Have you ever had this feeling?

You’re looking at a gorgeous print of one of your photographs … then you notice a small detail that needs to be fixed, and you know you’re going to have to reprint it. More time, more paper, more ink. Frustration. It’s so obvious when you see it now! Why didn’t you see it before? Save time, money, resources, and increase your productivity and enjoyment at the same time.

Use these checklists to eliminate this problem.

Before you print check your … 

File

level horizon

precise crop

shadow detail

highlight detail                   especially at the edges

midtone contrast

saturation                             overall and specific hues

white balance                     casts are best seen in neutrals, flesh tones, and memory colors

noise reduced                      avoid blurring and artificial smoothing effects

sharpened                            avoid producing halos

imprecise masking            edges misaligned or haloed

imprecise retouching       blurry or misaligned or repeating patterns

dust                                           check at 100% screen magnification

softproof                                make output specific tweaks based on printer profile used

resampling                            if resolution is below 240 ppi or above 720 ppi

output sharpening             compensate for image softening due to dot gain

You can ensure you take all these steps with a consistent workflow.

Explore these color resources for more detail.

Explore these sharpening resources for more detail.

While you print check your …

Printer

orientation                             portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal)

page setup                             paper size and margins

color management             Adobe or Printer (for B&W)

printing profile

media setting                        precise or nearest paper type

ink                                              MK matte or PK photo black

printer resolution                1440 matte or 2880 photo

Save these settings as a Preset so you can use them again with a single click.

Explore these printing resources for more detail.

After you print check your …

Print

white spots                            dust on paper before printing

scuffing                                   handle paper with care before and after printing

banding                                   align heads or reduce print speed or make sure data transfer’s fast

microbanding                       check for nozzle clogs or print speed

local color casts                    areas check for nozzle clogs

colors faded                           wrong side of paper

Make sure you view prints in enough light with the right color temperature.

Explore these printing tips for more detail.

Learn more in my digital printing workshops.