71 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
71 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
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# Photography, Color, and Print
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## Color Profiles
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| Profile | Use For |
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|---------|---------|
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| `sRGB` | Web delivery, most marketplaces, social |
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| `Adobe RGB` | Print workflows with wider gamut |
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| `ProPhoto RGB` | High-end RAW editing and master files |
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- Browsers and many upload pipelines effectively expect sRGB.
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- Wide-gamut files exported for the web without conversion often look washed out or inconsistent.
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- Embed the ICC profile when the destination respects color management.
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## RAW and Non-Destructive Editing
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- RAW files are source negatives; do not overwrite them.
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- Keep edits in sidecars, catalogs, layered masters, or non-destructive instructions when possible.
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- White balance corrections are safer in RAW than in JPEG.
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- Different RAW converters can produce visibly different output from the same file.
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- Keep at least one master export suitable for future edits before creating flattened delivery versions.
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- Noise reduction, clarity, and sharpening should be balanced for the final destination; settings that feel dramatic on screen often print badly.
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## Metadata and EXIF
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Preserve when needed:
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- Copyright and author data
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- Editorial provenance
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- Archive or legal context
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Strip when appropriate:
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- Public web publishing
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- Sensitive location data
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- Irrelevant camera metadata on lightweight delivery assets
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GPS warning:
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- Strip GPS before public delivery for homes, private locations, or sensitive subjects.
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## Print Export Rules
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| Setting | Web | Print |
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|--------|-----|-------|
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| Color space | sRGB | Adobe RGB or printer profile |
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| Resolution | 72-150 PPI guidance | 300 PPI typical |
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| Format | WebP/JPEG/PNG | TIFF or high-quality JPEG |
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| Metadata | Minimal | Preserve if needed |
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- Print work must care about physical size, bleed, sharpening target, and final output process.
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- A web export that looks good on screen is not automatically print-safe.
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- Ask whether the destination printer, lab, or publication has its own profile and export requirements before assuming a generic print preset.
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- Soft-proofing or at least checking for gamut clipping is worth it when brand colors or skin tones must survive print.
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## Retouching Traps
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- Over-smoothing skin or texture until the file looks synthetic.
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- Aggressive sharpening halos that only become obvious in print.
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- Cropping too tightly and leaving no safe room for print trims or editorial layouts.
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## Quality Control
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Before delivery:
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```
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□ Orientation fixed
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□ ICC profile intentional
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□ No clipped highlights or blocked shadows
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□ No obvious halos or oversharpening
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□ Dust spots or sensor marks checked
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□ Metadata decision made on purpose
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```
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