Category: Tips of the trade

Special guests announced for our New Options for Portfolios discussion!

Posted by doteditions on June 1, 2010

After perfecting new production techniques for photographers’ portfolios, we are ready to show off some samples. Please join us on June 9th at 7pm for an informal discussion on the state of the photographer’s portfolio in the digital age, and to see some samples of printing and binding for yourself.

We are excited to announce that we will have two special guests for our round-table discussion:

Photo-editor/photographer/Salaam Garage workshop leader Maggie Soladay will offer her input on what she looks for when hiring photographers for editorial assignments. As a photo editor, Maggie sees hundreds of portfolios, both online and in print. As a result, she can offer useful insight into aspects of producing portfolios that every photographer should consider.

© Maggie Soladay

Bookbinder Judith Ivry will also join us, to show varieties of custom bookbinding and portfolio boxes that she has produced. Judy has been an independent bookbinder for over 25 years, offering the highest standards of binding for her clients. She works out of her studio in Manhattan, as well as teaching and lecturing about binding techniques.

From Judith Ivry's bookbindery

Please RSVP for the event here!

Directions to the studio, 119 8th Street (bet. 2nd and 3rd Aves in Brooklyn): We are located 2 blocks from the F, G, M or R trains at the 4th Avenue/9th Street stop. Upon exiting the subway station, walk down the hill on 9th street and turn right on 3rd Avenue. Walk one block and turn left on 8th Street. We on the right hand side of the street, at 119 8th Street, almost all the way at the end of the block towards 2nd Avenue. Dial 210 on the buzzer.

Tips on printing through Photoshop

Posted by doteditions on March 10, 2010

At last night’s Color Management discussion, it became evident that there is confusion and frustration with printing through Photoshop’s Epson Driver. This is probably the most common way of printing, so we decided that a tutorial with screen shots is in order. We usually use a RIP software at Dot Editions, but that’s a whole other blog entry.

Keep in mind that this method is what works for us at Dot Editions. By no means is this the only way or the right way – it’s the way that works for us. This is all about trial and error, as well as your personal preference on how you want your prints to  look. Just like in the darkroom!

We would like to thank Radhika Chalasani for allowing us to use her image for these printing demonstrations.

Here we go, starting from the basics of printing through Photoshop:

Download and install the Epson Driver for free from Epson’s website.

Download your choice of  paper’s ICC profiles from that paper’s manufacturer. For this example, we’re printing with Hahnemuhle Bartya.

Put the ICC profile in the proper place.

  • Find the ICC profile on your computer (probably on the desktop or in “Downloads”). The ICC icon will look like this:Picture 11
  • Drop the ICC profile in the correct folder:
  • Macintosh HD/Library/ColorSync/Profiles

    • Picture 12

While you are at your paper manufacturer’s website, determine their recommendations for paper handling.

  • For example, if you have a matte paper, do they suggest setting the media type as Enhanced Matte, UltraSmoothFineArt, or Watercolor Paper?
  • If you are printing on a glossy paper, is it Luster, SemiGloss, or Glossy?

Once you have done these steps, and your image is ready to print, go to File/Print. Follow the instructions below to properly handle the settings in the print dialog boxes.

Initial print dialogue box options:

Select your printer, then click Page Setup

step-1

Page Setup Dialogue box options:

step-2a

Manage Custom Sizes (if you are using an unusual size paper)

step-2b

Page Setup Dialogue box with your selected options:

step-4

Click OK on Page Setup.

That will take you back to your initial printer dialogue box. This is the box where you select the paper profile that you downloaded earlier. In this example, we are using one of Dot Editions custom profiles for Hahnemuhle Baryta. We find that choosing “Perceptual” with Black Point Compensation checked works well for pigment printing.

step-5

After you press “Print” you will be taken to another print dialogue box, with more options to select.  (In the newest version of the Epson Driver for CS4 Extended, the options are collapsed into one window for “Print Settings” and “Printer Color Management”. These screenshots are from the older version that has these options separated. The choices will be the same.)

step-6

Here in Print Settings and Color Management is where you need to pay careful attention to what you are selecting. For Media Type, refer to your paper manufacturer and see what they recommend for the surface you are using.

step-7

One last window before you really print! Turn Color Management OFF (or else you are throwing everything out the window!)

step-8

If you would like this tutorial in a PDF version, please email us at print@doteditions.com

Color Management discussion: tomorrow night

Posted by doteditions on March 8, 2010

Tuesday March 9: Color Management Discussion (6:30-9pm, doors open at 6pm)

In an ideal world, color would be consistent from the scene in front of the camera, to what we see on the monitor, to the final print.  Consistency from  various  digital imaging devices requires a sophisticated knowledge of color management. In this hands-on discussion, we will help artists and photographers gain deeper understanding of how to get a good match from the monitor to the print.

Included in this discussion:

• A work-around to match the image on screen to the print
• Best practices for monitor calibration
• Color profiles
• Soft-proofing

Please RSVP. This is a free event, so please bring a beverage or snack to share!