Soft Proofing - What Am I Getting Wrong?

Cheerdad

I recently began to run into significant problems with terrible mismatches between my images in PS CS and the printed output. I have always used sRGB as my color space for postprocessing, but the images seemed to be printing out "flat" from a color perspective.

After some research I found the ezPrints ICC profile and began to use it in PS. First of all, I need to admit I don't use a hardware calibrated monitor, but it has proven reliable enough nonetheless. I immediately noticed a difference (for the better) in the way the image looked onscreen and I was able to get the "pop" in the pictures I was looking for. Prints of these images soft-proofed with the ezPrints profile, however, ended up with terrible color shifts (mostly toward green). I even had any review them in one my galleries just to make sure, and he only recommended a few slight adjustments to them.

Here they are: http://cheerdad.smugmug.com/gallery/1409972/1/67912749

Now I am considering that maybe I don't really understand the concept of soft-proofing since my prints got worse after I began doing it.

This is how I soft-proof the image (from resources on SmugMug)
- Image file in sRGB
- View>Proof>Setup>Custom>ezPrints
- Intent: Perceptual
- Check: Use blackpoint compensation

I have been making my changes to the image while in softproof mode, saving it and then submitting it for print, assuming it will print as it looked using the ezprints profile. Maybe that is my problem?

Am I supposed to make my adjustments while in softproof mode or do I make them in sRGB and then use softproofing to see what the output will look like? Do I have the softproofing settings incorrect? :dunno

I was happy enough with my prints until I started doing it this way. Unless someone can help me figure out what I am doing wrong I will just go back to doing it all in sRGB. :scratch

Any and all constructive replies are welcome!

System

this is what I have for settings-

I use ps cs2 and epson r2400 and epson paper-

I am almost always pleased with the print-


edit>color settings: na prepress 2 (gives you argb '98)-

file>print with preview: color mngmnt - document-
options-color handling: let ps determine colors
printer profile: download or use icc profile for particular paper
rendering intent: relative colormetric
check black point compensation

print-properties: best photo
source: sheet
type: type paper loaded

click on advanced-click on icm under color mngmnt-click on off (no color adjustment)-


then I print-

hope you find what works for you-

there are a couple links that I'll try to find that might help-

george

System

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/und-print-mgmt.shtml

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps9_print/ps9_print_3.htm

do a google search for more-

did you do a search here?-

good luck!

System

btw, my camera is set to argb-

Cheerdad

Thanks for the Help

gefillmore wrote:

btw, my camera is set to argb-

George,

Thanks for the detailed response! However, I was looking for some help geared more towards how to properly use softproofing during my post processing in PS and less towards how to print to a particular printer. I am struggling to get prints that match my monitor through Smugmug (ezPrints).

The print settings instructions would help if I was using my own printer and I don't have a color printer at home any more...kids :cry I would prefer to have my own again, because when I did, I rarely had any color or print quality problems.

My camera uses sRGB, my monitor is set for sRGB, PS workspace is set to sRGB and I had recently begun to use the ezPrints profile to soft proof. When I use the ezPrints profile to soft proof, I get a much, much different view of the image...usually an "improved" view, BTW. Unfortunately, when I make adjustments while viewing the soft proof version my final prints come out terrible!!

That is my question: Do I make image adjustments in soft proof view or in sRGB and then use soft proof view to make final changes just before I print?

FWIW, I have searched DGrin, read the SmugMug tutorial and have Googled the subject and I haven't found a resource that specifically addresses my question. I am beginning to think it is all a moot point until I can use a hardware callibrated monitor. I am not looking for perfection, I would be happy with an 85. :bash

Andy, if you are lurking out there, this speaks directly to what you were helping me with a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks again, George!

System

dang man-

that was a lot of typing for me!-

I wish I could help-

there are several websites that address monitor calibration without the use of hardware-

if you haven't tried that route it would be worth a shot, I would think-


it sure does sound like you would be better off without the softproofing, at least for now-