A method for applying an ink image to a receiving material using a printer containing a carriage holding a print head, the carriage being moveable along a carriage scan-axis for applying the ink image to a strip of receiving material, transporting means for stepwise advancing the receiving material in a direction of advance, which extends to a direction substantially orthogonal to the carriage scan-axis, and a camera mounted on the carriage adjacent to the print head for detecting a reference pattern, wherein the camera is arranged for imaging an area which extends in the direction of advance, said method including the steps of: moving the carriage for printing a swath in a direction wherein the camera is positioned upstream to the print head, detecting the position of a reference pattern on the receiving material relative to the carriage, determining deviations in said position from a desired position, and adjusting the position of the receiving material in the direction of advance for at least partially correcting for the deviations during the movement of the carriage.