articles/Paper/endofyearreport2008-page2

Paper Chase - Another End of Year Report 2008 - part 2 of 1 2

by Mike McNamee Published

Some of the supplier-profiles are as good, or superior to, those we have made ourselves, due to a fortuitous match between the test-bed machines of the paper supplier and our own machines. However, in all but a small handful of cases, we have always managed to improve the audit statistics by fine tuning a profile. It depends on how much paper a supplier sends us for review, but we generally test papers in the following sequence:

1. Using the paper provider's profile if available, if not, the standard printer profiles using the closest media match.

2. Using our own bespoke profile, 'as made'.

3. Using our own, bespoke profile after an iterative finetuning process.Within this framework there are variations. For example, the paper supplier's instructions may specify an either/or for the media choice (eg Velvet Fine Art or Watercolour Radiant White). In the case of Hahnemuhle these two options produced radically different results, with Velvet Fine Art being much superior. In the case of specialist proofing papers we sometimes go through as many as four iterations, tweaking the profile, re-auditing the result, then readjusting the profile, before we reach contract proofing standards. Even with contract proofing, the goalposts have been moved. No sooner had we achieved compliance with the 2006 standards than they halved the tolerance on us! To date we have not tweaked our way inside the 2008 specifications. To put this level of compliance into perspective there are differences between the way that the ink is squirted down when using Epson's High Speed 'on' or 'off' settings. There are differences between one side of a 24" sheet and the other and finally you have to ensure that temperature and humidity are within 'normal' bounds. The heat wave of the 2007 summer caused havoc with proofing in some places. These levels of precision are standards that the jobbing photographer can only dream of, and we would urge caution before starting to worry about them! With few exceptions you can create commercially acceptable photographic prints from any paper/printer combination once you have sorted out the settings.

How to pick a paper

How do you decide upon a paper? Inkjet paper is relatively expensive and unless you are minted you can ill-afford to go out and buy a large selection. This leaves two possibilities, to ask the proud owner of a print you admire what they used or to obtain one of the many sample packs that are made for the purpose. If you ask another print-maker ensure that you are not seduced by the qualities of the image. A pretty girl (or hunky male for the ladies) is quite likely to influence your view of a paper surface. I had a proof of one of Trevor Yerbury's images lying around while preparing the last magazine. All male visitors commented upon the image, nobody mentioned an obvious flaw in the colour management that I was trying to sort out! This is how it should be, the image is always the most important feature of a print, otherwise there would be a market for images of Macbeth Charts!

If you choose to sift through a sample set, start by writing, in soft pencil, on the back of every piece of the paper, which surface it is. Nothing is more infuriating than making a masterpiece on an anonymous piece of paper and not knowing how you went about it. Also make notes on the back of the samples and, as far as possible, try to use the same image over and over. If there are only two types of each paper in a sample box you might be better buying two boxes. We have frequently made a profile with piece one then goofed piece two and been left with no idea how a paper performs. With only two pieces you might try the manufacturer's profile for a colour print on one piece and a monochrome on the other.

The situation is analogous to the choosing of a film/developer combination - the sound advice was always to stick with a combination until you understood it rather than flitting around from pillar to post in search of some illusive master-solution. Don't forget that you can arrange to print on one half of a piece of paper and then put the paper back in the printer and do another test - make sure you know which is which! This is vital if you have only one sample of a type in the box.

• Paper Chase - Another End of Year Report 2008 page 1
  
• Paper Chase - Another End of Year Report 2008 page 2
  

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