Printing troubles

dlscott56

Is this the right place to find answers about printing color problems? I did a quick search but couldn't find what I was looking for.

I'm having a difficult time printing pictures with my Epson Stylus Photo R260. The actual picture quality is fine but the colors are way off. Also, the brightness is very far off as well. Images that look ok on screen are very very dark when printed. I'm having to boost the brightness and saturation quite a bit. Doesn't help match the colors though.

I'm not using a calibrated monitor but I can't imagine it's that far off.

Any help would be appreciated. Never really printed much before.

Thanks!

Newsy

dlscott56 wrote:

Is this the right place to find answers about printing color problems? I did a quick search but couldn't find what I was looking for.

I'm having a difficult time printing pictures with my Epson Stylus Photo R260. The actual picture quality is fine but the colors are way off. Also, the brightness is very far off as well. Images that look ok on screen are very very dark when printed. I'm having to boost the brightness and saturation quite a bit. Doesn't help match the colors though.

I'm not using a calibrated monitor but I can't imagine it's that far off.

"Images that look ok on screen are very very dark when printed."

This is a tell tale that your monitor is too bright for the room that you edit in.

For an image that is exposed properly (check histogram) you should be able to print it as is (no editing) and have it come out neither too dark or bright - just right.

You should be viewing that printed image under controlled lighting as it is very difficult comparing light reflected off paper versus an image backlit on a monitor. I've often read of monitors calibrated to a D50 or 5000K temperature and 5000K light boxes or similar used for checking prints against the monitor.

With some software you can also "soft proof" in advance. This requires a calibrated monitor and the correct printer paper profile.

So if the image straight from the camera is dark, then either you are not in the right light for comparison, or... you're not using the correct paper profile with your printer (also affects color balance!!), or.... something else in the printer settings has been tweaked.

Assuming that the unedited image does print neither dark nor bright, then it is very likely that it is simply your monitor that is too bright for the room you edit in and during editing you are making changes to the brightness of the image via the levels or other methods of the software.

Do you edit in a pitch black or very dark room?

What monitor are you using?

What software are you using for printing? Is it paper profile aware?

.

dlscott56

Newsy wrote:

"Images that look ok on screen are very very dark when printed."

This is a tell tale that your monitor is too bright for the room that you edit in.

For an image that is exposed properly (check histogram) you should be able to print it as is (no editing) and have it come out neither too dark or bright - just right.

You should be viewing that printed image under controlled lighting as it is very difficult comparing light reflected off paper versus an image backlit on a monitor. I've often read of monitors calibrated to a D50 or 5000K temperature and 5000K light boxes or similar used for checking prints against the monitor.

With some software you can also "soft proof" in advance. This requires a calibrated monitor and the correct printer paper profile.

So if the image straight from the camera is dark, then either you are not in the right light for comparison, or... you're not using the correct paper profile with your printer (also affects color balance!!), or.... something else in the printer settings has been tweaked.

Assuming that the unedited image does print neither dark nor bright, then it is very likely that it is simply your monitor that is too bright for the room you edit in and during editing you are making changes to the brightness of the image via the levels or other methods of the software.

Do you edit in a pitch black or very dark room?

What monitor are you using?

What software are you using for printing? Is it paper profile aware?

.

Thanks for the feedback Newsy. I'm working on a non-calibrated laptop monitor in a lit room. Although the room is not very brightly lit.

The more I've been reading the more I think that the non-calibrated monitor could be my biggest problem. I'm printing from Lightroom or PS CS4.

I will also have to double check that I've got the correct paper type. I'm using paper type that's a different brand than my printer. Not sure if that matters but I can do some experimenting as well.

Thanks for the tips. I have some things to try this evening.

Newsy

dlscott56 wrote:

Thanks for the feedback Newsy. I'm working on a non-calibrated laptop monitor in a lit room. Although the room is not very brightly lit.

The more I've been reading the more I think that the non-calibrated monitor could be my biggest problem. I'm printing from Lightroom or PS CS4.

I will also have to double check that I've got the correct paper type. I'm using paper type that's a different brand than my printer. Not sure if that matters but I can do some experimenting as well.

Thanks for the tips. I have some things to try this evening.

Paper profiles can make a huge difference.

Make sure you find an unedited image straight from the camera that looks properly exposed and use this to test the printer. Maybe have Costco or someone print it for you as well for comparison.

Costco has paper profiles on line so you can soft-proof before sending the image to them. When you use Costco, ensure you disable their "enhance image" option; can't quite recall the name for it. When I've connected off Costco's web site, it has linked me to Dry Creek's profile info page.

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/


Most commercial printers will request an image with the sRGB profile embedded in it. Some offer the "enhance/process image" option - always disable it.


As to the laptop screen.... not the best media to edit on. They're all 6bit TN TFT panels with limited control over gamma, temperature, and RGB. I wouldn't bother buying a calibrator until you get an external monitor to use.

.

Sam

Dave,

here are my quick thoughts on this. You have just entered a new realm of photography. The semi mystical geting the image on the computer screen to match your print.

You have two choices. One: dive in head first, get ready to put your study cap on and brace your check book for a big hit, or two: work with what you have to get acceptable results.

Lets address number two. Most LCD's are too bright. They can produce a great looking image on screen, but it will envaribly be too bright.

Here is what I would: make sure you are using epson ink, and epson paper. 4X6 should be good for testing. Download a test print from the internet. Andy posted one awhile ago that works well. Take the test print as is and view it on your monitor, adjust the brightness so it looks good to you. Now print making sure to use the printer to manage colors. Make sure you are NOT double profiling the image. Compare this print with the monitor image. Assuming the print is dark see if you can adjust the monitors brightness level to match the print. If you can then that issue is solved. If not then you need to increase the brightness and print again. Continue this until you get a good print. Now you have guide. As for color you should be close / acceptable by letting the printer manage the color. If not you should have some options in the printer driver to alter the color output.

Try and play with this and see how you do.

The other option.......to do it right requires a lot more learning, $$$$$, and alcoholic beverages.

Let us know how you make out and you can try to post an image you are having trouble with so we can look at it on our monitors to confirm what your seeing.

Sam

dlscott56

Thanks Newsy and Sam. I'll start doing some testing and adjusting this week. I'd really like to get this at least partially worked out so that I can start printing more.

Sam, I'll also post some photos for comparison. That would be very helpful to me as well. Thanks.

Then I'll try to spend more time with the 'do it right' method. I've been avoiding it somewhat but it sounds much more appealing now that I know alcohol is involved .

As always, thanks so much for the help.