[bilybianca]

I'm a reasonably good photographer, and know the basics of digital imaging. I have no problem converting and pp-ing my RAWs to sharp, nice looking screen images. I'm not the least interested in computing per se, though, so I'm lost when the tech gurus explain how to get your prints right.

I have a reasonably good screen (Eizo) with a calibration tool, so it's no problem to get the images correct on the screen. I've got an Epson Stylus Photo PX720WD printer, which is generally seen as one of the best budget printers for photos. I use Adobe CR and PS CS4 for editing.

So equipment and software is not to blaim.

When I had just bought the printer I made a few prints. Any time a dialogue box popped up and asked what setting I wanted to use I closed my eyes and chose by random. The pictures came out good enough, albeit a tad on the dark side.
But I wanted better.

I do not understand the impact of Adobe RGB or sRGB setting in the camera (have mine set to sRGB) when it comes to real world prints.

I do understand why the screen needs to be calibrated, and mine is.

I do understand that paper quality matters, and that the printer needs an icc profile to match the specific paper. I know that with Epson printers some icc profiles are provided with the driver, and that I can choose between these profiles in the print dialogue box. I do not know how to install new profiles.

So I searched the net, found several incomprehensible tutorials and some that seemed possible to follow. Tried one, changed settings in Photoshop according to the tutorial and now my prints are no way near the screen version. Would love to find a button that says "reset to default" but can't find it.

Can someone please point me to a site or thread that takes me by the hand and leads me step-by-step through the process, without requesting a doctors degree in computing engineering? Do I need reinstall Photoshop to get rid of my own changes?

Kjell

[slip]

I'm a reasonably good photographer, and know the basics of digital imaging. I have no problem converting and pp-ing my RAWs to sharp, nice looking screen images. I'm not the least interested in computing per se, though, so I'm lost when the tech gurus explain how to get your prints right.

I have a reasonably good screen (Eizo) with a calibration tool, so it's no problem to get the images correct on the screen. I've got an Epson Stylus Photo PX720WD printer, which is generally seen as one of the best budget printers for photos. I use Adobe CR and PS CS4 for editing.

So equipment and software is not to blaim.

When I had just bought the printer I made a few prints. Any time a dialogue box popped up and asked what setting I wanted to use I closed my eyes and chose by random. The pictures came out good enough, albeit a tad on the dark side.
But I wanted better.

I do not understand the impact of Adobe RGB or sRGB setting in the camera (have mine set to sRGB) when it comes to real world prints.

I do understand why the screen needs to be calibrated, and mine is.

I do understand that paper quality matters, and that the printer needs an icc profile to match the specific paper. I know that with Epson printers some icc profiles are provided with the driver, and that I can choose between these profiles in the print dialogue box. I do not know how to install new profiles.

So I searched the net, found several incomprehensible tutorials and some that seemed possible to follow. Tried one, changed settings in Photoshop according to the tutorial and now my prints are no way near the screen version. Would love to find a button that says "reset to default" but can't find it.

Can someone please point me to a site or thread that takes me by the hand and leads me step-by-step through the process, without requesting a doctors degree in computing engineering? Do I need reinstall Photoshop to get rid of my own changes?

Kjell

Hi

first of all, when you shoot in raw on your camera, it is just that.... raw, it has no color profile.
I do keep mine on Adobe RGB 1998 just in case I shoot with jpg or raw+jpg.
in photoshop, when you choose print, in the dialog box choose "let photoshop manage your colors" then select Adobe RGB 1998 (make sure your color settings in photoshop are set to adobe rgb 1998 to embed the 1998 profile in your image)
now choose the preference box and open up your printer preferences. I used to use an Epson and somewhere in all those settings there should be a place that you can check to have no color correction by the printer software...do not choose vivid colors or any other option (if you don't the printer will override your photoshop color settings.
If there is somewhere to choose manage colors with photoshop, click that. sorry it has been a while since I had an epson, but please let me know if you get stuck or need more help

hope this helps