Lassini Light Works

Note: this is the fourth part of a multi-part post. Click here for the first post in this series.

We are now ready to read the charts created by targen, the final step before the actual generation of the printer profile! Here the process varies slightly based on the spectro being used. We use a Color Munki, so our examples will be specific to that, but the man page for chartread is pretty explanative.

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Posted from Lowell, Michigan, United States.

Note: this is the third part of a multi-part post. Click here for the first post in this series.

Targen generates a numerical representation of the target, independent of the output device and of the measurement device used. Printtarg is the program that converts the .ti1 target in a series of .tif images ready to print, and an accompanying index file that describe the color value of each patch in the target charts according to their position in the charts. Printtarg optimizes the placement of the individual color patches in the charts to ensure a successful read by the targeted instrument. This is particularly important for ‘swipe’ type colorimeters, which can read a whole chart line at a time. These instruments rely on a significant difference in color between one patch and the next to know the boundary between patches. Printtarg will report in its diagnostic output the minimum ‘DeltaE’, or color difference, between adjacent patches in the target charts. Here a big number is desirable, the exact opposite of the normal use of DeltaE as an indicator of the residual error in a color managed workflow.

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Posted from Lowell, Michigan, United States.

Note: this is the second part of a multi-part post. Click here for the first post in this series.

Profiling a new paper/printer combination always involves the key step of printing a series of charts consisting of multiple color swatches, and measuring them with either a ‘spot’ or ‘swipe’ instrument. In most commercial profiling software packages the targets are usually predefined, and only a limited selection is available.

In general, the larger the number of patches the better the final results. Also, in general, the larger the set of target supported the more expensive the program.

Argyll CMS has no predefined targets. Instead, it provides a program that can generate any target the user desires, targeted for a wide variety of RGB, CYMK and multi-colorant printing processes and with any user defined number of patches.

This program is, intuitively enough, called ‘targen’, and it is the first step in the process. We suggest starting the process within a new folder named for the paper being profiled, to make it easier to keep track of all the files that will be generated. In the examples to follow we will be using a Mac computer running OS 10.6, but the command line syntax is identical across Mac OS, Linux and Windows.

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Posted from Lowell, Michigan, United States.

Color management is an integral part of the creation of digital art, and it can be the source of much frustration if misunderstood or misapplied. Often color management is thought as a dark art, or as something that requires major investment of money and time to obtain professional results and the technical aspects of it can turn off many a photographer.
There are many decent and affordable solutions for monitor profiling (I.e: Datacolor’s Spyder 3 Elite or X-rite’s ColorMunki Photo), but the story is different for printer profiling solutions.

Until recently the investment in hardware and software for a complete and effective pro level color management solution was definitely on the north side of 1,000 dollars, and the licensing for pro grade software was somewhat arcane and restrictive. The combination of the above is usually sufficient to discourage most people from jumping in with both feet. Some people try to ignore the issue, and become frustrated at the inconsistency of their results. Others obtain entry level (2-500 dollar) calibration instruments for their workflow, and spend a lot of time fighting with the ‘simplified’ (aka crippled) software to obtain smooth profiles, ending up in wasting a lot of paper and time in exchange for uncertain results.

It does not have to be so anymore!

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Posted from Lowell, Michigan, United States.

Datacolor just released a new iPad app called SpyderGallery which allows an iPad to be used as a calibrated image viewing device. This is a great addition to the iPad feature set, as it allows its use as a professional image wallet. In combination with the excellent iPad screen, SpyderGallery is the perfect tool to present image galleries to potential customers knowing that the visual experience of the viewer will be as close as possible to the final print.

SpyderGallery accomplishes this by including a clever feature to profile the Apple iPad display using Datacolor’s Spyder 3 colorimeter and a Mac computer. Datacolor cleverly solved the issue of connecting its colorimeter to the iPad by using a Mac as a calibration server to provide a WiFi connection between the colorimeter and the iPad. Upon downloading and installing the SpyderGallery app, the user is presented with the option to calibrate the viewer. Selecting this option brings up a screen where the user can opt to receive a link to the companion desktop app, which acts as the calibration server. One more download and install step, this time on any Mac computer, and the setup is ready to go! Connect the Spyder 3 to the Mac, press OK on the iPad and follow instructions. In a few minutes SpyderGallery builds a profile for the iPad, and from that point on all images displayed using SpyderGallery will use the profile. Given the quality of the iPad display changes are subtle at times, but especially in the skin tones they make quite a difference.

If you already own a Spyder 3, like I do, this app and its companion desktop server app are completely free and a great addition to the functionality of the Spyder 3, kudos to Datacolor for releasing it! If you don’t own a Spyder 3, this might be a great reason to get one!


Posted from Lowell, Michigan, United States.

Our experiments photographing Whitney’s beads a few weeks ago convinced us to get set up for larger magnifications. Going beyond 1:1 presents a unique set of challenges, and dedicated gear can be extremely helpful in creating repeatable and predictable results. To this end we recently acquired a couple of pieces of equipment to round out our macro kit, and we are very satisfied with the preliminary results we have been getting!

The two new additions to our equipment are a Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5X Macro and a StackShot motorized macro rail. Here is a quick iPhone picture of the assembled rig, placed near our iMac so that we could control both camera and rail via the excellent Helicon Remote utility.

preliminary testing of our new macro rig

Below the fold we describe the individual pieces of equipment used in assembling the above rig and some tips on how we selected and use the equipment.

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Posted from Detroit, Michigan, United States.

In the last few weeks we have been exploring the possibilities afforded by macro photography to create unique abstract images. It all started during one of the many product photography sessions of Whitney’s glass beads… Her glass art is incredibly complex in both detail and color, and we thought it would look good at a scale that would abstract it from the glass bead. Creating large prints directly from her product shots, tightly cropped to isolate a specific pattern, was not a simple task as the amount of upressing needed was corrupting the detail of the image.
This challenge gave us a chance to use our equipment in a different way, and proved to be a lot of fun! We started with our 100mm f/2.8 Macro and a full set of Kenko extension tubes (about 70mm total). We placed the tripod on our computer desk, with the column inverted and a Really Right Stuff macro slide mounted on the ball head. The camera was mounted on the slide via a RRS panoramic base mounted to the tripod foot of the 100 mm, and everything was positioned and leveled so that the camera pointed straight down to the desk, between the legs of the tripod. An hefty sand bag was added via a strap to the assembly, to ensure stability, and the 5D Mk II was tethered to the iMac so that framing and critical focus could be achieved via live view and the Canon EOS utility. Light for the capture was provided by an Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite, and the bead was submerged in a water bath to help control the specular reflections.

Micro photography of an original Whitney Lassini glass bead

Micro Chasm was the first capture that we saved after a few tests. It was a hit with Whitney! We had to try some more, and my favorite yet is Inner Space

Inner space, from within another of Whitney's beads

We both are very excited at these results, and we plan to create many more. We just acquired a MT-E 65 Macro lens that will allow us to reach 5:1 magnification to get even closer! We plan to continue to work tethered for this type of capture, and to use a combination of Helicon Focus and Helicon Remote to capture and stack enough images to get sufficient DoF at these minute scales.


Posted from Kissimmee, Florida, United States.

Before leaving my new printer for a whole week to embark on a business trip I had to give a really large print a try. I selected a panoramic image of some hoodoos that I captured during my first Alain Briot workshop in the area of Page, AZ. It is one of my larger panoramas, assembled from 22 frames captured with a Canon EOS 5D (then my primary camera, and still my trusty backup for the 5D Mk II) and a 50 mm f/1.4. The finished image is a crop of the total panorama, and it is still more than 110 Megapixel.

Panoramic of a hoodoo cluster, west of Page, AZ

I had a short roll of Breathing Color Elegance Rag loaded (a cotton rag, baryta finish fiber-like glossy paper) with a little more than five feet left, so I decided to see how large of a print I could make. A pleasing crop of the Hoodoo panorama came up with an aspect ratio of about 3.2 :1, or 16 by 52 inches. The file at 360 ppi is huge, but the new MacBook Pro, with its 8 GB of memory handled it flawlessly. This is the largest file I had ever fed to Nik’s Viveza 2.0, but all the toolchain worked flawlessly. After some local contrast/structure/saturation adjustment in Viveza and final output sharpening with PK Sharpener 2.0 it was time to print.

The first hiccup came as I went to save my working file before printing… I had not noticed that my document had grown to almost 3 Gigabytes in memory, and I quickly learned that 2 GB was the maximum size for a .psd! After flattening, the image was reduced to a more manageable 900 MB (!), and the save succeeded. Another good thing was the G Drive mini I just picked up – no way I would have had the patience to beam this file over the home wireless to the iMac that runs the printer! The 800Mb/sec firewire interface and the portable drive made sneakernet the most efficient way to go from the living room to the office – a flashback from the 80’s!

Printing to the 4900 went as usual, after having set up a 17” by 60 “ canvas. I grew concerned when the printed detected a clogged nozzle in the first couple of inches of printing, but to my pleasant surprise it stopped, performed a cleaning cycle and restarted printing with no visible artifacts or misalignment. Epson definitely has built a workhorse with the 4900!

I did not time the print, but it took a while, as I had the job set at 2880 dpi (droplets, not pixels) unidirectional… enough time for Whitney to prepare us a delicious breakfast. The results are awesome! A 16” by 52” print with enough detail that holds even under a small loupe! The color tonalities are spot on, and display all sorts of pink, mauve, rust and blue in the shadows from the reflections of the blue sky and the red rocks on the white sand.

I look forward to frame this up when I return from my trip – I am planning a 60” by 24” double mat, with a 2” black border and acrylic glazing to control the overall weight of the finished picture. Now the biggest challenge, finding enough wall space to display it as it deserves!

Stefano

I am pleased to announce that Lassini Creative Ventures, LLC now offers custom fine art printing services on a variety of archival media, canvas and metal substrates. We offer a fully color managed work flow and a variety of retouching, editing and sizing services, custom edge treatments for canvas gallery wraps and protective overcoats.
In addition to our printing service, we offer custom cut mats to match your fine art prints, backer boards, gallery wrap services and custom framing to your specifications.

All of our printing and mounting/framing employ the finest archival materials and techniques available, and are fully customizable to help you achieve your artistic vision.

Please contact us through the blog contact facility to discuss your needs and for a customized quote. Volume orders as well as individual projects are welcome!

Posted from Grand Rapids Charter Township, Michigan, United States.

After returning from a wonderful vacation with my wife I had a couple of days to play with my photography before going back to work and a few bucks left in my pocket (thanks to Delta sky miles and Hilton points for a cheap vacation)… So I set off upgrading my workflow.
A few hours later, the main Mac is now running CS5, and most importantly the complete collection of Nik tools!
I always had a love/hate relationship with Photoshop, feeling that its complexity was always in the way of obtaining the results that I was envisioning… Nik changes that dramatically, and in less than a day of work with Viveza and HDR Efx pro I am totally sold, there will be no going back!
I am looking forward to redeveloping several of my favorite images, now that I have found a workflow that intuitively enables me to achieve my photographic vision! I see great things in store for my photography in 2011!