applying print profiles make photos looked washed out?

[ian-83]

As part of an evenings course in photography I am doing we need to print off 3 photos taken over the course. I have managed to find a print profile and downloaded it and installed it in Nikon capture nx. But when I convert from srgb to the print profile the picture looks like someone has turned up the contrast and it looks washed out. Is this purely because my monitor isn't calibrated? Or is this how my photo will get printed. Were not allowed any post processing on any photos they have to he straight out the camera!

 

[Chappers]

The printer profile charecterises the printer. It defines what the printer can and cannot print. This information is used by the software's print module. Using it as a colour space will as you have found out completely screw up the image.

Printer profiles should be used within the printer module if they can be accommodated. If not simply let the printer manage the printing operation

 

[ian-83]

If I set up the picture using the print profile as the colour space will this then mean what I see on my monitor once its calibrated will be how the print will appear?

 

[POAH]

use sRGB as the colour space and use the correct profile for the ink/paper combo when printing.