[Publisher] Tuning images with Photo persona

[EEvgeniy]

Hej!

I ordered to print a photobook a few weeks ago. I'm not professional designer, but I don't like options for print available, so I've decided to make this photobook with Publisher. When the photobook was printed it turned out that it was too dark. I can't say that the PDF that I've made was the same dark as printed, but still I've decided to make V2 of the photobook.

 

I've never edited any pictures using Publisher, so according to youtube videos there's Photo persona for that.

And tried to use auto-correction:

 

So strange. Okay, Command+Z and let's try to use auto-color

 

Well, it looks something is going wrong.

 

My question is more about is in Publisher the way to edit photos slightly (brightness/contrast/colorbalance) before sending to print?

[User_783649]

9 minutes ago, EEvgeniy said:

When the photobook was printed it turned out that it was too dark. I can't say that the PDF that I've made was the same dark as printed, but still I've decided to make V2 of the photobook.

What color space (CMYK/RGB) and color profile do you use in Document Settings? Is it one of the most common and recommended color profiles for the majority of printing shops? ISO Coated v2 300 (ECI)? Or PSO Coated v3 maybe?

In any case, it is always recommended to clarify printing terms and requirements in your local print shop and learn about the exact print profile they suggest to use. It's almost always mentioned on their websites.

Working in that color space will allow you to see things on your screen how they will look on print. So basically you'll apply any adjustments or color corrections knowingly and on purpose and not like walking in the dark guessing how it all will look on paper. Failure on 1 item can be ok, but failing print volumes of hundreds and thousands of items because of wrong colors can be costly.

To check if any of your content will look fine on print you can also use Soft Proof adjustment which you can apply selectively to any layer of your design.

[EEvgeniy]

1 hour ago, Alex M said:

What color space (CMYK/RGB) and color profile do you use in Document Settings? Is it one of the most common and recommended color profiles for the majority of printing shops? ISO Coated v2 300 (ECI)? Or PSO Coated v3 maybe?

Here's my settings and CMYK is recommended by this particular print shop. Do you think this is not appropriate CMYK so photo persona does not work well?

 

1 hour ago, Alex M said:

Working in that color space will allow you to see things on your screen how they will look on print.

So, that didn't work apparently — but still I understand that there will be slight difference between paper and screen.

[User_783649]

@EEvgeniy Settings look fine to me. Some print shops accept in U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 so it shouldn't be a problem.

Have you tried adding Soft Proof adjustment layer as I suggested earlier?

Btw, I'm not sure I fully understand your problem. There are lots of adjustments at your disposal. There are various settings for contrast, brightness, exposure, etc. You can apply them to images.

Btw, I believe no one should expect great results from any feature with "auto" in its name. It may lead to an unexpected or undesired results.

Any action you take should have a clear purpose. If your images look too dark, try increasing brightness or exposure a little bit. Play with curves or levels.

You can adjust your photos in any way you want to give them any look you might have in mind and/or to compensate any brightness/color loss because of conversion to CMYK.

P.S.: Just found this wonderful video for you, explaining how to adjust images and soft proof them for getting excellent and predictable print results:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb8_yxRK7gA

Edited November 30, 2021 by Alex M

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, EEvgeniy said:

Here's my settings and CMYK is recommended by this particular print shop. Do you think this is not appropriate CMYK so photo persona does not work well?

And are the images also CMYK? Or did you insert RGB images into your CMYK document?

If you have RGB images in a CMYK document, that might affect how the "auto" buttons are working. (Just guessing, and unable to test as I'm away from my computer.)

 

[EEvgeniy]

1 hour ago, walt.farrell said:

If you have RGB images in a CMYK document, that might affect how the "auto" buttons are working.

Yes, all my images are definitely RGB! But not only "auto" — everything is working in "another" way. So what is supposed to be done in such scenario?

 

3 hours ago, anto said:

If you edit photo in Publisher in Photo Persona use Shadow/Highlights, Brightness/Contrast and Unsharp mask and another if needed. This important three things.

Yes, these adjustments works as are supposed to, as adjustment layers, looks like they're the only available in my scenario.

 

3 hours ago, Alex M said:

Play with curves or levels.

 

I totally agree with you, thanks, but what am I trying to say is that in my scenario all these things works like in another way they should. As Walt mentioned, that's because my document is in CMYK but the pictures are RGB. Looks like that is the point.