I know there are several Photoshop addicts out there in LCT-land. I am considering upgrading from Photoshop Elements 4.0 to Photoshop CS2. The question is, is it worth it for $499? So far, my current version of Photoshop has worked well, but we have purchased a new printer (Epson Stylus Pro 4800) for doing portraits, and I am having trouble creating portraits with acceptable quality. It looks good on the screen, but doesn't print out as it looks.

Perhaps this is an operator error, rather than a software error, but it has been suggested that it might help to upgrade the graphics program.

Does anyone have any thoughts and/or suggestions?

Thanks!! :)

Sheri

I think that CS 2 is worth it just for Bridge. Much better. It's actually even easier to use. And you can correct photos in batches too. I am just learning it and I use a host of programs for my photos.

What specifically isn't printing out as you want - color - size ?. If it's color - try calibrating your monitor. Also see what your settings for printing are RGB? sRGB?

Kathy,
Size is fine. It's the color. Okay, I'm a novice when it comes to the specifics about color. What is the difference between RGB and sRGB?? I just looked and some of the printer settings are:
Epson Vivid
Epson Standard (sRGB)
Adobe RGB

Here are a few of the options as far as picking printer profile. Perhaps that is where I am going wrong...

Sheri,

I will need to look it up for you since I use HP and a PC my color settings are different. The sRGB and RGB have to do with where the printing is - color profile. I am not at home so I will have to look it up later tonight.

I use Adobe RGB. I have the epson 1280. Also what is the pixels set at on your photo?

I was making the pictures as "large" as possible...so I don't think that could be the problem. The last one I worked on was over 50 MB. I will try Adobe RGB next time.

It's hard to learn on this printer. The ink and paper are so expensive that you can't really practice on it. :(

Sheri,

I often use Costco for prints - depends on the use. They do a decent job and a number of pros are using their labs for standard stuff. I use my printer for more creative work or fancier papers. The HP has some very friendly printer profiles.

Sheri - did not save the notes on Color Management/Printer Profiles for Mac and Epson. You might try posting on the boards at Dpreview.com in the printers forum or search there for the answer.

Thanks Kathy! I tend to think of LCT "off topic" as synonymous with a help desk. :D

The portraits I am trying to do are made to look like painted portraits so some of the easier print methods aren't appropriate unfortunately.

I probably need to get some training on this model of printer.

Thanks for your help! :)

Sheri

Try NAPP National Assn of Photoshop Professionals too. A photographer I know hired someone from Craigslist to do some one on one lessons very inexpensively - a college student studying Graphic Design.

What exactly is the differences? Is it brighter on the screen? Darker,lighter? none of the above?

Try this and if this doesn't do the trick it might be that your printer and your monitor are not in synch, in which case purchasing one of the things that calibrate your printer and monitor might do the trick:

Set your printer profile to adobe RGB.

I don't have elements and can only suggest if this info is on there somewhere. You probably need to change your photo's image profile to match the printers profile.

Find where you have Color Settings. That will bring up a window. Under working spaces make sure Adobe RGB is the preferred.
Under cmyk choose US web coated swop v 2.
Dot Gains should be 20%.

Under color management policies the RGB and the Gray should say preserve embedded profiles.
CMYK should say OFF.
close that window.


before you save a photo, first find something that says convert to profile. Again a window will pop up.

The first thing should say:
Source space> Profile> Adobe RGB (1998)
Under that should say:
Destination space and there should be a pulldown window. If it's not set to Adobe RGB (1998) you need to change it to that.

Under Conversion Engine it should list either mac ICM or Microsoft ICM (depending whether you have a mac or a PC). use that and not the one that says adobe.

Under intent use Relative colormetric.

If that doesnt do it, change it to absolute colormetric. I use the relative because my work is being sent to print for the book and that's how they asked me to do it. Problem is I don't remember what it was before the book, so this last one I'm just guessing.

Finally have black point compensation and dither checked.

after that make sure you're flattening your image if you use layers (save it as a separate doc so you don't lose the layers if you need to make changes!) and then save as a tiff...never a jpg.

Lastly I know in PS you can preview how it will supposedly print.
Now if it's not on elements and you do buy CS2 then you'll just have to refer back to here to have the info. ;)

btw one of the professional printers is my dream printer.

also in answer to your first question I would say the answer is yes. The program can do so much more than elements...especially if you're playing with things like making portraits look like paintings.

Arlene,

Elements will do that too. Almost the same. Where CS2 shines is there are more tools and you can save layers and edit multiple photos easily at once with less steps to accomplish the same task. And Bridge is much better than the way you view photos.

WOW Arlene! Thanks for all the great info!!! I am going to need to print that all out so that I can sit down and do it step by step.

As far as your first question, it was everything...the color may have been too red, the brightness was off, the texture didn't show up like I had it in PS. So basically, I had a great portrait on my computer screen that looked like it had been painted, then when it prints it looks...well, basically like crap!! :rolleyes: :D

I am thinking I need to calibrate...but now I need to search online for what I need to buy to do this.

You may not need anything to calibrate. There are some programs you can buy, but, I think that the computer will allow for calibration without any special program.

there are more things now on CS2 besides that. If you had asked me if PS 7 was worth it over Elements, I'd have definitely said no, but along with the extra tools in CS2 (things like match color, photo filters, shadow/highlight, smart sharpen, vanishing point, etc) and what you brought up, I'd have to say CS2 does more...of course it's also a longer learning curve too.

My CS2 just showed up today, so the LOOOOONG learning curve is about to begin!

Frank just got CS too - we can all comiserate together learning that one! I am not sure that anyone can MASTER all the facets of Photoshop.

I believe you're right Kathy. Even those who teach it don't know all there is to know about PS. And what you need it for is different than what I need it for.

Of course if you are getting PS, I'd also highly recommend getting a Wacom too. (the basic Wacom does just fine!)

I got the Wascom. I got the full version of PS for $299 as an upgrade for buying the Wascom with Elements - which I already owned. Something else to have to learn! I could go back to school now. :rolleyes: