Printing, Display & Output — 13 Terms Defined

Paper Profile Printing, Display & Output An ICC profile describing how a specific combination of printer, ink and paper reproduces colour.

Paper Weight Printing, Display & Output g/m² The mass of a paper per unit area, used as a rough indication of its substance and rigidity.

Photo Black and Matte Black Printing, Display & Output Two distinct black inks formulated for glossy and matte papers respectively, only one of which can be active at a time on many printers.

Photobook Printing, Display & Output pages A bound sequence of photographs designed to be read as a whole rather than viewed as individual prints.

Pigment Ink Printing, Display & Output Ink in which the colourant is solid particles suspended in a carrier, sitting on the paper surface rather than dissolving into it.

PPI Printing, Display & Output ppi Pixels per inch: the number of image pixels mapped to each inch of output. ppi = pixels / inches

Print Bleed Printing, Display & Output mm Image area extending beyond the intended trim line, so that no unprinted edge appears after cutting.

Print Crop Ratio Printing, Display & Output ratio The proportional relationship between a print's dimensions, which rarely matches a camera's native aspect ratio.

Print Head Alignment Printing, Display & Output A calibration routine that corrects for mechanical offsets in how the print head lays down ink in each direction.

Print Permanence Printing, Display & Output years The expected life of a print before visible fading or colour shift, under stated display conditions.

Print Resolution Printing, Display & Output ppi The density of image pixels mapped onto a printed surface, which together with the file's pixel dimensions determines the print size. Print size = pixels / ppi

Projection Printing, Display & Output lumens Displaying photographs by projecting light through or onto a surface, for audiences rather than individual viewing.

Protective Coating Printing, Display & Output A clear spray, laminate or varnish applied over a print to guard against ultraviolet light, moisture and abrasion.