LESSON 1
permanence in the image produced by these types of paper they are not
suitable for historical photographs.
b. Photographic papers are available in several weights (thicknesses).
The most common weights are single, medium and double. Army regulations or
the customer will usually specify the weight or surface texture required.
If not, the standard is single weight glossy. One of the reasons single
weight is standard is that doubleweight (fiberbased) takes nearly twice as
long to wash and dry. It is also more expensive.
c. Texture refers to the look and feel of the surface of a finished
print. There are a variety of surface textures available.
(1) Glossy surface papers are just that, smooth and glossy in
appearance. This is the most commonly used type of surface for general
photographic needs. Glossy papers will tend to make the image appear
sharper, but can emphasize wrinkles and blemishes in portraits. As a result
this surface is not used much in portraiture photography.
(2) Lustre surfaces lack the high sheen of glossy papers. They are
suitable for many types of photos.
(3) Matte surfaced papers do not have any gloss in their appearance.
This type of paper is often used for exhibition photos and ID photos such as
passports.
(4) Silk surfaces have a linenlike look and feel to them. They make
the image appear less sharp, downplaying minor scratches and negative
defects. The softer image produced by these papers causes blemishes and
wrinkles in portraits to be less noticeable. Their tendency to enhance a
person's appearance in photos makes them very popular with portrait
photographers. On the other hand, when the mission requires maximum detail
glossy papers would be a better choice.
d. Printing papers which produce different tones are also available.
The base may be described as producing brilliant whites or as a warmtone
producing paper. In addition, the emulsion may produce a warm black, a
neutral black, or deep black image.
e. Below is a table of the different papers available from Kodak. The
chart tells you the surface and weights available in each type of paper.
f. From the information on Table 11, we can go to individual listings
of paper. These listings give more information
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