Prepare Your Files

Calibrating your monitor

When working with images it’s vital that you calibrate your monitor correctly.

The screen representation of your image is critical to the colour balance of your final print. Unless you get your monitor calibration correct, you will never achieve the full potential of our service.

Help with calibration

The cheapest and most accessible calibration method is usually software based. Adobe Gamma or Apple Monitor control panels are often used to set up a basic colour calibrated monitor.

Although using software-only solutions for monitor calibration is better than not calibrating at all, using a monitor calibration device will always yield more consistent results.

Always remember to switch your monitor on for at least an hour before attempting any calibration or profiling. This allows any temperature variations to be removed before you begin.

Common problems

The most common problem associated with monitor calibration is the white point selected for your device.

Often when you set a white point of 6500k (recommended) the images on the screen look too warm and dark. This is a very common problem, usually caused by having the monitor white point set too high in the past. As a result your eyes have become used to looking at a much brighter, cooler image.

Try the following test.

• Take a sheet of white paper (it can be a blank photographic sheet, or a piece of paper from your inkjet paper tray)
• Under normal lighting conditions hold the sheet next to the screen and open a new Photoshop document with a white background.
• If they do not match it is probably because your contrast is not set to maximum, your brightness isn't set to the correct level and the monitor white point hasn't been adjusted.

In other words, if the paper white doesn't match, the other 16 million colours will also look incorrect.

Lighting

Don’t forget to calibrate your monitor under the same lighting conditions as those in which you intend to work.

We also advise that you consider the lighting within your working environment while calibrating your monitor. If the lighting changes throughout the day, you will need to keep this in mind while working on colour critical jobs. Use a monitor hood if necessary.

Monitor calibration devices

At Pro Am Imaging, we offer a range of competitively priced, monitor calibration devices to help ensure that your screen is always calibrated correctly.

Our prices are some of the lowest you'll find on the web. Check out the branded monitor calibration devices we have available:

 

Monitor profile

Finally, it is important to remember that your monitor profile will need to be updated regularly. If you have a device for calibrating your monitor, you should inspect the profile at least every month and re-profile every two months.

Monitors calibrated and profiled by eye should be checked and adjusted every month, but care should be taken to inspect the output results. If they become inconsistent you may have a problem with your calibration method and need to upgrade to a monitor calibration device.

If you prefer to pay someone to calibrate your monitor for you, then we recommend that you speak to Simon at SCS Imaging, who can help with all your profile needs. His contact details are:

SCS Imaging, 37 Osborne Mews, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S11 9EG

Tel: 0114 258 9439 (Mon to Fri - 8.30 to 6.00pm only)
Mobile: 07515 389 159 (Mon to Fri - 8.30 to 6.00pm only)

E-Mail: simoncs@scs-imaging.co.uk (Preferred method of contact)

website: www.scs-imaging.co.uk

To find out how to prepare your files to ensure optimum quality prints, or for more information about ProAm Imaging please call 01274 723 622 or complete our online contact form.