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calibrate your monitor colour? I am creating engagement book and I printed a few pictures at Costco today and I was pretty disappointed because the colour was different compared to my photo edit. There was no colour correction from their printer but the pictures were slightly green. I am scared that it is going to be like that as well when i print it out from Blurb… can anyone give me any suggestions on how can I ensure what i see on the screen is what i get from Blurb? Thanks!	Posted by adachan May 29, 2008 9:05am PDT Permalink

Hi adachan, I am sorry that you are having some problem with color cast appeared in your photos. Actually, uhm, since you has stated that you had a problem with your photos printed by Costco – not a product of Blurb Inc. Although, you have stated that you are working on your, probably a first book project, with Blurb. In that case, you have come to the right forum looking for some suggestion or solution. In case if you didn’t know, but there are a series of discussion forums discussing on the topic similar to your question about color cast, and etc. There are few things you need to look at and learn more about. Actually, color management is kinda of a little heavy headed and a little complicated. It is a constant challenge even for pro photographers or creative professionals or graphic designers etc. You can run a search query on couple of search queries related to “soft proofing”, “Calibrated device” and few other things. Although, I do not know what kind of image editing application you are working with? Adobe Photoshop? Or other image editing application? As for soft proofing process, and few other things… Have a look at a couple of links below: To learn more about Color profile for Blurb books in Bluerberati Blog article, http://blurberatiblog.com/index.php/2007/02/13/color-profile-for-blurb-books/ If you work with Adobe Photoshop on your computer, this be of an interest and very useful procedure. Bonsai Photography resource site http://www.bonsai-photography.com/ Once you are at Bonsai Photography web site, you want to download two files, a PDF file on how to install and how to work with ICC profile, and download two articles. TO DOWNLOAD the ICC profile, a little tricky and often overlook on that one, but BE SURE that you checked AFTER you accept to the term “I agree with the above terms and conditions” set forth by that site. Please read the info about T&C outlined related to ICC profile. As for calibrated device for your computer monitor, I recommend that you learn more about this topic. In fact, this topic has been discussed fairly often. Run a search query on the topic. In that case, you’ll find many discussion on the topic related to calibrated device and general discussion related to calibration device and etc. More on calibrated device discussions, here http://forums.blurb.com/posts/search?q=calibrated+device&x=0&y=0 Hope that helps. Cheers, Brian [A passionate Blurb customer and participant]	Posted by brianbonitz May 29, 2008 9:29am PDT Permalink

Hi adachan, You probably are going to sick of me by now. But I realize that I had left out one important and very useful technique widely used by creative pros and pro photographers. The technique is called “test proof book”. The reason for this is to get a better idea on how your proof book should look after you do a soft proofing and make some necessary adjustment if needed to. The idea of test proof book is to have about twenty (20) pages. If you like what you saw or that it has met your expectations or to your standards, then you want to continue working on your book project in second stage. As for working with soft proofing process, this give you a better idea, roughly idea on how your image looks like on printed book. If you think you want to make some changes in certain images, whether it is too dark or too light or anything can be in question. Soft proofing technique is not 100 percent accuracy, but this give you a better idea on how printed image should look on Blurb Book. If you had all “right tools” into the place, including proper calibration for your computer monitor, right sRGB profile, right resolution, and if you think soft proofing process looks good, this give you a better idea – by about 85 to 90 percent of accuracy in soft proofing. It is very rare to get this right first time around. Nearly almost impossible to get soft proof 100 percent. You could say it sounds like a lot of work, time and effort. Actually, only if you have right tools into the place, and most importantly of all, calibrated device into the place and use it properly and often – that itself save you lot of time and money, and efforts. Hope that helps by direct you to the right resource and tool, and I congratulate you to come to the Blurb form asking for some help. Cheers, Brian [A passionate Blurb customer and participant]	Posted by brianbonitz May 29, 2008 9:38am PDT Permalink

Try getting one of your photos printed at a company other than Costco. If that turns out O.K. it shows that Costco have a calibration problem rather than you, if they turn out green again the problem will (most likey) be at your end and you can start to follow Brian’s advice above. Most people get good books without going through the calibration process, some people (like Brian and me) are really particular about the photos and go through the calibration and softproofing process. I must admit to not softproofing the book of family photos I am working on, but I did softproof the one on Galapagos wildlife it was important to me to get the colours as accurate as possible on that one. I’d always recommend calibrating your monitor though. If you are a hobby/family photographer you can do that with free software such as Adobe Gamma (you get this free with Adobe products) . Simple things like making sure a desklight is not shining on your monitor, or there isn’t a window behind you when you are working will give you a more accurate colour/brightness/contrast view of your photographs. If you are and advanvced amateur or intending to be a semi-pro you would invest in calibration hardware such as Spyder , Huey or Eye-One and follow the links Brian has given above.. .........Tony	Posted by tfrankland May 30, 2008 1:01am PDT Permalink

Just want to report a success story that may make things easier for you. I recently published a book (A Whisper of Inspiration) and the colors, brightness, and contrast came out perfectly with the first try. Having printed many art pieces on consumer and professional printers (e.g., Epson StylusPRO4000) and having to do a number of proofs and adjustments to get them just right, I was concerned that I would have to do many iterations with my book at blurb. I decided to just go ahead and print one, rather than do any calibration, etc, to see where I stand. The results were perfect! Give it a try, the cost of one book to see if you have a problem or not is a small price to pay. (I use Photoshop on an Apple MAC. I did not use Apple’s ColorSync feature for my book pictures.) Linda	Posted by poesyartist May 31, 2008 7:30am PDT Permalink

Hi, I have completed my (past deadline) 7×7 photo book, only to learn that my Adobe RGB files will end up ‘muddy’ and flat w/ no shadow detail! I have put way to much time into this Booksmart layout to go back and re-enter the pics in sRGB ONE BY ONE!!! I used photoshop w/ "full color management" to edit the images prior to importing to the BS workspace…. will it really make that much of a difference??? It appears that many many people are having issues w/ the color management tedium of this program… is this simply the reality of using a simple (yet limited) and inexpensive publishing program – we all want a gallon of cider from one apple? PLEASE, IF ANYBODY has a solution other than exporting my adobe RGB pics from the layout I would be much beholden!!! Thanks Much! -Miche	Posted by mspandza Jun 8, 2008 5:53am PDT Permalink

PS- I am using a laptop PC so I don’t have the Gamma display option for callibrating the monitor… Cheers, M	Posted by mspandza Jun 8, 2008 5:56am PDT Permalink

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