How do I print a photo on cardstock

[br102]

I am trying to print a photo on cardstock. In pictures I rotated the picture the correct way I want to print, but when I print it is back to the original not rotated. Also having problem with printer accepting the cardstock note card.

[Dragon-Fur]

@br102 

Welcome to the HP User Community.

There are many, MANY HP printer models

Some (most?) - certainly not all  - of these printers will print on Index Card Paper to 200 gsm.

This is not Card Stock - it is "card paper" of a particular weight class.

Some printers that will print on Index card paper can print on different sizes of this paper type.

Mystery / Unknown Printer Model - General Information

Laser printers (lower end machines) are perhaps less likely to support varied paper types, including "card".

"What the printer can do" > Paper Handling > is typically found in category Product Information > Specifications

Laser printers might obscure Paper Handling (supported paper size / types) - instead of Specifications, check in the printer's user manual.

In general, if you are loading paper into the printer, the paper is loaded print side down, narrow sides of the paper front and back.

Orientation - assuming the paper is loaded correctly - has more to do with the application / software you are using to view and submit the job to the printer. 

Recent Community Question / Example

Customer Intent :  Print on Photo Paper

Customer Paper Type Selection = "Photo Paper"

Customer Paper Size Selection =  "4x6 Index Card"

The customer's setup resulted in a conflict.

Why?  The selected paper type and the selected paper size do not match.

The fix for that customer:

Select paper type "Photo Paper"

Select paper size "4x6 inch"  (Select a paper size that does not mention "Index" or "card")

What?!

YOUR Setup will be different to reflect that you do want to use "card" and you do want a particular (supported) paper size.

Select your Paper Type = "Card Paper" / "Thick Paper" / Brochure Paper  -- as available in your printer's driver

Select your Paper Size (Examples) "4x6 inch Index paper" OR "4x6 inch" (no mention of type) OR A4

General Example - HP Smart Windows - Print Photo - A4

HP_Smart_W10_Borderless_Print_A4_B-Day_1

HP Printer Home Page - References and Resources – Learn about your Printer  - Solve Problems

 “Things that are your printer”

When the website support page opens, Select (as available) a Category > Topic > Subtopic

NOTE:  Content depends on device type and Operating System

Categories:  Alerts, Access to the Print and Scan Doctor (Windows), Warranty Check, HP Drivers / Software / Firmware Updates, How-to Videos, Bulletins/Notices, Lots of How-to Documents, Troubleshooting, Manuals > User Guides, Product Information (Specifications), Supplies, and more

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Enter the device type and model name of your HP device

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[br102]

Dragon-Fur your replay about the cardstock paper was helpful. I checked and the cardstock I have is 300 GSM. Pretty sure it is too thick for my printer.  Will return. Next issue is I am trying to make my own Cards from my own paintings. So like a note card that opens up want to print picture on just the front half. The half is approx  5X7. When I try to print the picture it is only about half of the 5X7. I have it at landscape, it is printing the correct way, but only on half that page.  Have 5x7 picked. full page and have also tried fit to page. Chose Specialized paper. What am I doing wrong. Also tried to customize to 5X7  nothing is working. Thanks for any help.

[Dragon-Fur]

@br102 

You are welcome.

You did not mention which of the thousands of HP printer models you have.

Paper size (unfolded)?

OK - a bit more guessing...

IF the photo you want to print is actually "upright" when viewed in Portrait,

If you are opening the card like a book (from the side), and depending on the software you are using, the photo / text / content in your card is in Portrait. 

If the unfolded paper size is supported in the printer,

If the paper type is supported,

If the printer software is installed,

If you are willing to Fit the little photo of the painting to the available space without fighting about the margins (set to no smaller than 1/2 inch in the original document > Export to PDF)...

(then)

It's fairly simple to print your Exported to PDF file in Booklet format using Adobe Reader DC

NOTE:  I use Letter Size > Professional / Brochure paper for most cards - 180 gsm - nice result / folds easily...

Example - Adobe Reader DC - PDF - Booklet - "Letter" paper size

Booklet_Print_9025_PDF_4

What else?

Were it mine to do - and assuming you want the best possible result for pretty painting photos,

Print the Painting photo on 5x7 inch HP Advanced Photo paper (most printers that support Photo Paper support this 250 gsm paper).

If your printer can print Borderless, add that option to your print job.

Create your card however you like - that is with message / content on the inside and perhaps on the back.

Export to PDF / Print in Booklet

Carefully, using double stick tape, attach the photo to the front of the card.

This method has the advantage of letting you use a standard, likely supported paper type (Brochure / Professional) that produces an excellent product (text, images, folds nicely),  and you can print your pretty paintings on photo paper for a nice, clean, professional look - attaching is easy - most double stick tape adheres to both the back of the photo and the paper.

Example - HP Smart - Simple Photo Print - 5x7 - Borderless

HP_Smart_W10_Borderless_Print_5x7_All_6

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Helpful = Yes to say Thank You

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[br102]

Dragon-Fur all the information you sent is helpful have been working on it. But question, I have adobe acrobat reader DC which show on one of your examples but  when I try to open picture with Adobe it says something like not support. Picture could have been sent through an email etc can't open.  It was never a part of an email. When I tried a different way going to the adobe file and clicking on convert file to PDF it switches over to I need to sign up for a subscription of approximately 179.99 annually. Oh I have an HP deskjet 4300 series. a 2655. Unfolded paper size is (I just sent it back) but approximately 7 x 10 )  So I will be printing either landscape or portrait depending on picture and which way the card will open. I saw online, looking for a free PDF software some thing called  PDFsimpli.com  I am not sure how much I will use this,  this is a hobby but not everyone wants a canvass, so cards are an option.  I know on my Adobe I can open, sign PDF files but does not look like I can convert.  Have tried opening with Paint but again can not convert to PDF file. 

Am I just doing something wrong (which is entirely possible) or do I need a PDF software. One other thing confusing I also texted to Adobe I had Adobe on my computer, the app says Adobe Acrobat DC, he sent me a link to the free Adobe Readeer. But when it downloaded to my computer it comes up the same Adobe Acrobat DC. probably just short cut but does not say Reader on it at all. Again as you can tell not real computer savvy. Have been retired a while. Thanks for all our help.

[Dragon-Fur]

@br102 

You are welcome...

Document creation, converting data, printing, and card making is a big subject, particularly for a novice.

I am generally not your best choice to ask how to "simplify" any task.  Smiling.

Comments - Typed on the fly - Forgive any missing points, exaggerations, or downright errors...

If you can open a file with Paint, it is a photo / image file - it is not a PDF file.

It's that simple.

Pictures open in Paint or Photos, or other photo / image editing and printing software (programs).

PDF documents open in Adobe Acrobat (full versions), Adobe Reader DC (free and paid versions).  PDF files can also be opened in other programs that understand the PDF format.  HP Smart, for example, can open, view, and print a PDF file.

"I have adobe acrobat reader DC which show on one of your examples but  when I try to open picture with Adobe it says something like not support. Picture could have been sent through an email etc can't open.  It was never a part of an email.

The error message is trying to guess what is wrong with the file - sometimes sending a file through an email program might impact what happens to the file when it is received.  In this case, the message is useless in the context of learning anything about the actual problem.

Important:

PDF is a document format that is generally the result of an original document having been converted to PDF.

For example, the original document might be created in Office software, perhaps Microsoft Word.

Word documents, that is, a document created using Microsoft Word, can be printed from within the Word software program.

Caveat:  The Full Feature Software for the printer must be installed to print Word documents.

Office Software, including Microsoft Word can be used to create documents.  Documents can be comprised of many types of content, including (and not limited to), text, images, tables (charts), table of contents, footers / headers.  For example, Word can be used to create a document that includes both message(s) (text) and picture(s) (photo). 

Word can print in "booklet" format - printing in Booklet can turn your document into a printed card:  Print the file in Booklet format, fold the paper, and Poof!  A card.

Word documents can be Exported (saved to) a PDF file format.

When a document is saved as (converted to) PDF, many of the characteristics from the original file are "still in" the PDF file.  For example, the PDF file will look the same (or at least similar) as the original document.  The document margins might be the same (or similar), the text and pictures from the original document will be in the PDF file.

Unless you have the appropriate PDF editing software, you cannot edit a PDF document.  That said, Basic PDF documents are useful - and are primarily used to view, copy, print, scan, and send along to someone else so that person can view (read), copy, print, scan, or save the PDF file.    PDF files can printed in Booklet format - this turns your PDF file with it's text and pictures into a tiny book.  Print the file in Booklet format, fold the paper, and Poof!  A card.

What about OCR - Optical Character Recognition - Software?

Read article:  7 best OCR software for Windows 10/11 [2022 Guide] 

We are a long way from how to print a photo on cardstock (original question).

The take-away...

Photos, that is, image files can be viewed, scanned, printed, possibly edited, using software that understands Photo files.  Examples of this kind of program:  Paint, Photos, Irfanview (free photo editing / printing software).

Original Documents can be created using Word or other "Office" type software.  Documents can be comprised of pretty much whatever you can type, insert (images, tables, other files), format, and "create".

There are software packages that you can purchase to help you create cards.   My advice:  READ before deciding to purchase card making software.   Confused?  Read some more - don't run out and purchase card making software because it sounds easy, looks pretty in the website, or promises grand results.  Read what other say who have used the same software.

After you have your document created using whatever software you have to create documents (for example, Word),

then it is time to decide whether you want / need to Export to PDF to print, save, and / or send the file to someone else.

Printing PDF files is generally easy and there are the more obvious free choices to do this:

Adobe Reader DC

and / or

HP Smart for Windows

=========================================================================

Good Luck.

Google -- or your favorite search engine -- is your friend in this instance.

Read, ask questions, read some more, ask more questions - refer back to what you have learned.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Helpful = Yes to say Thank You

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"