Why I Print My Fine Art Photographs on Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308g/m²

A House With Over 440 Years of History

When I choose a medium for my photographs, I am not simply looking for paper. I am looking for a partner that understands what art is. Hahnemühle is exactly that. On February 27, 1584, the Duke of Brunswick authorised the establishment of a paper mill in Relliehausen, near Solling, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Since then, the manufactory has never stopped producing at the same location. Today, Hahnemühle is an international premium manufacturer, synonymous with quality, innovation and expertise, and has been named Germany's Brand of the Century for the fourth time.

This is not a marketing argument. It is a philosophy passed down from generation to generation, one I find in every single print.

100% Cotton, Zero Compromise

The Photo Rag 308g/m² is not an ordinary photo paper. It is made from 100% cotton and contains no optical brighteners, which gives it a natural whiteness and a subtle texture that brings great finesse to the rendering of images.

Why cotton rather than wood pulp? Because cotton does not yellow over time, does not become brittle, and withstands changes in humidity. A print on this paper can last for decades without losing its integrity. This is what museum-grade quality means, the same standard required by major institutions for their permanent collections

What 308g Changes in Practice

Grammage is the weight of the paper per square metre. 308g is thick. Very thick. To put it in perspective, a standard copy sheet is 80g, and a typical photo paper sits between 200 and 250g.

This high grammage brings three essential qualities to my photographs. Rigidity first: the print holds straight, does not curl, and sits in the frame with authority. Ink retention next: at this thickness, the matte coating absorbs pigments deeply, with no glossy or plastic-like surface effect. And finally the physical sensation: when a collector holds the work in their hands, they immediately feel that this is not an ordinary print.

Black and White: Where This Paper Truly Excels

I work primarily in black and white, and that is precisely why I chose this medium. The Photo Rag's premium matte inkjet coating delivers deep blacks, strong contrast and perfect detail rendering.

On glossy paper, black is deep but artificial it comes from the varnish, not the ink. On the Photo Rag, blacks are absorbed into the cotton fibre. The result is closer to a classic silver gelatin print, with that organic depth that cannot be replicated on a synthetic support. The very fine and supple surface structure of the Photo Rag is remarkably well-suited to black and white photography, delivering a great sense of depth. That is exactly what I look for in my series.