Recommended Reading

[whiteweed]

I would like to find a book that takes me from the camera bag..so to speak.. to the ink jet printer. I have gotten back into the hobby with a dslr and some ok glass and find myself struggling. I know I need to get into my camera more and learn how to shoot with it, but I would like to find a book or two that takes me from the camera, how to get the best digital negative, yes I know about raw, then into programing and setting up programming for paper and print. I have been running inkjet for several years, but the first years were scan originals and print, and that was fun until I figured out all the numbers to plug for that particular customer. So now I find myself very intrigued in how to do it the right way instead of the Punch and Judy method I use now. I figure I can save the cost in paper and ink to buy a book or two. Links to particular aspects would be good also. yes I know this could be endless, and could be subject dependent, but I have the tools short of a high end monitor. My weak link is definitely the camera and capture. I think what I find myself tripped up by is trying to match my capture to all the PP I see posted. I definitely have been shooting raw and playing with that, but would just as soon, short of a filter for the job, shoot it and print it after very little tweaking.

Thanks Ron

I am shooting a Sony A33 14 MP

 

[cdrross]

Rather than getting a book, I would go visit a good dedicated camera store/shop (yes they are getting harder to find) and speak with the folks in the shop.
The folks in there are usually a great resource.
I found your post a bit confusing and I was not sure what your primary concern is.
It also sounded as though you have photographed for a client?

 

[whiteweed]

I found your post a bit confusing and I was not sure what your primary concern is.
It also sounded as though you have photographed for a client?

No, I have printed for artist and photographers. I would like to learn the best things to lean toward while shooting to achieve a good print, then how to PP, and print from Photoshop to achieve the highest quality reproduction.

 

[stellablade]

Jeff Schewe's books are very good.

The Digital Print: Preparing Images in Lightroom and Photoshop for Printing

The Digital Negative: Raw Image Processing in Lightroom, Camera Raw, and Photoshop

 

[fast14riot]

In my opinion, unless you're shooting a a certain type of print (news print, glossy sheet magazine, etc) I don't think the shot should be skewed one way or another. Finding the tools in color calibration (matching you monitor to your printer more importantly) and understanding how each photo is going to be viewed will dictate how the print is made.

Images for online gallery will be altered one way to take advantage of the back lit monitor, images for matte paper print behind glass will be processed another, and glossy another, as well as portfolio prints viewed directly without glass. That's where I would start my research. Fwiw, I don't do my own prints, I have a local pro lab do all of mine and let them know how the print is going to be viewed so they can make adjustments accordingly.

Finding a good book about taking images isn't hard. There are some excellent ones that lean one way or the other in respect to gear brand (McNally's books tend to be very Nikon centric and use lots of TTL) so those may or may not be good for you.


-X

 

[whiteweed]

Some great info there. I will look at Schewe's books and hang at the local photo store in which we have a good one. i have some things that are ready for pickup anyway. I really enjoyed my visit the other day.

 

[Edcculus]

Color management is the only way to get consistency in printing. I'm on my phone now, but I can talk more about it later. I do color management for printing presses and color proofing systems for a living. What I do is more geared toward making a inkjet proof that will match a printing press, but the theory is the same.