Practical Color Management: Eddie Tapp on Digital Photography

CHAPTER 2: Understanding Key Color Management Concepts

12

Device Profiles

Once you calibrate a device, you’ll then want to create a

pro le that describes the device’s range of color and tone in

its calibrated state. These device pro les can communicate

with other device pro les in a color-managed work ow to

increase the consistency of results.

Output Pro les

An output pro le is a characterization of

the range of colors that a speci c printing

device and paper type reproduces.

To create an output pro le, a variety

of color patches must be printed and

measured with a device known as a

spectrophotometer. The next step is to

enter the data from the patches into a

software-pro ling application to create

an ICC pro le. The software compares the

known color values of the patches sent

to the printer to the actual colors that

were read with the spectrophotometer

and, using the data from that

comparison, creates an ICC pro le.

Monitor Pro les

A monitor pro le is created during the

calibration process with a device known

as a colorimeter, which compares the

values and colors that it reads to a

known set of values and colors. The

monitor pro le (also known as the system

pro le) will serve as a viewing  lter,

allowing you to see your image data

more accurately. The dynamic range, or

contrast levels, of the monitor is limited

by the maximum brightness that it has. ...