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Tips and Tricks

Gamut, Photoshop Bleeds & Color a Test Book

I received my test book today. My main objective was to evaluate for color & contrast and to better plan for gutter & trim issues.

I use a 24” iMac calibrated by a Pantone Huey.This is a very bright display—even at lowest setting.

The ICC profile provided by Sam Edge: http://www.blurb.com/assets/colormgt_dpreview-v3-1.pdf
was helpful.

Most photos were shot in RAW with a Canon 5d. Apple’s Aperture was used to process the raw files.

Heavy “photoshoping” including some Gamut correction. Uncorrected Gamut inserts use bright green to identify. (In the printed book, “out of gamut” images actually printed very well.)

You can view the photoshop created images at:
http://thephotographerisadoctor.smugmug.com/
The password is : blurb

The yellow notations are comments made after receiving the printed book.

The final book will be a 13×11. These pages are cropped for the less expensive 8×10; therefore some the composition looks strange .

I had no complaints about Blurb. Blocked shadows are an inherent problem of book printing. My photos looker brighter on screen—checking the histogram & lightening the shadows would have helped. (Viewing the screen through squinted eyes can approximate the final print.) We’ll see when the final is published.

It is not meant to be a demo—just a way to answer a few of my questions. Maybe you’ll find it helpful, too.

Allen

Replytopic_b_normal
Posted by
allendunn
Aug 11, 2007 8:20pm PDT
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allendunn
 

Oops. Here is the link to the book:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/72302

Posted by
allendunn
Aug 11, 2007 8:22pm PDT
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allendunn
 

After comparing the test book with the Photoshop images, I’ve found a way to produce a screen view (for my iMac 24 on lowest brightness setting) that very closely approximates the book result (better than “squinting”) :

In PS,
1) create a new blank layer [Layer>New], Soft Light mode & 44% Opacity .
2) Fill with Black [Edit>Fill], 100%(uncheck transparency)
3) Keeping this “preview filter” on top, adjust shadows, etc as needed.
4) Be SURE to DELETE this layer before exporting!!

44% may not apply to your monitor, so this is NOT a “recipe for your success”.

Good Luck…

Posted by
allendunn
Aug 14, 2007 7:23pm PDT
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allendunn