Photoshop Elements >

Monitor Calibration

When you calibrate your monitor, you're matching the monitor's color and contrast to an international standard.

Your calibrated monitor matches the printing machine at the lab you use.

So, if you carefully adjust the color of a photograph, the lab will make a print with the same color as what you see on your monitor.

Photographers rarely have the opportunity to compare their non-calibrated monitors to calibrated ones.

So, they neglect to calibrate their monitors.

They blame the lab when they get a lousy print back from a lab.

However, the problem isn't the lab.

It's the photographer's non-calibrated monitor.

Your monitor is probably too blue.

It's color temperature may be around 9300° Kelvin.

A too-blue monitor looks better in the computer store.

But, your printer, whether it's on your desk or at a lab, isn't designed to print photographs that are too blue.

They're designed to work at a color temperature of around 6500° Kelvin.

A colorimeter is used to measure the color of your monitor, along with some software.

The lhuey adjusts the monitor for changes in the ambient light.

There's also a Pantone huey Pro model with a few more features.

The X-Rite ColorMunki will profile your printer as well as your monitor.

If you wish, you can check your calibrated monitor with these two test pages from Dry Creek Photo.

Photo Friday Monitor Calibration Tool Contrast and brightness are adjusted, but not color.