The rise of the printer
It used to be so simple. Once, there was very
little choice if you wanted a printer. Generally,
the same manufacturer made the only printer
available for a particular computer model. Now,
however, we are spoilt for choice. Printers are
ubiquitous.



This has partially been driven by
improvements in technology. However, the
biggest infl uence on the rise of the printer
has been digital photography. Interest in
photography is booming like never before. It’s
only natural that photographers want to be able
to make a permanent, physical copy of their
favorite images.



Printers allow a photographer
to control every aspect of image making, from
initial exposure through to the fi nal print. Not
so very long ago this level of control was only
available to those who were willing to spend
hours in a darkroom.



This book is an introductory guide to
printers and printing. It is biased more toward
image-making with inkjet printers, but there is
more general information about the concept
of printing to be found too. As much as I like
seeing images on screen, there is nothing more
satisfying than looking at a well-crafted print.
Creating a print is an art in itself, but it is an art
that can be learnt and, for the satisfaction it
brings, is well worth learning.