Technology today allows us to do more costly services ourselves. Inkjet photo paper printing is no exception and can be done at home. Printing your photos at home creates less of a cost than going to a photo lab. You will also be able to get more photos from a single purchase rather than having to pay to develop several rolls of film. If you're used to printing documents from your printer, you can print photos as well. However, printing photos is not the same as printing documents, but it can be easily done. The steps below can assist you on how to print quality photos with your inkjet photo printer.

The first thing to do is transfer the pictures wish to print onto your computer. If they're on a memory card, the card reader device on your computer can do this for you. Some cameras have their own brand of printer you can use. But, you will have to purchase special inks and paper for it. This type of inkjet photo paper printing should be done using your primary inkjet printer for now. So, pull those pictures off your camera and onto your computer with the use of a USB cord. Once your pictures are on your PC, choose several that you want to print. Make sure they're rotated and sized to fit your picture frames or albums. Sizing them now will save you a headache; not to mention paper and ink.

Use the photo paper of your choice. There are several finishes to choose from. Matte finish doesn't have a shine and your pictures may appear dull. However, this finish is ideally used for glass picture frames. Semi-gloss will give you a little bit of a shine, and it may have a textured finish. Glossy is the highest shine available for inkjet photo paper printing. This finish will make your pictures look bright and vivid. Be sure the photo paper is made specifically for inkjet printers. Not buying the correct paper formatted for your printer will cause bleeds and runny ink.

In your printer property settings, change your printing preferences from regular paper to photo quality. If there isn't a setting already labelled, "Photo," use the highest quality format that is available. Your camera software may have come with inkjet photo paper printing software, so be sure to check that as well. Feed your paper into your printer. Most inkjet photo paper needs to be loaded with the finished side up. Double check this however to make sure your pictures print on the correct side. Preview your picture and make any necessary size changes then click print. Let your photo sit out for a few hours to allow the ink dry. After it's dry, crop the excess paper and frame as desired.