Let the lab do your color correction

This is an article with information you will not find anywhere else. A few minutes of reading, may change your life, or maybe...help you get your life back.

Before digital, all color correction was done by trained lab personnel. Photographers were not involved in the process.

Color correction is a craft unto itself. The ability to "see" color, ranges of color, and bring different colors to within a standard acceptable range, requires skill.

When digital was just beginning, there was no color correction equipment. There were $250,000 digital printers, but no high speed equipment for the lab people to use to correct the images.

What most of you probably don't know is that over the years, the equipment manufacturers developed very sophisticated "video" analyzing equipment. This kind of analyzer, converted the negatives into positive images on a monitor connected to the printer. The interesting thing about this analyzer/monitor system was that it was not accurate with all kinds of film all the time.

Kodak VPS was viewed one way, and Fuji 800 another way. The analyzer was only accurate with certain films.

While it is not important who I am, I will mention here that my uncle invented the color analyzer. He developed the first color analyzers that were used in manual darkrooms over 40 years ago. He advised Kodak on their color analyzation systems, and also developed equipment for Ilford.

My reason for mentioning this is, when I started printing my own color prints 30 years ago, my uncle told me "No 2 films analyze the same way, there is no one setting that works for all films".

Along with that comment, were many others that lead me to understand there was no absolute guaranteed method to achieve perfect color in printing photographs. There were too many variables.

Getting back to the lack of equipment to color correct digital. For the first 3-4 years digital was growing, instead of trying to solve the problem, most of the printer manufacturers tried to convince the photographers that "They" should do their own color correction.

Nationally recognized "speakers" in the industry were being paid to try and convince us that we should now be experts in color correction and should spend hours of our time in front of a computer converting RAW images, adjusting color, converting images back to JPG, etc.

And if that is not enough time being spent on the issue, we are supposed to keep all of our computers and monitors balanced to match the labs equipment.

Along the way, while we were being told to do our own color correction, we were also being told the labs were cheating us if they charged us $3 per 8x10, because "we" the photographer, were now doing all the work.

That lead to what we see now. A trend that started 7-8 years ago, driving the price of printing down because the lab was no longer required to color correct our work.

Guess what.

If you read the fine print of almost any major lab in the US today you will find one of the following "disclaimers".

1. If you take on the task of doing your own color correction, we (the lab) will absolutely not be held responsible for the result and will not reprint any of your work if you are not satisfied with the color.

2. Even though you can send your images in and not ask for color correction, we will review all of your images, and if necessary make adjustments.

3. We charge an additional fee if you do your own color correction. That fee covers our remake cost due to to the excessive remakes required for those photographers who do their own color correction.

And then of course are the pages of instructions required to be certified to have the privilege of spending hours in front of your computer adjusting the color of your images so you can send them to the lab, for a few cents less than if they offer to color correct them.

What you really don't know, is that most labs review every image sent in whether they call for color correction or not, and make the appropriate adjustments.

Why you ask?

Simple- we need your business. If you make bad color adjustments, you will probably blame us, as all of my fellow lab owner friends have learned. Then you will go to another lab and they might tell you something you want to hear, and you will give them your work. It is easier to make sure your prints look good, first time, every time. And guess what, we don't charge any additional charges for color corrected prints.

We now have the latest high speed color adjusting equipment. The industry has finally developed the missing link. Digital has saved us from having to do a lot of remakes in the printing process, and we do save a few pennies in that area. On the other hand, the digital printers are more expensive and the paper and chemistry are always on the rise.

We have what we think are fair, average prices for today's photographer. Proofs, or 3x5-4x6 size prints take the same amount of labor, and effort to produce. We have to individually review each image, make adjustments, etc. There are some "automated" color correction systems on the market. They do a "so so" job. The best results are achieved when we can color and density adjust every image individually. You want to deliver the best results to your clients and charge a fair price for your skill, we need to do the same thing.

We don't want every photographer on the planet. We just want the ones that like what we deliver, and are not against letting us make a living while we are at it. You treat us "nice", we will treat you GREAT!!!!

So...if you still want to do your own color correction......

What you are about to read is the real truth about how digital printers work, and why it is absolutely impossible to guarantee any consistent results from color photographic printing. Even we at the lab cannot make any guarantees. You will get consistently repeatable results that fall within "Acceptable Ranges", but NO LAB can guarantee perfect, consistent result, even from one hour to the next in any lab, here's why.

The variable factor that cannot be controlled in any lab, no matter how big or small, no matter how much they promise they are applying the "highest standards in the industry"...the variable is the "chemistry".

Unlike paper printed products that have ink applied at a very precise and controllable level, photographic prints still use "liquid chemicals" to create the images you see on the paper.

What most of you are not aware of is the following, this is the reason there cannot be consistency:

The paper comes on rolls. They are different widths. The printers have large "vats" with the chemicals inside. The paper is guided through the vats with rollers. The width of the vats is not exactly the same as the width of the paper. In fact, the chemical vats and the rollers may be 30 inches wide, and the paper may be 4 inches wide.

Be patient, we are coming to the answer.

Next factor. Images with dark areas use different amounts of chemistry to "develop" the images than images with light areas.

Example. If 80% of the images that pass through the machine in a 2 hour period were from outdoor, light scenes, the chemistry in the machine has a different "strength", than if during that 2 hour period, all the images printed were from inside a reception hall and are dark in nature.

The question you are asking is-"So what?".

Ok. The answer: The machines can only replenish their used chemicals based on time (the paper is passing through it), or square inches of paper processed. They cannot account for the density of the images.

And while there are new sophisticated replenishment systems being used, they cannot be 100% accurate.

So, how far off are these "standards" we all try and adhere to?

Very little. Human beings all see color differently. No two people see color exactly the same. Of course we all know what red and green and blue are, but do we really know all the shades of these colors. Do we care?

You purchase things everyday. Clothes, cars, paint, food, etc. They all have colors. Do you know the exact "Pantone" color designation for every color you see. Pantone is the paper printing industry standard for color consistency.
Do we really need that level of control for our industry.

I know I hit a nerve when I discuss this because every photographer wants to believe they are doing everything possible to create the absolute best images and prints for their clients.

The problem is: You and your clients each see color differently. You and your spouse, sibling, mother and father see it differently.

So, what is the answer?

The answer is what we and the equipment, film, paper, digital camera, strobe companies all say:

"We are creating images that fall within an acceptable range for the average human being to view".

So, what is not average?

Years ago a prospective bride told me my prints looked too yellow. I never had anyone ever say that before. Over the years I worked with many labs. They each produced different looking print colors, but they were all within that "acceptable" range.

This young woman now tells me the prints are yellow. I asked her what she did for a living.

She said: "I am a Gemologist, I analyze the color of diamonds and other precious stones".

Do you think that is the average person?

Again, it is not important who I am, but I will tell you I am a PPA Master Photographer. All of my Merits, or prize winning photographs were printed by my labs. They made the prints, decided the colors, and I won awards.

The last thing you want to worry about today with the latest generation of incredibly accurate digital cameras is the color issue. I still don't do color correction. I let the experts at the lab do their job.

The Lab Techs are experts, let them do their job. You go take pictures. Once in a while you might create an image you think should be printed in an way that is "unusual", by normal standards. If you don't like our result, simply send it back with a note telling the printer the changes you would like, and we will make you a new print.

For the most part, we have more years of experience printing color image than most of you have been in business. We know what a wedding image should look like. We have seen thousands of family portraits.

I am speaking for all labs everywhere when I say, we all want to deliver the best prints possible. We want you to give us your business. In order to get that business we all try and deliver the best prints we can, no matter what we have to do to achieve that result.

A true story. Recently I was speaking to one of the service/sales people in a booth at one of the national conventions. We were discussing his labs fantastic growth and how incredible it was that they could make all their photographers do their own color correction to achieve the low prices they were offering.
This is what he told me.

"In the beginning, we thought we could take advantage of the "do it yourself color correction wave". After a while we realized if we let the prints out the door with the colors being set by the photographers, we would be out of business, because they would blame us for their bad results. So, we just make adjustments when needed and let them think they are doing it themselves. We make less money because we have to now do the color corrections for free, but at least we stay in business".

That lab has since raised their prices to try and cover their costs.

If more "speakers", and articles in the magazines, told all of you the truth about the issues associated with you trying to do your own color corrections, and not filling your heads with hyperbole about you "knowing" how to do it yourself, we would all be happier.

On a very personal note. I do not understand why, as an artist, creator of images, a person who is supposed to be a professional creator of portraits, and compositions, for which you may possess a natural talent....you should think you have a total understanding of color management.

That in itself is the major issue with those of you who are misguided about color management. Color management is a two issue topic. Issue one, balancing your monitor to the labs output. If you understand from what I explained in the first half of this topic, you cannot expect to achieve any perfect consistency. You can get close, but that is it.

Let's make the assumption you got to within 95% consistency. Let's say, 95% of the time, what you send to the lab comes back matching what you see on your monitor.

Then we have factor 2: What qualifies you to know if the colors you are creating are actually the best they can be. If you don't know what color to modify in your adjustments to make the required changes, how do you know you are creating the best result.

Example: you may have a print you think is "red". Ok what colors make red? What is the opposite color of red. Or is the print magenta? Is a bluish looking print really blue, or cyan?

More time than not, we receive color corrected by the photographer images, that we have to "fix". The photographer receives them back form us raving about how great a job they did with their color correction. We hate to burst their bubble, but if we left the images the way they were, the prints would not have looked "as good as they could be".

I am not going to try and convince you you should be paying every lab exactly what was being charged for prints from film. The industry has been set back because of the concept that was presented years ago that you were being cheated if you paid the same for a print if you color corrected it. What has happened  is that a two tier price has been created. One price if the lab corrects the color and much cheaper price if you do it. Truth be told, we would be very happy if we really didn't have to correct the color. We wouldn't have to pay experienced color correction technicians to review all the images we print.

But, like the photography industry itself, digital has opened the doors to many new photographers who have reduced the prices once achieved by less of a "supply".

We all have to do what we can do to stay in business today. The final result of the question " Who should do your color correction?".

We charge the same price, either way. You do what makes you feel more comfortable.

Oh....we are still going to review every print and make any adjustments we think they need.....

I have not made any disparaging remarks here about other labs, or photographers who prefer to do their own color corrections. Any lab owner/manager will verify my information. They would all love to tell you this information. Most are afraid you won't listen and go elsewhere. I am willing to gamble that as professional intelligent people, who may be sitting in front of their computers for hours playing with the color of their images, you may finally feel it is time to get out of the computer room and back into the camera room....and start making more money!!!

Let us get you away from your computer, and let you get out in the field taking pictures.

Bob Kahn, President
Piclocity/Preview Gallery
Member-Professional Photographers of America
Master Photographer, CPP