printing pictures

[keller]

The wife and me have stumbled upon a printing issue.


When she does a little post processing to the picture she claims that the picture gets a little to much enhanced at the printing place, which makes her photosa little to "bright" for her liking. We've actually had the same photo enhance and not enhanced at the printing place. I don't mind the enhanced version, she likes the version she sees on her mac.


Is there any software out there that will allow her to see onher macwhat the printed version is going to look like?


thanks....


keller

[Daniel Browning]

Is there any software out there that will allow her to see onher macwhat the printed version is going to look like?


No.


The best solution is to direct the printer to stop enhancing the photos. All of the places where I live have a little checkbox that you have to mark if you want them to disable automatic enhancement (Wal-Mart, Costco, Walgreens, etc.). If it's a paper form, sometimes they will miss the checkbox and do the enhancements anyway, so it helps to verbally mention it to the person behind the counter.


If you have too much difficulty getting the printing place to follow instructions about not applying automatic enhancement, I suggest using a different printing place. My favorite is WHCC.com.


Even with automatic enhancement disabled, I should mention that it is very difficult (and often impossible) to get prints to exactly match what you see on the screen. But it doesn't sound like that's your problem here.


Kind regards and good luck.

[Sean Setters]

The best solution is to direct the printer to stop enhancing the photos. All of the places where I live have a little checkbox that you have to mark if you want them to disable automatic enhancement (Wal-Mart, Costco, Walgreens, etc.). If it's a paper form, sometimes they will miss the checkbox and do the enhancements anyway, so it helps to verbally mention it to the person behind the counter.


Actually, the Walgreens and Walmart here (and even when you submit orders online) don't give you the option to choose whether or not the picture gets "auto-enhanced." It's done by default; you actually have to call them and ask them to turn it off for your order.

[keller]

Even with automatic enhancement disabled, I should mention that it is very difficult (and often impossible) to get prints to exactly match what you see on the screen. But it doesn't sound like that's your problem here.


Thanks for the reply...


I would say this is her problem. She likes what she sees on the computer, but once she gets the printed version, she does not like the way printed version of the photo it came out....things are darker, things are lighter, looks dull.... She just wants the "correct" version of what she sees on her computer screen.


How would one know how far to go with editing a photo on the computer to make up the difference from what is going to come out of the printer? In other words, lets say you want a photo to be darker in some areas.Do you go extra dark becauseyou think the printed version might be a little lighter thanwhat you would want?


I keep telling her idon't see a huge difference in the photo compared to what was printed...yetshe ignores me. Oh well, i try.


thanks!!!


keller

[Sean Setters]

Do this: Edit the picture the way you think it will look best. Then get the picture processed; ask for no auto-correction or auto-enhancing. Once you get the print, compare the print to what you see on your screen. Then adjust your screen to look like the print. In a sense, you're calibrating your monitor to what the print will likely look like.


Of course, this procedure isn't very precise, but it might get you in the right ballpark. Keep in mind you'd always have to get your prints from that particular retailer in order for consistent results.

[jamiethole]

Is there any software out there that will allow her to see onher macwhat the printed version is going to look like?


As someone who runs a large format printer that is the $1,000,000 question.


Color management is one of the most dificult tasks I have to deal with.


The main issue is the image she sees on her screen is RGB and the printed image is CMYK.


I'm not sure how you would be able to profile your Mac to mimic the printed images, unless you knew what type of equipment they used to print the photos.


Here's a Wikipedia ("http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_management) article about color management.


Here's a great company ("http://correctcolor.org) to work with if you ever need help with color management.

[coastalkid88]

I would like o start of that so far jamie you are the only one who has had a relavant answer to the question so far.




There are a few steps to solving he problem well start at the most important




1.) You need to color correct you monitor with a device from a company like X-Rite their. eye display 2 is a very reasonable system for around $200.00


This device sets your color to match the lighting conditions of your room
So what you are seeing is accurate.




Step 2.) Go to the local print shop you use and ask them if you can download the color profiles for their
Printers ( they probably have one for each paper type if they are a decent print shop) you must download these profiles to your computer. These profile are then used in photoshop as your color profile when your a editing a picture for glossy paper you would load their glossy profile into photoshop. Photoshop then shows you the image color based on he printers profile. You must save then edited photo as normal




Step 3.) Is to bring the edited photo to your printer ask them specificaly not to modify anything in the process just print them straight off the card
And the results should be better this time






My description is not complete
And their are better devices on the market but this one is very reasonable




I would like to here you results so please reply to the forum or to my email in my profile




Thanks,
Coastal kid88

[Scott]

Keller,


Ask your printer for a photo on paper and on a cd so you can callibrate your monitor to match both. It works pretty well, remember that your printer will need to be callibrated to match if you want to print at home.


Here is a sample I use which matchs' my print people.





Hope it helps





Scott


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[CorrectColor]

"Is there any software out there that will allow her to see onher macwhat the printed version is going to look like?"





"No."





Laughing...





Such an authoritative voice. And such an optimist too. Unfortunately, however, incorrect as well.


The correct answer is: It depends.


What does it depend on?


It depends on how much you want to spend.


Here's the best way for you and the wife to look at it: Computers and all their peripherals are stupid. They have absolutely no idea what colors are; they only understand numbers. And each and every device you pass your color information through is going to interpret the color numbers in your image in its own way. That's your camera, your applications, your monitor, your printer, aunt Suzie's monitor...whatever.


If...you work with first-rate devices and you characterize each one with top-grade software and you install your color path correctly, then yes, you can make your monitor match what you prints. And I should know, it's what I do for a living each and every day.


But--to quote Quint--it ain't gonna be cheap, and it ain't gonna be easy.


And unfortunately, about 95% of the helpful advice you get online will wind up doing you more harm than good.

[rzFoto]

<span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;"]
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="color: black;"]Go to drycreekphoto.com, a company in the business of profiling commercial printers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"]They post individual printer profiles (by store location, at least for Costco) for you to download. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"]They also have very detail information on color management and step-by-step instruction on soft proofing, with Photoshop of cause. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"]The profiles are updated every six months.<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="color: black;"]<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="color: black;"]One thing you need to know is that the prints will never be the same as shown on the monitors, especially the new bright and highly contrasted LED monitors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"]To make it closer (or very close), you can prepare the digital images for printing by adding &frac12; stop or so, increasing the local contrast and sharpening more, to the images otherwise already look good on monitors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"]If you do not have Photoshop, save the photo with sRGB color and DO NOT embed the ICC Profile.<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="color: black;"]<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="color: black;"]Hope this helps.<o:p></o:p>
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[gunslinge]

Maybe it is just the salesman in me, I sell computer equipment, but when I was using film cameras, I found out the hard way that walmart-walgreens suck. That was the best part of digital camera I did not have to go back there ever again. I have my own little hp photosmart ( six color printer ) and print all my own 8.5x11 inch prints. Every bit as good as the 8x10 prints I got from Kodak custom prints 10 to 30 years ago. Better, I have control of the printing, color, croping, brightness, and I do not have to wait, its also cheaper, or deal with stupid people at the stores. When I get ready for larger prints I will either get my own printer ( it helps to get printers at cost though) or find a custom printer place!


The only down falls is that I print far to many prints.

[gunslinge]

ok good wide ( 13x19 ) printers start at $500, think I will fine a place to print the larger size, for as little as I need them.

[jks_photo]

Hi keller,


as previously mentioned in earlier posts there are a few things you can do to make your prints come out closer to what you see on your mac.


Color profiles, monitor color calibrations thats all good. But do remember even with all this you are only half of the equation. The other would be your printer or the place where you get your prints.


What I would suggest is to develop a good "working relation" with the printer [ the person who operates the printing machine] and tell that person your personal preferences for your prints. Tell that person if want it darker, more bluish, yellowish or whatever your preference for a good print is. Sure at first it will be hit and miss but am sure after a while that person will get your preference right and your prints will come out the way you want them.


this for me is the best way. Since I run a photo lab using a noritsu qss32 series printer, based on my experience, the printing machine has the "final" word on what the print is to look like. No matter how much you post process and calibrate your colors, when the machine "reads" the image as yellowish it will print it yellowish unless of course it is "corrected" or "enhanced" by the operator to come come out in the right tones and colors.


So "make friends" with the operator and collaborate with him on how you want your prints to look like. If you've done this you'll win on two counts.


you've gained a friend &amp;


your prints will look just like yopu want them to look.


Hope this helps.