Section 6 paper types Photographic paper for chemical printing is very similar to film, and totally dissimilar to photographic paper for inkjet printers (see page 160). Paper for chemical printing is coated in a light-sensitive emulsion of silver halides, which convert to metallic silver when exposed to light. As with film, these tiny silver particles collect in clusters and appear black; thus forming the tonal range of your image. One side of the paper is slightly shinier than the other side; the shine is created by a layer of emulsion and this side of the paper will capture your image. Just as the growth in photography as an industry, art form and academic and leisure pursuit has boomed, so has the product range available and the range of photographic papers on the market is vast.