"So you can either turn down the display or increase the luminosity of your lighting. "
Since practic says his prints are too dark, even in sunlight, what brighter light would you suggest for viewing? This luminousity theme is repeated, with good reason I think, over and over on the LL forums.
Using an Eye One Display with Match 3 software I am able to achieve very good color matching to print on a LCD monitor (ViewSonic VX910) that is not recognized by any photographers I know of. Colorwise great, luminousitywise not so good. Can't calibrate luminousity low enough, in fact, levels below about 100 are not distinguishable from say, 70.
So, I have found the following choices sort of practical:
1. Use a levels layer with a mid tone decrease of about 30% so long as contrast is not severly comprimised.
2. Use a screen adjustment.
3. Turn my room lights as bright as possible while editing, takes a lot of light though.
4. After calibration go to the "On Screen" monitor adjustments and reduce brightness to nearly minium (this is something like a 70% reduction).
Surprisingly, number four seems to work best. I thought that reducing brightness so drastically would make darker values become indistinguishable at this point but my monitor is able to differentiate the darkest color steps.
The nuisance is , for me, the unpredictability of the process. I expect my prints to be viewed in light far lower than in sunlight!
Am I way off base in my approach?
Comments, suggestions. and criticism welcome!