Best use for Matte paper

[RodinalDuchamp]

I know this is largely subjective but since some of you have many years more experience than myself I'd like to know in your own experiences what situations is this paper optimal for?

Someone told me matte papers have less dmax than gloss papers, in other words the blacks are not as deep not as punchy.

I have an unopened box and am wondering if I should try to use it or instead sell it and buy glossy which I've used almost exclusively until now

[Willie]

Good for hand coloring images. Some like it for portrait work.

[Jac@stafford.net]

My preference is glossy dried matte. To me matte paper has little illusion of depth; blacks do not seem black enough.

[bob carnie]

Matt paper tones wonderful in sepia and selenium and is one of my favourite combinations

[jose angel]

I was just to say the same thing as Willie`s. I like to write or draw (pencil, ink, etc.) on matte papers.
They also are closer to the look of vintage photographs.
The softer contrast is also interesting for some subjects. Depth and punchiness is not necessarily the best for everything. I like to keep a box of matte paper, although I admit I use glossy way more.

[Mark Sampson]

It's a different look from glossy; some images look better on matte paper. Try some and see- be sure to print the same neg on your usual glossy paper. "Let your prints tell you what works".

[greginpa]

Have you tried Bromoil before? Matte paper is essential for that process to work.

[djdister]

I've printed some shots on matte paper that did not look better than on glossy - the dMax did not matter. Matte paper will be more suitable than glossy for certain types of scenes, with certain tonal ranges - you just need to try it yourself. And here's another test - print the same shot on matte and glossy and put both under glass - which looks better (to you)? It can be very subjective... or no discernable difference in some cases.

[jnantz]

its great for printing on .. i don't really like glossy paper.

[Vaughn]

A friend made prints on Portriga Rapid 118 (matt). On some images from Chaco Canyon, the dark, black 'windows' in the ruins looked like they sank inches below the surface of the paper.
Portraits are great on matt paper, too.

Matt papers do not have the D-Max of glossy because of the light getting scattered on the surface of the paper due to the texture. But a good printer does not need a max black to give an illusion of a max black.

[bob carnie]

A friend made prints on Portriga Rapid 118 (matt). On some images from Chaco Canyon, the dark, black 'windows' in the ruins looked like they sank inches below the surface of the paper.
Potraits are great on matt paper, too.

Matt papers do not have the D-Max of glossy because of the light getting scattered on the surface of the paper due to the texture. But a good printer does not need a max black to give an illusion of a max black.

Yes I agree and dmax is overrated from a printmakers point of view.

[Rich14]

I started printing in the mid 1950s. It wasn't until the mid 60s that I discovered the beauty of matte prints. I have used nothing but matte surfaces since then. Back when I started, it was standard practice to "ferrotype" everything. I hated that and always air-dried my F surface prints, which avoided that very garnish, super-glossy ferrotype look. But when I discovered heavy weight matte paper, I never looked back.

To my eye, a glossy surface print looks like a news-photographer's "snap-shot." A matte surface print looks like artwork.

In any case, I challenge anyone to distinguish a matte print from a glossy print when both are mounted under glass.

Rich