Damien Symonds

Just to clarify this ... as long as the print files were sRGB. If they were another colour space, they might be bad.

No no no. You don't need new prints. Whatever prints you have are fine, as long as they're from your usual lab. If you don't have prints, order them RIGHT NOW, because you can't calibrate until you have them in your hand. Calibrate the minute your equipment arrives, and let me know how it goes.

@Michelle Zeiss, talk to me. In what way does your screen not match your prints?

Great.

I think it's lovely, but you'll need to mask it off the window frames.

Have you ever seen this? https://www.damiensymonds.net/magic-fairy-dust-tutorial.html

Yeah, that's better for sure. Can you link me to examples?

I wonder if that hand itself needs to be a bit darker? The same way the floor is a bit darker closer to the camera.

Oh, I see what you mean. No, less shadow I'd assume.

The hand nearest us still looks pretty "floaty", doesn't it?

Yeah, I think so.

Hey, slow down, wait until we've finished editing it!

Oh, what bad luck!!!

Ok. Follow the Troubleshooting part of my calibration instructions.

Information about selecting prints here: https://www.damiensymonds.net/cal_starthere.html

Sorry, isn't that what you were asking me? Whether to try the local place?

Can you put your hand on your heart and SWEAR it's not because the light in your room is too yellow/orange? That is the MOST common cause of this problem.

Gosh yes. Definitely get some test prints at the local place.

The thing about editing in sRGB is, it's difficult. It's much easier to edit in a big colour space and pretend that real-world issues like colour blowouts don't exist. But they DO exist of course, and they bite you on the ass when you actually go to output your images, either in print or elsewhere.

ALL work must be done in sRGB. From beginning to end. Any advice to the contrary must be disregarded immediately.

Hi @Raeplunk10, I've moved your post into Brian's forum because he's the expert in this matter. He's the expert in these matters. But I urge you to read the very last paragraph in this article. (Well, read the whole article, but especially the last paragraph.)

Hi Lisa, remind me which calibrator you have?

No, see, this is your problem. You're trying to work this out like it's mathematics. I bet you're a terrible editor! The only "mathematics" that matters is that calibration number. If your screen matches your prints at 65cd/m2 brightness, your room is too dark. It's that simple.

That is SUCH a good question. I've always flattened first, just to be safe.

No. No. You're looking for complexity where none exists. You need a brighter room, that's all. https://www.damiensymonds.net/2012/01/light-around-your-computer.html