fire

Friday, 11th March, 2011 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

This week I am going to tell you how to save your files for Lambda photographic and Giclée printing. Yes, we do Giclée and If you didn't know already we have an offer at the moment for a free A3 print. Lambda photographic or Giclée you choose. Now that's something to smile about on a rainy Friday!

Print / Tip of the Week / Comments: 1

Thursday, 3rd February, 2011 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

This week I'm going to tell you a bit about PhotoShop Levels. Levels might sound complicated but they're really very simple. Levels are made up of 3 components: the black point, white point and the midtone slider. Adjusting these sliders changes the level of light and dark within areas of your image.  If you liked the Tip or have any question just leave a comment and I'II get right back to you.

Tip of the Week / Comments: 0

Friday, 28th January, 2011 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

This week I explain Gamut or Colour Gamut. The human eye can see a far greater range of colours and tones than can be reproduced by a digital camera, monitor or output device (printer). All of these devices have their own colour range or Gamut anything outside of their colour space will be out of Gamut. In Fire our aim is to overcome these restrictions to give you the perfect Fine Art Photographic Print.

Our Work / Tip of the Week / Comments: 1

Wednesday, 19th January, 2011 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

This week I'm going to show you how to prepare your files for print here with us in Fire. It only takes a few seconds!

Tip of the Week / Comments: 0

Wednesday, 12th January, 2011 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

Happy New Year! To open 2011 I'm going to explain the different file formats you can save your images in PhotoShop. Which are best for print, photographic printing and the web.

Tip of the Week / Comments: 0

Monday, 20th December, 2010 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

Every computer screen displays images differently. To make sure all those hours spent tweaking images in Photoshop don't go to waste you need to calibrate your monitor. If you don't the images you see on screen and your final prints will look worlds apart. That's why I've made a tutorial to show you how to calibrate your monitor using the Apple display calibration utility. If you have any questions just leave a comment and I"II get back to you!

Tip of the Week / Comments: 1

Tuesday, 7th December, 2010 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

This week I'm going to show you how to set your desktop image to a neutral gray. It's a little known fact that colourful desktop images affect your ability to view colours in your image accurately. Setting your desktop to grey and keeping your workspace surroundings as neutral as possible will create the optimum working environment for editing and printing your images. So dim your lights, take your Joseph's technicolour dream coat poster off the wall and play my tutorial video. You will be set up in no time at all.

Tip of the Week / Comments: 6

Tuesday, 30th November, 2010 / Posted by: Mark

Mark’s Tip of the Week

Burrrrrr, it's cold out there, but I have a hot tip for you this week on "Colour Settings" the engine of Colour Management that will improve the depth of colour and tonal range in your images, not only on screen but also in your final Fine Art Photographic Prints. Lets get started:

1. Open Photoshop! To access your Colour Settings go to Edit > Colour Settings (cmd + shift + K). Don't panic! It looks complicated, but I'II keep it simple and guide you through. 
2. Settings: Change this to Custom. When you have set up your colour settings you will name this and save.
3. Working Spaces: The two workspaces that need most attention are: RGB & CMYK. Set the RGB work space to Adobe RGB (1998). The default sRGB has a much smaller colour range and is used primarily for web. If you are working with print, digital and inkjet printing you should use  Adobe RGB (1998). Set your CMYK workspace to the Coated FOGRA39 or if you don't have this use Euroscale Coated V2 profile. I think this is the best gives the best results to use for Fine Art Photographic Printing. The last two colour spaces of Gray and Spot should be set to Gray Gamma 2.2 and Dot Gain 20%
4. Colour Management Policies: Use default settings.
5. Conversion Options: The last thing I am going suggest you change is your, 'Conversion Options.' When you click on, 'More options' in your Colour settings display. change the Intent from Relative Colorimetric to Perceptual. Perceptual produces smoother, natural color transitions and will give you the best results with your final photographic print output.
6. Finally: Save the changes you have made to your Colour Settings and you're done!

I have posted below how your Colour Settings display should now look. Check this and then go get yourself a well deserved hot chocolate, I'II have two sugars in mine thanks!

Tip of the Week / Comments: 2