Re: Photoshop Color Settings

Bob Frederick <larocNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I prepare files for several local printers, all direct to plate offset
sheetfed. When I edit images I use Photoshop 7, don't need CS, we are
talking basic color correction, re-sizing, silos, etc.

I use the "US prepress default" color setting except I changed the dot
gain from 20% to 15%, I find this gives me very predictable results
from monitor to press once I have corrected my images.

I have never had good results with these settings. I prefer to use color
management and a CMYK profile that I created myself.

I'll post a sample CMYK profile here:

http://68.14.159.158:81/profiles/matchprint.icc


Most of the images I work with come from digital photographers or stock
image houses. When I open images I generally discard any profiles and
do not color manage. This tends to give me a slightly over saturated
image which I color correct "by the numbers" and save without a
profile.

This is really a mistake. You should setup your Photoshop color
management to:

RGB: Adobe RBG 1988
CMYK: Use the profile I gave you (or get a better one)

When opening images with an embedded profile I'd suggest you convert to
your working space. I leaned the hard way (had to pay for a botched
printing job) that ignoring embedded profiles can result in
misinterpreting the originial intent of the image by a considerable
amount.


This method works well enough for my needs, there's only one problem:
The color correction process can be time consuming.

Once again, convert to your working space and have a real CMYK profile.
The one I posted here is a Matchprint III Commercial profile. It is
heavy and saturated. I have others that can be used.

Keep in mind that when the profile is made it can have a default
rendering intent and a DMAX. Those can be overidden by your own
settings. This does require knowledge of how to do it.


So, I'm wondering if a different combination of color settings might
render images which require less time to correct. I have tried using
the embedded profile, converting to working profile, changing Adobe RGB
to sRGB, etc. A setting change may improve one image but the next image
might be worse off. Nothing seems to give as consistent results as my
basic setup.

A basic settup of ignoring the emebedded profile and using one of
Photoshop's built in strikes me as a "less than quality" approach to
handling color.


I'm curious to know what Photoshop color settings others are using and
how much time they are spending on color correction.

Color is subjective. What is good color to me may not be to you. Time
and time again I see users tell me that what they do is, in my opinion
awful, but they like what they get.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that based on what you say you are
doing, your standards for color reproduction and my own are quite
different.
.