Need Help!

Ok I am sure this probably isn't the right place but I know I will get honest responses here from people that have calibrated screens and are not afraid to tell me the truth. I just ordered $50.00 worth of pics from MPIX for Christmas presents and cards and such. They came back looking like $h!t! If it is my fault I will suck it up and deal but if it is theirs I want my pictures fixed or my money back!!!

1st one up... Background on this one is smeared gray and white. Its streaky. Looks like someone took the dodge tool on a gray background and jacked it all up.

Not an expert but it might help to have photos of the prints?

Second shot looks like grey background to me.

Take a deep breath, it's OK...MPix will reprint if you desire it, but it might be a good idea to figure out what went wrong in the first place.
Did you do your own PP, did you tell them to use their best judgment concerning colors or did you soft proof after downloading their ink and paper settings?

Give their customer service a call, they are nice people, explain the problem and see if they can resolve the problem.

Thanks, I used their calibration kit to their printers a couple of weeks ago. I would of uploaded the ones I received but alas my scanner crapped out on me in Julyt and I just never saw the need, till now, to replace it... I will definitely call them tomorrow. I do all my own PP which is why I am confused why its like this and wanted to see if others saw it and not me... Thanks again!

I can see the grey background definately in the second shot, but it seems a little pink to me too?? I dont see the blue tint on the piano that you are talking about and my monitor is calibrated and adjusted to room light. The first one looks like the material (thats creased) you were using as a backdrop.

The question is do these resemble your originals and the answer is a resounding yes. The smears in the first are bg creases and the shadows created within. The second one is a darker bg than the first ie it's grey and the original version is showing a little colour bleed on to this area. I suspect that your monitor maybe a tad too bright.

Thanks I know thats not what I wanted to hear but I appreciate it and that is why I wanted your responses before I did something stupid. Maybe I overreacted a tad... I am going to get the same pics printed off at the local printer and see if they look the same.

Most prints will be darker than what you see on screen, even with a calibrated monitor in some cases. Ink spreads out when it touches the paper, no matter how fine or small the ink drop is.

Your photos do have the "smeared" gray and white background and the dark gray background. These backgrounds will naturally print darker. Try selecting the background in photoshop and just deleting the content, or mask over it with a white background to keep it smooth around the edges.


GREAT shots though!

Looking at the background color values in Photoshop (info window) the first photo shows definite changes in background color as you move the cursor around within the photo. The second photo background is not white but measures out as a 10% to 16% three-color background with a slight imbalance toward magenta or red. There is a light blue tint to the piano.

If you have Photoshop or any application that will allow you to read color values within a photo this will perform the same function as a densitometer in a photo lab. The information you get this way is a pretty good way to do a quick evaluation as to whether or not you are seeing a neutral image on your monitor or if it is adding or masking tints when it displays a photo.

Besides the fact you don't have a BG light, I think your problem is the 1998 aRGB profile. Mpix is a great place to get prints and you should always select their color correction option.

Most printers and all good print houses use CMYK, so the aRGB will not carry over for good color matching. Add that to the lack of BG lighting and there you have it.
Had you paid the nominal fee for color correction, this wouldn't be as big an issue, IMO.

So it def appears it was my error! Ok that sucks considering its a 50 dollar pill to swallow but lesson learned for sure... Besides having to update my 1999 screen what else should I do before sending prints off? Should I do all my PP in CMYK? I am new at the PP stuff and well you see my lack of skill does... I am just still dumb struck over the gray... Operator error but still. drdiesel, they did have a box that you can uncheck if you didn't want them to touch them... I left it checked in hopes that this wouldn't happen... Printguy, doing that NEVER even crossed my mind! Thank you for telling me that. That will most definitely be one of those steps I take. Wiz, thank you. I didn't see it so therefore I never thought to look for it... I suppose I am going to chalk this whole thing up to a learning session. Maybe if I send the pics out, the Christmas ones, noone will notice...

MommaBird80 wrote in post #11305406
So it def appears it was my error! Ok that sucks considering its a 50 dollar pill to swallow but lesson learned for sure... Besides having to update my 1999 screen what else should I do before sending prints off? Should I do all my PP in CMYK? I am new at the PP stuff and well you see my lack of skill does... I am just still dumb struck over the gray... Operator error but still. drdiesel, they did have a box that you can uncheck if you didn't want them to touch them... I left it checked in hopes that this wouldn't happen... Printguy, doing that NEVER even crossed my mind! Thank you for telling me that. That will most definitely be one of those steps I take. Wiz, thank you. I didn't see it so therefore I never thought to look for it... I suppose I am going to chalk this whole thing up to a learning session. Maybe if I send the pics out, the Christmas ones, noone will notice...

Do you have PhotoShop or LightRoom? You're asking for some mind boggling fun. I use X-Rites Color Munki to profile my Monitor and Printer.
Proper color control to print output is an extraordinary complex subject. The Color Munki helps make it much easier to get great results. I hated dealing with it and spent the money on the only solution that covers everything for me.


Designed specifically for wedding, portrait and event photographers — or any passionate advocate – X-Rite ColorMunki Photo is a completely integrated color control solution to calibrate your displays, projectors and printers; so you get accurate screen to print color matching, every time. Combined with ColorMunki Photo's included creation and communication tools you'll have unparalleled control.
http://www.colormunki.​com/

http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/CMYK_color_mode​l

I have both but mainly use photoshop... I am looking at a new monitor but I am not sure what kind of color contrast to get! They have the 1000:1 to 60,000:1... I am guessing the 60,000:1 would be a lot better for photography... Just did a little BG on my current screen and it has a contrast ratio of... 350:1... sad... haha! Guess should of updated the screen when the hubs built the tower. The ColorMunki looks awesome, but def not in the budget right now. Maybe on down the road I am all about some mind boggling fun!

MommaBird80 wrote in post #11305533
I have both but mainly use photoshop... I am looking at a new monitor but I am not sure what kind of color contrast to get! They have the 1000:1 to 60,000:1... I am guessing the 60,000:1 would be a lot better for photography... Just did a little BG on my current screen and it has a contrast ratio of... 350:1... sad... haha! Guess should of updated the screen when the hubs built the tower. The ColorMunki looks awesome, but def not in the budget right now. Maybe on down the road I am all about some mind boggling fun!

IPS panels are the current pick for photography and PP work.

http://xtknight.50webs​.com/lcd26/