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FAQ
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Questions & Answers

Some answers to common questions to help you understand more about Colorprep.


What is your normal turnaround time? Do you charge for rush service?
Turnaround times here vary depending on the time required to complete the job, and our existing workload. Twenty-four to forty-eight hour service is typical on smaller jobs. Currently no rush charges are added. An online Bookings Calendar is always available for clients to view our daily workload.

Why did you ask for my QuarkXPress/InDesign document?
For best results, we always need to see how the images are being used, for many reasons. Our main concern is always for the cropped visible portion of each image—there is no sense making compromising tradeoffs which only improve unseen areas. We do avoid cropping off any of the full image, though. Your layout document is processed through a custom AppleScript which gathers scaling and resolution data for automatically sizing the final images. It is always important that images be at or near print size for optimal sharpening.

You need the printing specs, too?
It is important to know how the images will be printed to get the best color, sharpness and tonality. There is a big difference between printing on coated or an uncoated sheet, so separations must be made to compensate. We handle all these decisions for you, contacting your printing company when needed. Many finer printing companies will even share their particular settings or profiles useful in achieving matchable color on press.

We bought an RGB stock photo to use in an ad. The color looks terrible. Can you help?
A big problem with stock images is that they are often missing their own color profile. Also, much depends on the particular RGB colors in the image and how they translate into the smaller CMYK color gamut. However, we use many techniques for getting great color from RGB images that may appear hopeless.

Do you archive all of our images for us?
At the completion of a project, all final files are transferred to the client and it becomes their responsibility to archive them for future use. Colorprep will not be liable for archived images. That being said, we normally archive the layered Photoshop RGB files and have never been unable to retrieve any images.

What are your proof prints like?
Prints are always imaged from the final CMYK files, through our carefully profiled ProofMaster CMYK RIP for excellent press simulation. Multiple images are normally provided on neatly ganged randoms, placed in picture boxes taken directly from your supplied page layout, with file names placed beneath each. Images are scaled to final print size yet do include some additional resolution for minor enlargement if needed.

I have one image I need done today, but I’m in California. How do we arrange payment?
The easiest way is with PayPal. You can link it to major credit cards and it’s simple to set up if you don’t already have it. We can also directly accept Visa, MasterCard & Discover via telephone.

What’s a Raw camera file, and what are the advantages?
All professional digital cameras are capable of producing “raw” files which contain the image information directly captured by the camera’s sensor. No filtration or adjustment has been applied by the camera; truly a “digital negative” which is compressed in a lossless proprietary format, different with each camera manufacturer. Appropriate color balance can be dialed in and the image can be opened into 16-bit depth for extreme latitude on major edits. Lens-induced color fringing can be minimized. Another camera raw benefit is being able to upsample resolution when necessary using a superior algorithm compared to normal Photoshop enlargement. More.

Any Questions?
Wondering how you’re going to get it all done? Or how your co-workers are going to get it done without you? Or how you can ever possibly leave for vacation?

Call Colorprep for answers to these questions and more.

410-549-5564

GLOSSARY

AppleScript™ an English-like language used to write script files that automate the actions of the Macintosh and the applications that run on it

archiving
storing images or data for later retrieval

bleeds
extending an image beyond the finished trim size to aid in trimming and binding

blown-out
areas in an image devoid of all detail or tonality

CCD
a type of image sensor used in digital cameras

clipping path
vector path used to limit the borders of a raster image

CMYK
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black - The four process colors used in color printing

color casts
an overall coloration of an image as if being viewed through a tinted gel

color management
software and hardware system dedicated to handling device-to-device conversion of colors accurately

color separation
the process of making a record each process color (cyan, magenta, yellow or black) needed to reproduce color in printing

CT
abbreviation for Continuous-Tone; the native Scitex raster format

drum scanner
an optical scanning device for converting an optical image to a raster image by analyzing the original copy mounted on a revolving cylinder

duotone
an image that prints with two different inks

EPS
abbreviation for Encapsulated PostScript file format

FTP
File Transfer Protocol: a protocol that lets users transfer data to and from computer systems.

ICC profile
a file containing information that allows different programs and devices to communicate color

Illustrator
vector drawing program by Adobe

imposed
the correct positioning pages on a press sheet so that when the press sheet is folded to form a signature, the pages are in the correct sequence.

iView Media Pro
popular image catalog application

JPEG
is a lossy compression algorithm that has been conceived to reduce file size of images without affecting the visible quality.

LAB
one of the main color spaces composed of a lightness channel, plus a pair magenta-green and blue-yellow opponency channels

lo-rez FPO low resolution version of an image used for temporary placement in a page layout

lossy
sacrificing some image detail to reduce file size

moiré
a repetitive interference pattern. In printing, it can be caused by interference between the dot patterns of the different colors or by interference between a pattern in the data being printed and the screened dots.

Photoshop
popular image editing application

pixel
a single element of a raster image

post-processing services
For digital photographers, any work done with images after initial exposure

press gain
dot gain caused by the spreading of ink on the press, especially in the midtones.

process colorizations
applying blended process color to an image for a certain effect

PSD
Photoshop native format

QuarkXPress
popular page layout application

raster
an arrangement of pixels

raw camera file
the virgin pixel data captured by many pro digital cameras "digital negative"

resolution
number of pixels at a given dimension

RGB
Red Green Blue. These are the three primary colors used for additive color mixing

RIP
Raster Image Processor: a device or computer program that receives a description of the content of a page and converts it into raster format

sharpening
the exaggeration of contrast along edges of detail within an image to increase visual sharpness

silhouette
("silo") normally involves removing a subject from its background

tagged with images refers to an attached ICC profile

TIFF
Tagged Image File Format, the most common raster file format

vignettes
image that gradually fades away, blending into the unprinted paper

vector
a mathematic description of an object

white balance
the global adjustment of color based on the color temperature of a lighting situation