Color Management Concept For Discussion?

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


11 Comments:
Perhaps, in the space remaining, a slider could be added that offers an additional slider that addresses contrast. At one extreme would be "Prints have too much contrast" and at the other "Print is too flat"
Perhaps, in the space remaining, a slider could be added that offers an additional slider that addresses contrast. At one extreme would be "Prints have too much contrast" and at the other "Print is too flat"
Perhaps, in the space remaining, a slider could be added that offers an additional slider that addresses contrast. At one extreme would be "Prints have too much contrast" and at the other "Print is too flat"
Soft proofing seems to be a better way of setting custom color profiles for printers. Perhaps a Photoshop TV lesson on setting up soft proofs for different printers.
The problem with adjustment layers is that you would need to set up and save it then load it for each and every image.
With soft proofing all the images are seen in the color space so only single adjustment layers are needed.
Can an action be made to make the adjustments as needed. I have seen some high end actions that will do almost anything.
First, as a general statement, most users have their monitor set far too bright. The first thing you notice when spyder calibrating, is that the monitor becomes darker. On an Apple monitor, darkering the monitor 4-6 clicks will go a long way towards getting better results, i.e. if the monitor is too bright the prints will come out too dark.
Secondly, in the Print dialog box > Color Management pull down > Color Controls, there are all sorts of slider options to influence output under Advanced Settings. The settings can be saved and named for specific media for future selection.
Using those two options, very acceptable prints can be made. In fact, I achieve good prints using this approach, better than with spyder calibration < blasphemy > which for me is never just exactly right.
This is a trial and error approach, and your request is for something towards an Auto Print—simply select the Printer, Paper, and Monitor > click Print, let the chipmunks thrash it all out. Given the multitude of monitor and printer combinations, such a task would be formable.
I'm always tickled to find driver support for a newly offered printer, but I believe you are correct in identifying printing as the single largest deterrent to user processing...jf
Scott, this is a fantastic idea- perhaps Adobe can get this to work across all their products? I have a color calibrated system using Colorvision Spyder, a Samsung LCD 20" monitor, and an Epson Stylus 2200 printer. I use Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign, and I have the same color settings set up in all of them- and yet I still get a different result with the same document from each of the programs. A past issue of Photoshop User carried a great article on color calibraton in PS that made all the difference with my Photoshop Workflow, but that dealt primarily with your settings in the 'Print With Preview' pane...
Here's one question I have regarding this simplified approach- how do you keep the adjustment layer from printing, thereby further confusing the color differences? Simply hiding the layer would help, I suppose, but could this function be designed to be visible only on the monitor, but not seen by the Print Utility when you want to proof it on a printer?
There you go, thinking differently again... ;-)
I think the simplest option would be a enhancing the current setup in the "Print with Preview" dialogue box. Currently, you have the option to let the printer determine colors.
What if when this option is checked you get a more accurate real time preview? This would be based on the premise that the consumer would only need to load one monitor profile and one printer profile. Assuming the single profiles were accurate to themselves, the print dialogue could automatically adjust the print preview you see based on the current two profiles loaded.
If you wanted to make adjustments, I would have the controls in this dialogue box. I would make the color faders similar to the color balance dialogue, and add a saturation / contrast fader.
By having the adjustment placed directly in the "Print with Preview" dialogue there's no change to the actual file and the consumer won't have to remember to hide a layer if they use the same file for the web or on screen.
Great topic of discussion.
WOW! Great comments!
Note to Reed and A.J.: I've updated my screen capture to add a Preview checkbox for real time previews (which I agree is essential), I added a checkbox to apply the changes to all images sent to that particular printer, and I really ike Reed's idea of simply matching the print with the monitor side-by-side, and just moving the sliders until they match, so I changed the wording and functionality a little bit.
Also, I like A.J.'s idea of having those controls right in the Print with Preview dialog, but I haven't had a chance to update the dialog with that, but I'll try that next.
I also like the idea of choosing which printer you're using from a pop-up list, so Photoshop could apply a profile for you, right from the start. It would be a pain for Adobe to keep up with the new printer profiles (just like its a pain for them to keep up with new camera models shooting Raw), but they--it's a work in progress, right. :)
Anonymous had a good idea with the Contrast slider as well, so I would probably add that, too.
Thanks for the ideas everybody. Keep 'em coming--this is great!!!! :-)
Hey Scott:
You mentioned Photoshop Variations command, how about an adjustment layer that brings up a "Print Variations". You print your image, hold it by the monitor and look at the "Print Variations" My print looks like: (pick the thumbnail variation that most closely matches your problem print) and Photoshop automatically makes the corrections to the adjustment layer. You could also save your settings to reapply them for each different printer you use.
Great Topic!
Cheers,
Dave Cuerdon
I can certainly understand the confusion that comes with trying to understand color managed workflows (I was there once) but I also would hope that people understand that the complexity of it all also affords flexibility and versatility.
I'm concerned that some of the solutions being offered will only lead to creating a closed loop system. These solutions will work but only if you are using YOUR monitor, YOUR printer, in YOUR digital darkroom. If we make edits that are proprietary to a particular print set up what will happen the minute you hand off an image file to a print bureau or pro lab?
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