Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Digital Image Processing => Topic started by: picturesfromthelow on November 14, 2011, 04:55:27 am

Title: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: picturesfromthelow on November 14, 2011, 04:55:27 am

I wrote a short article on my website explaining how I do soft proofing in order to optimize a black and white image for print. I read several tutorials regarding soft proofing, and found that they almost always focus on color images. So I thought I could share my B&W workflow, which is based around the concept of taking advantage of the Advanced B&W Photo mode of my Epson 3880 (using ABW paper profiles). You can read the text here:

http://www.lucasetti.com/blog/Soft-proofing-for-black-and-white-images

You can also download an Action for Photoshop that automates all the steps explained in the article.
If you have questions, need further information or find mistakes (!) feel free to leave a comment directly on my website or here in the LL forum.

Saluti,
Luca

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: Alan Goldhammer on November 14, 2011, 07:49:07 am

Problem is that on the new MacOS, you cannot use ABW profiles to print your image and softproofing only works with a kludge.  There was a recent thread HERE (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=58778.0).  You should update your article to reflect this since the soft proofing won't be of any use without the ability to print with the profile.  Win users are unaffected (at this point in time but that could change if MSFT changes the OS when Win8 comes out).

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: RFPhotography on November 14, 2011, 09:01:06 am

The text colour and background combination make your site very difficult to read. 

I'd be cautious of a 'do these specific things' type of approach.  Every image is different and may require a different approach to optimise the proof for printing.  Similary every paper is different and the same image printed on two different papers may require different adjustments.

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: picturesfromthelow on November 14, 2011, 10:30:48 am

Hi guys,
thank you for your kind feedback.

Quote from: Alan Goldhammer on November 14, 2011, 07:49:07 am

Problem is that on the new MacOS, you cannot use ABW profiles to print your image and softproofing only works with a kludge.  There was a recent thread HERE (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=58778.0).  You should update your article to reflect this since the soft proofing won't be of any use without the ability to print with the profile.  Win users are unaffected (at this point in time but that could change if MSFT changes the OS when Win8 comes out).

Alan, thank you for the information. I shall add that I use Windows 7.

Quote from: BobFisher on November 14, 2011, 09:01:06 am

I'd be cautious of a 'do these specific things' type of approach.  Every image is different and may require a different approach to optimise the proof for printing.  Similary every paper is different and the same image printed on two different papers may require different adjustments.

Bob, I agree with that. The article does not pretend to teach soft proofing to other people, it simply explains how I personally did it on a specific image and for a specific paper.

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: Les Sparks on November 15, 2011, 11:18:35 am

Thanks for the article. Since I use Win7, I found it very useful.
Les

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: picturesfromthelow on November 16, 2011, 02:57:08 am

Thank you Les, I appreciate!

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: pknouf on November 26, 2011, 07:49:09 pm

Eirc Chan says on his website that he no longer produces profiles for ABW due to the change by Apple in their OS.  Does anyone know of others that are still producing profiles for Windows users?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: Alan Goldhammer on November 27, 2011, 05:09:33 pm

Quote from: pknouf on November 26, 2011, 07:49:09 pm

Eirc Chan says on his website that he no longer produces profiles for ABW due to the change by Apple in their OS.  Does anyone know of others that are still producing profiles for Windows users?

Thanks.

If you have a spectro, you can use Roy Harrington's QTR program to create your own ABW profiles.

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: pknouf on December 01, 2011, 02:48:43 pm

Alan,

I don't have a spectrophotometer so that option is out.  Do you know anyone else who is making B&W profiles for a Windows PC?

Thanks,

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: Alan Goldhammer on December 01, 2011, 05:00:58 pm

Quote from: pknouf on December 01, 2011, 02:48:43 pm

Alan,

I don't have a spectrophotometer so that option is out.  Do you know anyone else who is making B&W profiles for a Windows PC?

Thanks,

To my knowledge, Eric was the only one making B/W profiles for the Epson printers. 

Title: Re: Soft proofing for black and white images
Post by: picturesfromthelow on December 06, 2011, 09:25:37 am

Quote from: pknouf on December 01, 2011, 02:48:43 pm

Alan,

I don't have a spectrophotometer so that option is out.  Do you know anyone else who is making B&W profiles for a Windows PC?

Thanks,

You could purchase ImagePrint RIP, I understand that it comes with gray profiles as well. Of course the price for the license is comparable to purchasing a spectrophotometer.....

Saluti,
Luca