Black point compensation in print module

Hello,

why there is no Black point compensation in the settings of the print module?

Is something set as default for printing?

 

Thanks

By @Simone Pompei

Yes, this is always enabled in Lightroom Classic. In Photoshop you can choose this in the Print dialog, but not in Lightroom. It actually says so in the Print Job panel.

Printing uses colour management - as does screen display. That includes a mapping of all tonalities and hues to an explicit colour profile selection, which may be device neutral or device specific. In the case of printing direct to a device, you can instead set "managed by printer" and then the relevant choices must be made within the printer driver settings. Those settings can involve an ICC profile selection (specific to a particular paper / ink / device combination) or otherwise use printer-proprietary controls to the same effect (again, paper specific). Either way, this pre-engineers blackpoint and whitepoint and everything between, for a particular printing scenario.

You can also preview the effect of one or another output's setup using Softproof in the Develop module. A checkbox "simulate paper and ink" goes some way towards approximating a physical blackpoint etc as printed. But the limitations of how well a display screen can show this, together with the difficulties of even subjectively judging this, mean that a physical test print will be a far more reliable guide IMO.

This "simulate paper and ink" checkbox is (naturally) unavailable in any case, when the output profile chosen is for a standard device-neutral colourspace - which does not involve any known particular paper or ink.

Either way, output specific overrides are possible in Print - operating on-the-fly. There will be some trial and error if these are used and there is no blackpoint adjustment here specifically. It is more about a perceptual look, AFAICT, especially useful in cases where ICC device profiling is unavailable. These can be used as a standardised modifier for a particular form of output, in whihc case should probably be included in a named print preset for consistency.

Output will either be suitable for generalised screen display, to which further colour management will duly apply - or else, towards further postprocessing / towards some printing workflow that you or someone else will then carry out. 

In the case where one is submitting JPGs to an external printing service, generally that service will stipulate a device neutral colourspace (frequently sRGB). It will then be for that service to perform output processing (including establishing device relevant blackpoint, grey component replacement, "inkspace" conversion, whatever) to suit its own workflow into its own actual device.

Thus one's own preparation of an image for such a service, would only relate to the visual appearance of an sRGB (or whatever) output file. One can commission a trial print perhaps, as a confirmatory reference. Thereafter this print service must be trusted to do (= is paid to be responsible for doing) whatever is needful; in a calibrated and consistent manner, one hopes.

i have the same issue