy store.

Do you have any future growth plans?
I am beginning to publish books of my music-related photography, which will eventually include photographs from the first Bonnaroo Concert in 2002.

Is there a special story you'd like to share about your work?
I have just completed production of a limited-edition book, "Stronger Than the Waves Crashing on Us" ,a handmade book of my photographs from the 1999 Tibetan Freedom Concert in Amsterdam. Fifty copies were printed on Red River Paper's 50lb. Premium Matte Double-Sided paper. Ten percent of book sales will be donated to the Tibet Action Institute.

Four Tibetan Freedom Concerts took place on Sunday, June 13, 1999, in Japan, Australia, the United States, and the Netherlands. The music festival held at RAI Parkhal in Amsterdam featured a speech by former political prisoner Ama Adhe, as well as musical sets by Luscious Jackson, Urban Dance Squad, Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, Dutch band NRA, Gang Chenpa, Garbage, Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, Alanis Morissette, and Blur.

I captured the Amsterdam images on Kodak Tri-X 35mm black-and-white film in a Pentax SLR camera with a 50mm prime lens. The title is set in Cheltenham and Ruben typefaces, and the Old Fan Press logo relief is printed in metallic silver oil-based ink on handmade cotton rag paper. The first softcover edition of 50 copies was printed with Epson UltraChrome HDX archival pigment inks on double-sided matte Red River Paper. The colophon and edition number are set in Craw Modern typeface. The pamphlet is bound with 18/3 Irish linen thread.

By ARTHUR H. BLEICH

As the old saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat (no offense, cat lovers, I'm one of you). But there's no reason to frame every image under glass constrained by four corners of a rectangle. Thinking outside the frame can yield some eye-catching results.

For instance, going glassless can eliminate distracting reflections from photos and artwork. And eliminating frames entirely can give you great versatility when it comes to adding, removing or substituting images to suit the tenor of the times. You can also save some money by not having to buy expensive frames – though there are some images that deserve that treatment and the expense can be can be well worth it.

I recently I cruised the web and discovered a plethora of different print display options that will make your work shine. I'll share a few of the more interesting ones with you and also tell you how to protect images exposed to air from fading and environmental damage.

QUICK AND EASY:  A PHOTO ROPE

One of the simplest ways to display images is to string a line between two points and hang them from it, like laundry drying on a clothesline. This is also an excellent method to use if you ever have to exhibit them. One of our River Pros did just that when he was asked to exhibit his photo collection at a small local library. The system is easily and quickly set up between any two points and the images are secured to the line by small, spring-activated wooden clothespins.  its nostalgic touch makes up for its lack of sophistication.

NETAL BINDER CLIPS CAN ADD A TOUCH OF CLASS

For wall hanging, there are equally simple methods, some of them quite attractive looking. One method that caught my eye was the use of ubiquitous metal binder clips. They come in a myriad of different types, sizes and colors and require only a push pin or tiny, adhesive-backed picture hook to affix the hooks to a wall. You can use the clips at the top only, but may want also want to use them at the bottom of the photo for more stability. Depending which style, size or color you choose, they can look quite artsy… and all of them allow pictures to be easily changed or their locations switched.

WOODEN POTO HOLDERS: ELEGANT SIMPLICITY

Both the picture ledge  and picture stand are made of natural woods and allow you to easily change out images without fuss. The ledge easily mounts to a wall while the block sits alone (or in a grouping), wherever you want it to.

In fact, if you're familiar with basic wood working; you can make your own from scrap lumber using a small table saw. However, these pieces offer so many options in size and finish and are so reasonably priced that I recommend you purchase them.

MACRAME PHOTO HANGERS: BEAUTIFUL TO BEHOLD

Am unusual variation of wall mounting for smaller images is a hand-woven macrame photo hanger that tastefully displays smaller-sized groups of photos. I's a work of art in itself and comes in different style and color options, complete with mounting clips.

Speaking of unusual, you can also hang smaller prints as a mobile. Simply buy an inexpensive hanging photo mobile frame that includes clips, attach your prints to it and let it swing overhead. There are different styles of mobile frames, some of which would be perfect for a child's room or anywhere else in your home or office.

 PHOTO COLLAGE DISPLAYS THAT REALLY STAND OUT

Finally, I was fascinated by some multi-picture, photo collage arrangements that are truly unique. They range from simple to ornate, come with many customizable options and are reasonably priced.  They come with  plexiglass covers for each image (which you can use or not as desired) and they are easily attached to the wall.

BEST INKJET PAPER FOR UNFRAMED PHOTOS

Images that will be displayed on picture shelves or stands usually hold up better when printed on heavyweight paper; they need some “backbone” to resist sagging or curling. Most of Red River Paper's line of photo papers and card stock will work just fine for moderately sized prints.

Photos that are going to hang can usually take lighter-weight papers, if desired. Large, vertical images displayed on photo shelves or stands may require paper that's more robust to keep them firmly upright. Test the paper you want to use before printing the image to determine its rigidity.

PROTECTING UNFRAMED IMAGES

One of the advantages digital photographers have today is that they can knock out a print in a fraction of the time it used to take in the analog world. So if images get faded by too much exposure to light or environmentally polluted by other means, they can easily and inexpensively be replaced.

Nevertheless, if you want to extend the life of prints exposed to air—and that includes those in frames with no glass to avoid distracting reflections— you can protect them by using a fixative spray.

Fixative sprays are available in various finishes, including glossy, satin, matte, and more that will let you match or even change your image's surface. These sprays will protect your prints from UV light that accelerates fading, as well as other pollutants in the air that are eager to have a go at them.

Here's a quick guide to how to use them. There is more detailed information on the web and at YouTube.

1. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area.

2. Position the nozzle about 12 inches away from the photo.

3. Apply the fixative in several thin layers to prevent smearing, smudging, fading, and discoloration.

4. When spraying large surfaces in sections, overlap each pass by about 10%.

5. On larger images, do not swivel the can with your wrist as this will give uneven coverage (less at the edges and more at the center).

6. Instead, use your arm to keep the nozzle at the same distance as you sweep across the surface of the print.

7. When finished, turn the can upside down and give it a short squirt to clear fixative from congealing in the nozzle.

8.  Let the fixative dry completely before handling the photo.

RESOURCES:

Premier Print Shield Spray

Mobile Hanging Device For Photos

Wooden Photo Holders

Macrame Photo Hangers

Photo Collage Wall Displays

If you are using Photoshop, you could even personalize the tags with the font of your choice prior to printing.

If your tags are going to be used on packages that will be exposed to wet weather during shipping, run a test first to make sure that the ink will not run.

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What cute crafts have you done with our Red River Paper? The possibilities are endless.

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Papers that are great for tags are: Polar Gloss Metallic, Pecos River Gloss and UltraPro Satin