Photobox colour difference

Hi

I just received my (A3) prints back from Photobox. I am disappointed, the quality is fine but the colours look very different. The prints look washed out, not so vibrant and darker. I am on a Mac, has anyone else had this problem and what can I do to make my prints look like the do on screen?

Thanks

How is your monitor calibrated?

And what colour space did you provide the files in?

Yeah sounds like a calibration issue, possibly with your monitor. I'm not sure if photobox will send customers the colour profiles they use on their print systems but you could email and ask them.

Make sure you calibrate your monitor correctly and that you use softproofing with a proof profile that your print lab should be able to provide you with.

Thanks for the help
I haven't calibrated my monitor so I guess its on the original mac settings.
So how do I calibrate my monitor and what is soft proofing?
Fred

Well you can get closer by calibrating by eye using the system prefs > displays > color > calibrate. But to ensure very accurate calibration you will need a measurement device. Can cost a lil bit extra but it would be more than worth it since you would then know exactly how a print will come out.

flyingfridge wrote in post #7643946
what is soft proofing?

Have a read in the link from my sig about color managed printing...

Thanks for the help.
Definately agree that it is something worth spending some money on.
Do you have any recommendations for calibration software and is it something you download from the net?
Rene - I will be sure to read through your link when I get home!
Fred

I have the xrite eye one. Its hardware you are looking for. It is a little device that reads colors off your monitor.

try spider 2 express... does a great job and isn't expensive

Thanks for all the help. I have given softproofing a go and have just sent off another order of the updated photo. I'll let you know how it goes