Calibration & Test Prints-February

[Sarah Neese]

Hi Damien,  

 

I went to calibrate and compare against my test prints and I've noticed that my prints are lacking red in the print but not on my screen.  I'd like to make the appropriate adjustments and reprint some test prints to make sure colors are right on but I don't know if I should change the settings post calibration in Spyder under the tab you can change the levels of color/brightness/gamma, etc.? 

[Sarah Neese]

The other colors are right on but its red thats lacking in the prints. 

 

[Damien Symonds]

Are you noticing this in every print, or only some?

[Sarah Neese]

In the new set of test prints I just received...every one. (I ordered from a few different labs because I was looking at switching) 

[Damien Symonds]

So the reds are lacking from every lab?

In every photo?

[Sarah Neese]

Yes

[Damien Symonds]

Ok, can you post a couple of the photos?

[Sarah Neese]

[Damien Symonds]

21 minutes ago, Sarah Neese said:

Gosh, I would have expected the cyans to be more of a problem than the reds in this photo.

Do any of your labs provide soft-proofing profiles?  Have you tried them?

[Sarah Neese]

I'm not sure. I'll have to ask.  

[Sarah Neese]

Labs are closed today but I did find this when I did a search. https://www.hhcolorlab.com/Portals/0/SUPPORT/Color_Management/Soft_Proofing/SoftProofingProfiles.pdf

 

I have no idea what preset or options I should choose though. 

[Damien Symonds]

Did you also find the profiles?

[Sarah Neese]

Yep!

[Damien Symonds]

Whoa!  Oh hell NO.  NEVER change your PS colour settings from "North America General Purpose 2".

No, there should be actual profiles to download. Small ICC files.

https://www.damiensymonds.net/2010/03/bit-about-soft-proofing.html

[Sarah Neese]

I think I found it?

[Damien Symonds]

Perfect.

[Sarah Neese]

Ok, got the ICC Profile in there, soft proof saved for that one type of media (since they have different profiles for each type of print media).  For the color settings, do I follow their exact recommendations even though it changes the settings from NAGP2 to Custom? 

[Damien Symonds]

No no no no no.  Don't touch the Color Settings at all.  They are completely irrelevant.  Just do the soft-proofing, per my article.

[Sarah Neese]

Got it and did it! 

[Damien Symonds]

Terrific.  And did it bring the on-screen image any closer to the prints?

[Sarah Neese]

Unfortunately not to how I would want it to be.  Part of it is that it didn't print as bright as I hoped it would so I needed to make adjustments there.  I think I just need to reprint some test prints again, especially to ensure brightness is accurate as well.  There's still more red tones on the screen vs on the print.  

[Damien Symonds]

Bummer.

Are you SURE all the other colours are ok?  Especially the neutrals?

[Sarah Neese]

Absolutely, especially when comparing print to screen of the camping set up (tent/hammock/middle of fire).  The neutrals are right on.  I'm hoping lack of brightness is part of the issue.  The prints just look more dull than they do on my screen.  Definitely more red on the screen and more yellow on the print.  

[Damien Symonds]

If your screen is too bright, that would be wonderful.  That's an easy fix.  Calibrate again with lower brightness.

[Sarah Neese]

I don't think it was bright enough...the prints were darker than I would want them to be.  Going to recalibrate at a brighter screen, and just print a few test prints to confirm and peace of mind.