Using ICC profiles in Photoshop

[DavidUK]

Since I started my photography night class, I've begun to take a more serious look at my home 'digital darkroom' setup. I have an Epson R800 printer, which, until now I'd printed my pictures with using the standard or default settings. They looked OK, but what I got never really matched what I saw on screen.

I got talking to another guy on my course who suggested I use the correct ICC profiles for my printer. I've never really come across this before, but from what I've seen it looks quite simple. I downloaded the ICC profiles from the Epson website, there were three - one for glossy paper, one for matt and one for fine paper.

Basically, in Photoshop 7, if you select the relevant ICC profile, and turn off colour management in the printer driver I get a picture more like the one I see on screen....

..am I doing this correctly, or is there anything I've missed!

 

[IanC_UK]

Sounds about right if the picture printed looks like the screen

 

[DavidUK]

Sounds about right if the picture printed looks like the screen

..yes seems too. I've been debating buying a hardware based monitor calibration tool for a while now, i.e. Spyder 2.. but the price tag seems a bit high. I've also recently bought an Epson scanner which has ICC profiles, but I've tried scanning some photos and negs with it and the ICC profile produces very strange results!

 

[Garnock]

I bought a Spyder2 when I bought my Epson R1800.
Now, with a calibrated monitor and ICC profiles the colour of my prints are what I see on screen but quite a bit darker.
I've tried everything and my present work around is to increase the shadows in the shadows/highlights command by 25% just prior to printing. It works but I shouldn't have to do that. :confused-


Colour management is a dark science..... :stupid:

Cameron

 

[DavidUK]

I bought a Spyder2 when I bought my Epson R1800.
Now, with a calibrated monitor and ICC profiles the colour of my prints are what I see on screen but quite a bit darker.
I've tried everything and my present work around is to increase the shadows in the shadows/highlights command by 25% just prior to printing. It works but I shouldn't have to do that. :confused-


Colour management is a dark science..... :stupid:

Cameron

...I turned off colour management in Photoshop and used the default settings in the printer driver of my R800.. the result was good, if not a little 'lighter'.

When using the ICC profile in photoshop and no colour management in the printer driver, I also get a darker print.. but it looks more like the one on screen... but I read a while ago that the D70 underexposes in poor light, so not sure if that's to blame..

..it trully is a dark science! :eyesup: