Hi everyone! So I just started on photography and would do mild to heavy post processing using my laptop. My problem is that I only have 1 monitor to see and evaluate the colors and brightness of my photo.
It looked fine in my laptop screen, but when I checked it out in my work monitor it so bright that it kinda hurts my eyes. LOL
How do you guys see the photo in your monitor? Any advice on how to estimate on what is enough brightness and contrast when editing photos? Or maybe I should also but an external monitor? Although it's not really practical to use a laptop and an external monitor when lying in bed haha :D
I think is comes down to the calibration on the monitor. I am looking at the same issue. My pics look great on my monitor, but some are a little dark when they print. I will follow your thread to see what advice is added.
Carol is right about calibrating your monitor. Somewhere in your settings you should be able to calibrate it and it takes you through a series of pictures asking you to adjust until you have it set properly. Do you have a manual for it? Or, you can search online for your monitor type.
@kimmer50 I have a laptop at home (a pretty old one) and a different external monitor (which is somewhat more recent) in my work. Even after calibration, I think in the end, all monitors will have different brightness and color contrast.
I'll try to find out how to calibrate the screen in my laptop but still, I think there will be differences in how it is displayed in different monitor brands ans models. So I guess the ultimate question is, how you guys, come up with the "best" possible photo quality, in terms of brightness and colors, that would look great in most monitors?
High key shots (bright backgrounds) are great fun and it is great to do them in the bath. Here are two posts to have a look at for more information...
A simple way to make and use a seamless white wall: http://www.photokonnexion.com/?p=8529
and...
Simple photography in the bath – high key shots http://www.photokonnexion.com/?p=8587
On the brightness issue you have to get your monitor calibrated. That will help. However, the brightness and colour saturation would have been more balanced by backlighting the white to brighten that too. Have a look at the articles above to see how to do that.
On the question of monitors - go for it. I work with two monitors running along side each other all the time. In my case I find it difficult to work with one monitor now. If you can use two then do it... your work will be more efficient and easier to work with.
@netkonnexion Wow! I did my shot in the bath just because that's the only place I could find with mostly white background. I didn't know there's this whole thing about high key shots and infinity wall. I will definitely learn a lot here. Thanks for the links!
Although I don't know if having an external monitor will work out when I mostly use my laptop while in bed.
Each monitor is a little different, especially the settings. I would bet your work monitor settings are probably causing such a change. At home I have dual monitors and if I drag a shot from one screen to the other there is a color shift. I cannot get the two to match up no matter how much tweaking I apply (one of the monitors is a black Friday special...cheap). Monitor calibration is also key to ensuring your shots look right when editing but typically you need to use a special tool and software. If I was serious about photography I would get one but not now- the cost is a factor. Also if printing looks different than the monitor it can be caused by a variety of issues (including monitor calibration mentioned above): 1) the printer itself/brand. A 4 tank printer won't come close to what an 8 tank printer can produce 2) the type of paper used impacts the saturation and brightness, etc 3) the printers calibration. My Canon printer can be re-calibrated or fine tuned. I've never done this but I see many others create profiles for certain paper types. 4) the ink itself.
I looked at your shot and it looks nice and bright to me.
@brianl Thanks brian. You're right, with different monitors, colors will never match up. It's just hard for me now to decide whether to process photos based on what I am seeing in my laptop monitor or adjust so that it's not too bright in other monitors.
@welcometocarolworld you would probably be interested in brian's feedback regarding prints.
man you will make a perfect work for all the kinds of screens and monitors in the world .. thats the big problem ... if in yours you see a good work and you like it .. so you did your thing =]
Personally the bit that hurts my eyes is the red on the bottom right because its such a different shade to the rest of it. As @netkonnexion mentioned, i'd light this differently to get this more consistent so its not so harsh bottom right
Thanks for the feedback @toast . I dont have any flash with me so I didnt do anything about lighting except for the natural lighting in the bathroom.
That super bright red vase was what really hurts my eyes too. I did the editing in my laptop where it looked fine. Thanks again!
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I'll try to find out how to calibrate the screen in my laptop but still, I think there will be differences in how it is displayed in different monitor brands ans models. So I guess the ultimate question is, how you guys, come up with the "best" possible photo quality, in terms of brightness and colors, that would look great in most monitors?
A simple way to make and use a seamless white wall: http://www.photokonnexion.com/?p=8529
and...
Simple photography in the bath – high key shots http://www.photokonnexion.com/?p=8587
On the brightness issue you have to get your monitor calibrated. That will help. However, the brightness and colour saturation would have been more balanced by backlighting the white to brighten that too. Have a look at the articles above to see how to do that.
On the question of monitors - go for it. I work with two monitors running along side each other all the time. In my case I find it difficult to work with one monitor now. If you can use two then do it... your work will be more efficient and easier to work with.
Welcome to 365... Great picture by the way!
Although I don't know if having an external monitor will work out when I mostly use my laptop while in bed.
I looked at your shot and it looks nice and bright to me.
@welcometocarolworld you would probably be interested in brian's feedback regarding prints.
Thanks everyone for helping out!
That super bright red vase was what really hurts my eyes too. I did the editing in my laptop where it looked fine. Thanks again!