Edit and Print Photos for Magazine Use

[raymond_ocampo]

How do I get started with editing photos and exporting for magazine use? I'm just doing basic cropping

and color-correction to my photos. I have a few programs at my disposal - PS, Aperture and Lightzone.

 

The publisher of the magazine has given me the specs with which the only thing I understand is 300dpi.

Other terms I have to search online.

 

In the meantime, the magazine printing method is CTP sheet fed with CMYK colors. So how do I go about

with my photos? Do I edit them in PS using CMYK immediately or do I first edit the usual in RGB? Should I

convert the photos to CMYK before handing it to them or can they do this themselves?

 

Help, please. Thanks.

[tobiasfeltus]

the CMYK conversion is best done at the very end, using their ink profiles, so technically you

are best handing them RGB 1998 tiffs.

 

this post from a few days ago may be of some help, however.

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00MBJM

 

good luck.

t

[howard_owen]

In general, do all your work in RGB (on a COPY of the original) and make the conversion to CMYK after the major editing is done... bearing in mind that there can be exceptions to that rule depending on what sort of color correction needs to be performed. This exception probably won't apply to you since you are working on your own photos (unless you've really screwed up the white balance or something similar).

 

Some printers will do the CMYK conversion for you. Some will, in fact, modify a CMYK file that you send them to ensure that it meets the specs for the press running the job. Ask you printer so you are clear on this point.

 

Also, in no particular order:

 

Sharpening: Some very light pre-sharpening is OK while in RGB but the final sharpening should not take place until the file is converted to CMYK. There are some tricks to sharpening a CMYK file that make the process a little different that what you are used to. The most common of these is to sharpen the black plate (channel) independently of the other three. The reason is that the black plate can normally stand some pretty severe sharpening, which may at times be needed to get a sharp image on press. Books and chapters of books have been devoted to this topic, so I won't try to cover it here.

 

Color profiles: Somewhere out there must exist an enclave of printers who profile their presses and provide those profiles to their customers, thereby ensuring nearly foolproof CMYK conversions. This must be so because I often see this sort advice given ("be sure to get a profile from your printer"). In reality, it's not likely to happen unless you are working with a high-end shop, or one that pretends that it is. Presses are notoriously variable and finicky pieces of equipment, and unless the pressman is a highly skilled operator of a modern press, a profile is nearly meaningless. What you can expect instead (if you are willing to pay for it) is a contract proof, which you agree that you like and which the printer agrees to match within reasonable tolerances. If you don't like the proof, it's up to you to correct the file and resubmit, starting the process over again. Unless the output is either extremely color critical or you are extremely picky, this shouldn't take more than one or two rounds (depending on your ability to perform said corrections proficiently). If the press is a piece of mediocre equipment printing on something akin to newsprint, it probably won't be necessary at all assuming you've got the ink limits and dot gain right.

 

Which brings us to... ink limits and dot gain. Two things which Photoshop automates during the CMYK conversion, sometimes successfully. Most people don't ever worry about it, but you should at least understand the concepts. Since I am running short on time, I recommend two books. Real World Photoshop by Blatner and Fraser and Professional Photoshop by Margulis. Neither one is light reading, but if you want to know more than you do now about printing (including how to prepare your files for the best possible results on press), I can't think of any better recourses.

[raymond_ocampo]

Thank you, T Feltus, for the link and Howard Owen for the extensive reply. In summary, edit

as usual in RGB and conversion to CMYK as my last step with tweaking if it doesn't turn out

the same way as seen in RGB.

 

One last question, I work in D65 environment for my photos. But where in the process do I

switch to D50? From the beginning of editing the photo or during tweaking when I convert to

CMYK?

[User_503771]

You need to talk with whoever is taking in your photos. Chances are good that all you'll have to worry about is getting the color and resolution right on your system. I doubt you'd even have to worry about cropping.

 

From there, the people working in prepress for the magazine would prepare the photo for their printing system.

 

If they're asking for anything else, I question their wisdom in doing so. It's well known in the field that final prepress work is best left to those who will actually do it. They'll proof it and correct it. It doesn't matter whether or not they have profiles or anything else, it's just part of their job and always has been.

 

I'd suggest you read up on the process. There's a lot of good literature around and a lot of it's written for graphic arts novices/students, so should be easier to understand.

 

Meanwhile, inquire at the magazine you're in touch with and clarify what they need and want from you.

[raymond_ocampo]

Thanks for additional info. Was recently hired to do photography for a magazine and wanted

to give a good impression and hand out a photo ready for their printing. But I guess you are

right, they should know what to do with my photos as they reach prepress.