“Golden Gate Bridge”
© Copyright Ed Krimen
If you want to get really serious about photography, there’s more to it than just composing the photo, clicking the shutter button, and hoping that what you get looks like what you were expecting to get. In the case of the photo above, I think it came out pretty well, actually exceeding my expectations. (One of these days, before I print the photo to hang on the wall, I’ll edit out the errant tree branches in the upper left corner.)
Of course, color is an important part of photography. Unfortunately though, every device you use in your photography process has a different interpretation of color. Your camera has one interpretation of color, which is affected by many things, including white balance. Your computer has one interpretation of color. Your computer monitor has one interpretation of color. Your printer, its inks, and its paper each have their own interpretations of color, and how they affect the final output.
Therefore, if you’re really picky about making sure the red dress you’re wearing has the exact same color of red when you print out your photos, and doesn’t result in a washed-out burgundy or a too-bright magenta, then you either have your work cut out for you, or you should set your expectations lower for an exact replication. This process, called color management, is not as easy as you might hope for, unfortunately.
If you’d like to understand a little more about color management, I highly recommend looking through Canon’s Digital Color Management Guidebook, available for free on Canon’s website here as a quick download in PDF format.
Canon’s guidebook explains it well: “Color management is not about making photos look better or getting the best color out of a particular device. Color management aligns an entire system of cameras, displays and printers so that the different color spaces (colors) produced are as close as possible. For example, factors such as the color of printing paper, the lighting in the room and lighting in the original photo can all affect the way colors appear.”
Although the guidebook discusses color management as if you are using Canon equipment, the concepts pertain to all cameras, computers, monitors, and printers.
Tags: Bridges, Canon, Color, Photo, Photography, Photos, Print, Printing, Prints
