True Colors Part 2 Boost your HDTV's performance with this home theater colorimeter  As prices have dramatically dropped, sales of high-definition televisions have skyrocketed. The chances are good that you already own an HDTV or are planning to buy one in the near future. And with new products like Apple TV and Windows Vista Media Center bringing your image libraries to your home theater, the long-promised convergence of computers and home entertainment is finally happening. |
Short Reports: Logitech NuLOOQ Navigator Make your photo editing more efficient and fun with a unique interface  Though enhancing my images can be fun, especially when I'm working with a great photograph, it also can be incredibly time consuming. I like making my photos look better, but increasingly, I much prefer to be outside just making images rather than seeing the hours flash by under the glow of the LCD monitor.
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True Colors Calibrate your monitor to achieve accurate color in your digital darkroom  The joy of digital photography can be quickly diffused when the photograph we've printed doesn't resemble what we saw on our monitors. Dramatic differences in brightness, contrast and especially color make using a digital darkroom an exercise in frustration instead of creativity. |
Think BIG! Photography is all about the details. Larger monitors give you a better perspective on your images.  If you're tired of squinting to view menu items on your digital camera's LCD or feeling cramped by all of the palettes in Photoshop, maybe it's time to think outside the confines of tiny monitors. Even if you have perfect vision, there's no comparison to the viewing comfort and enhanced usability of screens with more real estate. |
Trade Tricks: Easy Color Management For the best prints, take control over your color  When your goal is to create a beautiful print, understanding basic color management is a key component in the digital darkroom. Because monitors and papers are two completely different media, it's important to realize your print isn't going to be an exact match of what you see on your screen. If you continually test your printer's capabilities, however, much like you would with various filters and papers in a traditional darkroom, you may end up developing interesting techniques. What really matters in the whole process is whether you like your end result. |
Match-Making Get your monitor to accurately portray the colors of your digital photos  I was thrilled when I bought my first inkjet printer and couldn't wait to make my first color print. After spending about half an hour perfecting the portrait photograph in Photoshop, I sent the image to the printer and was immediately disappointed. If the person had been a visiting extraterrestrial or suffering from jaundice, the yellowish skin tone might have been acceptable. Neither was the case. I was just another photographer experiencing the frustration of having an inkjet print that didn't match what was on the monitor. |
Buyer's Guide 2006: Monitor Calibration Achieve accurate color on your screen using these tools  If you've ever been frustrated with prints that don't match what you see on your monitor, you understand the importance of color management. Having a calibrated monitor allows you to make changes to an image with confidence because the colors displayed on the screen are an accurate reflection of the file. In addition, it helps ensure that the color values you see on the screen will closely match your output. |
Trade Tricks: Life With A Digital Projector Show off your photos with a three-LCD projector  The old slideshow was a venerable tradition at my house while I was growing up, and I suspect it was part of many PCPhoto readers' youth as well. While the slide projector is rapidly disappearing, taking its place is the digital projector, with bundled computer and slideshow software. Digital slideshows can be done faster, far easier and with more production value, meaning better looking and with superior sound and effects. |
Color Spaces & Printer Profiles Revealed Crayon color choices have some important similarities to how color spaces are defined and used  When I visited the Crayola Factory in Easton, Pa., with my five-year-old daughter, I had an epiphany about color space. Back when I was in kindergarten, crayons came in boxes of eight colors. Nowadays, 64 colors is average. I knew all that, but what I didn't realize was that Binney & Smith (Crayola) makes hundreds of different colors. The typical set includes all of the hues kids need to make refrigerator-ready artwork. But it's possible to assemble a 64-piece set that includes some colors that aren't found in the standard box. And that's where color space comes in. |
Essential Acessories Filters, memory cards, power solutions and other tools to enhance your photo experience  The right accessory can do as much for improving your photography as a new camera. Here are some of our favorite extras that can make your time shooting more enjoyable and productive. |
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