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Post processing for print
2 replies 226 views
07-03-2014, 02:52 PM Debi Ropken
If you have a photo, and am not that good at editing and post processing... Is there a few steps one would take prior to having a print made? I currently have lightroom4 and photoshop prior to the subscription release.

Thank you for any suggestions,
Debi
07-03-2014, 04:02 PM Neal Fedora
Debi,

To avoid the surprise when you get your print back that it doesn't look like what you expected, you should focus on color matching, cropping and appropriate sharpening. I'm sure some of the great photographers in the club may have other useful suggestions, but a few tips that have helped me are:
1) Calibrate your monitor. You can buy (for example http://www.xrite.com/colormunki-display) or rent these. I know Reed Photo here locally used to rent one for I think around $25. Other photo shops may as well.
2) Edit the photo to the way that you want.
3) Download a printer/paper profile for the desired print medium. You can then preview it within Photoshop under "Proof Setup".
4) Determine the size of the final print.
5) Resize your print (as appropriate). I use Scott Kelby's advice. If downsizing, then using 300 pix/inch for whatever size you want to end up with, enable scale styles, enable constrain proportions, enable resample image and then use bicubic (best for smooth). If enlarging, pick you size, same options to enable BUT use bicubic sharper. Try them out though and see what you like best.
6) Sharpen the image at the final size using the unsharp mask or some other plug-in/method. Be careful to not over sharpen.
7) Compare it again against print/paper profile to ensure you are happy with it.
8) If you are printing at home, then you can just print and see how it looks directly from Photoshop. If you are having someone else print it, then export the image in their required format (jpeg, tiff, 8-bit, 16-bit, Adobe 1998, eRGB, etc.) with an emphasis on the best quality possible.

Hope that helps!

Regards,

Neal
07-06-2014, 05:42 PM Debi Ropken
Neal,
Thank you for the suggestions. I will give them a shot!
Debi

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