Printer photos too dark - DPChallenge Forums

07/30/2009 07:12:19 PM · #1

Hi there,

I've got an HP 6300. Not a pro printer by any means but something that will print boderless 4x6's. I'm pretty sure my monitor is pretty close according to contrast scale pics. But they come out way too dark on the printer. Very dark. I'm wondering what I need to do to get them lightened up when they print on the printer? I'm not very familiar with color management to be honest.

07/30/2009 07:16:41 PM · #2

What are you doing for color management?

07/30/2009 07:18:14 PM · #3

It says my printer is setup for Adobe RGB 98 d65 WP 2.2 Gamma

Monitor not setup for a specific profile

07/30/2009 07:20:31 PM · #4

The profile used for the printer should be the one that matches the paper and ink being used.

Starting from an uncalibrated monitor can lead to a crap shoot when trying to match screen image to print.

What software are you using to print?

Message edited by author 2009-07-30 19:21:03.

07/30/2009 07:25:26 PM · #5

Lightroom and Photoshop.

07/30/2009 07:46:45 PM · #6

In the print module in Lightroom, are you indicating that color is managed by the printer or not? If not then the printer profile which matches the paper and ink should be chosen.

Take a screenshot of the color management window in PS and the print driver and post them here. It will be easier to suggest something if I see what your settings are first.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/02/2009 09:01:48 PM · #7

Here's the pics of what was asked for, I also included a couple recent shots(No, I wasn't the photographer at the wedding, just a guest. Maybe it's my monitor too, let me know what you think about brightness, color etc... I found they were a bit red but anyways)

Message edited by author 2009-08-02 21:04:29.

rjkstesch

Nikon D700

08/02/2009 10:57:25 PM · #8

In your Print Job box, you'll want to turn all color management OFF. Photoshop will be trying to manage the color, and your printer is too. Together it's too much.

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

08/02/2009 11:03:13 PM · #9

I use a Canon i9900 and used to have the same issues. Now I always change the color management in the Print Job box to allow Photoshop to Control Color and make sure that in my Printer Preferences box I turn color management to Manual. Since then I always get a pretty close match between what I see and what I get. When I don't I normally go back and find that I forgot one of those two steps.

08/04/2009 05:52:39 PM · #10

To me even the second one looks a bit too bright still. Maybe just a tad.

The first one I just hit auto tone in Lightroom to see what it gave me. Second one was my edit.

08/04/2009 06:10:43 PM · #11

First problem, Adobe RGB 1998 is not the profile for the monitor and printer.

1) Either use the profile that came with the monitor - better than nothing or calibrate your monitor and use the custom profile created to assign to your monitor.

2) The printer should have come with profiles. One or more for each paper type. Choose the one that matches the paper you are using.

3) If ICM is turned off in the printer driver, it needs to be turned on in Lightroom or PS (whichever you are using to print). If using LR, don't choose managed by printer. Choose the printer profile.

Here's what happens (much simplified) when you print:

Embedded profile from image is converted to the printer profile and the image is printed.

BTW, the profile used by LR for all images is ProPhotoRGB.

08/04/2009 06:40:42 PM · #12

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

1. Under Color management nothing was setup as default for the monitor, the box was blank in Vista. The monitor is just a generic pnp monitor right now. It's an HP laptop with a 16" screen. If we are talking ICC profiles under Color management, then yes the box was empty when I started with the computer

2. If you mean choosing the paper type with settings, I've done this. No profiles for paper types that I'm aware of. Maybe the printer driver doesn't show all this?

Message edited by author 2009-08-04 18:41:18.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/04/2009 07:17:25 PM · #13

Originally posted by drewhosick:

Originally posted by cpanaioti:
First problem, Adobe RGB 1998 is not the profile for the monitor and printer.

1) Either use the profile that came with the monitor - better than nothing or calibrate your monitor and use the custom profile created to assign to your monitor.

2) The printer should have come with profiles. One or more for each paper type. Choose the one that matches the paper you are using.

3) If ICM is turned off in the printer driver, it needs to be turned on in Lightroom or PS (whichever you are using to print). If using LR, don't choose managed by printer. Choose the printer profile.

Here's what happens (much simplified) when you print:

Embedded profile from image is converted to the printer profile and the image is printed.

BTW, the profile used by LR for all images is ProPhotoRGB.

1. Under Color management nothing was setup as default for the monitor, the box was blank in Vista. The monitor is just a generic pnp monitor right now. It's an HP laptop with a 16" screen. If we are talking ICC profiles under Color management, then yes the box was empty when I started with the computer

2. If you mean choosing the paper type with settings, I've done this. No profiles for paper types that I'm aware of. Maybe the printer driver doesn't show all this?

No. I don't mean paper type. I mean ICC profile to match the paper. Did the printer come with a CD/DVD? The profile(s) will be on there. Or better yet, go to the manufacturers website and download the latest profile(s).

Can you upload a screenshot of the printer driver settings? This will be the popup shown when you select properties beside the printer selected in the print window.

Here's a link to the HP site: //search.hp.com/gwcaeng/query.html?sh=1&charset=UTF-8&la=en&qt=ICC%20Profiles%206300

Message edited by author 2009-08-04 19:22:23.

rjkstesch

Nikon D700

08/04/2009 07:18:56 PM · #14

Another thing I learned about the extra dark prints, is to make sure I am editing in a nearly dark room. Any ambient light will require you to darken your image to make it look good. Then when it prints, the internal instructions darken the print as you told it to in order to compensate for your overly bright room.

To check for the correct brightness/darkness, view your prints in full daylight a day after printing. Edit in a darkened room with little/no ambient light.

rjkstesch

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/04/2009 07:22:46 PM · #15

Originally posted by drewhosick:

Improved a bit but not dramatically. Still quite dark.

Boy I can't figure this out. I tried a full page print and same thing so it's not the printer itself(I don't think).

Tell me, I've included two pictures. One that looks blown out on my screen and one that looks just right. Does the first look too bright or just right to you on a calibrated monitor and does the second look right or too dark?

To me even the second one looks a bit too bright still. Maybe just a tad.

The first one I just hit auto tone in Lightroom to see what it gave me. Second one was my edit.

On my monitor in a lit room, the 1st looks a tad bright, and the 2nd very dark. Because my room is lit, the correct image should look a bit to very bright, so you are probably pretty close on the 1st image.

You'll want to check your histogram. Make sure you have the darks across a spectrum in order to get the detail you want.

Message edited by author 2009-08-04 19:23:23.

08/04/2009 07:23:21 PM · #16

Originally posted by rjkstesch:

You can avoid this mostly by checking the histogram to make sure it's not sliding to the left as you edit.