Brightness in LR Classic print module: how to mimic in PS

[zuru]

The brightness control in LR print module has been around for a while and I always use it (I do have a calibrated workflow but somehow I always have to use + 20-30).

Does anyoen know how this "Brightness" is applied and whatthe numbers mean? Is it just an overall bump in brightness? Is it in percentage?

I tried a few times to find an equivalence in PS, but it never did the same thing. For example, if I apply an Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer in PS and set brightness to +20, it doesn't do teh same as LR +20 in teh print module.

In general, i'd like to find a print workflow that stays away from using this control in LR as it is applied without any feedback and I have nmo idea what it does. Precompensating in PS or even LR would be better.

Thanks

[KR Seals]

What is the monitor brightness value you use in the calibration? Prints darker than you expect are a sign that your monitor brightness is too high.

I find printing in LrC to be so much easier than PS

[zuru]

Calibrated to 80 cd, 6500K. It's not too high. 

[Conrad C]

In general, i'd like to find a print workflow that stays away from using this control in LR as it is applied without any feedback and I have nmo idea what it does. Precompensating in PS or even LR would be better.

By @zuru

Yes, you’re right. The Brightness setting in the Print module isn’t tied to any color management, it was thrown in as a blunt instrument just to help with dark prints, and it is better if its use can be avoided because its results aren’t easily repeatable or calibrated.

Do you know what luminance level your display is calibrated or profiled to? You might already know this, but especially with today’s super bright displays, if display luminance is set too high, prints seem dark just because there’s no way the brightness of paper can match a maxed-out display that’s its own light source.

Your idea of adding a Brightness adjustment layer is OK, I sometimes do it with a Curves adjustment layer. This type of printer compensation adjustment is best done if soft-proofing is set up properly and enabled. And if I create multiple adjustment layers that are printer-specific, I put into a layer group so I can turn off the entire group in one click if exporting for online viewing, or printing on a different printer that needs different adjustments.

[zuru]

Thanks for your detailed answer. I use an EIZO monitor hardware calibrated to 80cd/6500K.

I actually dug a bit deeper and printed to a jpg file from LR when the brightness is set to say +30. Then I import into PS and check what it did and it looks like it does a blanket brightness shifting (aka "legacy mode" for B/C in PS), so this results in quite a lot of clipping in the highlights.