Calibration questions for my Mac and Lightroom

[kat.hayes]

Using an X-rite i1 calibration device that I want to use on both my iMac and MacBook Pro.

1. How do you calibrate a laptop when you might be using it with different lighting conditions, varying from very low light to household lighting? The settings it is now configured at will likely make it not display nicely in very low light, etc. Is the idea to make a different calibration profile based on different lighting conditions I may use and to change them as needed?

2. In Lightroom, is selecting the .icc profile from my printing vendor before sending my files to the printer just to simulate to me how it will look for editing, or is it necessary to bake it in to the files so they print accurately?

Thanks.

 

[Khalai]

Using an X-rite i1 calibration device that I want to use on both my iMac and MacBook Pro.

1. How do you calibrate a laptop when you might be using it with different lighting conditions, varying from very low light to household lighting? The settings it is now configured at will likely make it not display nicely in very low light, etc. Is the idea to make a different calibration profile based on different lighting conditions I may use and to change them as needed?

2. In Lightroom, is selecting the .icc profile from my printing vendor before sending my files to the printer just to simulate to me how it will look for editing, or is it necessary to bake it in to the files so they print accurately?

Thanks.

1) Calibrating a laptom may sometimes by Sisyphos's work, especially with TFT panels. Very few laptops have really quality display (being rather expensive). Especially e.g. glossy TFT panels with uneven illumination. You should calibrate your monitor after 30-60 minutes warming up and in usual conditions you will be editing in. See the problem with laptops already?

2) Depends on the printer. You can use LR soft-proofing to adjust image for specific printer and then use standart ICC profile for the image (sRGB, AdobeRGB...) and let printer manage the transition (which will usually do anyway).

 

[kat.hayes]

Thanks for your reply!

1. As a general workflow, should I assign the printer .icc color profile before doing any editing on the image to get accurate results?

2. How do you know if you should first assign the .icc profile from the printer and later switch to either sRGB, AdobeRGB and let the printer manage the rest?

Thanks!

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

For best results, calibrate and use your monitor in a dark room. By doing this, when you edit in Lightroom, your color will be correct as well as the image brightness.

The ICC profiles come in for printing. Lightroom does have a soft proofing capability. When you check the soft proof box in the edit window, set the icc profile for the printer and paper type you plan to use. This will let you tweak the colors and saturation. The intent is to show you how the image would look when printed with that printer on the selected paper type.

When you send the file to your print company, they should give you instructions as to exactly what they need. There are different approaches that can be used, some prefer to prepare the exact print data to be used, and ask the print co to use it as is, thats a pretty advanced subject that would take a book to cover.

That might be your best bet, look for a book that covers what you want to do.

 

[kat.hayes]

For clarification:

1. You mentioned: "For best results, calibrate and use your monitor in a dark room. By doing this, when you edit in Lightroom, your color will be correct as well as the image brightness."

So I should ideally color calibrate my desktop iMac in complete darkness, and work on it with no natural, or household lighting for best results?

2. I create photos and graphics for both print and screen display. Do I need to do anything different with my display calibration when working on graphics/photos for screen display (computer, TV, tablet, phone, etc.)?

Thanks!

 

[Khalai]

2. I create photos and graphics for both print and screen display. Do I need to do anything different with my display calibration when working on graphics/photos for screen display (computer, TV, tablet, phone, etc.)?

Thanks!

You don't. Trust me, I've been there as well. You can only calibrate for YOURSELF and for singular workflow and printer. You can never calibrate universally for more than one device - every device (and even same display type from same manufacturer) has a different imaging characteristics. If you want the same visual results on you computer, TV, tablet or phone, you would have to calibrate EACH device independently. One can go insane, trying to manage the impossible

 

[LDS]

1. How do you calibrate a laptop when you might be using it with different lighting conditions, varying from very low light to household lighting? The settings it is now configured at will likely make it not display nicely in very low light, etc. Is the idea to make a different calibration profile based on different lighting conditions I may use and to change them as needed?

Calibration is usually made for a specific settings - including environment. Some devices can measure and take into account environment light (although it's advisable to set it within proper limits), but if you need to work with high precision, the environment itself needs to be "neutral" enough. and the monitor set to a proper brightness (usually around 100/120 cd/m2), and white point (usually D50 or D65).

Thereby, calibrating a laptop for many different light conditions it's difficult - it's not only the brightness, but the color of the light itself. You may make profiles for different brightness levels, but to work precisely, you need the proper environment.

2. In Lightroom, is selecting the .icc profile from my printing vendor before sending my files to the printer just to simulate to me how it will look for editing, or is it necessary to bake it in to the files so they print accurately?

LR allows to use ICC profiles in two different places. One is the Develop module, where it is used for proofing. It allows LR to simulate ink and paper, and let you adjust settings for that combination. Automatic processing via ICC profiles can do a lot, but the result may still need some tweaks to take into account the limitations of papers and inks - i.e. contrast limitations. The profile select for proofing is just used for display purposes, the original file is never changed, and if you create proof copies, they are just virtual copies to which LR associates the profile in its database.

The other is the Print module - but only when you let LR manage colors - under Color Management, a printer/paper profile is selected. Of course, the same profile used for proofing should be selected, note that LR doesn't select it automatically. Remember in this case you *must* also disable any color management in the printer driver settings, otherwise the image will be color-managed twice, usually with bad results.

You may select "Managed by printer" under color management. In this case LR doesn't use its internal color management engine (it's the same ACE used by Photoshop), but just sends the data to the printer. In this case, the desired ICC profile *must* be selected in the printer driver, and the OS color management engine will be usually used.

The ICC profile will be used only while printing - LR or the printer will apply the profile to the print data, no profile is "baked" into the original file.

If you export for printing, you should ask the print lab about the file format (but LR supports only JPEG) and ICC profile to embed, if any. In this case LR lets you choose what ICC profile to embed.

 

[LDS]

2. I create photos and graphics for both print and screen display. Do I need to do anything different with my display calibration when working on graphics/photos for screen display (computer, TV, tablet, phone, etc.)?

Printing is a much more controlled environment than everything else. Unless your users have calibrated systems too, you have no control over what their display really show. Most consumers monitors are too bright and with high contrast, often with a bluish white point - and of course have no calibration. Most consumer displays are sRGB only, although some high-end ones, i.e. 4K+ display may have bigger color spaces.

Sane for tablet and phones, etc. TVs may be designed with video color spaces in mind, but usually have some presets for movies/sport/games, etc., and who knows what the user has selected. There's a good chance again they have selected the brightest/most saturated one.

Again, you should correctly calibrate your system, and then you may "proof" for the average user settings (changing the monitor settings), and see how the image looks. You could embed a color profile, i.e. most browser can recognize and use it today, but it may not help much.

 

[kat.hayes]

Thanks so much for the help! And, thank you for your patience.

1. I use the export window to export my files, I do not print directly from my computer, I add the .icc color space from the printing vendor here. Is there a reason I need to work in the Print Module rather than just doing this on export?

2. LDS mentioned “Remember in this case you *must* also disable any color management in the printer driver settings, otherwise the image will be color-managed twice, usually with bad results.”

Where are color management in the printer driver settings? Are you referring to drivers for a connected printer to my computer?

3. LDS mentioned “The ICC profile will be used only while printing - LR or the printer will apply the profile to the print data, no profile is "baked" into the original file. “

For clarification, the .icc profile gets baked into the exported .jpg file that is sent to the printer? Also, since .jpg is lossy, is there some way to embed the .icc profile into a .tiff? The printer I am going to work with supports .jpg and .tiff and I figured .tiff would result in much better quality...?

Thanks again!

 

[LDS]

1. I use the export window to export my files, I do not print directly from my computer, I add the .icc color space from the printing vendor here. Is there a reason I need to work in the Print Module rather than just doing this on export?

In LR the difference is the Print module will also apply automatically output sharpening to the image, unless you disable it, lets you select a rendering intent, and it will use the print template you selected (layout, borders, etc.)

If you use the Export function, remember to select the proper output sharpening, and it will just export the image. The advantage is you can select the file format. not only JPEG.

Where are color management in the printer driver settings? Are you referring to drivers for a connected printer to my computer?

Yes, it is needed only if you print from your computer. Where the color management settings are in the printer driver varies with printers and drivers versions.

For clarification, the .icc profile gets baked into the exported .jpg file that is sent to the printer? Also, since .jpg is lossy, is there some way to embed the .icc profile into a .tiff? The printer I am going to work with supports .jpg and .tiff and I figured .tiff would result in much better quality...?

If you "print to JPEG" data are create in JPEG format, not the printer format. Same for exporting. It's different from printing directly from LR, where LR sends data to the printer using the OS printing functions which the driver translates in the "printer language".

Export allows to embed the ICC profile into the exported file, including TIFF, which you are right, they can deliver better quality. Use the profile recommended by your print lab. You lose the Print module functionalities, page layout and rendering intent will need to be selected at print time.

 

[kat.hayes]

Thanks so much for your time and responses everyone!