New monitor - how's this for color and contrast?

divamum · September 25, 2012

Well, new-old monitor - got a new laptop (FINALLY), but have set it up with the 22" dell ips monitor we've had for a while but that I couldn't use with the old laptop! Man it is SO NICE to be editing on a full-size screen again! Shows every little flaw, of course, but better I see those than clients

In any case, this is my first batch of edits on it, from a headshot shoot this morning. My Huey is working.... kind of. It installed ok on Win 7, but occasionally does some weird adjustments, and I'm not sure I trust it (new calibrator in my future, clearly). How does look for color/contrast? I just need feedback pro tem until I get used to it and/or get some prints back.

divamum · September 26, 2012

Ok, when I posted this it looked nice and bright. Huey has now "adjusted for room brightness" and it looks dark and muddy. All feedback definitely welcomed. Thanks!

anonymouscuban · September 26, 2012

Contrast looks good on my end. Not muddy. I can see good detail in the darkest part of his coat. Color also looks accurate on my monitor.

David_S85 · September 26, 2012

Looks OK from here.

wave01 · September 26, 2012

looks ok on my apple mac

angevin1 · September 26, 2012

divamum wrote: »

Ok, when I posted this it looked nice and bright. Huey has now "adjusted for room brightness" and it looks dark and muddy. All feedback definitely welcomed. Thanks!

Max Chroma is 254, red's just 0.02 higher than greens/blues. Looks well balanced and well done.

divamum · September 26, 2012

Thanks guys! Now looking at it on crappy college monitor this morning. Much darker than my usual edits on this screen (which usually look slightly blown in places, even though they print well) - this shot was BRIGHT when taken, so need to factor that in and adjust; this is ok, but definitely darker than I had in mind and than the reality (glad I didn't send to the client yet!!). What it does tell me is that I can "trust" the darker version the Huey gives me; the bright one I edited with was a lot more than reality. Also, probably means I'll have to re-calibrate every time I edit which is a pain. Definitely need a newer calibrator, but heavens they've gone up in price!

When I get home later I'll redo and post that for input too, if I may. "Information" - the most important piece of software we can ever have...

lilmomma · September 26, 2012

i'm not officially calibrated but i can usually get a good idea of where it should be.. while it may be "technically" on (which i can't verify) to me it looks a tad darker than your usual stuff. not "off" necessarily just a deviation of your normal work. But it also could be the way lighting coming from below also. do you have a different shot to show?

Sam · September 26, 2012

divamum wrote: »

Ok, when I posted this it looked nice and bright. Huey has now "adjusted for room brightness" and it looks dark and muddy. All feedback definitely welcomed. Thanks!

If you like, send me a few different images, people, things bright colors etc. full res just as you would send them to the printer. I can take a detailed look.

PS: My poor old Lacie 22" Blue CRT was struggling so out to pasture it has been sent. I just received a new NEC 27" wide gamut IPS monitor with new calibration hardware and software. The resolution is 2560 X 1440.

Your posted image looks good to maybe a little cool, but it is soft and could probably benefit from some added contrast / sharpening.

Sam

divamum · September 26, 2012

lilmomma wrote: »

i'm not officially calibrated but i can usually get a good idea of where it should be.. while it may be "technically" on (which i can't verify) to me it looks a tad darker than your usual stuff. not "off" necessarily just a deviation of your normal work. But it also could be the way lighting coming from below also. do you have a different shot to show?

That's exactly what I'm seeing, Melissa. I can't do anything now, but when I get home I'm going to tinker again.

Sam, thanks for the input, but soft? The original on this thing was cut-a-steak sharp, and not particularly cropped either. It is, however, a 72dpi web copy; maybe it's the resolution that's showing up on that big monitor?

Sam · September 26, 2012

divamum wrote: »

That's exactly what I'm seeing, Melissa. I can't do anything now, but when I get home I'm going to tinker again.

Sam, thanks for the input, but soft? The original on this thing was cut-a-steak sharp, and not particularly cropped either. It is, however, a 72dpi web copy; maybe it's the resolution that's showing up on that big monitor?

That,s why I posted the "posted image" disclaimer and asked to see the original.

Sam

BradfordBenn · September 26, 2012

Also if looking at it in Chrome vs Firefox vs Safari vs Internet Explorer the colors can be different. I believe that Chrome does not support the same Color Space but I would have to go back and look thru my notes to remember which one.

divamum · September 26, 2012

I'm giving up on the Huey - time for it to go calibrate monitors in the WinXP sky, I fear. It's trying to run on Win7, but it is NOT stable (even when Windows tried to put it into an emulator to make it work), and I don't have time to fight it.

In the meantime, how's this one? (also 72dpi, Sam, so if it looks fuzzy, that'll be why

anonymouscuban · September 26, 2012

Looks great.

lilmomma · September 27, 2012

thumb

Yep. Looks more like a diva shot

anonymouscuban · September 27, 2012

PS. I just re-calibrated my monitor because it's been a while and guess what.....

The shot still looks great.

anonymouscuban · September 27, 2012

Oh... and that last shot is a great effing head shot!!

Art Scott · September 27, 2012

looking good here on my calibrated IPS monitor....

wave01 · September 27, 2012

to me different lighting but look ok to me

divamum · September 27, 2012

Thanks guys. And thanks Alex - I'm pleased with this one, although there are many from this shoot that I think can work well for him if he chooses them.

And now... off to go buy a new calibrator. Dang, but they're expensive now

Bryce Wilson · September 27, 2012

Second is def a lot brighter.

BTW...

Being as this subject has really deep set eyes, you did a nice job of keeping them bright!

I still can't wrap my head around ears not being in focus in a "head" shot. I'm an old fuddy duddy!:D

divamum · September 27, 2012

THANKS Bryce! Yes, I think I'm happier with the monitor as I currently have it set - I have no idea whether it's lingering Huey, or the default, but it's ok for now and as long as it doesn't change until I get the new calibrator I have some idea what I'm doing so I can "read" these images appropriately.

Omg, his eyes were a NIGHTMARE to light. ALso, he's very tall at 6'2" (maybe 6'3") and has a loonnnnggg face - to get the light in his eyes I had to keep it low enough, but then it drops the catclight to 9 o'clock. I really liked the way this one came out, although many more to come.... I'll post a few from his set later if I manage to get them processed and ready.

Fuddy-dud all you like - it's a valid comment, even for a shallow-dof-junkie like me! His ears were definitely an added concern - with his hair so short, they were always going to be easy to become too prominent, and the shots with only one ear just looked *weird*. I asked him (generally) how he felt about "ears in shots" and he just said, "Meh, no views - my ears are kinda big but my brother's are bigger, so I just don't care"

Sam · September 27, 2012

divamum wrote: »

I'm giving up on the Huey - time for it to go calibrate monitors in the WinXP sky, I fear. It's trying to run on Win7, but it is NOT stable (even when Windows tried to put it into an emulator to make it work), and I don't have time to fight it.

In the meantime, how's this one? (also 72dpi, Sam, so if it looks fuzzy, that'll be why

Divamum,

I am responding before reading the rest of the responses so they won't affect my view.

On my monitor I see the image as a little hot on the face and a little cool. Certainly not bad!

I am going to post an edited version of what to me looks more pleasing on my monitor *new and may not be 100% where I want it) and let everyone see what they think.

Sam

divamum · September 27, 2012

Thanks Sam! I actually like them both for different reasons. I see yours as a teensy bit too contrasty on this screen (I've lost some detail in the rh suit collar), but I think like the WB better (or at least would like one somewhere between the two versions). Did you add magenta or yellow? Btw, the stone colour behind is more accurate in my version than yours; in yours it has a slight pink tint which isn't there in reality.

Thank you all SO much for helping me out! Glad that current screen settings are pretty close, and I have just ordered a Spyder4pro, to arrive overnight. I'm NEVER sure of calibration even when I have one running (contrast, in particular drives me nuts), and I need to get this shoot - and the next two - done without having to post every edit for you guys to ride shotgun for me

Sam · September 27, 2012

divamum wrote: »

Thanks Sam! I actually like them both for different reasons. I see yours as a teensy bit too contrasty on this screen (I've lost some detail in the rh suit collar), but I think like the WB better (or at least would like one somewhere between the two versions). Did you add magenta or yellow? Btw, the stone colour behind is more accurate in my version than yours; in yours it has a slight pink tint which isn't there in reality.

Thank you all SO much for helping me out! Glad that current screen settings are pretty close, and I have just ordered a Spyder4pro, to arrive overnight. I'm NEVER sure of calibration even when I have one running (contrast, in particular drives me nuts), and I need to get this shoot - and the next two - done without having to post every edit for you guys to ride shotgun for me

Please note I am on a color management quest. My main goal is to get the closest match between my monitor and prints as possible.

When calibrating your monitor three areas to watch are the color temp typically 6500 should be neutral. Next is brightness typically an LCD should be set somewhere between 80 cd/m2 and 110 cd/m2
with 90 being a good starting point. Most monitors have the contrast set way to high for print matching. Monitors can easily have a contrast ratio of 1000/1. This gives you a great monitor image with good pop and crisp detail, but not so great for print matching. Try setting your contrast between say 200/1 and 300/1.

See how your prints are and then adjust accordingly. Don't forget to recalibrate every time you change one of these settings.

PS: I did add some contrast and some sharpening for the image.

Mitchell · September 27, 2012

Great headshots, DM!!!!

jhofker · September 28, 2012

Turn off the "automatic room correction" on the Huey. It doesn't help things, in my experience. Just makes it harder to nail down if you're being consistent or not.

Qarik · September 28, 2012

lilmomma wrote: »

i'm not officially calibrated but i can usually get a good idea of where it should be.. While it may be "technically" on (which i can't verify) to me it looks a tad darker than your usual stuff. Not "off" necessarily just a deviation of your normal work. But it also could be the way lighting coming from below also. Do you have a different shot to show?

+1

jeffreaux2 · September 28, 2012

Looks great to me.....both.

I still use a huey.

I turn off the auto adjust feature. Always.

divamum · September 30, 2012

Thanks Mitchell et al!

Jeff!!

I work in a room where the ambient really does change drastically, so I've always used it. The new Spyder4pro has it too; I'm currently using it, although maybe I will switch it off if I still find I'm having trouble.

Posted a few more from his set here - those were processed (or re-processed) since I got the new calibrator yesterday, so still trying to figure out what's what. Feedback most definitely welcome!

jhofker · September 30, 2012

On my screen, it still looks like one of his cheeks is too "hot" in each photo. Maybe it's just me and my tired eyes tonight, though. :-) Good shots!

New monitor - how's this for color and contrast?

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