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Dana26511287uc2r
Participant
October 10, 2022
Question

Print images are grayish

  • October 10, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 625 views

Twice in the last year when someone else has been helping me edit images for a customer, when the images are printed to canvas or larger print, the images have a definite grayish or washed out tone.  The images look fine on the computer screen.  Does anyone have an idea what is being done wrong?  I have never had this problem on my images, but I always export out of Light room, even when editing in PS, I save back to LR and then export.

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2 replies

NB, colourmanagement
Community Expert
NB, colourmanagementCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 13, 2022

Dana, Your issues raise a couple of points in my mind.

1: If you are making judgement on image appearance on-screen, is that monitor screen calibrated and profiles (with a colorimeter like the X-Rite / Calibrite i1Display Pro?) 

2: do you have a good ICC profile. for the printer and media? read more about ICC profiles here. And about why they are needed here 

 

I use this kit to be 100% sure the screen calibration is accurate and the calibration targets are optimal. 

 

A note on saving print ready files, I would prefer "save as" rather than export.

First make a copy of your master full size  image file, archive it with the image profile embedded [as Tiff or PSD - Jpeg is unsuitable here because of the inevitable compression].

Make a copy and resize that for the print, sharpen it and send to the printer with the image profile embedded. 

 

Please feel free to make a test the printer accuracy using this image

-  go here and download the Adobe RGB testimage: https://www.colourmanagement.net/index.php/downloads_listing/

 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

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Dana26511287uc2rAuthor
Participant
October 17, 2022

I think this may be getting close. I am asking people editing for me to return images in jpeg. If they are saving their images out of Photoshop to jpeg, maybe this is the problem?  Should I have them send as tiff? Then I import them into Lightroom to catalog with the other images for the customer and then export all out of Lightroom as full res jpeg ?

TheDigitalDog
TheDigitalDog
Inspiring
October 17, 2022

Does the JPEGs sent to you have an embedded profile? That's critical. Open in Photoshop and examine the color space reported (lower document dropdown set to show this, or in Info Palette when set to show this). 

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    Conrad_C
    Community Expert
    Conrad_CCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 10, 2022

    When the images “look fine on screen,” are either of you using soft-proofing to simulate the final print appearance in Photoshop (View > Proof Setup > Custom) or Lightroom Classic (View > Soft Proofing > Show Proof)?

     

    If soft proofing is not being used, the screen display is the full range original, not as it will appear under the smaller range of contrast and color of canvas and matte print media. That could result in surprises at print time.

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