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Feature: Calibrate Your Monitor for Digital Images

A friend called me the other day with a digital photo problem. "I just printed a photo on good paper, and it doesn't look like what's on the monitor," he complained. "Why not? How can I get them to match?"

My buddy's problem stems from the fact that the two output devices--the printer and monitor--are calibrated differently. If you want what's on the screen when you edit a photo to resemble what comes out of the printer, then you need to correct one or the other so they're in agreement. It's easier to adjust the monitor (printers don't come with calibration tools), so that's what we'll do.

If you don't mind spending money, there are a few programs designed to help you calibrate your monitor. Pantone's OptiCal is the mother of all such programs--but at around $200, it's probably better-suited for true graphics professionals. LightSurf Technologies' $50 Colorific is a much more affordable color-matching and monitor calibration system.

Before you rush out to buy a calibration package, check the software you got when you bought your monitor. For example, Colorific is often bundled with monitors. But the truth is, it's possible to calibrate your monitor manually, without any software at all: It just takes a good eye and some judgment.

Set Your Display Properties

To optimize your monitor, the best place to start is the Windows Display Properties dialog box. There are a few things you can do here to render images on screen more accurately, and improve the overall look of your display at the same time.

Right-click on the Windows Desktop and choose Properties to call up the Display Properties dialog box. Click on the Settings tab to see details about your computer's display settings.

Check the screen resolution. It should be at least 800 by 600 pixels, and higher is generally better--as long as text doesn't become too small to be easily readable. If the resolution is too low, you won't see as much on screen and digital images won't look as smooth. Experiment by increasing the resolution and clicking the Apply button. Keep the resolution comfortable; if things get too small, revert to a lower resolution. I think that 1024 by 768 is good for a 17-inch CRT display, and try 1280 by 1024 if you have a 19-inch screen. (LCD monitors have one optimum resolution, so you should always use the recommended settings.)

Watch the refresh rate. Generally, high-quality monitors are more competent than inexpensive models at displaying higher resolutions. Be careful not to push the resolution on your monitor so high that its refresh rate degrades below 72 hz. Lower rates cause a perceptible level of flicker and often result in eye fatigue. You should be able to find your refresh settings by clicking the Advanced button on your Settings tab and checking either the Adapter or Monitor tab. If you have to, back off your resolution to a level that brings your refresh rate up to acceptable levels. If you back off to a relatively low resolution and still can't get your refresh rate up to an acceptable level, you probably need to install an updated driver for your monitor and/or graphics adapter. Check their manufacturers' Web sites.

Set the color quality. If it's set too low--like 8 bit, or 256 colors--then images will look dramatically different on screen than they do when printed. Depending on your graphics adapter, you'll likely see a best setting of 24 bit or 32 bit. For working with digital images, 32 bits doesn't really improve the images on screen, and it could be a drag on your system's performance. If you don't have an option for 24-bit color (many people will find only selections for 16-bit and 32-bit color), don't worry: That's an indication that your graphics adapter has enough moxie to handle 32-bit. But stick with 16-bit color, since that's more than enough to deal with image editing tasks.

After you've completed making your choices in the Display Properties dialog box, click either the OK or Apply button for the changes to take effect.

Print a Test Photo

The most important tweak we can make is to match the monitor's settings to a real print from your ink jet printer. So load a picture you like--choose a daylight photo that includes a person with natural skin tones--into your image editor and print it at highest quality onto a sheet of top-quality glossy photo paper. Let the picture dry out of direct sunlight for a few hours to set the colors permanently.

Optimize Your Monitor

Now we're ready to get to work. Make sure that your monitor is set up the way you usually use it, with the same level of ambient light as you typically have when editing photos. Eliminate any harsh glare by closing window shades or angling the monitor.

Next, set the monitor's contrast and brightness levels to their halfway point. Most monitors have buttons or dials on the front of the case; you may need to experiment or check your monitor user guide.

Now open the image file in your image editor and set the picture you printed right next to the monitor so you can look from one image to the other. From here, it's just a matter of adjusting the brightness, contrast, and color levels until the printed and on-screen images agree with each other.

Unfortunately, there's no magic bullet for monitor calibration. It takes a good eye to tweak the red, green, blue, brightness, and contrast levels to match a test image, like the one we just made. But there are tons of useful Web sites out there that can lend a hand with fine-tuning your monitor. If you want to read more, check out Bryce Alive Quick Guide to Monitor Calibration and Monitor Calibration.