Color Mgmt: Another Tweak
AutumnRae's comment is right on the money: we don't need two sliders for darker and lighter--it should just be one (so I updated the dialog, as shown here). Plus, it would just get people in trouble, and break my guideline of creating a color management system for third-graders. Also, in the next round, I will add a slider for "More Contrast - Less Contrast," and one for "More Saturation - Less Saturation" as well.
Also, I think adding an Advanced tab is a good idea, but I would have to come up with a less intimidating name. Like "fourth grade" perhaps. ;-)
Also, I wanted to reinterate that the reason we're doing this in the print dialog, rather than as an Adjustment layer, filter, or tonal adjustment. It's because we don't want to have to change each image one-by-one. We want our monitor to look the same as it does now, but when we print a photo to the chosen printer, we want it to compensate for the fact that our monitor isn't calibrated, and give us a print that matches what we see on our monitor.
Also, note to Skunk&Nancy: you can see my prediciment: it's hard to give lots of control without making it too hard for the very people this is designed to help. I like that you tested the theory using Variations, too. Good thinking, and it helps to prove that something like this might be helpful.
Note to Reed: One reason that I like keeping the Match Printing dialog as part of the Print with Preview, is that you won't know you have a problem until you go to print, so I'm hoping that a new user will think "I have a printing problem" and look in the Print With Preview dialog to find the answer. However, you bring up a good point. Maybe Print with Preview should just be called "Print." :-)
I also think reed has the right idea with the before and after versions sitting side-by-side, more like what Variations is doing. I'll try that in an upcoming mock-up. :)
Thanks again for everyone's ideas. Keep 'em coming!
posted by Scott Kelby at 11:17 AM
3 Comments:
Intersting idea, Scott. I would use this. I have a cheap HP printer that I use to print "working" images (to check sharpness and stuff like that), and despite having a profile made for it (it was a freebie offer), the prints are still slightly out of whack. A quick-and-dirty colour management tool like this would be a nice addition to Photoshop (or as a script or plug-in).
I have a couple of comments/suggestions. First of all, I couldn't help but notice that this proposed tool is "colour-centric." It needs a "monochrome" or "black & white" mode for enlightened users who realize that just because the camera takes colour photos, they don't have to end up in colour. :-)
Also, instead of the rather crude "darker/lighter" slider, how about three sliders for the shadows, midtones and highlights? With my cheap-o printer, I find the shadows block up, and could use a little boost, but the rest of the image is fine. I have saved a curve that I apply in a curves adjustment layer to address this, but a "shadows" slider that would do the same thing within the colour management tool would be more convenient.
Lastly, how about a way to save the adjustments as a preset?
Good luck with this!
As I try to learn something about PS2 your books and tapes have been more help to me than you can imagine! I get a great image on my monitor that is really washed out on my R800 printer. I have Moved the levels center slider input from 1.0 down to about .70 to make the screen too dark and can get a good print. I like the print with preview concept allowing for one correction to be applied to all prints made on that printer, however missed one instruction that seems to be the most important one! In my print w preview dialogue box my only choices are color management and output. If you have a minute could you step down the hall of your little school to the second grade room and help me find the print match screen. Thanks a bunch!! Hugh
hi Hugh:
The Print Matching feature actually isn't in Photoshop: it's just a brainstorming idea we're doing here on the blog for a feature we'd like to see in an upcoming version of Photoshop. It kind of just "thinking out loud" and everyone where it giving their ideas and input. If you go back a couple of days in the blog, there's a post about how this all started. :)
Scott
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