Printing Shops

[Matthew Bromley]

I want to start printing some of my photos. But after ordering a few test prints I am quickly realising that they never quite look how I intended them to when I edited them in photoshop. I realise that I could calibrate my monitor and print them myself. I don't want to do this however as I want some larger prints and also I was trying to avoid all that hassle.

What do any of the PhotoRadar members do?
Ideally I would like to go to my local print shop, review the images on their calibrated monitor and then print them. I can't seem to find anywhere to do this though?

I would be really grateful of all your ideas, thoughts, suggestions, tips, facts, expert advise.

Cheers,

Matt

[chris-p]

What you need to do is calibrate your monitor at home, edit the shots and then send them to the printers with the appropriate calibration data so they can be printed as you see them...

[Matthew Bromley]

Right! I thought that calibrating the monitor only working if it was then also matched to a printer. And that calibration meant that they were calibrated relative to that particular monitor printer set up only.

So calibrating a monitor in a generic thing that will transfer to other monitors and thus other calibrated printers.

Cheers then chris. I have a birthday coming up so I know what I will be asking for.

[chris-p]

Originally Posted by Matthew Bromley

Right! I thought that calibrating the monitor only working if it was then also matched to a printer. And that calibration meant that they were calibrated relative to that particular monitor printer set up only.

No you can calibrate a monitor without calibrating a printer. Calibrating the monitor just ensures it shows the image properly and then you can calibrate the printer to match the monitor but you can just calibrate a monitor.

If you want to go down that route (personally I don't) you need to choose a printers and talk to them. A proper photographic printers (read as... not the "Kodak" shops on the high street) will be able to tell you how to match your calibration to theirs.

A cheaper alternative is just to get your printers to correct the images before printing, which is what I've done.

Also bear in mind that, even with the most complex and wonderful calibration system in the world, your shots will never look exactly the same on paper as they do on the screen. It's simply impossible because of the different light sources. Even the 3 primary colours are different between a TV/monitor and the real world.

[Matthew Bromley]

OK. Cheers. One more question,

I do all my image editing on my MacBook. Do calibrators still work on laptop monitors?

[chris-p]

Don't know for sure as I don't calibrate anything.

All I can say is that, generally speaking, laptop screens are rubbish for photographic work. Frankly, I'd check that you can actually load new profiles etc. If not, you might end up having to shell out even more money on software to do it (if that sort of thing exists?).

Like I said above, if it was me I would find a proper printers and get them to do the colour correction for you as part of the printing process.

[KeithT]

Hi Matthew, I use this lab for all my prints: http://www.onevisionimaging.com/

It never ceases to amaze me just how good their digital printing service is for such a reasonable price. I used to use them for all my neg prints too, when they were known as Colab. Digital B/W printing is done via an optical printing machine and not inks, so there is no magenta cast. I think their colour prints are done the same way. You can only give them a try and see the quality for your self. You will realise, as I have, that printing stuff yourself isn't worth the hassle and the cost of inks and paper.

[ianpinion]

Originally Posted by Matthew Bromley

OK. Cheers. One more question,

I do all my image editing on my MacBook. Do calibrators still work on laptop monitors?

Laptop screens as a general rule are only able to show about 70% of the full colour range of a print. If you want to use a laptop to edit your photographs on, it is best to get a large monitor and connect the two using an HDMI lead if possible.