Printing without color correcting or exposure correcting

[Chan Tran]

I have seen so many posts that people said that they requested the lab to print their color negatives without color correction or without exposure correction. I am wondering how could this be done?

 

[MartinP]

I think you have seen this for digital output, where people have worked on a file prior to sending it to be printed. It wouldn't make sense for printing a colour negative film.

 

[Chan Tran]

I meant printing from color negative films. Many people tried to put color filter on their lens and bracket exposure and request the lab to print without correction.

 

[Mick Fagan]

Usually one frame has a colour chart shot under exactly the same light conditions, or another sheet of film. The lab, or whoever is doing the printing will correct colour and density for the frame/sheet with the colour chart, then print the other frames/sheets exactly the same.

Sometimes we used to be asked to not even change density, meaning if the neg is thin or dense, then the print will reflect the under or over exposure the photographer intended.

One used to see some quite interesting things, especially with regard to fashion shoots. The idea being that the wackiest frame was often chosen, then that C41 frame/sheet was copied to colour print film, which was a C41 process that was exposed under an enlarger but developed in C41 developer, with the end result being a transparency. Mostly these transparencies were used for four colour printing on printing presses, or magazine reproduction.

Mick.

 

[markbarendt]

I think it's a matter of definining the starting point. There are "corrections" that the machines apply automatically during the process of turning a negative into a positive.

In my case, when I had access to local labs, WalMart just ran the film and let the machine do it's thing, "no correction".

The other labs "corrected" things manually after the machine did it's thing.

I found that the machines were better at correcting than the local humans.

Sending off the film to pro-labs where you have a relationship is a different beast. In this situation the lab corrects to a standard that is mutually developed.

 

[Chan Tran]

Thank you both!
Mick what you said made a lot of sense but most people don't send in a frame with a standard color target (color chart) and with standard exposure.
Mark I think what you said is what those people want but that means automatic correction rather than not corrected.

 

[tkamiya]

I think what you are talking about is to "print per Shirley".

There is a standard target called Shirley. This is a standardized image/negative that includes all colors and brightness range. Supposedly, lab technician will calibrate his machines so that Shirley will print correctly - correct color and correct density and all that. You *could* ask to have your neg be printed per Shirley with no corrections.

I wouldn't be surprised though, unless you ask this at a pro lab, you get blank stares....

 

[Chan Tran]

Oh yeah! Many years ago I used to use the Shirley to set up the Noritsu printer.

 

[markbarendt]

Thank you both!
Mick what you said made a lot of sense but most people don't send in a frame with a standard color target (color chart) and with standard exposure.
Mark I think what you said is what those people want but that means automatic correction rather than not corrected.

I have come to believe that there is no such thing as an uncorrected/unmanipulated photo.

 

[Chan Tran]

That's true Mark! I had a hard time telling these people that they can't have uncorrected print like a slide.

 

[markbarendt]

That's true Mark! I had a hard time telling these people that they can't have uncorrected print like a slide.

I don't think you can even have the unmanipulated photo moniker for slides.

Which slide film did you choose; Velvia, Astia, HP5 in DR5?

Push, pull, normal?

What did you peg exposure to?

 

[Prof_Pixel]

For color negative films, in the 'old days', automatic printers assumed each image averaged to some shade close to gray; modern printing algorithms are much more sophisticated. There are prints known as 'first prints' that result from the algorithm; most good labs will reprint 'first prints' that are off in color or density.