Advise: Underexposed Images When Printed
Jul 26, 2016 08:21:49 #
I have submitted some wildlife images for our community quarterly newsletter that, although appearing perfectly exposed on my computer screen, are 1-2 f stops underexposed in the newsletter (4 color printing). I send them in highest resolution JPEG. The prints in the newsletter are usually small, e.g., 2x3". Before I contact the commercial printer to help resolve this issue I would appreciate any advise from my my smart and knowledgeable friends on UHH. This is an example of what I send (Great Blue Heron close-up in full sun) - and my Mac screen brightness is in the mid position. THANK YOU!
Jul 26, 2016 08:28:01 #
Nothing wrong with that exposure. The fault must lie with the printer.
Jul 26, 2016 08:33:45 #
Thank you! Is there a method/technique I can suggest to the commercial printer so his "printer" and my computer are at the same exposure level? And it seems that the smaller the print the darker the image.
Jul 26, 2016 08:36:30 #
Dr J wrote:
Thank you! Is there a method/technique I can suggest to the commercial printer so his "printer" and my computer are at the same exposure level? And it seems that the smaller the print the darker the image.
Cannot help you there! Hoggers?
Jul 26, 2016 08:50:14 #
Leitz
Loc: Solms
Dr J wrote:
Is there a method/technique I can suggest to the commercial printer so his "printer" and my computer are at the same exposure level?
Best to acknowledge where the fault lies, and ask the printer what you can do to produce files they can print properly.
Jul 26, 2016 08:55:08 #
The logical thing to do - thanks. I am new to this and just want to make sure I am not missing something when I call him/her.
Jul 26, 2016 09:23:29 #
Leitz
Loc: Solms
Dr J wrote:
The logical thing to do - thanks. I am new to this and just want to make sure I am not missing something when I call him/her.
The solution is sure to be simple. Good luck!
Jul 26, 2016 09:42:06 #
A couple things you can (should?) do if you are going to produce prints on a consistent basis is one, get a printer profile from whoever does your prints regularly. But even before that, pick up a monitor 'calibration' package like Spyder or Colormonki. These help you set up a profile for your monitor so that what you see on the monitor is at the same brightness, contrast, color saturation, etc. as what your camera saw. Usually you find that that your own screen settings are giving you a skewed view so when you have it looking right on YOUR computer, it's really off on other screens that are calibrated correctly. Which will also show up when the image is printed.
Jul 26, 2016 09:55:09 #
Jul 26, 2016 10:05:55 #
The solution might be as simple as adjusting the exposure of the JPEG you send to compensate for the difference between the monitor version and printed version.
That is a pretty standard practice when printing with inkjet printers, I don't know about the 4 color process.
That is a pretty standard practice when printing with inkjet printers, I don't know about the 4 color process.
Jul 26, 2016 10:17:27 #
Thank you rwilson 1942!! I thought of that too but hoping there might be a more consistent/precise way to do it. I always have to "lighten" my images when I print them on my HP inkjet.
Jul 26, 2016 10:59:48 #
rwilson1942 wrote:
The solution might be as simple as adjusting the exposure of the JPEG you send to compensate for the difference between the monitor version and printed version.
That is a pretty standard practice when printing with inkjet printers, I don't know about the 4 color process.
That is a pretty standard practice when printing with inkjet printers, I don't know about the 4 color process.
Yep. You nailed it. Expose to compensate for printer error.
Jul 26, 2016 12:04:25 #
Picdude wrote:
pick up a monitor 'calibration' package like Spyder or Colormonki.
After taking a Lightroom B&W class, I for a Spyder kit and was amazed re the brightness differences between my two monitors and the color casts on the NVIDIA standard settings.
Jul 26, 2016 13:32:10 #
Dr J wrote:
I have submitted some wildlife images for our comm... (show quote)
I out source my images to a color lab, and still they come back dark. I realize that the image on my monitor is "backlit" and will always appear brighter than the print, so I send my JPEG's out with a brightness that is 15% brighter. It is the lower mid tones that make the printed images look darker. I boost the mid tones in LR using the shadow slider. Finally I send with my images a note to " not make the images dark". The printer adjusts the color as well as the density, which means they generally increase that blacks which makes the image look dark, leaving little or no definition or detail in the blacks. LR and photoshopCC have different algorithms. when you set your image in LR then go to photoshopCC, you most often notice that the white levels are not the same. It isn't color correction/WB as much as black and white levels. Hope this helps. If you are doing your own printing then by all means use the printers ICC profile and then boost the the mid tones.
Jul 26, 2016 13:36:51 #
Picdude wrote:
A couple things you can (should?) do if you are go... (show quote)
One thing that confuses me using the colormonki, is that you have to set the screen brightness to "DEFAULT" to this date I have not found how to do that. Even with the Colormonki I have to boost brightness before printing.
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