Visual Vacations Photography is excited to announce a new printer profiling service! If you have a color printer and a computer, you can improve the quality of your prints significantly with a custom printer profile.

How A Custom Printer Profile Can Benefit You

A profile is a mathematical description of the relationship between color numbers and colors. Every color device, whether monitor, printer, scanner, or camera can have one. Getting good color from any color device requires a profile that accurately matches the device, whether it is a scanner, camera, monitor, or printer. (For a more detailed explanation, see Color Management 101.) Almost every color printer comes with generic profiles created by the printer manufacturer that are based on an average of several printers. Replacing these generic profiles with ones made specifically for your printer will almost always result in significantly better color accuracy and greater detail in highlight and shadow areas. Here is an example of the difference between a generic and custom profile:

This comparison is only an example; the degree of improvement you'll see with a custom profile will vary from printer to printer.

How To Get A Custom Profile For Your Printer

The first step is to print a special color chart with a pattern of many different colors covering the entire range of colors your printer can print. The color chart can be downloaded below by right-clicking on a thumbnail image and selecting Save As:

Letter Sized Printers:

13x19 Printers

Large Format (21"+ wide) Printers

Once you've downloaded the color chart, the next step is to print it. There is a catch, though, it must be printed with all color adjustments and color management options disabled in the printing application (usually Photoshop) and the printer. If you have any questions regarding this process, feel free to email jonathan@visual-vacations.com requesting assistance. You will need a separate profile for each paper stock you use, so print a chart (or set of charts) on each paper stock you want profiled. Write your name, email address, contact phone number, the printer model, and paper type on the printed chart either above "i1 TC 9.18 RGB Testchart" or else to the left of the numbers on the far left of the chart. Do not send charts that have been folded, scratched or show banding due to clogged printer nozzles or misaligned print heads. The large one-page charts can be cut along the center line to fit in a smaller envelope. Mail the chart(s) to the following address:

Visual Vacations Photography
456 Temple Drive
Vacaville, CA 95687

If paying by check or money order, include payment in the envelope with the color chart(s), otherwise click one of the buttons below: