Professional Photography : Designjet

To Boldly Print Where You Haven't Printed Before

Eileen Fritsch — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:27:00 GMT

We all have at least one inkjet printer around the house or studio. Many of us have several. But do we take advantage of all the possible printing options they give us? Probably not.

Modern inkjet printers come in two types: those that use dye inks and those that use pigment inks. For example, I have two large-format printers: an HP Designjet 130 that uses dye inks and an HP Designjet Z3100 that uses pigment inks. I also have a number of smaller-size dye and pigment-ink printers from a variety of manufacturers. I imagine that many photographers have a mix of both types of printers as well.

The vast majority of photographers limit the exploitation of their printers to the complex decision between using glossy and semi-glossy photo papers. A significantly smaller group sees the benefit of using matte papers. But that is generally as far as many photographers go.

On the other hand, a small subset of digital artists push their printers further, in some cases much further. In my opinion, all photographers would benefit from thinking a bit more like this group.

An image is what we capture with our cameras, but at that point, the creative possibilities are only just starting. When we decide to turn an image into a physical object (hopefully, an art object), we also can choose how to construct the object in a way that will say so much more than just the image itself.

We can present the image in ways that will either enhance some of its inherent characteristics or conflict with those characteristics to create tension. Or, we can use the print to tease out a deeper and perhaps more subtle meaning from the image.

Even the simplest of inkjet printers can print on a variety of materials other than glossy, semi-gloss or matte photo papers. Your printer can also probably print on canvas, overhead transparency film, and normal art, craft, or note card papers thin enough to pass through the machine.

With a bit of ingenuity we can also print images on: incredibly thin papers, such as Japanese Washi papers (see tip below); completely clear or backlit films; fabric of all thicknesses; sheets of aluminum, copper, brass, or steel; sandpaper; slabs of plaster; textured surfaces, and more. Imaging on some of these materials may entail elaborate processes, some of which may require special transfer papers, decal materials, or an inkjet-receptive base coating applied to the substrate.

But printing on all of these different materials is doable. Some processes will be easier to do with dye inks and others with pigment inks, and a few may be impossible with one type of printer or the other.

The thing is, when we look at our images, we should think about ways we can present or enhance them that might turn them into something really special. For example, a semi-abstract and minimalist architectural image might look great printed on a sheet of brass. A flower macro might look stunning on handmade Nepalese paper that incorporates flower petals. And that great shot of your dog might look great printed on a T-shirt.

Of course, many online and local labs will do some of these things for you, and it might be worth exploring these services. But you may want to try printing on materials other than photo papers yourself.

So the next time you’re working on a particularly great image, think about all of the different ways you might present it. It might just change what you do with it.

Suppose you’re planning to use transparency to combine a number of images as layers in Photoshop. Why not print the individual images on clear film and then, physically stack them with a small separation between each layer? Just imagine what a striking presentation this might be. Now, rather than the static blending of the images as you would get in Photoshop, you have a dynamic and interactive piece that looks entirely different each time the viewer moves his or her head. Plus, the image may (or may not) look even better when you backlight it. The possibilities are endless.

Just as most photographers use only 10% of the capability of their camera gear, many people only use 10% of the capabilities or their printers. Are you going to expand your limits?

Tip for Using Thin Material: Here’s how to print on very thin materials (such as Japanese Washi papers) that might not otherwise feed through your printer correctly. Use a can of spray contact adhesive to lightly affix your thin material to a sheet of normal printer paper that can act as a temporary backing sheet. Cut your thin material to size and give the back a very light spray with the contact adhesive, paying particular attention to the edge areas. Adhered to the normal-paper backing sheet, the thin sheet will transport through your printer without problem, unless the edges lift while the sheet in the printer. After the thin paper has been printed, simply peel it off from the backing sheet.

Enjoying An Old Friend: The HP Designjet 130

BlogArchive — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:15:00 GMT

By Jon Canfield

As a writer focusing on printing and color management topics, I’m lucky to be surrounded by the latest and greatest tools. But, there is a downside. It seems that I’m constantly learning how to take advantage of this new feature, or that change in printing. Along the way, I’ve learned quite a bit, and gone through plenty of paper and ink.

So, it was refreshing to step back the other day and do some work for myself. I have an image that I’ve been using as a test piece with different printers. It’s highly saturated, so it gives the pigment-ink printers a good challenge. While I can say that pigments have come a long way in an amazingly short period of time, there’s still a little something lacking in the prints I’ve been doing. With this in mind, I set up my older HP Designjet 130 for a test run using dye-based inks.

The first thing that surprised me is that although I haven’t used this printer in a year, the initial calibration test I printed came out perfectly – no nozzle clogs, no head issues, nothing! The 130 just purred away, happy to be plugged in again.

Now, considering all that the pigment printers can do (wide variety of media types, 8- to 12- color ink systems, etc.), you would think they would have a huge edge over a lowly 6-color dye-based system. You’d be wrong though.

Sure, the newer printers do have many advantages, and I’m not about to give up my pigment printers for anything. But, the image I printed on the Designjet 130 had a dimensionality that I haven’t yet been able to equal with pigments. From the rich blacks to the vibrant and saturated purples, this printer did a better job with this image than any other printer I have used.

The moral of my post? Even if you have a printer that’s a little long in the tooth, don’t assume it can’t produce excellent results. Sure, there’s always room for improvement – it’s called progress. But sometimes, an old friend is just what you need.

Improving Print Accuracy

BlogArchive — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:25:00 GMT

By Jon Canfield

As photographers, we’re always concerned about how our images are reproduced, either on screen or in print. Sure, we learn about color management and how important it is to calibrate our displays and to use the correct printer profiles for output. But, how many of you have actually checked the accuracy of that output? Are you positive that your printer is giving you the best possible print in any given situation?

Most printers come with quality profiles for the paper that is sold by that company. HP is one of the few that I’ve seen that also offers profiles for popular third party papers as well. For the rest of your output needs, you’ll either need to find profiles, hopefully from the paper maker, or from a user group (Yahoo has groups devoted to almost every brand of printer). Or, if you’re the owner of an HP Designjet Z series printer, you can use the built-in spectrophotometer to make your own. The final option is to spend another $500 to $5,000 to buy the hardware and software needed to create your own profiles.

So, you’ve got the correct profile for your printer and paper, you’ve done your edits in Photoshop on your calibrated display. It’s as good as it’s going to get right? Maybe, maybe not.

Anytime I try a new paper, I go to the trouble of printing a test print to verify the quality of the profile for my needs. Many people will use one of their own images, sort of a benchmark, to do this. That’s fine and it gives you a good idea of how the printer does relative to other papers. But I find it useful to use a dedicated test file instead.

The advantage of using a test file is that it stresses all of the critical areas you need to be aware of when printing.
Test-file charts are available from a number of sources, but the two that I’ve found to be the most useful are from Uwe Steinmueller’s Outback Photo site and Scott Martin’s color and black & white charts. You can download these charts for your own use.

The advantage of using a standard chart is in having a known set of values. For example, you can evaluate how well your profile and printer produce gray ramps from white to black, color bars of different hue and intensity, as well as common subjects such as sky, skin tones. If you see problems, you can make adjustments prior to printing to get more accurate results.

Sure, it takes a little time, plus some ink and paper, but the overall time and cost savings can add up if the chart helps you find that your printer isn’t reproducing a particular range of colors as well as it could be.

High Dynamic Range Imaging

BlogArchive — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:11:00 GMT

By Jon Canfield

I’ve been seeing more and more interest in high dynamic range images online and in the workshops I teach. Judging by some of the books I’ve checked out, you might think it requires a degree in physics or at least rocket science to create this type of image. Like many things digital though, it doesn’t have to be difficult and it can be a great new way to express yourself.

Cameras, both digital and film, can’t record all of the information we can see with our eyes. While you can automatically adjust what you’re viewing to see details in shadows and highlights at the same time, we often have to make exposure decisions based on what areas of the image contain the most important information, and risk losing highlight or shadow detail as a result.

With high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, you can get around this shortcoming in equipment and go beyond what our eyes see to record something special.

Let’s take a look at how easy this can actually be in practice. To start with, you’ll obviously want a scene with a wide dynamic range. A tripod will make the processing effort much easier, and a camera that lets you control exposure is required.

I shot this series of three images at Joshua Tree National Park at dawn. Using exposure bracketing, I recorded one shot at the suggested exposure to record the midrange detail, another at two stops under to get the most detail possible from the sky, and a final image at two stops over to open up the shadow detail. Photoshop CS2 and CS3 includes a “Merge to HDR” function (found under the File > Automate menu). But I prefer to use Photomatix because it does a better job and gives me more creative options in processing the images.

When you work in HDR, you’re working with a 32-bit file. In other words, you have plenty of information to work with. But Photoshop requires images to be in 8- or 16-bit mode to do any processing work, and many printers can only deal with an 8-bit image.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

In Photomatix, I open the three images (Figures 1, 2, and 3) and tell the program to merge them together. The result is not what you’d expect as the preview looks like a dark mess. But, now the magic starts. When I go into the Tone mapping dialog I’m can control how this extra detail is going to be displayed.

FIGURE 4

You can get as accurate or as creative as you like at this point. For this particular image, I liked the surreal look generated by enhancing the lighting, saturation, and contrast (Figure 4).

For final output, I sent this to my Designjet Z3100 using HP Instant Dry Satin photo paper. With the Gloss Enhancer on this paper I get excellent results with great vibrant color – just like my vision for this image when I processed it.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Gloss Enhancer on HP's Designjet Z3100

BlogArchive — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:22:00 GMT

By David Saffir

Any time a pro-model inkjet printer comes out with features radically different from the status quo, questions inevitably arise from photographers anxious to fully understand the true capabilities and benefits of the new features. That’s certainly been the case with the Gloss Enhancer on HP’s Designjet Z3100. Here are just a few of the questions I’ve been asked at some of the trade shows and seminars I’ve attended.

What is the HP gloss enhancer?

It is a clear ink, which when mixed in correct proportions with the other inks on the page, provides a more uniform gloss on the surface of a print, effectively eliminating gloss differential on prints created on glossy or satin papers, and perceived “bronzing” in black and white prints.

Which media can the gloss enhancer be used with?

The gloss enhancer is intended for use on glossy and satin inkjet media. It has no perceptible impact on fine art, watercolor, and similar matte papers.

Is the gloss enhancer like a clear coat or varnish?

No, it is not a clear coat or varnish. The gloss enhancer’s main purpose is to improve the smoothness and gloss appearance of the final print. In my opinion, the gloss enhancer renders prints made on glossy or satin media as smooth and uniform as their darkroom cousins. Personally, I find that the dimensionality and “pop” of the prints is improved, and I find it very pleasing.

Unlike a clearcoat, the gloss enhancer is applied like an ink, and is closely controlled by software. In fact, the gloss enhancer is controlled by its own screening algorithm and it is applied selectively where it is needed. The gloss enhancer is only applied to areas of an image that have an RGB color value of 254,254,254 or lower. Pure white (which has RGB values of 255 in each channel) will not receive the gloss enhancer. (As a practical matter, I set white and black points slightly under max values when using inkjet printers.)

How do I control the use of the gloss enhancer when printing?

The printer driver provides controls that allow you to either: (1) turn the gloss enhancer off; (2) use it only on the inked area (“econo mode”); or (3) use it on the entire page. I recommend turning the gloss enhancer off for making proofs, and using the econo mode for final prints. Applying it to the whole page is usually unnecessary, and wastes a small amount of the enhancer.

What effect does the gloss enhancer have on color?

That’s a good question! If you look closely at a print that has been made using the “whole page” setting for the gloss enhancer, you may perceive a slight change in the white point of the uninked paper. In other words, you will see the gloss enhancer on the unlinked portions of the page, and it seems to reduce the white point to a very small degree. I’m not certain, but I believe that this is the result of increased “glossiness” or reflectance.

In my conversations with HP color scientists and engineers, they indicated that the gloss enhancer has no effect on color rendering in a print. In my own experience, I have made prints from the same color image using gloss enhancer turned on, and turned off – and I can’t discern any significant difference in color between them. Gloss appearance and smoothness – yes; color change – no.

Does use of the gloss enhancer change the dry time for a print?

Not in any significant degree, at least on HP media. Some users tell me they have noticed increased dry times when using third-party media. I use many types of papers, but I haven’t had this problem. I suspect some of these issues may be related to using printer-managed color with third-party media, instead of creating a custom profile for the job at hand.

Does use of the gloss enhancer improve print durability?

I don’t have hard information on this topic. First, on HP media the prints are highly water and damage resistant --even without the gloss enhancer. Prints made with HP Vivera inks are highly water resistant, even under running water. Using the gloss enhancer, my personal impression is that prints seem to be more water and scratch-resistant, but I’m not sure how one would go about quantifiably measuring these properties.

Does it make sense for photographers to use the gloss enhancer?

In a word, yes. I see little or no downside, and the benefits in terms of print appearance are significant. I use it consistently. I recommend it to all of my printmaking customers, and so far, none have told me that they prefer not to use it.

In my opinion, the HP Professional Satin photo paper combined with the Z3100 Vivera inkset (including gloss enhancer) provide the best-quality pigment-based photographic prints I have ever seen.

If you have tried the gloss enhancer, I’d be interested in hearing more about your own experiences and observations. And if you have any other questions about it, please feel free to ask.

The Power of Black and White

BlogArchive — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:53:00 GMT

By Jon Canfield

I find it ironic that black and white imagery seems more popular than ever in the digital age. There’s just something about a strong monochromatic image that is more compelling than anything you can create with color. But obtaining a quality black and white from an inkjet printer has been frustrating, with many prints showing a color cast or significant bronzing.

While monochrome inksets are available from vendors such as MediaStreet, Jon Cone’s Inkjet Mall, and Lyson (yes, there are others, but these three have been the top-quality inks in my experience), new printers such the HP Designjet Z3100 have reduced or eliminated the need to go with a pure black and white printer. Obviously, not having a dedicated black and white printer saves money and space, but is the quality from the HP Designjet Z3100 really that good?

To find out, I made some comparison prints using this black-and-white image. For neutral tones, the HP printer was a clear winner with better tonal gradation and more neutral grays. Only when I went to a toned print did the dedicated inks show any advantage at all.

One area in which the other printers and inks couldn’t compete was the use of the gloss enhancer available on the Z3100. When printing to fiber or gloss media, the addition of gloss enhancer made a dramatic improvement, eliminating bronzing from the final print.

Part of the reason for HP’s high quality is that you’re essentially printing to a quadtone printer when using fine art media. The Z3100 uses both photo black and matte black along with the two grays. By not using any of the color inks, you eliminate any color cast that may otherwise be present. The only way to accomplish this with other printers is to replace the inkset with a dedicated monochrome inkset. This is costly and impractical when you also want to print color because you need to flush the ink lines with every cartridge change.

Orange Roses and Green Skin

BlogArchive — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:53:00 GMT

By Jon Canfield

I’m always surprised when a pro photographer gives me a blank look when I ask about their color management practices. This usually comes up when they’ve sent an image or group of images to me to print for an exhibition or limited edition and the colors are obviously off in tone.

The conversation often goes something like this:

Me: “The color balance on these images is off. When was the last time you calibrated your display?”

Client: “What’s that?”

Me: “Have you ever run a utility to make your monitor more accurate?”

Client: “No, I just adjust the monitor until it matches the print”

And there is the problem – they’ve done a calibration of sorts, but it’s exactly the wrong kind. The only time colors will ever match is on their printer and monitor combination. When viewing other images, or when sending images out, it’s a crap shoot on what things will look like.

Color management used to be considered black magic by many of us. The software methods were unreliable and the hardware was expensive and hard to use. That’s all changed, and for the better (except for the software method which is still unreliable).

With hardware devices starting at $60 or so, there is no reason your monitor shouldn’t be displaying accurate color. Yes, you can spend more for an advanced calibration that provides more control over the process. But unless you plan to create printer profiles, you’ll only be investing less than $250.

If you’re a working pro, that investment is quickly repaid in reduced editing and correcting time at the computer. If you’re an amateur, you’re still going to reap the benefits of color correctness, and save time and money when you print.

As a sign of just how mainstream color management is becoming, the HP Designjet Z2100 and Z3100 printers now include built-in color calibration and profiling hardware to ensure accurate color reproduction. The time and cost savings of this feature is tremendous, and the improved accuracy of prints is obvious. For even more control, and adding the ability to calibrate your monitor, the HP Advanced Profiling Solution also includes hardware to calibrate your display.

Regardless of your skill level, if you enjoy printing, editing or even just viewing images, a calibrated display should be considered mandatory. Why not try it and see?

The Origins of the Women Empowered Project

BlogArchive — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:05:00 GMT

By Phil Borges

During the past 30 years that I have been observing and photographing indigenous people in the developing world, I have noticed entrenched discrimination against females in many of the communities I have visited. Gender inequality is truly a universal phenomenon. But for a long time, I felt I would be a ‘cultural imperialist’ if I created a book or exhibit that addressed the subject of gender discrimination. Who was I to pass judgment on what roles women should or should not play in foreign cultures?

My attitude started to change in 1998 after I partnered with Amnesty International and created a book and exhibit celebrating the 50^thanniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The rights articulated in the UDHR include the right to education, the right to own property, and the right to have a voice in community affairs. It was hard for me to ignore the fact that these rights are often not available to many women in the developing world.

Soon after I had decided to create a photo project around gender discrimination, the humanitarian organization CARE contacted me and asked if I would consider doing some photography for them. It turned out to be a serendipitous inquiry that ultimately led us to partner in the creation of the book and exhibit Women Empowered.

I had always known CARE as the relief organization that sent ‘CARE packages’ to disaster zones around the world. But I wasn’t aware of how much their mission had evolved. CARE’s photo editor Valenda Campbell explained to me that CARE now concentrates on economic development and that the cornerstone of their work was the empowerment of women. CARE believes the most efficient way to lift a community out of poverty is to allow girls to get an education and empower the women with micro loans.

Whenever I create a photo project that addresses disturbing issues such as poverty and inequality, I look for positive stories that will bring the issues to life in a powerful and uplifting way. In the case of Women Empowered, my inspiration came from a 91-year-old woman named Transito, who was living alone in the Ecuadorian Andes. Because of her lifelong struggle to bring respect and human rights to indigenous people she was known as the Rosa Parks of Ecuador.

I met Transito by chance when I was working on a film project for the Discovery Channel. After meeting her I decided to approach the Women Empowered project by portraying women who have broken through barriers of convention and oppression to improve not only their own lives, but also the well-being of their communities.

Transito, of Cayumbe, Ecaudor, is often referred to as the “Rosa Parks of Ecuador” for speaking out about the plight of indigenous Ecuadorians and gaining greater respect for indigenous peoples in Ecuadorian politics and in society at large.

The photographs and stories of the 16 women featured in the Women Empowered exhibit shed light on specific gender issues worldwide and the struggles of women in developing countries to achieve gender equality. Their triumphs speak to the universal themes of courage, empowerment, and human rights.

We kicked off the Women Empowered project on International Women’s Day March 8with an exhibition of thirty 60 x 33-in. prints in the lobby of the United Nations building in New York.

Although I’ve put together more than 20 exhibits since the 1990s, this was the first exhibit that I had not created in the darkroom. I had struggled for years with digital output but couldn’t get a print that didn’t shift color in the neutrals under different light sources. Since my images have a lot of neutrals, this phenomenon known as metamerism had been a big problem.

But HP has addressed and resolved that problem. When my images for the UN exhibit were output on 310 gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag fine-art paper on the HP Designjet Z3100 printer, the prints looked fabulous. The blacks were deep and rich and there were no color shifts in the neutrals. That’s because with fine-art papers the Z3100 uses 4 neutral inks--both photo black and matte black inks as well as grey and light grey. Having four blacks eliminated the color shifts in the neutrals that had plagued my former digital prints.

I don’t matt my prints. Instead, I float them in a shadowbox frame. We found we had to use extra large taped hinges to float the large 60 x 33 in. prints. We had trouble with the prints coming loose during shipping. The Hahnemühle Photo Rag has a surface that pulls away from the linen tape more easily than other papers. Unfortunately, we had to reframe the entire show, but we considered it a lesson learned the hard way. The exhibit is now re-taped and ready to begin its national and international tour.

The exhibit schedule and a preview of the book Women Empowered can be found on my website www.philborges.com

As the first female chief of the village of Dekoto Junction in Ghana, Nana Gyeutah (also known as Mama Koko) has vigorously defended the rights of the villagers, whose cocoa trees were being destroyed by the timber industry.

Finding Inspiration

BlogArchive — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:51:00 GMT

By Jon Canfield

I’ve been in a photographic rut for the past few months. Lately, it’s been easier for me to find reasons not to pick up a camera than to get out and shoot. So, for my New Year’s resolution, I’m assigning myself projects to keep the creative juices flowing.

I’ve always kept a notebook with shooting locations – sort of a “someday I’d like to shoot here” log. Now, I’m keeping a list of types of photography I’ve seen and admired, or have just been interested in learning more about. I’m finding that this gives me more flexibility in choosing subjects than a location list that might not be practical to do at any particular point in time.

For this month, I’ve been working on panoramics. I love to shoot macro and flowers, so thinking in terms of panorama composition is a stretch for me. But, it’s been a great way to get myself out and shooting again. It also reminds me why photography was so interesting to begin with.

A panoramic is at its most effective in print of course, so I’ve been experimenting with different media types. My favorite so far has been an image that I decided to try as a triptych on Moab Entrada. I printed this as three 32 x 24-in. images on the HP Designjet Z3100.

Although I’ve been consistently happy with the Z3100, the print quality of this triptych blew me away with the rich color. By using the built in spectrophotometer, I was able to create a very accurate custom profile for the Moab paper. I gave the three prints a deckled edge treatment and float mounted them for best effect.

So, if you find yourself in a similar rut, start thinking about what gives you pleasure and what drew you to photography to begin with. Then, get out there and do some shooting! My self assignment for February? Food photography. That gives me a double incentive – I’ll only shoot food I like to eat.