Colour and tone? Can you believe your screen? - tips for great photography

Does it matter where you get your pictures printed? Yes it does if you want the same colours and tones as you seen on your computer screen, but here there is a catch. Computer screens, depending on the manufacturer, how they interact with the graphics software on your computer and the ambient light under which you view them do not all generate identical colours and tones. At least in a black and white image it is only the tones that may be off, but this might be vital if mood is important.

Next time you are passing a shop selling desk top, laptop and tablet computers make a point of comparing their screen colours and tones to see how they vary. It is also true of digital TV screens, and for the discerning the variety of colours and tones is quite wide, so often it is a matter of seeking a screen with the colours and tones that you like, which is OK until you want to print the images you might be viewing on your monitor or TV.

This is why as a portrait and wedding photographer I always prefer people to come to the studio and see their images on my screens after the wedding. I have a device called a 'Spyder' which calibrates my screen so that I can match it to printers so that the colours people see on the screen are the colours that they get in their prints, that is part of the professional package that I offer. Of course such a part of the service costs, but it is a quality service and value for money if you are not disappointed when you compare your prints to the screen versions.

So next time you have a professional taking your pictures, try to view the results on a calibrated screen. An after-the-event sit down with your photographer, probably at their studio, should be part of the service at no extra cost because it should be inclusive in any package booked.