Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
sion process. This process was handled by the photographer's client who
took the film to a printer or prepress shop. Technicians would scan the
transparency on a very expensive drum scanner that produced an on-
the-fly conversion to CMYK for the print process. Years of expertise were
required for skilled drum scanner operators to turn the myriad of dials
to produce an optimized scan in the right flavor of CMYK. Often multi-
ple corrections and multiple proofs were produced from the scan. In some
cases, rescanning was conducted along with more proofing until the
client was satisfied with the color; then the CMYK data was sent to the
press. This was an expensive process, but no one can deny that for many
years extremely high-quality printing resulted.
This pipeline began to change when desktop imaging became more
common and users began to produce RGB scans using desktop equip-
ment. When digital photography took off in a big way, the number of
images produced on film and scanned on high-end drum scanners greatly
reduced in number. The problem was that RGB data had to be converted
to CMYK outside of these high-end, proprietary systems. As more RGB
data was finding its way into the print shops, those that needed to deal
with the conversions found what they believed were quality issues with
the supplied data. Some of this was a lack of understanding of color man-
agement on the part of both parties. Since so few photographers were
trained to understand the processes involved, and their limitations, much
of the film produced for four-color printing was difficult to scan. Pho-
tographers were trained to make beautiful transparencies to be viewed
on a light box. No wonder such expensive high-end, high-dynamic range
scanners were necessary. There is still, by and large, a struggle between
the two groups: those that produce the RGB data and those who have to
handle that data and produce quality four-color output. Today this is far
more a cultural issue than a technology issue. As you'd probably expect,
I can say with some certainty that implanting good color management,
RGB can be converted to CMYK with quality that can match and exceed
any process conducted in years gone by. GIGO, as usual, applies to the
original RGB data.
When a photographer supplies an RGB file to a printer, the responsi-
bility and ultimate quality of the print job is shared by multiple groups.
Some photographers send RGB data to print shops with a reference print
in the hopes that the printer will examine and reproduce this appear-
ance. Usually the print is from the RGB data but not cross-rendered.
There's simply no way a printer, with the limited color gamut its four-
color presses are capable of, can produce a match to this reference print.
Even if they did attempt to match such a print, it's going to cost someone
else money. Printers are smart, they usually don't “fix” or alter files
without generating some fees or at the very least, printing out a number
of expensive proofs.
Sending a reference print based on something that can't be produced
is just a waste of ink, paper, and time. Sending a cross-rendered print
