ICC Profile help?

[cedwar]

Hello all!

I manage a photo lab and am trying to figure out a way to get the prints I work on in Photoshop to match a dyesublimation printer I have in a Kodak Picture Maker. I recently tried to colorize a black and white picture that I restored, but the christening dress I tried to make a light blue turned a slight purple instead. Much of the rest of the print looks like what I see on the screen, however. I tried calling Kodak to see if they have a specific ICC profile for this printer and they didnt know what I was talking about. Im kinda new to this aspect of photography, so Im not even sure I know what Im talking about. Im thinking it still could possibly be how PS is set up and I could do something from that end, but I want to cover both sides (printer and program). I might have even messed up the settings by playing around with them within PS. Any help on this matter would be appreciated.

cedwar

[Vikki]

Not sure if this is your model, but there seems to be an issue with getting correct colors in photoshop, per this article:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,107009,00.asp

A possible workaround: If you can create one or more adjustment layers to fix the problem, (for instance, a Selective Color adjustment for the pinks) you can save that step as an action, and apply that adjustment layer to all your photos before you go to print.
I had to use this procedure at one time when I was printing to a Sony Dye Sub. It worked out great.

[cedwar]

Well... turns out that isnt the printer. We have a Kodak photoprinter 8110. An interesting thing is that on the next review after that, the Olympus P-400, there was a pretty positive review. We used to sell that printer until we discontinued it. Now I might have bought the last one if I had known more about it back then.

Anyway... Im not sure exactly how to do what you suggested. Would it be trial and error until I find the right adjustment layer that looks wrong on my computer screen but ok on the kodak printer I print it out on?

cedwar

[Vikki]

Would it be trial and error until I find the right adjustment layer that looks wrong on my computer screen but ok on the kodak printer I print it out on?

That's pretty much it. Usually one adjustment will work the same over all images.
For instance, the Sony gave a strong magenta cast to the prints. The highlights were blown out as well. To conteract this (their profile did not work) I created a "color balance" adjustment layer to fix the magenta, and a "curves" adjustment layer to adjust the highlights.
Here's how to set this up (in case you can't find a profile that works) :
Have the image open in Photoshop, and a print of the same image for reference.
Make an adjustment layer (call it # 1). In your case, Selective Color might be the adjustment you want to make.
Make the adjustments until the screen looks like the print.
Now create a second adjustment layer, to make the image look correct again.
Now delete layer # 1. Your image will look bad, but that's just in Photoshop.
What you are left with is an adjustment layer you can use whenever you need to send something to that printer.
It may take a few tries to get this just right, but it does work.

[Duv]

Hi Cedwar


If you go to your Control Panel and get click on Printers and Faxes, you should have a Preferences section that will allow you to adjust your colors and lightness. At least I can do that with my Canon i9100. That way you don't end up with a screwy look on your monitor.

Cheers
Duv

[cedwar]

Thanks for the suggestions... I also have a website that Kodak sent me which Ive been trying to interpret. Looks like I might be able to make a custom icc profile but its pretty confusing so its taking me a while to figure it out.

cedwar

[BonnieN]

Here's how to set this up (in case you can't find a profile that works) :
Have the image open in Photoshop, and a print of the same image for reference.
Make an adjustment layer (call it # 1). In your case, Selective Color might be the adjustment you want to make.
Make the adjustments until the screen looks like the print.
Now create a second adjustment layer, to make the image look correct again.
Now delete layer # 1. Your image will look bad, but that's just in Photoshop.
What you are left with is an adjustment layer you can use whenever you need to send something to that printer.

I run into this problem sometimes and I love this tip! So, I hope this doesn't sound like to stupid of a question but I've tried everything I can think of to save the adjustment layers so I can use it over again. How to you save the adjustment layers that makes the picture on your screen look like what printed out so you can use it again on another picture?

[ajcutler]

Hello Cedwar:

I wrestled through the same color matching problems, although it was for an inkjet printer not a dyesublimation printer. I tried all different types of photo papers, played around with printer color settings, and make adjustment layers in Photoshop, but nothing gave me good results.

I then discovered http://www.cathysprofiles.com/ from reading articles on dpreview.com. A lot of people had high praise for the quaily of profiles Cathy created, so I had a custom ICC profile created (I think it cost around $40, which was well worth it considering all the paper and ink I used trying to get reasonable color matching myself).

I can tell you that the profile she created for me is very good, and I have been using it for about a year.

Also, if you are not already doing so, you might want to do "soft proofing" in Photoshop, which will give you a better idea as to how your print will look before actually printing it.

Alan

[Vikki]

How to save adjustment layers for future use:
Record an action. Just record the part where you add the adjustment layers.
The next time you want to use it, run the action, it will add the adjustment layers, and you will have the ability to tweak the layers to your liking.

[jeaniesa]

Adding to what Vikki said, in case anyone doesn't know this tip about actions: When you click on the "New Action" button at the bottom of the actions palette, one of the choices in the resulting dialog box is "Function Key". This means that you can assign a function key to play the action. So in the case of actions which you plan to use over and over (as the case would be for an action which adjusts your image for printing), you just need to hit the function key instead of going to the layers palette to play the action. (You can assign function keys to actions after you've recorded by highlighting the action in the palette, then pressing the right-arrow at the top of the actions palette and choosing "Action options...")

Jeanie

[Rexx]

Make the adjustments until the screen looks like the print.
Now create a second adjustment layer, to make the image look correct again.

Hey Vikki,

The method you have lined out here allows me to get "Pro" prints (ICC managed) for the price of regular prints! I was thinking "It must be possible to do something like that". Now I don't have to think anymore!

[BonnieN]

Duh! *hitting myself on the head!* Thanks Vicki! I have made other actions and why I didn't think of doing that is beyond me.

Thanks also jeaniesa for the function key tip. There are a couple of actions I use alot and that will come in handy.

[Vikki]

It's always preferable to get a good profile, but if it's not an option for you, my mickey mouse work-around should help.

Speaking of function keys, I assign them all to actions I use on a regular basis. I've also assigned the same hot keys on my Wacom tablet.

[christophe]

color accuracy

for better color accuracy or good black and white print, you can make custom profiles for your printer, try here:

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/christophe.metairie.photographie/profile.html

cheap , good profiles made with spectro eyeone and profile maker, specific black and white profile ( warm, neutral, cold ) and 2800K, 4000K 5000K 6500K color profiles for all printer/ink/paper combination !

christophe metairie