miscellaneous must-have items

ColorEyes Display Pro
Professional-level display calibration software. Features include time tracking, black point control, native gamma, native white point, L* gamma, manual white point adjustment control and an inteligent, adaptive calibration procedure. Those with a qualifying device can purchase the software by itself for $175 or bundled with the XRite Spyer3 for $299. The standard license supports the calibration of up to 3 displays.

ColorChecker (original)
The original ColorChecker is something no photographer should be without. See the downloads page for a reference file of the ColorChecker that shows you what the numbers should be for each patch.

ColorChecker White Balance
The ColorChecker White Balance is an excellent white reference for setting a camera’s custom white balance. Contrary to popular myth, white balance should bet set using a white card instead of a gray card. It is, after all, a *white* balance that is being set – not exposure for middle gray.

ColorChecker Gray Scale
Many photographers find this ColorChecker useful both for setting a custom white balance but also for determining optimal exposure by looking for equidistant 3 spike histogram placement.

QPCard 101 These small, self adhesive, and affordable reference cards can be kept in camera bags and put on subjects to ensure adequate color correction later. Also makes for an excellent reflective scanning reference. See the downloads page for a reference file of the QPCard 101 that shows you what the numbers should be for each patch.

MAM-A Archival Gold CD-Rs and Delkin’s eFILM Archival Gold CD-Rs
This CD-Rs are made with a real Gold reflective layer and are the longest lasting CD-Rs made today. Expected lifespan is in excess of 200 years. American Digital is another good source to buy archival gold CD-Rs from.

MAM-A Archival Gold DVD-Rs and Delkin’s eFILM Archival Gold DVD-Rs
These DVD-Rs are available with a real silver or gold reflective layer and are the longest lasting DVD-Rs made today. Expected lifespan is in excess of 75 years for silver and 100 years for gold. American Digital is another good source to buy archival gold DVD-Rs from.

Archival CD-Safe Pens and Markers
Water-resistant and fade-resistant. Dries quickly. Acid-free and non-toxic. Writes safely on any surface, including plastics, glass, ceramics, wood, metal or paper as well as CDs. Ditch your Sharpies (which are not archival) and start using these!

Klear Screen Products
Makers of the “Worlds Finest Polishing Cloth” and antistatic LCD screen cleaner. Used by NASA on their instruments and optics. Recommended by Apple, Dell and others for LCD displays and electronics.

Mighty Magnets
These magnets are really usefull when looking at prints in lightboxes, refriderators and on any metal surface. They are surprisingly strong and can hold big prints. My favorite are the Round Peg Mighties.

lighting products

Solux MR-16 Light Bulbs
Solux sells a variety of high quality, high CRI light bulbs and fixtures for critical print viewing. Solux bulbs work in any MR-16 light fixture and are more accurate than any fluorescent bulb. I recommend the 4100K, 36 degree, 50 watt bulbs for studio environments where prints are made and 3500K, 36 degree, 50 watt bulbs for print viewing in homes.

Just Normlicht Just Normlicht makes a complete line of products for critical print viewing. The Image Pro L – DI is an excellent, popular and affordable reflective viewing booth. The ColorMatch Duo 5000 is excellent for reflective and transmissive viewing (both are dimmable).

GTI
GTI makes a complete line of products for critical print viewing. The PDV-3 is an excellent, popular and affordable viewing booth. The side walls and dimmer are worthwhile options.

OTT-Light TrueColor Bulbs
OTT-Light sells a variety of high quality, high CRI light bulbs and fixtures for critical print viewing.

EyeOne Share
Eye One Share is an excellent free program that you can use with any ambient light capable Eye One Spectrophotometer to measure the temperature, luminance and CRI rating of various light sources. Too many other capabilities to list. View screenshot.

GAM Neutral Density tubes
These neutral density tubes can be put over fluorescent bulbs to reduce luminosity. Also available in colors for Dan Flavin fans (you know who you are).

fine art inkjet printing

Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl
In the fiber base category, Fine Art Pearl is a favortite among many well informed printmakers becuase of it’s excellent quality, feel when held, increadible resistance to scratching and look and feel similiarty to air dried silver gelatin fiber base papers.

Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta
This is Fine Art Pearl with an Baryta layer that increases Dmax, saturation and adds a glossy sheen. Of all the Bartya papers I think Hahnemuhle’s has the most preferable, organic looking surface that helps distinguish it from RC papers. Baryta papers are a good choice for fine art printmakers that prioritze Dmax, gamut and like a fiber base glossy look (as opposed to a RC glossy look).

Moab Paper
This small paper company makes a variety of papers that rival the quality of other premium papers at a fraction of the price. Moab Entrada is a good cotton rag choice and favorite becuase of it’s excellent quality, price and double sided capability. Moab’s new handmade Japanese papers are completely unique to the indutry and represent what only a small niche paper company can offer.

Innova Photo canvas Ultra Gloss
An all around excellent canvas media for fine art pritning with pigment printers. Has an unbelievably good DMax and gamut.

Fredrix 777 VIVID
An all around excellent canvas media for fine art pritning with pigment printers. Has an unbelievably good DMax and gamut.

D Roller
A simple tool that takes the curl out of papers. A must have for users of roll paper. Available in 24 and 50 inch widths.

PremierArt Eco Print Shield
This liquid laminate is a favorite with Epson and a number of my fine art printmaking clients. Water based and environmentally friendly. Available in glossy, satin or matte finishes. Can be applied by brush, rollers or HVLP spray systems. It is not available in a hand held spray can. Epson approved and Wilhelm tested.

AquaCryl
This liquid laminate uses nano-tech resin technology and is preffered by Hahnemuhle. Water based and environmentally friendly. Available in glossy, satin or matte finishes. Can be applied by brush, rollers , HVLP spray systems or roll coater (see next line). Self leveling.

Lumina Pro Series Rollcoaters
These custom manufactured roll coaters are designed for appling liquid laminates to fine art prints and are a nice alternative to HLVP spray systems. Available in 26, 50 and 65 inch widths. Lumina also makes a line of conveyor dryers that work in combination with these roll coaters.

Tensador 2 Canvas Stretcher
An excellent and afforadble tool for stretching canvas. A must-have item for photo labs and fine art prtmaking faciities that work with canvas.

Coda Tabletop Laminator
Although there are lots of good laminating machines, these are noteworthy for their small size and affordability. These systems make lamination and mounting affordable to small businesses.

offset printing

G7 Calibration Kits
These SWOP and GRACoL G7 calibration kits contain a measurement data set, a visual reference proof, targets and complete instructions for calibrating, printing and proofing by the G7™ Method.

XRite G7 Toolkits
Data files and instructions for calibrating by the G7™ Method with all XRite pressroom devices.

IDEALink Curve
Software to simplify G7 method press calibration without the tedium and uncertainty of manual curve drawing. This software is not included with the kits mentioned above.

G7
G7 is a proof-to-print process developed by the IDEAlliance that’s quickly gaining acceptance and adoption. Download the “Calibrating, Printing and Proofing by the G7 Method” PDF for some excellent reading on this process.

IDEAlliance
The IDEAlliance develops new specifications and guidelines for offset printing like GRACoL and SWOP.

PrintTools
Tools for improving the quality and efficiency in offset printing.

GRACoL
GRACoL is an exciting new specification for offset printing on grade 1 stock.

SWOP
SWOP is the standard printing specification for offset printing on grades 3 and 5 stock in the United States. Feel free to contact us about taking advantage of and adopting the latest 2006 SWOP specification into your own workflow.

FOGRA
FOGRA is the standard printing specification for offset printing in Europe.

ColorBurst
ColorBurst is a simple, affordable, yet powerful RIP capable of making incredibly accurate, and SWOP certifiable proofs. Mac and Windows compatible.

websites of note

DPReview
The definitive site for digital camera news, reviews and comparisons

CompactFlash Performance Database
Compilation of write and read speed test results designed to aid the professional photographer in selecting camera storage media for a digital SLR. Select your camera from the popup menu in the upper right hand corner.

Dan Burkholder
Dan Burkholder’s platinum palladium photography has influenced my fine art work for over 15 years. Dan also pioneered the process by which artists digitally create enlarged negatives for contact printing. His Shadows and Lives series utilizes HDR and tone mapping technology.

Precision Digital Negatives
Mark Nelson expands upon the digital negative process that Dan Burkholder pioneered. Mark’s Precision Digital Negative system matches the dynamic range of a negative to the dynamic range of the printing process and is then linearized with measurement data.

Lance Keimig
Lance and his eye for night imagery has been a big mentor for my own fine art work in recent years. He’s been teaching Night Photography workshops for over 15 years and has a great book called “Night Photography: Finding your way in the dark” coming out later this year.

Martin Evening
Martin is a photographer and author of Photoshop CS4 for Photographers and The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book

Bruce Lindbloom
Color science, calculators etc.

S.K. Grimes
SK Grimes is a photography machinist that performs custom camera and lens modifications, providing unique solutions for demanding photographers.

JPG Magazine
A refreshing, grass roots photo blog and printed magazine. Although anyone can submit images the quality and poeple participating are surprisingly good. RAW shooters can ignore the name. Worth a look.

Wilhelm Research
The experts on preservation and permanence statistics for various digital imaging printing processes.

Web Browser ICC Compliancy Check
A simple test to see if your web browser is fully ICC complaint supporting spec 4 profiles.

speciality software

The Turning Gate
Matthew Campagna at The Turning Gate is a prolific creator of fantastic Lightroom Web Engines that are available for download. Highly recommended for all Lightroom users! I also have a short article about how I created my web galleries using two of his engines.

ImageNest
Fantastic Mac based nesting and layout software. If you are a nesting or a volume printing geek – this is your application!

Profile Menu
A simple free utility that adds a pull down menu to the menu bar allowing for a quick way to swtich between display profiles. Recommended especially for MacBook owners that swich between different profiles for different lighting situations. Mac OS X only.

Imatest
Imatest allow you to measure the performance of cameras, lenses, scanners, and printers. Imatest scientifically quantifies things like lens and camera sharpness, chromatic aberration, color response, noise, dynamic range, etc. Windows only.

PTMac
PTMac is the ultimate panoramic image stitcher for serious geeks. Mac OS X only.

Calico
Calico is an ideal, easy-to-use $39 panoramic image stitcher for casual users. Mac OS X only.

Fourier Transform plug-in
This simple and free, Photoshop plug-in is exceptionally good at removing screens and moire patterns while maintaining image content. Windows only.

Photomatix Pro
Software for High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography that goes beyond Photoshop’s basic HDR capabilities. The Photomatix Tone Mapping plug-in is a great alternative to PhotoMatixPro if one uses PS CS3’s Merge to HDR feature. Used by Dan Burkholder in his recent Shadows and Lives series. A free demo is available.

LR/Enfuse
The LR Enfuse Lightroom plug-in allows for HDR exposure compositing without leaving the application. It’s easier to use, faster and more natural looking than any of the other options I’m aware of. I use this software to put together night photography image stacks, and love the simplicity of it. IMO, this plug-in gives us a glimpse as to how easy this process will become in the future. Requires a donation (be generous!).

Lucis Pro
Photoshop plug-in software for high pass sharpening and exposure blending. This software can be used to create a look that is similar to that of Jim Fiscus and Sacha Waldman. A free demo is available.