Tested a few settings to print photographs with as much resolution as possible. Found out that different clear coat types will print better than others. Conversion varnish is better than Precat. Dark stain is better than light stain. Maple is better than cherry for flatness and grain telegraph.
So I used 1/2" thick hard maple 12x12 boards. Sanded 180 grit then wipe stained with Onxy stain. Sealed and top coated with 35 sheen Aristomax conversion varnish. Print settings were 270 LPI, 15% power, vary power, 800 speed.
In photoshop the only thing done to the original photo was invert. Do this simply by opening the saved pic, hold control and press I. It will invert the picture color values. Now when the laser does its thing the light colors are dark and dark is light.
Nevermind the scorch marks in the Clark’s signs. It wipes off. Just finishing up details now and contemplating if I’m going to glaze the letters white to jump out more.