A Dynamic Duo from Hahnemühle
Posted on Apr 3, 2024
Monetise your fine art prints
Why inkjet paper specialist Hahnemühle is one of the top recommendations of pro lab Metro Imaging
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Hahnemühle is ALWAYS innovating – as is the prestigious London-based pro lab and Royal Warrant holder Metro Imaging.
So it’s unsurprising that the two work closely together, steering photographers in new directions on the materials and surfaces they print with.
This guidance delivers even more stunning representations of their work, increasing saleability.
Metro Imaging director Steve Macleod observes how it’s latterly become the norm for photographers to monetise their work by creating limited-edition fine art prints.
While the rule of thumb is that the smaller the print run, the higher the asking price, the texture and visual impact of the print also has a massive role to play in its perceived value.
This is where Hahnemühle – currently celebrating a remarkable 440-year anniversary – comes in.
“Hahnemühle has the reliability you need when editioning prints and products to produce the best outcomes for our clients,” begins Macleod. “It’s becoming part of the DNA of image makers to edition their prints.”
If you’re considering a limited-edition run of prints, start with the Hahnemühle Digital FineArt Collection.
This includes Natural Line papers, Bamboo Gloss Baryta 305gsm and Photo Rag Matt Baryta 308gsm – which all use vegan sizing.
The former is a natural white paper comprised of 90% bamboo fibres and 10% cotton, with its lightly textured surface giving the look and feel of a traditional analogue darkroom baryta paper.
Because of the high-gloss surface, it’s well-suited to printing images with reflections or scenes involving water. “The bamboo base is off-white with a gentleness to that paper,” Macleod observes. “Plus, people are much more mindful of where their papers come from these days; Hahnemühle has put sustainability front and centre with its Natural Line range and clients are picking up on it.”
The ‘Rag’ of Photo Rag Matt Baryta, meanwhile, denotes its 100% cotton composition, devoid of any optical brighteners.
As a matte paper with a satin sheen, it’s a great option for black & white printing.
Though the paper’s surface is super-fine, it’s not 100% smooth – making it capable of delivering deep, velvety blacks while also reproducing vivid colour detail.
Barium sulphate in its coating enhances the tonal range, sharpness and clarity of prints.
“Hahnemühle’s baryta papers hark back to a time where C-type photographic papers were printed onto a heavier gauge material substrate,” says Macleod. “Baryta is bridging that gap between a photographic print and an inkjet print. People connect with it. The Natural Line Hemp paper is also very popular, being a matte finish which has a real depth you wouldn’t expect – all while also transitioning well between black & white and colour images.”
Quality aside, anyone buying your prints may also be concerned about their authenticity and provenance.
Here, Hahnemühle can help too. At this year’s Photography & Video Show, it will be talking about its Certificates of Authenticity, a value-adding identification for protecting the security and genuineness of limited-edition artwork.
Unique copies and limited editions can be registered via its free-of-charge online tool myartregistry.com.
“The market now is all about edition printing, provenance and authenticity,” reiterates Macleod. “And part of that provenance is the materials you use. Hahnemühle has always been particularly good at promoting the quality of its papers as being aspirational. They are often seen as the benchmark for others to live up to.”
Finally, with 50% off sample packs of paper throughout March and April, now is a great time to trial the Digital FineArt Collection.
Find a list of resellers at hahnemühle.com.
This advertisement feature was first published in Issue 114 of Photography News.
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