The Pros and Cons of Glossy Finish

Pro: Glossy media tends to enhance colors and contrast. As such, glossy prints tend to have a little more “visual pop” in both aspects. This is because glossy prints have different light-reflective properties than satin or semi-gloss prints. 

Pro: High light reflectivity. The shine of glossy prints catches the eye and adds another element to an image. This tends to work best if you don’t plan to display your images in direct light (see below).

Con: High light reflectivity. On the other hand, if your print is going to be displayed in direct light or on walls directly across from windows, you may see reflections of the light sources (e.g., windows, ceiling lights, etc.) which may distract from the image. These reflections may make it more difficult to appreciate the image and they become even more of an issue for larger prints.

Con: Fingerprints and dust. Glossy prints show fingerprints and dust more easily than satin prints because of their reflective surface.

The Pros and Cons of Satin Finish

Pro: Low light reflectivity. If you plan to display your print with a light source, such as on a mantle that has direct lighting from above, satin prints will look great. With glossy prints, reflection of the light source (e.g., ceiling lights) may be visible at certain angles, whereas satin prints will scatter the light so that image details are not obscured by reflections.

Con: Low light reflectivity. Conversely, satin prints have properties that enable them to scatter light rather than reflect it. This can make satin prints more difficult to see in dimly lit environments, where a glossy print might look a bit brighter.

Pro: Fingerprints and dust are less obvious. Satin prints reflect less light, so imperfections such as fingerprints are less visible (although they can still show up under the right conditions). 

Con: Less contrast and saturation. The nature of a satin finish produces prints with less saturation and contrast than glossy prints. When an images’ colors and contrast are of prime importance, a shinier media might be preferred. That’s not to say that satin prints don’t have great colors and contrast – they do. But again, glossy prints add a little more “visual pop” to colors and contrast.

The Pros and Cons of Semi-Gloss Finish

Pro: Semi-gloss is a good compromise between the other two finishes. Semi-gloss works well in most circumstances because it mitigates the negative aspects of glossy finish (reflections) and satin finish (less saturation and contrast). Essentially, a semi-gloss finish splits the difference between the “shine” of glossy and the “dullness” of satin.

Pro: Semi-gloss offers flexibility of location. If you are not sure where you are going to hang your print or want future flexibility of location, choose semi-gloss because it will look great just about everywhere. 

Con: Semi-gloss still has some reflections (but not nearly as distinct nor as potentially distracting as glossy) and has a little less “pop” than glossy.

It depends. Each finish looks great. Each finish has advantages and disadvantages. Which is best for you depends on personal preference, characteristics of the image, and where your prints will be displayed. 

These are our typical finish recommendations based upon print size:

• Print size up to 24x36: glossy or semi-gloss
• Print size over 24x36: semi-gloss or satin

Our typical recommendations based on print location relative to windows: