# My Printing Photos are Suddenly Looking Like Negatives?



## SeaBreeze (Nov 28, 2015)

Wasting a lot of time today just trying to print out a photo to send in a card.  I've printed a couple of photos in the past, and never had a problem like this.  

I don't know if it matters, but I'm using Windows7 and an HP Envy 4502 printer.  Used this printer before for a full page photo and it came out fine.  So, today I'm trying to print out a small photo using regular printer paper, which is what I used in the past.

Today, every photo I've tried (wasted a lot of ink and paper already, comes out the same...dark colors are light and the result looks like a negative.  Anyone know why this is suddenly happening?  Any advice?  Thanks for any replies.


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## Don M. (Nov 28, 2015)

The only thing that jumps out is a cartridge problem.  You might print out a test page and see if all your colors are being properly printed.  I think this model printer uses the HP61 cartridges, and they, and the HP60's sometimes don't seat properly in their base/mount.  Pull the cartridges, and wipe down the cartridge and printer contacts with a dry q-tip, then try it again.  While you have the color cartridge out, press the nozzle on a clean Kleenex, and see if you see all 3 color stripes....sharply defined, and equal.  You might also visit the HP website, and see if there are any updates to the printer drivers.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 28, 2015)

Thanks Don for your advice!   Well, I put in brand new ink cartridges and the problem is solved.   I didn't think it was the ink because we rarely use the printer, but I remembered that the cartridges that were in there were from when we bought the printer, and as I recall, they weren't full as you would buy in the store.  I was stupid not to do this earlier, and did waste a lot of time thinking it was other things...oh well, my duh moment for today.


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## tnthomas (Nov 28, 2015)

Inkjet printers are a pain, seems like the cartridgesproduce only a small fraction of their rating.   If my wife wants to print some photos to mail, I put them on a usb drive and get them printed at the drugstore.  29 cents each for 5x8's , IIRC.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 28, 2015)

Yeah Thomas, it did cross my mind to just take my SD card from my camera, which still has the picture on it, to my neighborhood Walgreens.  I rarely print photos, usually send them in an email to relatives.


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