I just got another email from someone who is struggling with color management (getting their prints from their inkjet printer to match their monitor). Even after all the gains we've made in the past few years, for many people getting their printer to match the screen is still just too complicated. Here are the problems people write me with every day:
(1) They can't afford to buy a hardware-based monitor calibration device, so they're working off an uncalibrated monitor. They've tried the built-in software calibration and it's not working for them.
(2) They bought a hardware calibrator, profiled their monitor, did everything else, but the prints still don't match exactly.
(3) There aren't profiles available for their printer/paper and they're not willing (or can't afford) to have a custom profile made.
(4) They complain that they've done everything they've read about color management, but their prints are still too red--too blue--too light--too dark, etc.
(5) Since calibrating the monitor, their prints do much the screen now, but their monitor looks terrible for everything else, and they hate constantly switching monitor profiles.
(6) They're so freaked-out about color management, they have no idea where to be begin. They've read books, articles online, but one says to do it one way, one say to do it another way, so basically, they're paralyized.
So, I was thinking (and I'm probably thinking too simplistically here, but it's just a thought) that maybe the problem could be addressed with a new type of Adjustment Layer that would let them fix just that one problem in their set-up. If their prints were coming out "too blue" (compared to their monitor), they could bring up this adjustment layer that would have really simple checkboxes that would add or take away blue from just the image on screen---not change the entire monitor. Now, I know you can do that now using a Color Balance adjustment layer (or Curves, Levels, Hue/Sat for that matter), but I think we need something simpler. Something as simple as Photoshop's "Variations" but not for color correction: for print matching. (My first attempt at a layout is shown here---click on the image for a larger view of it). You would need the ability to fix one photo, and save that setting and have it applied to all of your images automatically (if you choose) so it probably couldn't be an Adjustment layer after all.
Years ago the Adobe Gamma plug-in let you do something along these lines, tweaking your screen color, but it affected the entire monitor---I just want to change the image on screen in the easiest way possible.
Now, as you can see this is NOT a fully developed idea--just me thinking out loud, but I'd like to hear your comments and suggestions for something like this---an alternate way to make our prints match the monitor by non-destructively adjusting the image on screen so it matches the print, without using Curves or Levels, and without changing the monitor color or brightness.
Now before you post a comment, keep these things in mind:
(a) This would be designed to help the thousands and thousands of people who don't understand (or feel comfortable with) Color Balance, Curves, Levels or Hue/Sat to fix their colors, so don't suggest existing Photoshop fixes.
(b) Don't post mean things--I'm just thinking out loud, and don't say arrogant or mean things about people who can't get today's color management to work for them. It's a real problem, and I'm trying to help devise a way to help them--we're all in this together.
(c) Please don't post as Anonymous, so I can address your ideas when I post.
(d) The goal here is to come up with the simplest fix possible: the less checkboxes and sliders---the better. Think: "Color management for third-graders."
(e) The best idea wins a prize (I'll get you a signed copy of Matt's great new "Photoshop Speed Clinic" book).
Thanks for joining in, and let's see where this goes---could be fun! :)
Scott
