TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

Did you check the box telling them not to adjust your images?

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

No, didn't know there was such a box.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

There are many elements that can influence image tone and general allover quality in monochromatic printing, some are paper quality, ink absorbency, the actual base color of the paper, paper/ink combinations, paper surface (matte. luster, high gloss, etc,) and the range and quality of the original file. Of course, a more sophisticated printer with multiple inks or pigments in each colr and grayscale gradations will help, however simple adjustments in warmth, neutral tones, or cooler rendition can be may on any decent printer providing the information contained in the post-processed file and the viewing screen is properly calibrated with the printer. Even if the first test print is unsatisfactory, correction can be made to accommodate taste.

Even on the simple 3-in-1 printer in my office, I can simulate many of the image tones I produced in the old wet darkroom with various paper/developer combinations and toners. For those who remember the darkroom and the various papers like, Medalist, Opal, Ektalkure, GAF Indiatone, Cycoria, Ansco Jet, and all those Agfa types, Dektol, Selectol, and Selectol Soft developers and tones like Nelsons' Gold, Kodak Brown, Blue Sepia, and Selenium- all of those looks and effect are possible simply by adjusting the color sliders. You don't need to worry about contrast grades- all easily adjusted in PP. No more "rotten egg" odors, and messy bleach and re-develop procedures.

If you have the budget and do lots of fine printing, a printer with multiple inks or pigments in each color and shade is an asset in that you can achieve better delicate gradation of colors and tones.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Thanks Ed. I have been very pleased with the B&W prints from my Epson R3000 with its 9 inks. I rarely print in colour. I will report back on the book B&W images once I hear from Blurb.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

I use Blurb exclusively to print books and just got one back. I never change any color settings, I simply send from LrC. I had some color prints and some black and white prints in the current book. All turned out great. I would guess that the Blurb printing process is at fault on this one. They have been, for me, very good to help out when I have called them, which has only been about slow shipping so far.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Thank you. That's good to know. I have been pleased with them up to this point too.

TheShoe Loc: Lacey, WA

It is there and, if not checked, they apply some of what they call optimizing to the prints. IIRC, it says something about the photos having professionally processed.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Here's the reply I received from Blurb. I think it's ridiculous since I have printed several books with Blurb with no problem on printing B&W, so that tells me they can do properly. I haven't yet received the replacement book so that will be interesting. Here's what they said:

"Some color shift is normal for print on demand since we use color printers for all our printing. We don't use a dedicated black and white press so black and white images may not print totally neutral.

Our press operators can't check for slight color shifts since they don't keep the originals at hand and also work at a very fast pace. They simply can't give you the kind of color control that you might get when printing individual images at a high-end photo lab or via a traditional offset run.

That said, I'm willing to try a reprint because it might help. I've ordered a replacement copy for you."

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

The are not using any kind of inkjet printer. When they mention "press" they are talking about some kind of 4-color offset printing which is not directly receiving your edited file. Some printers call that "library" quality as opposed to high-rez. It ain't bad but it doesn't have the same finite controll. They someties gang print jobs with the work of other customers and the colors are not totaly accurate.

I am not familiar with the company so this is just a guess as to waht happened or what the problem is.

I have had some of my work printed that way for various clients. Usually the black and white images are neutral or slightly warm but sometmes it is the luck of the draw.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Thanks Ed. I guess I had just been lucky up until this latest book. But it makes me reluctant to do another one.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Just received the replacement book and the B&W photos are now acceptable. In comparing the two books, the first book had blown-out areas on the B&W images which did not exist on the original files. In the second book, those blown-out areas had been eliminated - along with the blue cast.