oldseadog43kc Loc: Kansas City, Mo.

Recently installed a new monitor, monitor has been calibrated, use outside source for most printing, use various Lightroom versions for editing… my question relates to the lighting in the room where I edit. Lots of sunlight though I can shut the blinds and can edit in the evening if that matters, bright incandescent bulb in an overhead fixture. What is the optimal lighting setup if I could configure the room [light source behind, in front of or overhead relative to the monitor]and lighting? Thanks in advance for your feedback.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

It's not really what lighting that is important it's that it's NOT mixed lighting, and that it's constant. So it's the same day or night or mid day. That's the optimal lighting. Also, for the best lighting a neutral gray paint on your walls etc. No bright colors surrounding your photo editing area. Also, calibrating your monitor in that lighting. You don't just calibrate once and done. You must calibrate every couple of weeks or so in the lighting conditions you are editing in.

That said, most people that do this as a hobby aren't going to go to those extremes to edit photos. So just get yourself one or two good monitors, and a calibration tool, close the drapes, turn on one light and go.

oldseadog43kc Loc: Kansas City, Mo.

Thanks … great practical suggestions. Photography is a hobby that I want to do well.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

This is nonsense. The colors the monitor displays are not influenced by the room's lighting or the color of the walls.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

No, but your perception of the monitor colors CAN BE influenced by light temperature and wall colors.

ggab Loc: ?

Your perception of the monitor colors "WILL BE INFLUENCED" by the light temp and wall colors.
Fluorescent vs incandescent vs LED also affect how you will perceive colors.

tcthome Loc: NJ

If your that concerned , Keep the blinds shut & get yourself some daylight bulbs. I use the xrite i1display pro calibrator & have it set to adjust the monitor for ambient room lighting every 10 minutes which is probably overkill if I kept the blinds shut during the day. Have fun , Tom

oldseadog43kc Loc: Kansas City, Mo.

Thanks to those who took the time to understand the question and provide constructive advice.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

As the first step in the calibration process, My Spyder system analyzes the ambient lighting and accounts for it when applying corrections to my display. The instructions even make reference to maintaining similar lighting during subsequent work. That said, best practice has for years called for lower ambient light levels when using a display than when doing other "desk work," (50 lumens or so vs. 80-100) and elimination of any glare from the screen. Your eye-brain system will adjust to the most prominent light that it receives and processes. For editing, that needs to be the light generated by the image on the monitor.

And...I know that there is a lot of hypersensitivity here to references to aging effects. But the simple fact is that as we get older, our eyes, along with our ears, are the first organs that lose optimum function. Coupled with the fact that about 35% of us have less than perfect color vision to start out (mostly either red/green or pastel), color assessment is iffy in the best of situations.

International standards specify both lighting levels and background wall colors and brightness, along with several other parameyers, for critical color assessment and judgement work

oldseadog43kc Loc: Kansas City, Mo.

At 76 years of age and having worn trifocals for 30 years my perception is a struggle. Regular calibration and a uniform environment will need to be implement. Thanks.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

Not true. Your perception of colors are highly influenced by the room lighting (color temperature) and the color temperature of the light reflected off the walls is altered by the color of the walls. Remember, you are not just looking at your monitor, you are looking at your monitor in the context of your surroundings.

marty wild Loc: England

Get black out blinds this solves everything

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

What's nonsense is your total lack of knowledge of the subject as proven by your post. Lighting in the editing environment will absolutely effect outcome unless you control the ambient lighting and always perform you edits under the same conditions. There's a bit more to this, but starting with color balancing (correcting) your monitor, setting a proper brightness and using the proper icc profiles for making prints (or having prints made for you) is a great start. It may seem silly and it might even seem insurmountable, but with a little actual knowledge (read the Red River website) and a calibration tool (Spyder or XRite) and some actual practice, it gets a lot easier. Before you just blow this off, I suggest you learn about it and try it, as your results will be better prints, no matter who makes them . Best of luck.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

JohnR Loc: The Gates of Hell

This is another one of those "its your choice" subjects. What may be right for others may not be right for you so there is little value in considering the opinions of others. IMHO