Content
What Chris and Aaron said…
Managing Your Vision from Capture to Output
Don Hutcheson HutchColor, LLC
H
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Content Handouts
Digital workflow stages
Capture and development PDF available at…
Color-management
The pre-press workflow [Link]/[Link]
Soft-proofing
Delivering images safely Tonight (or Friday at the latest)
Making sure the final output matches your ision
Bonus stuff? (time permitting)
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The Message… Camera to Print Workflow
Your images WILL be touched by others
Things can go very wrong
Bad color
Too dark or light
Lost resolution
YOU can help insure the final product maintains
your creative vision
If you follow a few simple rules…
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Camera to Web Workflow Capture
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Basic Image Capture Rules Suggested Camera Settings
You can’t have too many pixels
Yeah, they’re mostly for sharpness Studio / Commercial / Fine-art / Portrait…
But the real reason is CROPPING Saturation LOW
Contrast LOW
Except on cameras with small chips (P&Ss)
Sharpness MINIMUM
Bigger chip size means less noise
White-balance MANUAL
Shoot RAW if possible
Keep the chip clean Maximizes quality and flexibility
etc.
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Suggested Camera Settings “Development”
Editorial / fashion / sport …
Saturation NORMAL
Contrast MEDIUM
Sharpness MINIMUM
White-balance MANUAL (or AUTO)
Minimum post-processing
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RAW Development Options RAW White Balance
Photoshop, Bridge, Lightroom, Aperture,
Capture One, Leaf Capture, etc.
Like film developing - but more powerful
Works on raw chip data from camera
Tools to solve many capture problems…
White balance • Exposure • Brightness • Contrast •
Plugged shadows • Burned-out highlights • Lens
distortions • Chromatic errors • etc.
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RAW White Balance Chromatic Aberration
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Chromatic Aberration Chromatic Aberration
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Chromatic Aberration Chromatic Aberration
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Exporting From RAW Bit Depth - Original 14 Bit
Options:
Resolution
Camera-native? Larger? Smaller?
Bit depth
8 or 16 bits per channel?
Color space
Adobe RGB, sRGB, other?
(depends on Color Management options)
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Bit Depth - Edited in 8 Bits Bit Depth - Edited in 16 Bits
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Bit Depth
Color
Management
Don Hutcheson HutchColor, LLC
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Color Management Display (Monitor) Profiling
Photographer options
The least expensive and most valuable color
Display profile management investment anyone can make
Workstation or laptop Best display profiling s/w is under $300
Camera profile If you do nothing else, PLEASE custom-profile
Custom or canned
EVERY monitor on which you judge or edit color
Even laptops
Desktop printer profile
Custom or canned
Working on an un-profiled monitor is economic
and creative suicide
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Great, Cheap Monitor Software Camera Profiling (Should You?)
ColorEyes Display
Mandatory for fine art reproduction
[Link]
Advisable for color-critical catalogs
MonacoOPTIX Pro Not advised for sports, editorial, people, etc.
[Link] Profile is often negated by lighting, camera settings, or
metamerism failure
The best camera profile will sometimes fail
EyeOne Display2
Metamerism failure is the photographer’s enemy
[Link]
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Camera Profiling Details Printer Profiling
Caution!
Free at Any old desktop “print” is not a “proof”
[Link] Requires a high-quality custom printer profile
If not sure, stick to soft proofing
Cheaper, easier and safer
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Supplying a “proof” Un-certified Proofs
Here’s why they are DANGEROUS
A desktop printer is NOT a proofer unless it’s
SWOP- or GRACoL- certified
Studio’s Calibrated
IF you supply an un-calibrated “proof” desktop offset press
EITHER: printer
Be prepared for a color difference on press
OR:
Pay the printer to match your proof ($$)
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Getting a Good Printer Profile DIY Profiling Software
Canned profiles (Canon, HP, Epson, etc)
Good, but not good enough for certified proofing X-Rite ProfileMaker
E-profile
Low cost (about $100 per profile) X-Rite MonacoPROFILER
Do-it-yourself or hired gun And others
More expensive but essential for best color
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Image Editing Options
Image Editing
Who’s Responsible For
What?
Don Hutcheson HutchColor, LLC
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Reasons to Image Edit Photographer Editing Options
Photographer
Correct capture / camera errors
Improve product match
Enhance artistic value
Client / publisher
In-page image matching
Design effect
Product match
Prepress / printer
To match client’s proof on press
Creative edits under client direction
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Photographer Editing Options Safe Editing Rules
Developing edits (e.g. Camera Raw)
Ideal for correcting camera or lighting problems
Stay in RGB - send in RGB
Global (whole image) corrections CMYK is a lousy, out-dated retouching space
Saved as sidecar file (e.g. .xmp) Soft-proof in CMYK (if that’s the destination)
Creative edits (on TIFF or PSD image) Stay in 16 bits (if feasible)
Complete the creative intent Keep edits in ADJUSTMENT LAYERS
Remove blemishes / unwanted items Don’t flatten unless absolutely necessary
Photomontage Only judge color on a profiled monitor
Fine-tune product color match Always EMBED the PROFILE when saving
Saved as “adjustment layers”
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Color Editing Essentials Photoshop™ Color Settings
Start with...
Good LCD monitor
Excellent monitor profile
Controlled ambient lighting
Photoshop CS (or later)
Photoshop Color Settings File (.csf)
Adobe RGB (or larger) working space
GRACoL or SWOP CMYK output profiles
Free at [Link]
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Custom Color Settings Custom Color Settings
Change CMYK space... Which RGB space?
Safe:
Adobe RGB
GRACoL
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RGB Working Space Typical RGB Working
g Spaces
p
Adobe RGB
Should encompass the color gamut of your
most saturated subject matter Typical press
And the full gamut of your typical output device
(e.g. commercial press) sRGB
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A Wider Working Space RGB Working Space Summary
Safe general-purpose working space
Adobe RGB
Adobe RGB
Typical press Wider gamut (saturated subjects & fine-art)
DonRGB, BestRGB, ProPhoto RGB
BestRGB*
Bad space for serious photo editing? sRGB
But it’s the right space to convert to for web delivery
*free at
[Link]
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Open Image in Photoshop
Accept embedded profile (if present)
RGB Workflow
Details
Don Hutcheson HutchColor, LLC
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No Embedded Profile? Unknown Profile?
Assign custom profile (if known) Assign generic profile (whichever looks best)
Edit - Assign Profile sRGB, Adobe RGB etc.
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Which Profile Looks Best? Convert to RGB Working Space
Adobe RGB sRGB Edit - Convert to Profile*
*Only essential if image uses a custom profile
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Assigning vs. Converting RGB Color Editing Workflow
Assinging a new profile (or color space)
Changes color appearance
Doesn’t change pixel RGB values
Make changes in
Happens instantaneously
Adjustment Layers
Converting to a new profile (or color space)
Lightness, cast, etc.
Preserves color appearance (if possible)
Changes pixel RGB values
Happens more slowly (depends on size)
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RGB Color Editing Workflow RGB Color Editing Workflow
Use Layer Modes
Keep layers in Groups
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Layer Mode Aalogies Essential RGB Workflow Trick
“Soft proof” RGB images as CMYK (Command-Y)
Multiply
Like sandwiching two transparencies
Screen Shows how
RGB image
Like double-exposing will look when
printed in
default CMYK
working space
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Soft-proofing RGB as CMYK Customized Soft-Proofing
Monitor RGB Simulated CMYK
Allows choice of
Different rendering intent (than default)
Different CMYK space (than default)
Accurate paper color simulation
Accurate shadow contrast (a.k.a.“ink black”)
simulation
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Customized Soft-Proofing Customized Soft-Proofing
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Customized Soft-Proofing Customized Soft-Proofing
Output
device
(press)
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Customized Soft-Proofing Customized Soft-Proofing
Rendering
intent (e.g.
perceptual) Simulate
paper
and/or
black ink
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Customized Soft-Proofing Ideal Soft Proofing Setup
D50 booth dimmed to match screen brightness
Save for re-use
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Sharpening (USM) USM Viewing Tips
Apply USM to a copy of background layer
Amount and radius depend on output process Only sharpen final image (after sizing)
For output on press
View on screen at 50% magnification
USM values in layer name Because screening “blurs” pixels approximately 2:1
For web or mobile
Do NOT sharpen background
d View at 100% magnification
Billboard - wide format
View at 100%
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Saving the Edited Image RGB Workflow Output
Save PSD images with adjustment layers
Always embed the profile (working space) Assemble flattened and converted images
(CMYK or RGB) in InDesign or Quark XP
Export to PDF (X1a, X3, etc.)
RIP converts PDF to 1-bit screened files for
imaging on laser plate setter
Offset press prints with ISO-standard inks,
paper, etc. to match latest SWOP® or GRACoL®
specifications
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CMYK Conversion Alternatives CMYK Conversion
Photoshop (loose images)
Edit - Convert to Profile…
Photoshop (loose images)
Source space
Safe in hands of traditional prepress experts
(assigned profile)
Export from InDesign to CMYK PDF
Destination profile
More flexible repurposing of document SWOP or GRACoL
Workflow RIP (from RGB PDF)
Rendering intent
The ultimate “device-independent” workflow
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GRACoL® and SWOP® G7 Shared Appearance
GRACoL 2007
SWOP 2007
New “Colorimetric” specifications define
“appearance” very tightly
Based on ISO 12647-2 printing standard and
real-world press tests
GRACoL = commercial, SWOP = publication
Enhanced by the new G7™ calibration method
Look almost identical to each other
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Before G7 Verifying Proof Quality
GRACoL 2003
SWOP 2003
Put new ISO 12647-7 Strip on every proof
Available free at [Link]
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DISC
Standardized guidelines for submission to
publications
Delivery
Making Sure the Final Product
Matches Your Vision
[Link]
Don Hutcheson HutchColor, LLC
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Delivering Your Images Delivering for Offset Print
General rules… Maximum resolution
Ship largest file size possible
Ask your client what they need
Ideally >300 pixels per linear inch of output size
Don’t assume you know - times change fast
Designer or pre-press will scale to final size
Send RGB (not CMYK)
Don’t apply sharpening
ALWAYS embed the profile (working space) Too much USM cannot be undone
Send layered files (if edited) Optimum sharpening depends on screen ruling,
Don’t down-res (except for web) enlargement, etc.
Don’t use JPEG unless absolutely necessary Let pre-press experts apply USM
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Delivering for Offset Print Delivering for Web & Mobile
Send RGB files (not CMYK) Ask client what file size (resolution) they want
Let pre-press handle CMYK conversion
When in doubt, send full-res images
Always embed the profile!
Let web designer adjust size
If printer insists on CMYK
Send RGB (of course)
Ask which profile they want you to use
Ask client if they will handle color conversion
If unknown, convert to SWOP2006_Coated3v2
(free at [Link]) If unsure, CONVERT images to sRGB before
Always embed the profile! sending for web use
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Delivering for Wide-format Secrets of Success
Send RGB with embedded profile The most valuable color management tip for
digital photography is MONITOR PROFILING
Wide angle close-view (e.g. POP & posters)
need maximum resolution If you want the final product to match what you
Outdoor billboards need less resolution see on screen EMBED the PROFILE
Because viewing angle is typically smaller
2,500 x 3,500 pixels is usually more than enough
Make all edits NON-DESTRUCTIVE
But send full-res images anyway When in doubt USE the PHONE
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Learning More
[Link]
[Link]
Questions?
Don Hutcheson HutchColor, LLC
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