What kind of paper do you like to print on, from which maker, and why? It doesn't have to be just paper, if you like metallic prints or something else, tell about it!
For a while, my favorite paper was Epson Premium Luster, because it had this great sheen and contrast that suited a lot of my subject matter. But recently, I've discovered Canson Infinity, and decided to try something altogether new, so I bought a couple A4 25-sheet packs of Arches Aquarelle and Velin Museum rag... Wow.
The Velin rag is probably one of the best matte papers I've ever used, despite the soft textured surface, this paper is fully capable of resolving even the tiniest details; I also love the warm tone it gives off. Photos from my 5D2, processed in PS and sharpened with Nik Sharpener, printed via Epson R2400 were so crisp and detailed that I think I should either buy a loupe or print much bigger. The Aquarelle rag is basically the same paper, but with a much larger and rougher texture, that I think would work well on larger images (no smaller than 17x20" for sure).
Next on my to-try list is the Platine paper, to see if it's significantly better than my Luster paper, which I fully expect to be so. I'm really impressed with the Canson stuff so far, but which paper has left you with an impression?
But I agree on the "card" aspect, so far when I've handed anyone a piece of paper that doesn't flex, the impression was generally guaranteed to be positive. Protip: If a paper has a 2xxgsm and 3xxgsm version, get the heavier one...you're already paying $1.50 a sheet, you bourgeois.
