A photo glowing on a bright screen can look dark, flat or slightly off-color when printed. That is not always a mistake; a print simply works differently from a screen. Soft proofing lets you preview on your monitor how a photo will look on a specific printer and paper, so you can adjust before wasting ink, paper and money. This lesson explains why screens and prints differ, and how to soft proof and prepare color for printing.
Why prints and screens differ
| Screen | ||
|---|---|---|
| How it makes color | Emits light (additive RGB) | Reflects light from ink on paper (subtractive) |
| Brightest white | The screen's backlight | The paper itself |
| Darkest black | Very deep on many screens | Limited by ink and paper |
| Gamut | Depends on the screen | Depends on printer, ink and paper; some vivid screen colors cannot be printed |
| Viewing | Self-lit | Depends on room light |
Additive and subtractive color were introduced in why photographs have color. The result is that prints usually have less contrast and less brightness range than a screen, and some very saturated colors, often intense blues, greens and oranges, must be shifted to printable colors.
The most common reason prints look too dark
Before blaming the printer, check the screen. Most monitors are set far too bright for print work, so photographers edit images too dark. Calibrating your monitor to a lower brightness, as in monitor calibration and consistent viewing, solves most dark-print problems.
What is soft proofing?
Soft proofing is a feature in editing software that simulates on screen how an image will look when printed with a specific printer, ink and paper combination. It uses that combination's ICC profile, the printer profiles introduced in color spaces and profiles. Print labs and paper makers usually provide these profiles for download.
How to soft proof
- Calibrate your monitor and edit in consistent room light.
- Get the correct ICC profile for your printer and paper, or from your print lab.
- Turn on soft proofing in your editing software and choose that profile.
- Turn on paper and ink simulation if available, to see the paper's real white and black.
- Use the out-of-gamut warning to highlight colors that cannot be printed.
- Make a proof copy and adjust it: often a little brighter in shadows and midtones, with gentle saturation changes.
- Make a small test print and compare under good light before printing large.
Tip:Many photographers create a separate "print version" when soft proofing, keeping the original edit untouched for screens.
Rendering intents
When an image contains colors the printer cannot reproduce, the software must convert them. The method is called a rendering intent. The two used most for photographs are:
| Perceptual | Relative colorimetric | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Compresses all colors slightly so relationships between colors are kept | Keeps printable colors exact and moves only out-of-gamut colors to the nearest printable color |
| Good for | Images with many very saturated colors | Images with mostly printable colors, where accuracy matters |
| Risk | Can slightly reduce saturation overall | Out-of-gamut areas can lose detail or look flat |
Remember:Neither is always best. Soft proof with both and choose the one that looks better for each image. Black point compensation, an option often used with relative colorimetric, helps keep shadow detail.
Working with a print lab
- Follow the lab's file instructions: color space (often sRGB or Adobe RGB), file type, size and resolution.
- Ask whether the lab color-corrects files or prints exactly as supplied; many offer both.
- Use the lab's profiles for soft proofing if they provide them.
- Order a small test print before large or expensive orders.
Print sizes, paper choices and output sharpening are covered in the print course, starting with preparing photographs for print and proofing and print evaluation.
Judging prints correctly
A print's appearance depends on the light you view it in. Judge prints under good, consistent light close to daylight, not under a dim warm bulb. And remember where the print will hang: a print for a dim corridor may need to be a little brighter than one for a sunny room.
Common mistakes
- Editing on a too-bright screen: prints come out dark.
- Using the wrong paper profile: colors and contrast shift.
- Letting both the software and the printer driver manage color: double color management causes strange colors; let one control it.
- Printing large without a test print: costly surprises.
How professionals prepare prints
Fine-art and commercial photographers calibrate their screens, soft proof with profiles for each paper, and keep separate print versions of their files. They compare rendering intents, use out-of-gamut warnings, and make test strips or small proofs before final prints. They build relationships with trusted labs and follow their file requirements exactly. The result is prints that match their intent, not just their screen.
Practical examples
Dull blue sky in print
- Situation
- A deep blue sky that glows on screen prints dull and flat.
- What to do
- You soft proof with the paper profile, see the out-of-gamut warning on the sky, and compare perceptual with relative colorimetric.
- Why it works
- The screen's blue was outside the paper's gamut; soft proofing shows how it will be converted.
- Result
- You choose perceptual, adjust saturation slightly, and the print shows a smooth, rich blue.
Prints from an online lab look dark
- Situation
- Every print from your online lab is darker than your screen.
- What to do
- You calibrate your monitor to a lower brightness and use the lab's profile for soft proofing.
- Why it works
- Your screen was too bright, so you edited too dark; the profile shows the lab's real output.
- Result
- New prints match your expectations.
Key points
- Prints reflect light and have less contrast and a smaller gamut than many screens.
- A too-bright monitor is the most common cause of dark prints.
- Soft proofing simulates print on screen using printer and paper ICC profiles.
- Rendering intents (perceptual, relative colorimetric) decide how unprintable colors are converted.
- Follow lab instructions, avoid double color management, and make test prints.
Frequently asked questions
What is soft proofing?
Why are my prints darker than my screen?
Which rendering intent should I use?
What is out-of-gamut?
Conclusion
Prints and screens make color differently, so prints need preparation. Calibrate your screen, soft proof with the right profile, choose a rendering intent, follow your lab's instructions and test before printing large. Next, you will learn how to manage color for websites, social media and other digital delivery.
Finished reading? Track your progress through Color and white balance.