What have I done wrong with my prints?

pablo_paul

pablo_paul

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paul
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I haven't had any prints done in a while and for the first time I have a Huey Pro to calibrate my screens. So here's my workflow.

1)Calibrate my screen with the Huey
2) Do my adjustment in Lightroom
3) In the print module in lightroom create a custom paper size that matches what the print lab uses include ppi.
4)Download and install in lightroom the icc profile for the selected paper
5)Output to jpg from the print module and send to Lab.

The problem is all of the images look underexposed by at least a stop what have i done wrong?
I don't have enough experience to know if variation like this is to be expected i thought i'd get some colour differences because of cheap screens but i though i'd get a decent exposure.
 
yes I think so. in the right hand panel at the bottom the profile is selected. I setup one print I.e. paper size, ppi, icc paper profile and a couple of other tweaks save this as a paper profile (not sure if that's the exact term for it) in the left hand column and then apply that to my other prints.

Turning on and off the icc profile should I see a visual difference on screen in Lightroom as you would do when applying a preset in the develop module?
 
assign the profile after you tweak.


what is the cm2 brightness of your monitor I should be about 90-100. also are you viewing the images in good light? remember than prints reflect light while
monitors emit, they will tend to be brighter.

tilt your monitor back and see if your prints match
 
POAH said:
assign the profile after you tweak.

what is the cm2 brightness of your monitor I should be about 90-100. also are you viewing the images in good light? remember than prints reflect light while
monitors emit, they will tend to be brighter.

tilt your monitor back and see if your prints match
Click to expand...

I'm not sure to be honest it's a 17 inch laptop screen I've had a look in the graphics drivers but I'm not seeing any of that info only controls for brightness and contrast. My desk is next to the window I close the blinds when I'm working and calibrate in these conditions also. I will try to tilt the screen and see what that does.

I'm thinking the short comings in my process could be the screen I.e it'll be a cheap panel or the Huey is faulty.
 
I could be very cheeky and say its because you have a Huey!

I have a couple of customers who used them and could never get good results - then they bought Gretag/xrite and perfect results...

Also - many laptop screens are impossible to profile - as the colour varies depending on the angle you view - though if you made a frame up so your head was at the same point each time!

Try with a decent monitor (not a cheap one!).
 
Do you have the ability to set the target brightness in the huey software. It sounds like your profiling your monitor to too bright a target level, so it ends up brighter than the print.
 
I keep an eye on the histogram when editing, also checking for lost highlights/shadows. I use a laptop with a dell screen attached using the laptop screen for the editing tools and the Dell for the image being edited.
 
I'm not a fan of the Huey, but I think the problem may be the screen brightness. Also some laptop screens can be a real pain to calibrate. Even MacBook Pros do have some anomalies even after calibrating.
The usual problem with dark prints is an over bright screen.If I remember the Huey software correctly part of the calibration procedure is to measure the room ambient brightness ( It may have changed in the last few years). This may be where the problem lies. It's setting the screen brightness to high. There is no correct figure, it depends on your working environment. However a range between 100-140cd/m2 is not unusual. However I don't think you can set this with the Huey.

Devices such as the Spider Elite or X-Rite do allow this as well as selecting the desired white point. Try and find a brightness control on the laptop. It should be there somewhere. If not then you probably don't have much chance as calibrating the screen accurately.

The only alternative is a bit of a bodge. In whatever editing software you are using adjust the brightness of the image until it matches the print. Make a note of the setting, The apply the same correction but with an opposite value to the image prior to printing. For example say that -30 density or exposure values match the print. Now to the image you send for printing add +30 units. Not ideal by any stretch but it may get you somewhere close. It may be a bit of trial and error.
 
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