| Human beings see the world in color. | | | | your captured images. |
| Photographs are a means to capture moments of | | | | Color calibration is the process of adjusting the |
| this world. In reproduction or printing of these | | | | colors of your monitor and computers to fit the |
| photographs, lab calibration is an important factor | | | | color of the printer that you will be using. Believe |
| to be able to get prints of the best integrity. | | | | it or not, not all the colors that you see on screen |
| Have you ever tried to printing or reproducing a | | | | will be the colors that will appear on the printer |
| photograph you took digitally only to find out that | | | | paper. Although of course the color will not |
| the print out lacks the luster and sharpness as | | | | change, the shade will either be lightened or |
| compared to the image you see on your liquid | | | | darkened depending on the printer used. |
| crystal display monitor? In instances like this, you | | | | How do you manage the color? |
| will clearly need the help of a professional through | | | | The first thing that a person should do when |
| photo lab calibration. | | | | calibrating the color of your monitor screen is to |
| The difference in reproduction output from the | | | | check the device that you are using along with |
| image you see on your screen is due to the fact | | | | the computer. This include scanning devices, |
| that your monitor and printer are not calibrated to | | | | cameras and of course printers. Anything that |
| print the image in the best quality. If you calibrate | | | | deal with pictures and colors need to be checked |
| your LCD monitor, it can provide you with a | | | | and adjusted. In fact, DVD players and TV |
| realistic simulation of what you would see on | | | | Screens are also being calibrated but of course, |
| paper once the image has been printed. | | | | that's a different story. |
| There is a simple calibration method wherein you | | | | Once you have studied the device, create an ICC |
| don't need the help of a professional for photo lab | | | | profile. This involves the transforming of the |
| calibration. You simply have to manipulate and | | | | characteristics into a language that all the devices |
| adjust your screen's output through its contrast | | | | will be able to understand. Often, this language is |
| and brightness settings. If in case this method | | | | based on some mathematical formula that is |
| does not work, you can use a special software | | | | often adjusted through calibration software. |
| that will calibrate your monitor, printer and other | | | | Some, however, adjust the color manually. |
| devices related to imaging and reproduction so | | | | The best way to calibrate the color of the screen |
| that you can get more or less the same results in | | | | yourself without having to call a calibrating service |
| all of these devices. The use of this special | | | | is to use a device called the colorimeter. This |
| calibrating software will give you lab calibration | | | | reads the colors and the brightness of your |
| quality in your process of reproduction. | | | | computer and TV screen. These, however, can |
| A lot of people can get stuck with just calibrating | | | | be inexpensive and will often require the use of |
| their monitor. This step is not enough though and | | | | another software. One example of this device is |
| you must calibrate not only your monitor, but | | | | the ColorVision's Spyder PRO monitor calibrating |
| your printer, scanner and even your camera so | | | | colorimeter, which you can purchase online or in |
| that you can achieve consistent imaging across all | | | | computer retail shops. |
| devices. This calibration across all devices is | | | | Printers are a little bit harder to calibrate since |
| something that a professional photo lab does. This | | | | printers print differently. Also, the kind of paper |
| is why professionally reproduced images are able | | | | that you will use in printing will also determine the |
| to maintain the clarity and vibrancy of the images | | | | kind of printout that you will have. Sometimes, |
| you took. If the idea of calibrating your own | | | | when using a particular paper, you will have lighter |
| monitor and other devices seem like a hassle, you | | | | results while another type of paper will produce |
| can always just entrust your reproductions in the | | | | darker prints. |
| capable hands of a professional with their lab | | | | Calibrating can be really complicated. A series of |
| calibrated tools and processes. Although if you | | | | print outs will have to made and these color |
| want the ease and control of being able to do | | | | patches need to read through a color |
| your own reproductions and printing, it is quite | | | | spectrophotometer. These values will then be |
| easy to have your own home set up with lab | | | | compared to standard values. |
| calibrated tools to be able to get the most out of | | | | |