Desperate for help getting images ready for print

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/26/2011 10:14:03 AM · #1

I shot all the sports kids' portraits at my school and am using smugmug for ordering and fulfillment. I have all the prints going through Bay Photo by default.

I was going to print out a 4x6 for every kid and put a sticker on the back for instructions on how to order, etc. So I uploaded almost 100 files to costco and picked them up last night.

I am horrified to say the least. The prints are so inconsistent. Some are WAY too light, some are WAY too dark. Most are on the light side and a few look just right.

On my screen, there are variations but nothing this dramatic. I am using a 27" iMac. Gamma is 2.2 and white point is d65.

WHAT DO I DO???

How do I know if it is me or costco?

How do I make sure my files are correct for printing?

I am about to flip out over here. I've put too much time into this and I CAN'T SCREW UP.

my website is www.chickenlovestudios.com

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I am a first-timer with this and I think it's going to kill me.

ETA: Look at the sports portraits... that is the section I am worried about

Message edited by author 2011-11-26 10:20:11.

snaffles

Nikon D7100

11/26/2011 10:36:35 AM · #2

Yow, I don't envy the position you're in. Sounds like a processing mess, esp if your own work on the images was consistent. Was there a colour correction option for the prints? Wish I could be of more help :-/

MinsoPhoto

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

11/26/2011 10:49:40 AM · #3

I'm no expert but just from glancing through several of your albums it seems as though your lighting varied quite a bit, especially between groups. The middle school girls vball looks very dark on my monitor. Do you adjust your monitor brightness? Do you have a printer at home for test proofs to compare to the screen?

Lytro Illum Light Field Digital

11/26/2011 11:00:21 AM · #4

I opted for costco's color correction.

The MS vball doesn't appear overly dark on my screen.

I am ok with variations from group to group. I need the individual groups to be consistent.

My printer is lousy.

I don't adjust my monitor brightness... maybe that will help.

Images that are light on my screen are dark in print and images dark on my screen are light in print.

The most consistent group is the elementary boys football. They printed mostly ok.

yakatme

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

11/26/2011 11:42:34 AM · #5

I just quit using Costco after going there for years. I finally just gave up trying to get the prints to come out the way that they look on my computer, but not before downloading their printer profiles from Dry Creek Photo Lab. I imported these into Photoshop and tried to make good use of them but I didn't like the choices that I faced.

Unless I am mistaken, it would be necessary to apply the profile of the printer that would be used at Costco to the file before you start processing. I've tried to apply their profile after I have processed my images as I see fit and then try to change the image back to the way I like it after applying their profile. It is not that easy. I cannot for the life of me determine what the heck to change to get it to look right. I tried so many variables in different amounts including brightness/contrast, saturation (different colors too), levels, color balance, EVERYTHING, and I can't get it to look right unless I start from the beginning with their profiles.

They use a different profile for 20x30" prints than they do for smaller prints, and they use a 2nd and a 3rd for lustre and glossy prints. It seems that you would have to determine the final print choice first, apply that profile to the image, then process it as you normally would just for that profile.

That creates the problem of having multiple Costco files for every image just in case your client decides that they want either a 20x30, a glossy print, or a lustre print. What a pain! Besides, I wondered how my regular printer (in your case, Smugmug) would print an image with one of Costco's profiles. Would you have to start over with processing with Smugmug's profile(s) in mind? Even more of a pain!

Eventually, I shopped around for another local photo lab where I could take my prints, using the workflow and profile that I've always used (Nikon SRGB), and have it printed the way it looks the way I expect it to (like what I see on my computer). I finally found a local lab that I think will work out for me and I am sticking with them.

pixelpig

Sony Alpha a55

Sony DT 1.8/50mm SAM

11/26/2011 11:55:50 AM · #6

Nobody's going to see the whole group as a group but you, right? But I don't envy you the stress right now. There probably isn't a quick fix. The only advice I have, for future sessions, is to control everything you can while shooting so that everything in-camera is as consistent as possible. And then avoid PP by eye, using the monitor as your guide--the monitor uses RGB color, print uses CMYK. Batch process everything to the same standard, according to the numbers. You want the maximum in speed, quality control, & predictability in the technicals. Then, your wonderful talent for getting the best, most natural smiles from your subjects will shine through. The youth, enthusiasm, & energy of your subjects really shines!

Lytro Illum Light Field Digital

11/26/2011 01:33:22 PM · #7

Originally posted by pixelpig:

Yes, you are right, I really only need individual portraits of one person to be consistent (or family members -- there are 3 brothers on the varsity football team)

I think what I need to do is upload proofs and then edit only the ones parents want instead of killing myself over editing everything. Note to self for future projects.

Another note to self: make everything as consistent as possible in camera... I was already discovering this as I was PP.

Man, this is really hard... a steep learning curve for sure. For future sports, I will not make the same mistakes...

yakatme

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

11/26/2011 01:43:57 PM · #8

Originally posted by slickchik:

I think what I need to do is upload proofs and then edit only the ones parents want instead of killing myself over editing everything. Note to self for future projects.

Regarding this part of what your dilemma is, take a look at how I handle it.

I upload images straight from the camera but I have a gallery where the difference between proofs and finished prints is explained and illustrated. I started off doing exactly what you decided to do and I ended up going nuts too. This new system seems to work very well.

I copy the jpegs straight from the camera and put them in a separate folder. I then go through that folder deleting the images that absolutely need to be culled. Then I upload them with the watermark "PROOF" in place so that they can't be copied by anybody and it is understood that these images are not yet finished.

Nobody complains and all of my clients seem to understand what they see versus what they will get.