Re: An Observation
Re: An Observation
- Subject: Re: An Observation
- From: Jim Rich <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 12:51:31 -0800
John,
I think some of the expectation has been that color is now so easy that any
one can do it. So a business (that is not trained in profiling or color
production) is thinking, hey we will save a buck if we do it ourselves and
that is on source of garbage images.
I have worked in and consulted with many shops like yours (since 1970) and
what you have obviously works. But using technologies like ICC profiles can
and does work in a lot of situations (though it is far from perfect).
In 1992 we did a study comparing scanners to try and make some sense out of
what the vendors were saying about their products. The gist of it was that
if we scanned the same originals on different scanners then we would adjust
the image to known numbers (for each image) to try and achieve the same
visual results. 14 scanners were tested. This test normalized this
population of scanners and showed us their technical differences. One point
that was interesting at that time was that I sent my trusted assistant out
to a site to do the scanning on a high-end scanner where he assured me that
he would do well. As I found out, he didn9t have a clue. But during this
process I observed that he and the others at this site were clearly guided
and influenced by the colors on the monitor and that the closer the monitor
was to the output the more success was achieve. Then the right numbers were
pointed out and viola the images were now correct before film was output.
This was not big news. It was just more validation (at that time when color
management was a concept) that making the monitor match input and output was
important and could even be practical.
I believe that if you combine both methods of (1) go-by-the-numbers and (2)
using color management tools to make the monitor have a close visual match
to input originals and the output, you have a winning combination that will
allow you to have more success when reproducing color images. Accurate
profiling techniques saves time and wasted materials, $. I think we agree
on most of your points, but I would bet that if you company invested a
little time to make your monitors look more like the input and output, there
would be a reasonable cost benefit.
As you have observed, skill is required and sometimes it is not easy. It
takes knowing the fundamentals about color reproduction, such as learning
how to control neutral gray highlights, midtones and shadows, how to
control selective colors, how to use programs like Photoshop efficiently,
how to create ICC profiles and how to apply them properly in a workflow.
Lastly, I hope you don9t read this as having a religious experience, it is
not meant to be. I find using profiles is logical and a reasonable
solution to a difficult problem. Then when you apply some skill, color
production can become easier.
My .02
Jim Rich
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