Introduction To Colour Management And Printing
Licensed under Creative Commons Public domain content 1 http://creativecommons.org/ Copyright Original Author and photographer
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Contents What color is this? ...... 3 Are you sure? ...... 3 sRGB Colour Space ...... 4 Adobe RGB and Adobe Wide Gamut RGB Colour Spaces ...... 4 ProPhoto RGB Colour Space...... 5 Technical Example of Colour Spaces ...... 5 What does it mean to calibrate your monitor? ...... 6 Recommendations for Monitor Calibration: ...... 7 The Print Module in Lightroom ...... 8 Printer Setup Presets ...... 10 Printer Setup Presets Continued ...... 11 Lightroom Preset for Printer Settings ...... 12 Cost of Prints on Epson R3000 ...... 13 Print Options at Service providers ...... 13 Credit and Citations: ...... 14 Appendix A: References Images for Printer Setup ...... 15 Appendix B: Where to go for help! ...... 19
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What color is this?
Are you sure?
The final image presented on your computer monitor or on a finished print is dependent upon many variables. These are your own vision, camera/lenses, computer, monitor, printer and paper. All of these things interpret color differently.
For example human vision has weaknesses and variability that we cannot determine without specialized testing tools. We all have different sensitivities to different wavelengths. e.g. Sensitivity to red or green. Men tend to have more variability in this area; this is why color blindness affects men more often. If you want more detail about your perception of color and color testing methodologies have a look at: http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/images/color_lecture.pdf
To understand color management you need to understand color spaces. An easy way to understand colours and colour spaces is to compare them crayons. A crayon box only holds so many colours. The bigger the box, the more crayons and more colours. Colour spaces work exactly the same way.
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Standard RGB (Red Green Blue), is an RGB color space created cooperatively by Hewlett- Packard and Microsoft Corporation for use on the Internet. It has been endorsed by the W3C, Exif, Intel, Pantone, Corel, and many other industry players. sRGB is intended as a common color space for the creation of images for viewing on the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), the resultant color space chosen using a gamma of 2.2, the average response to linear voltage levels of CRT displays at that time.
Adobe RGB and Adobe Wide Gamut RGB Colour Spaces
The Adobe RGB color space is an RGB color space developed by Adobe Systems in 1998. It was designed to encompass most of the colors achievable on CMYK color printers, but by using RGB primary colors on a device such as the computer display. The Adobe RGB color space encompasses roughly 50% of the visible colors specified by the Lab color space, improving upon the gamut of the sRGB color space primarily in
An RGB color space developed by Adobe Systems as an alternative to the standard sRGB color space. It is able to store a wider range of color values than sRGB. The Wide Gamut color space is an expanded version of the Adobe RGB color space, developed in 1998. As a comparison, the Adobe - 5 -
Wide Gamut RGB color space encompasses 77.6% of the visible colors specified by the Lab color space, whilst the standard Adobe RGB color space covers just 50.6%.cyan-greens.
ProPhoto RGB Colour Space
A color space, also known as ROMM RGB (Reference Output Medium Metric), is an output referred RGB color space developed by Kodak. It offers an especially large gamut designed for use with photographic output in mind. The ProPhoto RGB color space encompasses over 90% of possible surface colors in the CIE L*a*b* color space, and 100% of likely occurring real world surface colors making ProPhoto even larger than the Wide Gamut RGB color space
Technical Example of Colour Spaces
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Each device in the image processing chain interprets color differently. Using color spaces provides linkages in the chain. Let’s start out by reviewing the linkages between all of the devices.
1. Each device interprets color differently. A device profile explains to the operating system how it interprets color as defined by a specific color space. 2. Adobe Lightroom (ACR) performs color space conversion. 3. In the chart above it shows the different color space. Each successive color space can display more colors and depth. eg. sRGB the least number of colors and visible spectrum the most number of colors
What does it mean to calibrate your monitor?
It is a process where software and a measuring device check what colors your display device can output. It checks this to a defined standard and creates a new device profile which gets loaded by your operating system. A simple explanation is that it checks to see if RED # 252351235 is actually RED # 252351235.
Reference Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDRbQ1XnAt8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7P22ZWGRps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkHDzE4bj5s
*** For all serious photo editing and printing work you must calibrate your monitor. - 7 -
Recommendations for Monitor Calibration:
1. Spyder Pro ($189 at Henrys) Offers basic calibration for different types of monitors, laptops and tablets. http://www.henrys.com/67495-DATACOLOR-SPYDER-4-PRO.aspx#prodtabs-1
2. Color Munki ($590) Includes both monitor, projector and printer profiling support. https://www.vistek.ca/store/ComputerAccessories/236475/xrite-colormunki-photo.aspx
3. X-Rite iPhoto Pro 2 Display ($1850) The industry standard for professional colour calibration. https://www.vistek.ca/store/ComputerAccessories/262529/xrite-i1photo-pro-2.aspx
Notes about monitors:
1. Some monitors come calibrated from the factory. eg high end Lenova, Apple and Eizo 2. iPad’s are already calibrated to Apple standards (fairly good) 3. Monitors go big or go home. Best price performance is in the 27 inch category. 30 and over look for HP, Dell, Eizo, NEC and ASUS. (2560 X 1600 resolution) 4. 4K monitors only option right now is Apple, Sharp, Dell and ASUS monitors
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The Print Module in Lightroom
Instructions: Follow the Lightroom setup parameters on the right hand side to setup your print job. Explanations on the settings are provided where necessary.
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Never select Draft Mode Printing
Set resolution to 360 or 720 for Epson Set resolution to 300 or 600 for Canon Set sharpening to Standard. Use High for small prints. Select the proper media type. Matt or Glossy. This determines how much ink is put on the page.
Select your paper profile. This was installed with your printer or by custom install. See separate section. Select Perceptual for rendering intent. Leave at Perceptual unless you are converting color spaces.
Use print adjustments if your final print requires minor adjustments to brightness or contrast. DO NOT re-edit your picture in Lightroom or PS for brightness or contrast.
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Printer Setup Presets
Always select the right type of INK and Media
Select Color (See advanced B&W also) Print quality set to maximum (SuperPhoto)
On Mode: Select no color adjustment. This is extremely important. This tells the printer that Lightroom will manage the colors.
Your ink levels are displayed before printing. Only critical when doing a large print run.
Note: You can use the Save button dialogue to store a printer preset for paper/print settings that you use frequently. - 11 -
Printer Setup Presets Continued
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Lightroom Preset for Printer Settings
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Cost of Prints on Epson R3000 The ink costs represented below are based upon the average cost based upon 200 prints produced. Ink, paper and overhead (to include capital cost of printer) are listed to give a true representative cost of producing a print at home vs. an independent printer. This chart shows the cost of ink used, cost of materials and an overhead cost. The average cost of a print from an independent print provider was based upon estimates from Pikto, TIW Elevator)
Epson R3000 Ink Paper Overhead Home User Competitor (Pikto, TIW,
Total Elevator)
Premium Glossy 13 X 19 $2.42 $2.87 $2.00 $7.29 $25-35
Print Options at Service providers
1. A good photographic printing service will offer a range of range of different papers that can be used in their inkjet papers. Each paper can impart a different look or feel. Check their display samples first.
2. Use the printer profiles that are available from the provider. This will ensure less variation and interpretation of the final image. If the print is intended to be hung in a gallery or in a competition then consider a test print first to check color and density.
3. Some providers still offer chromogenic prints. (exposed by light and processed by chemicals) Check with Pikto and Toronto Image Works for this option. Note: Kodak Metallic paper is still offered as a chromogenic print. This is a high impact, high color print that is similar to DuraTrans. (Transparency display material used in light display applications)
4. Alternate media and material: This is where we start to see escalating prices for paper. eg. Epson Exhibition Fine Art, Velvet Fine Art and Watercolor Papers. Other options to consider are canvas prints and metal based prints. Both options are available at posterjack.ca
5. This subject will be explored in greater detail in the Advanced guide to printing.
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Credit and Citations: All content is subject to the original copyright holder where applicable. This content is not be re-circulated or be made available for commercial purposes. Copyright is licensed as per Creative Commons http://creativecommons.org/
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Appendix A: References Images for Printer Setup
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Appendix B: Where to go for help!
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/videos/tutorials/camera_to_print_and_screen.shtml