printing a transparent background

[sheeptaurus]

Is it possible to edit photos so that the background is transparent?? ie no ink is used.

I like to print some of the better photos I take at the archives, mainly maps or text, but it seems to use an awful lot of ink when for example I print a photo of a map I think a lot of ink is used making the background a greyish colour whereas I think unprinted would be fine.
Have tried my printer options, fiddling about in Paint, and have Irfanview but can`t find transparent anywhere.

I know I should be thoroughly modern and just view them on my laptop, but I do like to be able to study them without having the computer on sometimes.
I have a Kodak Verite 55 printer.

Ideas please
Thanks
Jackie

[Gadget]

Hi

Do you mean the below eg of a transformation.  I use Photoshop/Camera Raw and move the sliders for the white and black to maximum. There are other ways but this is fastest.

[guest189040]

The printer will not see transparent, what it sees and prints for each of the 300 dots per inch that it will print is a colour in the range 1 to 155.

The best you can achieve to limit ink use is to convert the image in your App to black and white and then make sure the printer is set to actually print to B&W.

[goldie61]

I've tried this when printing a coloured image of something and I don't want the background.
On photoshop, use lasso tool to cut out what you want, -> Select -> inverse -> edit -> cut.
So you basically cut out the background. I've than flood filled or just used a paintbrush to 'paint' the background white.
When you print it out on paper, the printer just prints the coloured cut out image.
I haven't tried to print anything like that as an actual photo - ie on photographic paper, but seems to work on A4 white printer paper.

[Gadget]

The printer will not see transparent, what it sees and prints for each of the 300 dots per inch that it will print is a colour in the range 1 to 155.

The best you can achieve to limit ink use is to convert the image in your App to black and white and then make sure the printer is set to actually print to B&W.

Colin, It will still show the greys and fuzziness as black dots. You have to make all but the black that you want printed as white (see my way above). 
 
Goldie, the magic want or quick select tools would be better than the lasso tool to select a 'background' but the OP is trying to get rid of the markings in old maps for example. This would be difficult with any of these selection tools.

Gadget

[goldie61]

 
 
Goldie, the magic want or quick select tools would be better than the lasso tool to select a 'background' but the OP is trying to get rid of the markings in old maps for example. This would be difficult with any of these selection tools.

Gadget

Think I possibly misunderstood what they were trying to do! 

[andrewalston]

If you don't have Photoshop, look for "contrast" in whatever editing software you have.

There's even one in the mimimal-features Picture Manager in Microsoft Office.

[sheeptaurus]

Many thanks everyone.
Thought I was missing something simple, seems not.
I am trying to achieve what Gadget has achieved. Guess I will have to think about Photoshop.
Thanks for all the help
Jackie

[Gadget]

I don't have Irfanview - I've used PS as long as I can remember -  but if you can change the Mode to grey scale and then adjust levels and contrast/brightness, you should be able to get rid of the greyish fuzziness.

Play around. Unless you do a lot of photos work, Irfanview is pretty good.

Gadget