Intro To Digital Photography, Week Four
Additional Info: Non-Standard Papers and Inks
Conejo Valley Adult School

Inkjet printer color management: Alternative Method
Best when NOT using papers and/or inks made by your inkjet printer's manufacturer
Please remember that these instructions are only for custom papers and inks.

You will need a custom profile installed on your computer for this method . Custom profiles are available "free" from many paper manufacturers websites. A custom profile is made for ONE specific printer model, so make sure you download the correct profile. If a custom profile for your chosen paper/printer combo isn't available (or if you are also using a custom inkset) you need to have a personal profile made. You download a few "test images" to print onto your chosen paper and then you "snail mail" those prints to the profile company. Two good sources for personal profiles are Cathy's Profiles (very good quality and only about $40 per profile) and Digital Dog (considered the industry leader, with $100 prices to match!).

Installing a custom profile onto your computer.
Windows XP: right-click a profile and select Install Profile. Alternatively, copy the profiles into the WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\color folder.
Windows Vista: Open Color Management by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Hardware and Sound, and then clicking Color Management. Click the All Profiles tab, and then click Add. Locate and select the new color profile, and then click Add.

Mac OSX: copy profiles into the /Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder (best method) or the /Users/[username]/Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder (restrict use of profile to single user account).

You will need to restart Adobe Elements before you can use your new profile.

Photoshop Elements color settings. While Elements is running go to Edit > Color settings. If your camera ALWAYS uses sRGB as a colorspace, select "Always Optimize for Computer Screens". If your camera is capable of using the AdobeRGB (sometimes called aRGB) colorspace, then select "Allow Me to Choose". This will allow you to use the larger AdobeRGB space which includes brighter (more saturated) colors.

NOTE: If you work in AdobeRGB, make sure you convert any images for email or website use to sRGB. This can be done by going to Image > Convert Color Profile > Apply sRGB. Any image with an AdobeRGB colorspace will cause a mis-match with internet specs and look rather "washed-out". AdobeRGB is great for printing, terrible for the web.

Get your file "perfect" on screen. Select File > Print, you will then get the print preview screen.

1. Use the rotate controls to fit the image onto the page as you prefer
2. Check the "Show More Options" box
3. Set "Printer Profile"to your custom profile ("A RR Matte_RGB_1280" in this example).
4. Select your Rendering, "Relative Colormetric" is the typical. However, some images will look better with "Perceptual". The other choices, "Saturation" and "Absolute Colormetric" are usually not used for photographs.
5. Hit "Print", this doesn't actually start printing. Instead it opens your printer dialog.

Your printer dialog will most likely differ from mine, so consider these "general" comments.

1. Select the printer you want to use.
2. You may have a standard preset that does everything below for you (or you may be able to save a personal preset). A great time saver.
3. Select "Print Settings".
4. Select the type of paper you are going to use.
5. Set ink to "color".
6. Select "Advanced Settings"
7. Select your "Print Quality", the higher the DPI the sharper the print and the longer the print takes to finish.
8. Turn off "High Speed and turn on "Finest Detail"
9. DO NOT hit "Print" yet.

Your printer dialog will most likely differ from mine, so consider these "general" comments.

1. Change the "Print Settings" selection to "Color Management".
2. Select "No Color Adjustments". This is VERY important. You've already applied the colorspace in photoshop. If you let the printer apply a profile, you will have applied 2 corrections and your colors will be incorrect.
3. Hit "Print".

Please remember that these instructions are only for custom papers and inks.

 

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