PS CS2: convert to printer profile.. when?

[Still-Images]

I have been been converting to the printer profile shortly before going to the "print with preview" option. Then I use no color management on the "print with preview" screen and in the Epson printer driver.

But all the tutorials I have been reading seem to say to convert to profile "in" the "print with preview" window.. Doing it this way does not give my that wysiwyg preview unless I view "proof colors?" on a different menu.

By converting earlier, doesn't it give me the chance to yet tweak the color if need be (at this late stage in the editing). The on screen color often times does change slightly when I convert to the printer profile.

thanks,

[mistermonday]

There are really two ways to color manage your printing:
1. Work in whatever color space you choose. In the print dialog window, select "Printer Manages Color". In the printer options select the paper type and size, Color Adjustment but do not adjust any of the sliders.
This is the safest and most efficient way to proceed.

What you have done is told the printer that Photoshop will provide it with the Color Workspace information. You have then told the printer what kind of media is loaded (Glossy Photo Paper, Color Life, Heavyweight Matte, etc). You have given all this info to the printer driver s/w and are telling the printer to manage the printing process. (Make sure in the advanced tab you do not slected any of the other options like sRGB, or Vivid, or No Color Adjustment.

2. The other method is to let Photoshop manage the color. Here you do not give the printer any opportunity to interpret colors or do anything other than print what Photoshop tells it to. But this means that you need to convert the documents color space to the printer's profile. There is a separate profile for every type of paper you use. If you are not using a custom profile that you created or purchased from a 3rd party, and if you change your media type often, then this method is a bit of a pain and it produces no better results than the one above.

Finally, when the Epson print preview box comes up it will always look wrong (usually too dark). That is because the print dialog box is not color managed. You need to trust that the printer (or Photoshop) will print it correctly. If your monitor is properly calibrated, and if you select the correct printer settings, you should get accurate prints all the time.

Regards, Murray

[Still-Images]

yes, I am doing your number 2. I do have a profiled monitor and I profile my own paper. What I am basically saying is, shouldn't we be converting to the printer profile before sending it to the printer so that we can see what it will look like?

[Doug Nelson]

It sounds like you're talking about Soft Proofing, available under View>Proof Setup.