Why do my prints differ from what I see on the monitor?

Light and Its Impact on Us All

Light has a tremendous impact on each of us. Sunlight provides vitamin D and boosts our mood :). Artificial lighting helps us work, creates a cozy atmosphere at home, and encourages activities like reading a book. In this context, it’s worth discussing the color of light, its intensity, and the source that generates it.

This is where metamerism comes into play – a phenomenon that can cause quite a bit of confusion when evaluating colors on photographic prints (yes, it sometimes gives us trouble too ;P).

What is Metamerism?

In simple terms, metamerism is a phenomenon where the same color appears different under various lighting conditions.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

Take a plain white piece of paper and paint two squares on it: one green and one red. Then observe the paper under different conditions:

on a sunny day outdoors,
on a cloudy day,
at night, under artificial light,
under warm and cool-toned lighting (if possible).

Now try the same with any photographic print (even if it wasn’t printed by us). Did the colors look identical in every situation? Probably not.

This is the effect of metamerism. The "white paper" experiment demonstrates that the light in which we view a print is crucial to how we perceive its colors.

Metamerism is a natural phenomenon that must be considered when evaluating colors on photographic prints. The light source is key, but so is properly calibrated equipment. If your prints look as intended in natural daylight, you can relax. Remember, a perfect print isn’t just about technique but also about viewing conditions. 😊

How to Minimize the Impact of Metamerism?

To make color evaluation on prints as objective as possible, consider these tips:

1. Daylight as the Basis

The simplest way to evaluate a print is to view it in natural daylight. If the colors match your expectations – you’re good to go!

2. Monitor Calibration

The next step is to use a properly calibrated monitor. Calibration allows you to preview how the print will look after editing, making the evaluation and editing process much smoother. You can read more about monitor and workspace calibration HERE.

3. Avoid Comparing Prints to the Monitor

Never place a print directly against your monitor to evaluate colors! Monitors are backlit, which always makes prints appear darker in comparison. Trying to judge this way, especially at night with a desk lamp behind you, can lead to frustration and incorrect conclusions.

4. Time of the day matters! - read me to know why.

It’s essential to start by calibrating your workspace and monitor. In 99.9% of cases, this resolves issues when discrepancies are reported. Of course, this applies to prints from Crystal Albums, where the care for black-and-white tones is rooted in Vitavision’s proprietary solutions and the expertise of the Crystal Albums team.

If you want to avoid any issues with colors entirely, simply reach out to Adam Jędrysik at Vitavision for assistance.