Monitor Calibration

"How can I be sure that the image on my monitor will look like the finished print I am holding in my hand?"

As photographers and visually oriented artists it is very important that when we receive the final out-put of our art , it at least resembles our perception of what it is supposed to look like, i.e. clean blacks, whites and gray tones, acceptable skin tones, gradations and tonal transitions that do not look cartoonish and banded. In short, natural colors that we expect to see.

In a perfect world what we see is what we get. In a perfect world all monitors are calibrated, all printers and papers print the same, all operators of the various varieties of equipment have gotten a good night’s sleep and are thinking about nothing other than doing the best job they can...

It's not a perfect world. But it's not bad either, read on.

There are a lot of handicaps we face, aside from equipment idiosyncrasies, which may alter our perceptions. Large doses of caffeine, for instance, make us more sensitive to warmer colors, red in particular (ingram/UofU/1994). Nicotine elicits a response similar to a 10-15% desaturation of colors (patterson/UofU/1994). In addition to the things we do to ourselves on purpose, there is the well documented fact that men loose visual acuity and color perception faster than women. 68% of Americans chronically dehydrate themselves, which also effects color perception. Then there is everyday stress; deadlines, creative block, grumpy clients, out-of-control brides- it's a digital jungle out there.

Fortunately there is help. At K&K ColorLab, there are the technicians, printers, photographers and business people to provide support. We've been in the trenches. We are here to help and offer suggestions.
One of the most important tools in your studio should be your computer monitor. It is, after all, your first perception of what the final output will be. If your computer is giving you an image that is not accurate, you are just adding to your handicap.

It is really amazing how many photographers I know that will spend $2000 - $8000 on cameras and lenses (presupposing that the computer equipment is priorly established) and not put out an additional $300 for good monitor calibration equipment. Or another option that is available - eBay; there are monitor calibration kits (currently the SpyderPro and Optix systems) for less than half the price of buying it new. (If you purchase from eBay make sure that you are getting valid serial numbers to activate the software.)

If you cannot trust the colors displayed on your monitor, all other color management is a waste of time. Calibrating and profiling your monitor should, therefore, be your first priority. Luckily, it is the easiest part of the image capture, editing, and printing system to profile. The cost to do this ranges from free to expensive. If color accuracy and the ability to match your prints to your monitor are important to you, a decent hardware calibration system is essential. With a little work you can get good color from your monitor. If digital photography is your business, or you simply want the best colors you can get, the expense of a high quality calibration system is more than justified.

The most basic calibration tool, other than ignoring calibration altogether, is Adobe Gamma. This is certainly better than nothing, but leaves much to be desired. The sole advantage is that it is free (since it is the calibration tool included in Photoshop). The primary problem is that your visual calibration is highly influenced by ambient lighting, how much sleep you've had, how much coffee is coursing through your veins, as well as other self-induced or involuntary environmental variables. Obtaining a consistent viewing environment is difficult under these conditions.

Hardware based monitor calibrators provide far more accurate and repeatable results.

Mac World has some reviews and recommendations. The following are two excellent systems for calibrating your monitor: