Best Inkjet Paper for Landscape & Nature Printing
Paper Surfaces for Landscape and Nature Images
Detail is king in landscape or nature photography. We want the viewer to experience all of the beautiful detail and nuance of nature captured by our camera. The paper we choose must help in this pursuit and not create a distraction.
We recommend matte, satin, luster, and semigloss media for landscapes and nature photography. Matte paper is usually smooth and always has a low reflective quality. Satin and luster papers have a light texture on a photobase substrate. You've undoubtedly seen the look from a photo lab print. The texture causes satin and luster papers to have lower reflection potential. Semigloss papers typically have a smooth surface with reflectance between glossy and matte. Little or no reflection from a print will help the viewer focus on the image's details.
Paper Tonality
Inkjet papers are classified as warm or cool tone. Cool papers are brighter white, while warm inkjet paper is a subtle natural white tone.
The choice between warm and cool is subjective and will depend on the overall look desired for a print. Remember that the paper's tone sets your print's white point. Also, you will get better-perceived contrast from a cooler white paper.
Images of natural settings and objects tend to favor warmer paper. The colors are more natural and less punchy. In contrast, a scene where you want the most contrast and cleanest whites (a snowy meadow) will benefit from a cooler tone inkjet paper.
Remember to try a Red River Paper sample kit so you can print and see which papers are your favorites.
Exception to the Rule
Red River's Photo Metallic Papers are the inkjet equivalent of Kodak's Endura Metallic™. They have low optical brightener content making the paper tone an elegant, warm white. This paper imparts a brilliant, almost luminescent look to your images with hints of pearlescent reflections.
The effect is to make bold colors in nature look even more vibrant. Images with lesser saturation become more powerful and assertive. Reflections, water, flowers, desert scapes, greens, and reds are particularly stunning on this unique inkjet paper.
66lb. Palo Duro Satin
Warmer Tone Satin Paper
The warmer tone cousin of Arctic Polar Satin, Palo Duro is a wonderful choice for landscapes, portraits, and more.
- Surface: Satin shallow texture
- Tone: Warmer white
- Weight: 255 gsm / 66lb.
- Thickness: 10.4 mil
Big Bend Baryta 310
Big Bend Baryta offers all the rich tonality, depth, and feel of a traditional darkroom print. The paper has a elegantly smooth finish and subtle reflectivity.
- Surface: Smooth semigloss finish
- Tone: Warm
- Weight: 310 gsm
- Thickness 12 mil
Palo Duro SoftGloss Rag 315
Made from 100% cotton fiber and featuring a lightly textured soft gloss surface, Palo Duro SoftGloss Rag fine art paper gives you the classic look of a darkroom photographic print with the performance of modern inkjet technology.
- Surface: Lightly textured semi-gloss
- Tone: Neutral white
- Weight: 315 gsm
- Thickness: 16.5 mil
68lb. UltraPro Satin
If you print, you have to have UltraPro Satin in your paper inventory. It produces professional quality results and works with virtually any image. The UltraPro Satin looks and feels just like photo lab satin - a lightly textured surface that breaks up reflections and minimizes fingerprints.
- Surface: Satin medium texture
- Tone: Bright white
- Weight: 68lb. / 270 gsm
- Thickness: 10.4 mil
75lb. Arctic Polar Luster Paper
Arctic Polar Luster is, by far, the finest luster photo paper on the market today. It has a rich, lustrous bright white tone, extra weight, extra thickness, and a splendid "E-surface" photo texture will set your prints apart from the rest.
- Surface: Luster deep texture
- Tone: Bright White
- Weight: 290 gsm / 75lb.
- Thickness: 11.8 mil
Aurora Art White 300®
Aurora White is a 100% cotton fiber, semi-smooth (hot press) fine art and photography paper. Aurora White features a brighter white shade for crisp color tones, semi-smooth surface, an acid-free base stock and coating. Made in the USA.
- Surface: Hot Press (semi-smooth)
- Tone: White
- Weight: 300 gsm
- Thickness: 18 mil
Aurora Art Natural 300®
Aurora Natural is a 100% cotton fiber, semi-smooth (hot press) fine art photo paper. Aurora Natural features a warmer shade that brings elegance and nuance to your photography and art prints. If you're looking for a museum grade cotton paper in the industry standard 300gsm weight, this is the paper for you! Made in the USA.
- Surface: Hot Press (semi-smooth)
- Tone: Warm White
- Weight: 300 gsm
- Thickness: 18 mil
Palo Duro Etching 315
Palo Duro Etching 315 gives you the classic look of a fine photographic art print. The surface adds just the right amount of texture to your print and will not distract from the details you worked so hard to capture.
- Surface: Cold Press (textured)
- Tone: Warm White
- Weight: 315 gsm
- Thickness: 21 mil
60lb. Polar Matte
This archival matte paper brings you professional quality in every sense of the meaning - from the coating to the base stock, Polar is the go-to photo matte when you want the best.
- Surface: Smooth matte
- Tone: Bright white
- Weight: 60lb. / 230 gsm
- Thickness: 10 mil
60lb. River Linen Paper
A high-performance photo matte paper with an elegant linen texture. For photos, giclee prints, greeting cards, and more.
- Surface: Linen texture matte
- Tone: Bright white
- Weight: 60lb. / 230 gsm
- Thickness: 10 mil
