Brightness values for printing

[dwdallam]

I have three monitors and each one has a different brightness level. One is 400:1 and the brightest is 20,000:1. Uh hu.

Anyway, I've always had trouble guessing how printers will print the brightness of an image, and since our eyes adjust to such things, it's been guess work for me, and very frustrating. On my IPS panel, the one that has 400:1, contrast I tend to boost the levels in Photoshop with the sliders or curves tool, but I'm tired of hit and miss.

Color and contrast is not the problem, only the overall brightness of the printed image. Yes, I understand that is what "output" sliders are for, but is there a way to sample an image and set brightness values by the numbers by printer? I'm not talking about highlight and shadow either. Again, overall brightness of the printed image (and profiles have nothing to do with that because on one monitor the ready for print image will look brighter, while on the other it will look darker, so the problem remains). This has been my nemesis forever.

[RFPhotography]

Is you main editing monitor calibrated and profiled?  If not, that's likely the starting point.  After that, become familiar with the use of profiles for printing, the Soft Proof function of Photoshop and the use of proofing adjustment layers to make corrections from the proof to the original.  In short, learn about and employ a colour managed workflow.

"Real World Color Management" by Fraser et al and "Color Confidence" by Tim Grey would be two recommended books to begin with.

[dwdallam]

Yes, I'm hardware calibrated and I've use soft proofing. But that doesn't make the image less or more bright. If it did, the brightness of the image, when soft proofing, would look the same on both monitors, which it does not.

[RFPhotography]

It will change the brightness of the image on screen depending on the profile of the paper.  If you're suffering from the 'why are my prints too dark' syndrome then there's something wrong in your workflow loop and your monitor is quite possibly too bright.  And to expect an image to look the same on a monitor with a 20k:1 contrast ratio and on one with a 400:1 contrast ratio is expecting a lot.  But if you're confident that your monitors are properly set up and that your workflow is sound then it might be the viewing conditions. 

Why Are My Prints Too Dark? - http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/why_are_my_prints_too_dark.shtml

Why Are My Prints Too Dark? - http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/colour_management/prints_too_dark.html

[digitaldog]

I have three monitors and each one has a different brightness level. One is 400:1 and the brightest is 20,000:1. Uh hu.

That’s the contrast ratio (which does of course have an effect on brightness). Bottom line, you have to calibrate all three to produce a visual match to the print (and if you use three different products for calibration, the values may all be different to produce the same visual match). Here’s yet another case where having the identical display systems and software allow for all displays to match with the same targets (reference display systems). Three SpectraView’s, one instrument and one copy of software, you’re set.

[JimAscher]

I've "solved" this problem (at least to my satisfaction) by getting the photo the way I want it to look on my second calibrated monitor (in Lightroom, but Photoshop will work also), then increase brightness numerically by 75%.  I make a small test print on my chosen paper.  If the picture is still too dark, then i increase the percentage to 100% for the next test print.  If the 75% test print is too light, then I reduce the brightness level to 50%.  I seldom have to make more than two test prints with this method before determining which increased brightness level works for me.  Sometimes, it's between the 50% and the 75% (or the 100%).  Very simplistic, I know, but it works for me.

[AFairley]

Seems to be you would be better off adjusting the brightness of your montors under normal working ambient light to match prints that are the way you want.  It seems to me that if you just add brightness to what looks good on your montior across the board you can risk introducing clipping of the high tones.

[JimAscher]

Seems to be you would be better off adjusting the brightness of your montors under normal working ambient light to match prints that are the way you want.  It seems to me that if you just add brightness to what looks good on your montior across the board you can risk introducing clipping of the high tones.

In point of fact, I find I achieve greater accuracy (i.e. print satisfaction) by my method.  I've tried adjusting the monitor brightness, but it doesn't provide as consistent results.   

[Ken Bennett]

I have several computers and monitors as well, and all of them are slightly different. I've solved the printing problem by using only one computer for printing -- the iMac in my home office, next to the printer. I can control the room lighting and the brightness of the display, and get a pretty good match on the first print most of the time.

So if I have a photo on my computer at work, I'll bring the file home and put it on my iMac for final tweaking before printing it.

[dwdallam]

Bob, thank you and yes I meant contrast ratio and luminance.  Today I did a print and the luminance was spot on. I think the reason, now that I really think about it, was that I have been having my prints done at Blue Cube Imaging these days, instead of Costco on the Noritsu printer. After I've adjusted the images and sent them to Blue Cube, they are always exactly, or so close as to not matter, like I see them on screen.

I was going to do some prints at Costco when I wrote this and I was dreading it. After all of this, I now think my dread comes from Costco's inability to produce consistent results. I'd forgotten about that and that the problem wasn't mine indeed. Today, the Noritsu printer at my Costco got it right. In fact, the very few times I've had prints done at Costco in the last couple of years, the last six months seemed to be spot on target. I did notice that the gal changing the emulsions was using a different technique than in the past, which may have solved the consistency problem. There is now one cartridge of emulsions that plugs into the the bottom of the machine, and no connectors. She just slides it in and closes the door, and it's changed.

Thanks for all who responded and helped refreshed my memory. I know I can always rely on the LL society for help, as always.