Making A Great 8x10 Print
The 8x10 print is a staple of photography and making them should be a regular part of every photographer's journey. They are small enough to be inexpensive and easily stored, but large enough to express the beauty of a photo.
This said, there is something disappointing about many 8x10 prints. If they are made at the “standard” resolution with a 300 ppi file, they look a little soft and mushy. Fine details are not rendered as well as possible, and you don’t “see” as much of what is in the photo. Even a 19th century Daguerreotype has more resolution.
If you have your own printer, using a higher ppi file can produce an 8x10 print that is filled with detail, subtlety, and nuance. All you have to do is change your workflow when preparing and printing your file. Current Canon and Epson printers can handle files up to 600 ppi, so give it all the resolution you can, and the printer will know what to do with it.
Using this approach, fellow professionals often comment on the crispness and clarity of my 8x10 prints. Even more importantly, my prints give me more satisfaction. Every leaf is rendered properly, as are the small details on the subject—whether that be blades of grass, a rock face, a rocket engine, or even the whiskers on my cat.
If you want to learn more, I have two YouTube videos to check out, which I’ve linked below. Watch the videos, then fire up your printer to try it!