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Vexing Soft Proof issue in CS4 - Help!
net1994
Registered Users Posts: 269 Major grins
Help a PSP newbie with Soft Proofing
Hi guys, Using Photoshop CS4. I have been using PSP for a few years, but admittedly no expert. I have done a decent job up until now. However vexed when soft proofing. Just got a new Canon printer and using their paper & ICC profiles. After I'm done editing the original image, I then soft proof using 'Perceptual' intent and Black Point Compensation. But what happens is all the colors are (usually) washed out. Area with very dark shadow detail seem to have a loss of contrast and a white 'haze' settles over the photo. It doesn't make the photo unrecognizable, but a lot of saturation is lost and then the whitish 'haze' covers the image making the photo look quite dull.
The good thing during this process is there are no gamut warnings-so I'm confident I could adjust X, Y, or Z in PSP to get the print to match the original. I have done VERY basic work with adjustment layers. But not sure if there is a better place to start on this? I have tried changing Exposure; Selective Color; Shadow/Highlights adjustments. At best I only see minor improvements and sometimes it makes things work. If I try and do Brightness/Contrast adjustments, it seems to clip out the areas affected.
Below is a good example of my issue. The original photo of a abandoned barn with great shadow detail. The 'soft proofed' version with a small (but noticeable) loss of contrast and shadow detail washed out:
Original: http://net1994.smugmug.com/photos/789466620_hnWVg-X2.jpg
Change after starting Soft Proofing: http://net1994.smugmug.com/photos/789456220_Knnze-X2.jpg
Hi guys, Using Photoshop CS4. I have been using PSP for a few years, but admittedly no expert. I have done a decent job up until now. However vexed when soft proofing. Just got a new Canon printer and using their paper & ICC profiles. After I'm done editing the original image, I then soft proof using 'Perceptual' intent and Black Point Compensation. But what happens is all the colors are (usually) washed out. Area with very dark shadow detail seem to have a loss of contrast and a white 'haze' settles over the photo. It doesn't make the photo unrecognizable, but a lot of saturation is lost and then the whitish 'haze' covers the image making the photo look quite dull.
The good thing during this process is there are no gamut warnings-so I'm confident I could adjust X, Y, or Z in PSP to get the print to match the original. I have done VERY basic work with adjustment layers. But not sure if there is a better place to start on this? I have tried changing Exposure; Selective Color; Shadow/Highlights adjustments. At best I only see minor improvements and sometimes it makes things work. If I try and do Brightness/Contrast adjustments, it seems to clip out the areas affected.
Below is a good example of my issue. The original photo of a abandoned barn with great shadow detail. The 'soft proofed' version with a small (but noticeable) loss of contrast and shadow detail washed out:
Original: http://net1994.smugmug.com/photos/789466620_hnWVg-X2.jpg
Change after starting Soft Proofing: http://net1994.smugmug.com/photos/789456220_Knnze-X2.jpg
0
Comments
Then...
Is preserve RGB numbers turned off?
What happens if you use relative colorimetric instead of perceptual? What about absolute?
Does the softproof match with black ink turned on but paper turned off?
Do any of these settings or combinations (on or off) result in a closer match?
There is a bit of "interpretation" required when viewing softproofs, which comes from experience. Don't hold the print up to the monitor. Look at the print, then look at the monitor and evaluate from memory. Look back and forth as often as needed (don't watch the monitor change when you enable the softproof).
Hope this helps,
Stephen Marsh
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/