Thursday, February 4, 2010

Glossy or Lustre

One question many ask is what finish they should get their photos done in, glossy or lustre. I prefer glossy in most applications. It has that great shine and deep colors which really makes the photo pop. Applications that I would get glossy prints in would include your run of the mill 4X6, photo albums, framed without glass, portfolios, and many other ways you choose to share and display the photograph.

Lustre is much flatter then glossy but has a much better look then a matte finish. It is in between the two finishes and cuts down on glare while keeping good depth in the photo. I will choose lustre for a majority of my black and white pieces as I think it sets the mood and feel of most black and white works of art better. Whenever I frame any photo behind glass I will get it done in the lustre finish. The glass will add the glossiness that you lost with the lustre finish. When you frame a glossy print behind glass you end up usually getting a reflection off the print which can degrade the quality and cheapen the look of your framed artwork. You will also notice any waviness of the print behind the glass which is minimal with a lustre finished print.


1 comment:

  1. anti-glare glass helps with reflection problems. some people prefer gloss (in the darkroom, i print fiber gloss for most of my gallery pieces, for instance) because the finish of the paper is less textured, and therefore, less distracting in a mat or frame. there are also a few nice anti-glare sprays you can use on prints without degrading archival quality, should a client want glossy paper.

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