Problems with printing colors in CS2

Printing from Photoshop CS2 has become a real headache.
All of the prints are too dark.
The same file, imported into a Word document, prints much better, and an image from the internet, sent to the printer also prints very well, so I can't blame the printer. When I take the same file to another computer running Photoshop 7 and a different printer, it also looks much better. I bought a Spyder calibration meter and tried to run that but I'm afraid that I don't really know what to do with the results.
I would appreciate any advice on how to set up the color profiles to get my images to look like they do on the monitor.
My monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 913n and my printer is an Epson Photo 700, and I run Win XP SP2 and use Epson glossy photo paper Thanks.

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Printing from Photoshop CS2 has become a real headache.
All of the prints are too dark.
The same file, imported into a Word document, prints much better, and an image from the internet, sent to the printer also prints very well, so I can't blame the printer. When I take the same file to another computer running Photoshop 7 and a different printer, it also looks much better. I bought a Spyder calibration meter and tried to run that but I'm afraid that I don't really know what to do with the results.
I would appreciate any advice on how to set up the color profiles to get my images to look like they do on the monitor.
My monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 913n and my printer is an Epson Photo 700, and I run Win XP SP2 and use Epson glossy photo paper Thanks.

You must create a profile for your monitor with the software that employs the spyder. You must create a profile for your printer with your inks for your paper using the same software. You need a flatbed scanner which allows you to turn off color profiling to evaluate the output of the paper step.

The fine manual should describe all of these steps.

Then, when you print, you must select the appropriate printer profile in Photoshop. You should turn off color management in your printer driver else you run the likelihood of applying the profile twice. All this is needed to get reasonably close to matching what you see with what you get. Exact matching is well nigh impossible.

I use a Sony CRT and an Epson Photo 1280.
Jim

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Printing from Photoshop CS2 has become a real headache.
All of the prints are too dark.
The same file, imported into a Word document, prints much better, and an image from the internet, sent to the printer also prints very well, so I can't blame the printer. When I take the same file to another computer running Photoshop 7 and a different printer, it also looks much better. I bought a Spyder calibration meter and tried to run that but I'm afraid that I don't really know what to do with the results.
I would appreciate any advice on how to set up the color profiles to get my images to look like they do on the monitor.
My monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 913n and my printer is an Epson Photo 700, and I run Win XP SP2 and use Epson glossy photo paper Thanks.

Hi.

There is little point in buying extra hardware, if you do not know how to use it.

What you need to learn is Colour Management. It is not easy, not it is not rocket science either.

Once you have enough knowledge then you will be able to use your Spyder to calibrate your Monitor exactly.

From what I know of the Spyder the instructions are very specific as to how to use it, and it seems to install the Monitor profile produced correctly. So if you have followed its directions, your monitor should now be correct.

Your Epson 700 is a different problem, Epson do NOT publish ICC Media Profiles for it, so you will need to make them, or have them made for you.

However its one and only included Profile will give pretty good results using Epson Glossy Photo Paper, (but NOT Premium Glossy), if you are using Epson Ink.

In the meantime I would suggest you change your Ps Working Space to sRGB, and ensure that all your Images have that Profile tagged on, and not Adobe RGB.

Roy G

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Printing from Photoshop CS2 has become a real headache.
All of the prints are too dark.
The same file, imported into a Word document, prints much better, and an image from the internet, sent to the printer also prints very well, so I can't blame the printer. When I take the same file to another computer running Photoshop 7 and a different printer, it also looks much better. I bought a Spyder calibration meter and tried to run that but I'm afraid that I don't really know what to do with the results.
I would appreciate any advice on how to set up the color profiles to get my images to look like they do on the monitor.
My monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 913n and my printer is an Epson Photo 700, and I run Win XP SP2 and use Epson glossy photo paper Thanks.

I changed my gamma settings in the print driver from 2.2 to 1.8 but the R1800 has a much upgraded driver from the "come with" WIN XP one make sure you have the LATEST drivers for the printer from EPSON website Then make sure to set PS correctly in the PRINT WITH PREVIEW box make sure the output is your printer
OR
On my old Epson I used the print drivers with more success in matching my monitor
and was easier to set up, with PS color management off (windows icm is used)

KatWoman wrote:

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Printing from Photoshop CS2 has become a real headache.
All of the prints are too dark.

Looks like, that I've experinced the same problem for a couple of last months. I've never had it before. What is interesting, that the print preview already shows me that a file gonna be much darker than the one prepared in Photoshop, so it nothing has to do with my monitor. But the darkness intensity depends on some print options in the color managment, as well as on file mode. Will appreciate any ideas.

Tanya

Thanks guys,
I am in UK and I can select European prepress in PSCS2.
I did a monitor calibration with my Spyder hardware and then a printer profile and some tests.
Interestingly, the differences between US and European prepress are indistinguishable to my eyes and my wife's as well.
But the differences between using PSCS2 and letting the printer do colour management did show some differences. We tended to agree that letting the printer do colour management produced somewhat stronger results. When PSCS2 does colour management (with the correct printer profile entered) the prints are just slightly lighter and softer. With the printer handling colour management on automatic the prints are a tiny bit richer in colour and slightly darker in the shadow tones. I assume that going to windows and telling it to install the latest profile created makes it use my profile instead of the generic epson photo 700 profile that came with windoes, but I'm not sure.
We also realized that unless we have a good exposure on the original photo, things are much harder to get looking nice, even if we can tweak the photo in PSCS2.
The differences between letting PSCS2 and the printer do colour management are very slight with a good photo.
This surprised me as I though that PSCS2 would be better at printing than my older epson photo 700.
Does anyone think that getting one of the newer printers, say the epson photo 340, will improve the ability to colour manage as opposed to finer resolution images or not.
Thanks for all the advice offered.

"tanya.ilina" wrote in message

KatWoman wrote:

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Printing from Photoshop CS2 has become a real headache.
All of the prints are too dark.

Looks like, that I've experinced the same problem for a couple of last months. I've never had it before. What is interesting, that the print preview already shows me that a file gonna be much darker than the one prepared in Photoshop, so it nothing has to do with my monitor. But the darkness intensity depends on some print options in the color managment, as well as on file mode. Will appreciate any ideas.
Tanya

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Thanks guys,
I am in UK and I can select European prepress in PSCS2.
I did a monitor calibration with my Spyder hardware and then a printer profile and some tests.
Interestingly, the differences between US and European prepress are indistinguishable to my eyes and my wife's as well.
But the differences between using PSCS2 and letting the printer do colour management did show some differences. We tended to agree that letting the printer do colour management produced somewhat stronger results. When PSCS2
does colour management (with the correct printer profile entered) the prints
are just slightly lighter and softer. With the printer handling colour management on automatic the prints are a tiny bit richer in colour and slightly darker in the shadow tones. I assume that going to windows and telling it to install the latest profile created makes it use my profile instead of the generic epson photo 700 profile that came with windoes, but
I'm not sure.
We also realized that unless we have a good exposure on the original photo,
things are much harder to get looking nice, even if we can tweak the photo in PSCS2.
The differences between letting PSCS2 and the printer do colour management are very slight with a good photo.
This surprised me as I though that PSCS2 would be better at printing than my
older epson photo 700.
Does anyone think that getting one of the newer printers, say the epson photo 340, will improve the ability to colour manage as opposed to finer resolution images or not.
Thanks for all the advice offered.

Hi.

As I said earlier, you do need to learn, more about Colour Management.

Selecting European Pre-press instead of USA Pre-press, does not change anything which would affect printing with an Ink Jet. Neither of them are the correct settings.

Installing your customised Printer Profile will not instruct the Epson Driver to use it. The only way of using a specific profile is for you to select it as the Printer Profile in the Print with Preview dialogues of Ps.

The Drivers for modern Epson Printers install a number of Media Specific Profiles. They one used varies according to your selection of Media Type.

For an effective workflow, and some explanations, have a look at www.ayrphoto.co.uk and go to the "Notices and Info" pages, then to the article on "How to Print for Accurate Colour".

Of course, you can ignore the section about Monitor Calibrating, since you have already done this with your Spyder.

And you would select your own Custom Profile for your Printer and Paper. This page has been around for a little while, and does not show any Spyder produced Profiles in the list, but they just go in with all the other profiles, so you need to be a bit carefull when naming them.

Have a read at the Ps Help Files for CM, Profile use and Printing.

Roy G

Thanks for the site link, Roy.

"Roy G" wrote in message

"Luis Ortega" wrote in message

Thanks guys,
I am in UK and I can select European prepress in PSCS2.
I did a monitor calibration with my Spyder hardware and then a printer profile and some tests.
Interestingly, the differences between US and European prepress are indistinguishable to my eyes and my wife's as well.
But the differences between using PSCS2 and letting the printer do colour management did show some differences. We tended to agree that letting the printer do colour management produced somewhat stronger results. When PSCS2
does colour management (with the correct printer profile entered) the prints
are just slightly lighter and softer. With the printer handling colour management on automatic the prints are a tiny bit richer in colour and slightly darker in the shadow tones. I assume that going to windows and telling it to install the latest profile created makes it use my profile instead of the generic epson photo 700 profile that came with windoes, but
I'm not sure.
We also realized that unless we have a good exposure on the original photo,
things are much harder to get looking nice, even if we can tweak the photo
in PSCS2.
The differences between letting PSCS2 and the printer do colour management
are very slight with a good photo.
This surprised me as I though that PSCS2 would be better at printing than my
older epson photo 700.
Does anyone think that getting one of the newer printers, say the epson photo 340, will improve the ability to colour manage as opposed to finer resolution images or not.
Thanks for all the advice offered.

Hi.

As I said earlier, you do need to learn, more about Colour Management.
Selecting European Pre-press instead of USA Pre-press, does not change anything which would affect printing with an Ink Jet. Neither of them are the correct settings.

Installing your customised Printer Profile will not instruct the Epson Driver to use it. The only way of using a specific profile is for you to select it as the Printer Profile in the Print with Preview dialogues of Ps.

The Drivers for modern Epson Printers install a number of Media Specific Profiles. They one used varies according to your selection of Media Type.
For an effective workflow, and some explanations, have a look at www.ayrphoto.co.uk and go to the "Notices and Info" pages, then to the article on "How to Print for Accurate Colour".
Of course, you can ignore the section about Monitor Calibrating, since you have already done this with your Spyder.

And you would select your own Custom Profile for your Printer and Paper. This page has been around for a little while, and does not show any Spyder produced Profiles in the list, but they just go in with all the other profiles, so you need to be a bit carefull when naming them.
Have a read at the Ps Help Files for CM, Profile use and Printing.
Roy G