prepress retoucher needed in Venice, California

[rupsty]

We need a retoucher who has at least 5 years experience retouching, compositing, and color correction in the CMYK print world. This is work for newsprint, magazine, and commercial printing. Ideal candidate should know how to prepare files for delivery to pubs as well but it's not an absolute requirement. This job is ONLY for someone who can work in Venice at our location. All others need not apply. Again, this is for those who can work at our Venice location. If your skills meet our needs, we will contact you.

Also, answer this quiz question in your reply: how can you reduce the dmax of an image from a full range image (340dmax) to a publication dmax (280) while maintaining as much detail and range as possible?

Please send contact info, work history, skills etc. in a well written letter to:

rupsty@hotmail.com

[KR1156]

i would love to know the answer to this question!!!

"how can you reduce the dmax of an image from a full range image (340dmax) to a publication dmax (280) while maintaining as much detail and range as possible?"

i would GUESS....converting to a custom profile with a 280% ink limit, or maybe manually adjusting the dark shdow areas of the images by numbers with channel mixer or curves?

[BadM0j0]

I think the answer is to convert to profile SWOP CMYK uncoated stock

R

[alexwie]

The best way to do this would be using selective colours - and take of some CMYK colours in Blacks according to dark areas on the shot,

[emarts]

First you need to ask if he's talking about the DMAX of the film or if he's asking about the total ink values. He could also be talking about the amoount of detail that a scanner captures in the shadows. DMAX is a term that's kind of thrown about these days. It used to mean the density of a piece of film at it's darkest. DMIN was the density of a piece of film at it's clearest.

Anyway, if it's total ink (which I think he's talking about since he's asking about the image and not the film output), you can set the max in your CMYK color prefs. I have mine set to 280 with a black ink limit to 100. Then if I convert my RGB image to CMYK, the darkest dark won't go above 280.

Total ink is the amount of ink used for the darkest darks in a CMYK image. 400 is the highest (100C, 100M, 100Y, 100K). However if you attempted to print that you would get a mess on press with a rediculous amount of dot gain. The press operator won't like you. For many publications, the limit is between 240-300. You'll need to work it out with your printer. If you work in RGB, when you send your file off to the prepress house, they'll convert it for you.

[re-touch-er]

Dmax is always about total ink density on paper if someone asks this question. It is always about cmyk.
If you don't have the Master DMAX Action, then using Convert to Profile
is the next best way. But even in this case, it's best to have a pre made curve
for best results.
First find the darkest part of the file. Does it read 300? 349? 400?
400! Who made this file?
Yeah, I've seen really creative types making gorgeous red to back images that read 400 total ink value.

Hey, this is for classifieds only, stop talking about this here.

[Benny Profane]

Why play silly games? Do you want a retoucher, or a Jeapordy contestant? Just hire a reliable retoucher, and paste the answer to this on the side of his Mac. Easy.

[re-touch-er]

Silly games in deed. But then again there are so very few Prepress retouchers. And fewer still who are any good.
There are so many talents in the Photoshop world but for the work that
these people need done those talents do not apply.
Even after a well crafted test is successfully completed, it is not a sure thing
that the person will work out.

[emarts]

I took a Photoshop test for a job recently. It was scary how silly it was (What tool would you use to cut a path?). They told me I had 30 minutes to complete it but I aced in in 8.

Even people who need prepress retouchers don't know what they need.

Although the original poster asked an intelligent question, I'm not sure it was clear to everyone. I suppose you just gotta give a new hire some time to prove himself. But at the same time I like to recognize talent and I believe in training. If you find a talented retoucher but he lacks in certain things, invest in his training.

[rupsty]

Hello,

The question I posed was to see the types of responses I would get. Also, the post states to send responses to an email address, which many did.

It's very telling how someone responds to a question like this. Again, the question was taylored to find out about someone's knowledge of a specific issue in prepress and retouching. There are many different and effective ways to address this issue.

Thank you for your answers!

[oceanjake]

the jeopardy contestant comment has me floored. with something as abstract as retouching, and with as many hacks out there as you all KNOW exist.....do you really think it's unreasonable to ask a few basic questions before hiring someone?

rupsty....are you "echelon" rusty?

[Benny Profane]

Retouching is abstract?

[yanamation]

Retouching is an art,a passion, if you're truly GOOD at what you do.....the good ones LOVE what they do.......anyone can theoretically answer this question, but can they deliver the job?? Every job has its' nuance......DMax is the LEAST of it.......that comes later, after you've made an image HAPPEN, when it never actually,pixel wise, exhisted........Look at the big picture.......the one that we, as retouchers, create....we are digital plastic surgeons, digital reality enhancers.....we MAKE reality as the consumer sees it. I'll DMax whatever you need.......first, Copy Merge THIS.

[rupsty]

yes Jake,

it's Rusty! see ya bro.