Digital BW, The Print

Hi Frank,


> 1. making a contrast mask on the  overlay or soft light duplicate
> layer to only affect certain areas (first I have to figure how to :-)

with all other adjustment layers off and your image background highlighted,
click "command + option + tilde" on a mac... sorry, don't know Pc equiv...



Then with those marching ants, highlight an existing blank layer mask and
fill with black... or with  marching ants, while in an adjustment layer,
click the mask icon and this will create a mask.

From there you can inverse the mask, or soften it, or paint over it, or any
numerous things you wish to do.

You can also give the image a tweak with a curve layer prior to selecting
it, keep the adjustment layer "visible", then do the above (highlight image,
"command option tilde"), this will make your mask with the adjustments,
sometimes giving you a better mask, more contrast to work with.

> 2.creating a new adjustment layer and setting it's blend mode to
> overlay or soft light - Do I have this straight ?

A curve or levels adjustment layer, yes.
just eliminates having to duplicate your image, and lessens the file size.

> 
> I can get a good looking image on screen with the Curve or Level
> adjustments but it just doesn't "kick it" as you put it, on the
> print. And yes I have used the droppers to set a black point.

Have you set the droppers to the blackest black, or are they default press
colors?  Double click them to find out. Also set your white point. Setting
black and white end points with the eyedroppers  can give the contrast you
desire as it maps the entire tonal range rather than just clipping off the
ends. (not sure I'm explaining that right)

> 
> Funny thing is that although I have not had the opportunity to use a
> calibrating tool or software, I do have good wysiwyg from screen to
> print by using
> a. adobe gamma
> b. using a 21 step (and even a 100 step) wedge, I can see all the
> steps on my screen and they all print distinctively (is that the
> right word - I can distinguish between them all)to my printer. So I'm
> not sure why I dont get ""kick" in my prints

Nothing wrong with using that tool to achieve what you need in a closed loop
workflow if it works!.  Give your image an "s" curve to punch it up a
little? You have to take paper into consideration, proper paper/ink
profiling is usually the key.  The steps are showing you good seperation of
tone, the contrast will vary with your image... difficult to know where the
issue can be addressed without seeing your file.  Sometimes the image will
look great on screen but due to the paper color, the way the inks lay down,
it will look flat in print. When you "kick" it up on screen it still looks
good there, but better in print. So it's never truly wysiwyg... can't be in
my opinion when one is reflective and dependant on paper source, the other
on light.  One of the reasons the cmyk with paper white soft proofing is so
cool!  And so telling! ;-)

Carolyn