right....sorry the example was not a particular good one of the beach, just that it was the one that was bothering me..
here we have good 'ol daffs with quite orange centres and a blue purply backdrop, also, perfectly expose exposure wise on my screen,
: are the colors true to you and how is the exposure ...correct or over dark?

Lilly


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Thank you John, I understand what you are saying but I do have a problem that I have to sort out otherwise it seems pretty pointless investing all this money on all this digital equipment and computer gear.

For eg. this pic on my screen looks real good, but when I go to print it off from my printer, have also tried on a friends printer and also at a Kodak shop they all consistently come out a lot darker and not the exact hue as represented on my screen after editing in CS2.

I just want to be able to reproduce the print the same as I see it on my screen, nothing else.

It is becoming extremely frustrating for me not to be able to do whatever I need to do to solve this problem, it cant be that difficult can it?

Should I indeed pay for someone to professional profile my monitor and printer?




Lilly

Thank you for replies, I unsuccessfully loaded the the updated driver frm SONY, their website is a minefield so I gave up there.
Thinking I shall not worry about finding profile for monitor from them as I am going to order a Huey anyway.

In the meantime for printing I found all those color profile files under C:WINDOWScolor that one can choose from and noticed one that was Adobe RGB1998, should I load that profile for the monitor which does not have a profile yet, as I do work in RGB and let Photoshop decide the color management when I go to print.?

I checked my Epson printer profile and its on AUTO and it reads : E_FICMAHE , what profile is that?

Right folks here I go...I know the forum had discussed this subject in great depth already but I am afraid to admit an awful lot of it is way over my head!
So, I hope you dont mind me trying to put forward a few questions I would like to address for the benefit of myself and for the possible other dummies out there!
I have to get this color management sussed as I intend to do a lot of printing and displaying web images now and in the future.

I have a 19" TFT LCD flat screen monitor
I have a Epson photo printer R245, hoping to get A3 at some stage.
I use Windows XP and PS CS2 for post process.

I intend to buy the Pantone Huey I think, if anyone thinks otherwise please say but the Spyder 2 looks a bit complicated for me at this stage.

Q1: I have worked out eventually by going:-
control panel;display;settings;advanced;color management ...that my default monitor profile reads <none>
with the option to add one, which I presume will present itself when I calibrate/profile with Huey, correct?

Q2: Re: Rogers statement about not having conflicting color management with printer and monitor, on my printer preferences under
Advanced/Color Management it gives me a choice of 3: color controls; photo enhance or ICM.
Which one do I choose, if I select ICM it presents a box to check for OFF (no color management).
I am guessing thats the one I should use when I get Hueys profile loaded?
For now do I just leave it on color controls?

Q3: Read that I have to set my monitor back to factory default settings before profiling/calibration, how do I do that?

Q4: Under Epson what does ICM stand for?

These are my main questions for now, can someone confirm or otherwise what I have said is correct?
thanks in anticipation, Lilly

I know this probably is very basic to you Roger, but tis not to me, how exactly do I find out which is controlling the output or if indeed I have both and which color mode should it be please?

I love your silver pebbles Prieni, practically a monochrome, makes you want to reach out and touch them...

The only thing I would love to do is clone out that distracting rock, top right, it kinda draws my eye out of the picture.
The image just sparkles tho., great...

I was shooting jpeg George, so can't blame it on that.
I am going to set the default to RAW from now though, it's shots like this that could have been so much better ....if only.....I....Hmmm

Yes, the HL are blown, even on the original before I PP it, have tried every way to retrieve detail, but if it aint there? unless, anyone has the answer? Just wished I'd bracketed at the time, but it was one of those opportune moments and I grabbed it.

Yes, Cartier uses that format very much, check out this book, has wonderful ideas for portraits:
An Inner Silence: The Portraits of Henri Cartier-Bresson

thanks for your comments, good to know I am heading in the right direction and also that my TFT is displaying OK, but I must get calibrated!

I just love your mono shot AJ and have to agree the third figure is a must, to me it adds another dimension that is interesting to the image.

I adore Henri Cartier Bressons work and after getting a new book on his past portraits from the library it inspired me to start taking portraits with a space above the sitter.
It felt odd at first instead of going in an cropping tightly at the top of head as usual, but it works well I think.

Any comments gratefully received too, need all te help I can get I have not yet been calibrated so let me know if its a bit on the dark side

Thanks Dan for the examples of the 100mm, just the effect I was after and shows what is possible, does'nt it show off the amazing delicate colours when your eye is not drawn to detail, lovely.

I now understand that if I went the route of the 50mm I will have to be right up nose close to subject and there will be trade off not having an easy time shooting small wildlife too.

So, will think on, thanks for making it clear for me, much appreciated.