How to prepare your images for print. 

+pixelasm Your welcome :)

Very kind

My pleasure!

You're welcome

Pro Labs are better versed in the conversion of RGB to CMYK for inkjet. Some prolab printing devicies such as the Theta or Epsilon use RGB. In most cases a decent lab will use a RIP that will take care of the conversion.

Thanks for the reply, Karl. It would be handy to know how to do it anyway, just in case. Vistaprint are an example of a print lab that state a preference for CMYK, although they will accept RGB begrudgingly. :)

No need to convert image Files to cmyk. The rgb to cmyk color space conversion done at printers

You're welcome

+S.V. Design Hope you don't mind me jumping in, as I have had the same problem - I have now turned my brightness right down on my screen as it was way too bright even though it was calibrated. Get an image in Photoshop and duplicate it three or four times and on each image increase brightness by about 5 then save each image such as Portrait brightness 5 Portrait brightness 10 and so on. You could then do like a contact sheet and have all the images on one A4 by resizing them then when you get them back you will have a selection of images but with increasing brightness values. Hope that helps and sorry for jumping in!

+S.V. Design Hi I don't ever have this problem, try using some different labs on the same pic and see how they compare. If they are all the same then it is likely their is a problem with your setup. I use Fitzlab.com and have no problems Reply ·

+Karl Taylor +TheGazzadj Thank you both :) I'll try your suggestions :)

+TheGazzadj Worthy advice (for someone who's a total beginner). Thanks for jumping in :) (I've been researching lighting of editing rooms (any room we edit in). It seems that the lighting level of the room should ideally be really dim so the monitor brightness can be lowered. Working on creating such a space.) Thanks again

Gary, any lab worth its salt will be running a RIP in which case it will convert from Adobe RGB easily which is the colour space I stay in to complete any post work. Cropping is something that any photographer should decide in advance, after all its your image and how you want it laid out is your creative decision alone. I've never considered different print ratios, the lab will print to my ratio and the print will be trimmed to match otherwise its not my work. Printer profiles are only any use if you are soft proofing and viewing on something like and Eizo screen which is not what most people watching this will have. The best bet by far is to build a good relationship with a good lab and work with them. I've been doing this for 30 years and have also worked in pro labs printing everything from Cibachrome to light jet, to RA4 and B&W, I've also sold many of my images as prints, if you'd like to take a look at my work then you can see it here karltaylorportfolio.com/ the tips i'm giving here relate mostly to sharpening and local contrast that can benefit images before the printing process.

Hi Karl, I never doubted your skills, you explained clearly in the video, and I love the photos you produce. My comment was regarding your answers to questions here in the comments, such as the one for different ratios where you said "I'm happy to let my lab decide the best area to crop if this was required." (so is it still your work? ;) And yes, I don't have an Eizo monitor (my lottery ticket would have to win before I could justify that) but I do have a printer, and answering technical questions about preparing images for printing with the fact that you use a lab to get things done is uninformative.

+meltdownman1 I've tried working with the labs profiles and this never worked for me. I edit all my images in Adobe RGB 1998 on an Eizo colour edge monitor which my lab also uses. I then let the lab do any profile conversion for their printers, I'm confident that once they see the image I prepared on their Eizo that they will match it.

+Tim Bruijninckx The lab printing profiles are always different depending on the device they are RIP they are printing to, whether that be a professional inkjet or a colour RA4 process like a Durst Lambda. An often generic print profile would be sRGB but it is far better to let the lab make the final conversion from the space you are happy working with. As much of my work is destined for CMYK printing in magazines then I use Adobe RGB, but I have a very good relationship with my lab and their Eizo monitors are calibrated to the same standards as mine and their RGB profiles on that screen match mine so that they know the image I'm expecting should be close to the one they see on their screen. Obviously as you mentioned there are significant variations between paper stocks such as satin or metallic. I spent several years hand and digital printing in pro labs so have become familiar with their operations and i've always come back to the simplicity of having my Eizo match there's so they know when they are looking at my images what i'm expecting. This process really comes down to building a relationship with your pro lab and most of them are very accommodating if you will be supplying them regular work. Next week we will be posting a video from the lab I work with.

+Fernando Girão If you don't need to do work in Photoshop, yes, you can do it all in Lightroom's export dialogue, and its 'Sharpen for _____' option works very well with little artifacting.

+Rajeev Sao Either how the file is setup, or your printer. If a file is setup properly you can get amazing prints from _adequate_ print agencies. I've actually sold 2'x3'; prints upwards of $700 that were printed at FedEx/ Kinkos -I wasn't being a cheapskate though, the quality was _waaay_ beyond what I originally expected.

kurt lindner xxx you are a little

I believe it was an older 22mp Hasselblad

Tnk you for your time sir....

+Stefano Venneri Hi I don't ever have this problem, try using some different labs on the same pic and see how they compare. If they are all the same then it is likely their is a problem with your setup. I use Fitzlab.com and have no problems

+Stefano Venneri Often if you want deep blacks with detail you need to adjust the file depending on the paper you are printing on; matte, for example is far less forgiving than a satin or lustre. Also, unless a lab specifically asks, or states, they want Adobe RGB, prep the file as sRGB. It's a rare case that a lab will _actually_ print in the AdobeRGB space, also, sRGB gives you much smoother gradients. If the lab says it doesn't matter, they are either _really_ good or _really_ bad.

+kurt lindner Thank you :)

It only "seems"

I'm left handed like 10% of the population.

Adam Leone 😂