Is setting shadow & highlight points necessary?

"howardindc" wrote in message

Is it necessary to set the shadow and highlight target values for curves and levels in photoshop -> IF you’re using a monitor profile and a printer profile <-?

Many commentators (e.g.,
www.zuberphotographics.com/page_BlackPoint.htm) say that it’s a good idea to print a black-point gradient target and a white-point gradient target, find the point where you canot distinguish adjacent patches, and set your shadow/highlight values in levels/curves accordingly. Others (e.g., Scott Kelby) just advise setting the highlight eyedropper at 240 and the shadow eyedropper at 20.

HOWEVER, I have also read (at
www.pdesigner.net/photoshopcs/1_8_10_0.html)that all of this is unnecessary if you’re using printer and monitor profiles because photoshop uses these profiles to adjust output automatically to achieve a good screen-to-print match.

Could anyone comment?

Try each of the techniques and see how they affect your prints. I would not cut off any values of the histogram in any case.

Is it necessary to set the shadow and highlight target values for curves and levels in photoshop -> IF you’re using a monitor profile and a printer profile <-?

Many commentators (e.g.,
www.zuberphotographics.com/page_BlackPoint.htm) say that it’s a good idea to print a black-point gradient target and a white-point gradient target, find the point where you canot distinguish adjacent patches, and set your shadow/highlight values in levels/curves accordingly. Others (e.g., Scott Kelby) just advise setting the highlight eyedropper at 240 and the shadow eyedropper at 20.

HOWEVER, I have also read (at
www.pdesigner.net/photoshopcs/1_8_10_0.html)that all of this is unnecessary if you’re using printer and monitor profiles because photoshop uses these profiles to adjust output automatically to achieve a good screen-to-print match.

Could anyone comment?

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 16:18:25 GMT, "Jim" wrote:

"howardindc" wrote in message

Is it necessary to set the shadow and highlight target values for curves and levels in photoshop -> IF you’re using a monitor profile and a printer profile <-?

Many commentators (e.g.,
www.zuberphotographics.com/page_BlackPoint.htm) say that it’s a good idea to print a black-point gradient target and a white-point gradient target, find the point where you canot distinguish adjacent patches, and set your shadow/highlight values in levels/curves accordingly. Others (e.g., Scott Kelby) just advise setting the highlight eyedropper at 240 and the shadow eyedropper at 20.

HOWEVER, I have also read (at
www.pdesigner.net/photoshopcs/1_8_10_0.html)that all of this is unnecessary if you’re using printer and monitor profiles because photoshop uses these profiles to adjust output automatically to achieve a good screen-to-print match.

Could anyone comment?

Try each of the techniques and see how they affect your prints. I would not cut off any values of the histogram in any case.

Agree on first point but see
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161112 pages 2 & 3
as 255,255,255, white(highlight) and 0,0,0, black (shadow) do not exist in nature, reset white point to 245,245,245 and black point to 12,12,12. HTH
MH

"Mike Hyndman" wrote in message

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 16:18:25 GMT, "Jim" wrote:

"howardindc" wrote in message

Is it necessary to set the shadow and highlight target values for curves and levels in photoshop -> IF you’re using a monitor profile and a printer profile <-?

Many commentators (e.g.,
www.zuberphotographics.com/page_BlackPoint.htm) say that it’s a good idea to print a black-point gradient target and a white-point gradient target, find the point where you canot distinguish adjacent patches, and set your shadow/highlight values in levels/curves accordingly. Others (e.g., Scott Kelby) just advise setting the highlight eyedropper at 240 and the shadow eyedropper at 20.

HOWEVER, I have also read (at
www.pdesigner.net/photoshopcs/1_8_10_0.html)that all of this is unnecessary if you’re using printer and monitor profiles because photoshop uses these profiles to adjust output automatically to achieve a good screen-to-print match.

Could anyone comment?

Try each of the techniques and see how they affect your prints. I would not cut off any values of the histogram in any case.

Agree on first point but see
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161112 pages 2 & 3
as 255,255,255, white(highlight) and 0,0,0, black (shadow) do not exist in nature, reset white point to 245,245,245 and black point to 12,12,12. HTH
MH

Those settings are definitely applicable to that image. However, applying this rule to all images of whatever object for any reason is not a good idea.

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 18:15:50 GMT, "Jim" wrote:

"Mike Hyndman" wrote in message

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 16:18:25 GMT, "Jim" wrote:

"howardindc" wrote in message

Is it necessary to set the shadow and highlight target values for curves and levels in photoshop -> IF you’re using a monitor profile and
a printer profile <-?

Many commentators (e.g.,
www.zuberphotographics.com/page_BlackPoint.htm) say that it’s a good idea to print a black-point gradient target and a white-point gradient target, find the point where you canot distinguish adjacent patches, and set your shadow/highlight values in levels/curves accordingly. Others (e.g., Scott Kelby) just advise setting the highlight eyedropper
at 240 and the shadow eyedropper at 20.

HOWEVER, I have also read (at
www.pdesigner.net/photoshopcs/1_8_10_0.html)that all of this is unnecessary if you’re using printer and monitor profiles because photoshop uses these profiles to adjust output automatically to achieve
a good screen-to-print match.

Could anyone comment?

Try each of the techniques and see how they affect your prints. I would not cut off any values of the histogram in any case.

Agree on first point but see
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorial.asp?sid=161112 pages 2 & 3
as 255,255,255, white(highlight) and 0,0,0, black (shadow) do not exist in nature, reset white point to 245,245,245 and black point to 12,12,12. HTH
MH

Those settings are definitely applicable to that image. However, applying this rule to all images of whatever object for any reason is not a good idea.

Jim,

I agree, but how many people accept the default settings, without exception, for the highlight and shadow eyedroppers for all their images? Aren’t they "applying a rule" for all images? Best regards
Mike H