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I Simonius
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Printing FAQs
I know this is so elementary but I ma going to ask anyway.
Colour space/profile: What Colour space do you have to set before printing?
- I'm guessing sRGB?
- Is it always the same i.e. is there ever any time when it might be different?
8 bit or 16 bit: Do you always print at 8 bit? I have heard that 16 bit printers are coming or exist already so how do you know which bit setting to print at?
TIFF or PSD or JPG: is it best to save as one rather than the other before using for printing?
Adjustments to file during printing: - OK so you get to the print stage and you're printing from a jpg or TIFF file; and the shadows are blocked or whatever you need to make adjustments- do you alter the file you are printing from or go back to the psd file and alter that before saving as TIFF or jpg
How do you do a test strip?: Lets say you want to print a test of three variations of an image - how do you do that? ( a link would be good )
Histogram - what do we need to know? - shuld there always be a bit of total white and total black showing in the histo?
Last edited by I Simonius, 23/Oct/08, 1:40 pm
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23/Oct/08, 1:39 pm
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Bill Allsopp
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Re: Printing FAQs
Ah, a lot of questions and not enough time to answer, In case i forget to come back in here later pm me in a couple of days and I'll try to deal with the issues.
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Bill Allsopp
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23/Oct/08, 2:11 pm
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martinimages
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Re: Printing FAQs
Ok Simon here's some answers
Adobe RGB, Prophoto RGB Colour spaces, better Gamuts than sRGB.
Keep to these spaces always
16bit is best, you will get better tonal range or smoother images plus less artifacts in the print
Better to save as tiff or PSD, don't think you will see a difference in output with all file types as long as you are at 16bit
Alter the file your printing if possible
Us PS Picture package as you can print multiple files on one sheet
Your Histogram will tell you certain things about your file, but as on your camera it does not tell the whole story, often an underexposed file or overexposed file is what you want to print from to give a certain mood to the image, use test prints to give accurate assessment and adjust accordingly
Often the range of a file will go to base white on the paper, this is fine if the transition [gradation is smooth in editing]
Blacks don't look to good if the image becomes blotchy with patches of black, just keep an eye on those areas with your test prints and don't allow it to happen,
Hope this helps
Martin
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23/Oct/08, 5:39 pm
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I Simonius
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Re: Printing FAQs
Thanks Martin
that's corrected a couple of misunderstanding I had straight away!
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23/Oct/08, 6:23 pm
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Bill Allsopp
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Re: Printing FAQs
Well you couldn't want a better answer than that from the maestro. Done the job for me 
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23/Oct/08, 6:35 pm
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I Simonius
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Re: Printing FAQs
I would like more info on these bits if anyone has time:?
Adjustments to file during printing: - OK so you get to the print stage and you're printing from a jpg or TIFF file; and the shadows are blocked or whatever you need to make adjustments- do you alter the file you are printing from or go back to the psd file and alter that before saving as TIFF or jpg
How do you do a test strip?: Lets say you want to print a test of three variations of an image - how do you do that? ( a link would be good)
Histogram - what do we need to know? - shuld there always be a bit of total white and total black showing in the histogram if you want a toatl black and total white in print - because it often looks like you have them on a bright screen like my Aple 20" LCD - but prints can be mushy?
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2/Dec/08, 4:09 pm
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martinimages
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Re: Printing FAQs
Basically Simon, if you have your screen right [calibrated] you should get what is on the screen, However its not a perfect world  . You have the tutorial of mine [i think] you should try and work as it tells you on that, if you do a print and find areas are blocked follow image fix tutorial, don't swoop and change between different files or you will get lost in what you are doing. if it prints out after correction save that as a separate file for print output.
I find test strips are not very good, never did in the wet darkroom, you need the full print to asses correctly, to do this, edit to what you think looks good on screen then use an A4 sheet of paper, the same type of paper that you are going to do your final print on, crop the image to 7x5inch [you can get two test prints from an A4 sheet]and print that out, let it dry then under a normal lighting take a good look at it and see if any adjustments need making, make the adjustments if necessary, print out another 7x5 test this time it should be spot on, continue then to do the large print.
Again, refer to my first point,if you are continually having to adjust using the histogram to get a good print it would suggest that your calibration or your printing method is not quite right, look into that first.
Prints should run from pure black to base paper white, the pure blacks will be in areas that no detail exists, the pure whites the same [falling naturally] if they don't fall naturally then its two things, beyond dynamic range [EV exposure value] and over editing, That's where a test print is so valuable in accessing whats happening and where to go with the edit.
Martin
Last edited by martinimages, 2/Dec/08, 8:28 pm
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2/Dec/08, 8:27 pm
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Bill Allsopp
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Re: Printing FAQs
quote:
martinimages wrote:
......
I find test strips are not very good, never did in the wet darkroom, you need the full print to asses correctly,......
Martin
I'm reassured. I thought it was just me. I've given up on test strips and normally print A4 as my test since I find the compressed size of A5 still difficult to asses; BUT my set up is profiled and although it cost a few quid it was well worth it in the aggravation saved never mind paper and ink.
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http://www.britishlandscapephotographs.co.uk
http://www.billallsopp.co.uk
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2/Dec/08, 8:40 pm
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I Simonius
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Re: Printing FAQs
thanks for the explanations
What about calibration kit?
Colour munki. Spyder?
You need on to calbrate the monitor and the print?
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2/Dec/08, 10:25 pm
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martinimages
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Re: Printing FAQs
I use spyder, mine's a few years old but still works fine
Martin
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2/Dec/08, 10:27 pm
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