Digital BW, The Print

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the info.  The workflow I'm using is:

1.  Open image in 16 bit RGB (Adobe 1998) from the RAW file
2.  Make adjustments including channel mixing for conversion to B&W
3.  Flatten the image
4.  Convert to Greyscale (current profile is DG20 for default)
5.  Print with Preview using printer driver gamma 1.8 and the EEM 2.2
profile (the results are pretty close with or without the profile in
this case).

I have had much better results in the last couple of days assinging
the Gray Gamma 2.2 profile (which displays darker on my monitor) and
then adding an adjustment layer (levels) and increasing brightness to
gamma 1.25 (from 1.00) and then printing using the EEM 2.2 profile and
printer driver gamma 2.2.  The results are much smoother and more how
I expect (want) them to look.  

It's somewhat confusing though because 'assigning' the profile doesn't
really do anything except let me look at the image darker on screen -
the real difference in the print is from using the darker printer
gamma (2.2) and the adjustment layer prior to printing...is this
correct?  If it works better this way does it mean that something else
is not configured correctly somewhere else in my workflow?  

I don't use any of the color controls - I mean they're "on" but all at
zero.  

Again, many thanks!!!

Brian
http://www.brianchapmanphotography.com

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark"
<paul.roark@...> wrote:
>
> Brian,
> 
> I'm not real sure what workflow you're using.  But, it sounds like the
> problems could be with the dark ink(s) being injected by the printer
before
> there is enough of the lighter ink to hide them. If the problem is
due to
> the dark grays, I'd expect them to show up closer to 60%.  If they
were both
> being injected at about the same time due to a grayscale workflow,
some RGB
> curves might be able to separate where in the image the crossover
occurs.
> Since the problem area is further down, I'd guess it's the black ink
being
> injected before the dark grey inks can hide it.  If the workflow you're
> using includes the driver being set to "Color Controls" I'd consider
> switching that to No Color Adjustment.  That allows the midtones to
go all
> the way up to their maximum ink limit.  The print might be too dark,
so a
> grayscale curve or using Create ICC to linearize the system might be
needed.
> 
> This is sort of a guess, but it might be worth a try.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> > [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Brian
> > Chapman
> > Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 10:17 AM
> > To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [Digital BW] Transitions
> > 
> > In a previous post I mentioned the "stepped" transitions between areas
> > of light and dark in some of the images I have tried printing.
> > 
> > Here's a link to one of the previous messages:
> >
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/message/7715
> > 1
> > 
> > Some additional experimenting and learning has led me to believe that
> > the transitions between dark and light in a general sense were only
> > part of what I was seeing.  The real issue is between different
> > densities of dark where the mixes of ink changes.  When I printed out
> > the step wedges from Paul's site (on EEM using Pauls profile for EEM
> > and Gamma 2.2 for the printer driver gamma setting) I noticed there
> > are a couple of "transition" density levels where the different mixes
> > of ink show up more obviously than others - between 70 & 80% and again
> > between 80 and 90%.
> > 
> > For 99% of images this isn't an issue but in images where the sky is
> > very dark and therefore has large areas where those transitions
> > mentioned above occur it becomes visible - almost like a line across
> > the page wherever those transitions occur.  (It's much easier to see
> > the transitions on wide areas where it occurs - I didn't notice it
> > when I was printing test strips (1"x8") from the center of the image
> > below.  This result doesn't occur with BO printing because it's all
> > the same ink.
> > 
> > Here is an example:
> > http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianechapman/75838437/
> > 
> > Does anyone have any suggestions to reduce the effect?
> > 
> > Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to make sure I gave enough
info!
> > 
> > Thanks!!
> > 
> > Brian
> > http://www.brianchapmanphotography.com
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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