My prints are coming out like photos that resemble solarisation from the wet darkroom era.

You need to start with photo glossy paper that's designed for an Epson printer. HP paper may not work well, and some other papers don't work either. Try some Epson paper, and that should work fine.
You can also try other paper settings, such as "transparency" or "matte paper", as the paper setting governs how much ink is laid down. I think getting the right paper is really what you need, though. Ink "puddling" is a common Epson complaint, and it's almost always the paper.

Just click below;


Set Up the Printer Hardware
Remove packing materials, check contents of the box, connect the power cord, set the menus, load paper, and install the print cartridges. » Product Specifications
Minimum system requirements, connectivity, print cartridges, specifications for print, copy, paper, print margins, paper tray capacity, memory card, scan, physical size, power, and ... » Printing Instructions for 4 x 12 and 5 x 7 Inch Paper
Generic printing instructions. » Creating Borderless Photo Prints with the HP All-in-One Software
... 4 by 6-inch photo paper with tab (snapshot paper) ... Remove the paper from the paper tray and load the snapshot paper. Insert tabbed paper with the perforated, tear-off ... Click Photo Prints . The HP Photo Prints window will appear. ..
hope this may help;

Regards,
VOTIT

Well, it would be good to know why the photos are not good quality... like blurry or bad color or? Are you using a good paper? I have great luck with Canon glossy, and love the matte paper from Staples. Matte is actually easier and all around better color saturation, I find. I guess that you are using too much saturation of ink... see if your dialog box for printer options has a way to make saturation less intense. Also, I assume you are using the same dialog box to choose the type of paper. That is important, since different papers absorb ink at different speeds and amounts. I hope that helps... keep trying!

I suggest that you clean the inkhead with a wet paper cloth (just a little amount of warm water . enough to make the paper cloth wet).

Remember to remove the inkhead before wiping it with the paper cloth. After that, let it dry and put it back in. Try printing.

If you're printing on photo paper, make sure you are printing on the correct side. Most photo paper has only one side to print on, the other side is a non-porous backing, and ink will sit on the surface until it dries (15 - 30 minutes, depending on temperature and humidity). And it won't look good even when it dries.

If you're printing on the correct side, try a different brand/type of photo paper.

Check the printer settings on your computer.If you print a photo on photo paper you have to select photo paper on the printer media type settings.

The print nozzles (on the cartridge) need cleaning. Pop the cart. out and use a wet warm paper towel to wipe the bottom of the cartridge. Dry with some more towels, reinstall and run the "clean cartridge function". If that doesn't fix it you will have to replace cartridge.

(1) Most photopaper is made to be printed on one side only. Check to see that you are printing on the correct side. (2) You mention new cartridges. Are they the same brand as cartridges you've used before? If they're a different brand, you may want to try whatever worked before.

I'm not sure that there is a problem here.  The correlation between print speed and print quality, 
especially on InkJet printers, is a negative one.  That is, the higher the quality setting, the lower 
the speed. So, if you're selecting the greatest quality for your print option you will suffer the 
lowest output speed.  This is because the printer is taking time to ensure that it prints each 
minute detail onto the page.
 
If you are looking to keep the quality optimal, one solution may be to select a different grade of 
photo paper (or perhaps one with a different coating [matte, semi, gloss]) and test to see if you 
can lower the quality setting on these higher-end paper types and still achieve your desired 
results.

To get what you want from your printing paper, you will have to consider what you like in a print, 
how you intend to use your prints, and what you are willing to pay to achieve this at home. 
Some things to think about include: paper thickness, color brilliance and resistance to fading. 



1. Paper Thickness
When it comes to paper thickness, paper that resembles the look and feel of traditional prints 
will be the best if you like to print a lot of photos and pass them around. Thick paper just feels 
right in your hands and will also stand up better to handling. However, if you are going to put 
the majority of your photos straight into an album, a thinner paper may work just as well for you.



2. Color Brilliance
To ensure the photo paper you purchase produces good color, you can purchase small sheaves 
of a short list of photo papers which you think will suit you. Next, print a series of colorful test 
photos on each to see which has the best color. If you can incorporate colorful photos that also 
have prominent straight lines and people in them, you will also be able to check the quality of 
sharpness and skin tones in the same test.



3. Resistance to Fading
Always try to check the resistance of the paper to fading. Simply take your batch of test photos 
and tape them to the window that gets the most sunlight throughout the day. Then, before you 
go in to pick up a batch of replacement paper, check to see which photos, if any, are showing 
signs of fading. Any paper that shows signs of fading in this short time frame should be avoided.



4. Changing Your Ink

It is also important to remember that any time you change ink for your printer, you may find 
yourself getting dramatically different results.

all the dx /cx range do this when printed on the high quality settings you just have to let ink dry about half hour or use a lower seting when you print on gloss paper hope this helps