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March 06, 2008

[ MORE HANDSOME PRINTS ]

FUSSY PHOTOGRAPHERS, GATHER ROUND. Here is the low-down on making exhibition quality prints on an inkjet printer from digital image files. The unfussy, as we pointed out last week, can get consistent output just by using the automated printing software included with most printers – provided you stick with the manufacturer’s inks and papers. Which you should always do, anyway.

There are some good quality third party papers worth trying. The known brand names – Ilford and Kodak – are trustworthy. And there are some respected names that won’t be so readily recognised. But cheap paper from stationery supply shops, bearing their own brand, won’t do the job.

With inks there is really no choice. For best picture quality and longest print life it is essential to use the printer maker’s own inks.

Derek Mobbs, the man at Epson who knows all about inkjet printing, has produced a number of useful guides to the process that can be downloaded from tech.epson.com.au/downloads It’s a place to start, even if you don’t have an Epson printer.

Derek warns: “Colour management is a complex subject that can take years of study.” Oh dear.

Here is Derek’s method in a nutshell. First, calibrate your monitor. If its colours and tonal range are all over the shop then your chances of making a good print are close to zero. And once having calibrated the monitor do it again once a month for the rest of your life.

There are two ways of calibrating the screen – the subjective squint or the objective hardware method. When Photoshop is installed it puts Adobe Gamma into the system which is an on-screen series of steps that require the user to make some difficult decisions about colour and tone. It’s a bit like using an optometrist’s chart. Hardware calibration, with a device like the Pantone Huey ($79), is a more reliable method.

Then, assuming you are using Photoshop, go to Edit/Colour Settings and make Settings “Europe Prepress 2” and Working Space “Adobe RGB”. If your camera has selectable colour space then set it to Adobe RGB – which is not what most makers recommend.

When you open your image for editing “convert document’s colours to the working space”. (Read Derek’s little manual for Soft Proofing – the best way to preview the print output on screen.)

Now for the printing. Select File/Print (or Print with Preview) and then select File Handling, “Let Photoshop determine colours”. Choose the Printer Profile from a drop down list of profiles identified by printer model number and paper type. This is easy with Epson but harder with Canon because Canon uses mysterious IDs for its paper type. (PR1 = Photo Paper Pro quality level 1; PR2 = Photo Paper Pro quality level 2; SP1 = Photo Paper Plus Glossy and MP1 = Matte Photo Paper quality level 1.)

Rendering Intent can be Perceptual and Black Point Compensation On.

Now get into the printer dialogue and select paper type and size and print quality. Then jump to Advanced (Epson) or Manual/Set (Canon). For Epson select ICM and under ICC/ICM profile check Off (no colour adjustment). For Canon do not enable ICM and make Print Type “None”.

There is a wealth of useful information and advice on colour management and inkjet printing at www.computer-darkroom.com

May your handsome prints live happily ever after.

 

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Posted by terry at March 6, 2008 12:09 AM

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Posted by: Richard Castle at March 11, 2008 11:34 AM

Posted by: Terry at March 12, 2008 03:12 AM

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