JPEG conversion for printing

Hi All
I teach a photography class at a local college where the students have to submit assignments regularly. Our requirements are that they hand in a print and an unedited RAW file. Because we are focusing on their photographic technique, they aren't allowed to edit the photos at all.
They then print the photos at local photo labs (fuji fronteir machines) but the printing results are inconsistent and sometimes shocking.
to cust down on possible workflow problems, I have advised them to build a relationship with their printer, use calibrated monitors (which we have at the college), etc. etc. However, I am starting to suspect that the problem lies with the RAW to JPEG conversion and possible the color spaces they are using. Most of them shoot in Adobe RGB and use that in their computer workspace.
So far I have told them to make sure that they convert the files to sRGB before printing - to save the RAW as a PSD file and convert it to a JPEG using image processor with the "convert to sRGB" option turned on.
I am now at a point when I am going to arrange a workshop so I would love any help or advice that you may have.
I look forward to all the great suggestions I know I am going to get.
Regards
David Ceruti

>> They then print the photos at local photo labs (fuji fronteir machines) ...
Most of them shoot in Adobe RGB and use that in their computer workspace.
So far I have told them to make sure that they convert the files to sRGB before printing <<
Correct.
The Fuji Frontier printer won’t do any gamut conversion.
It just prints "by the numbers", expecting sRGB.
To put it simple.
>> Our requirements are that they hand in a print and an unedited RAW file. Because we are focusing on their photographic technique, they aren't allowed to edit the photos at all...
Most of them shoot in Adobe RGB ...<<
It is fairly impossible to print from an un-interpreted / unedited Raw file. Editing is the name of the game. Sounds as if the students were shooting Raw + JPG (nothing wrong with this). Only the JPG will be subject to the in-camera setting to Abobe RGB. Should be converted to sRGB before giving it to the Fuji Frontier. If it is really Raw + JPG shooting, it may be easier to set the camera to sRGB. Nothing lost here, because you always have the Raw file to resort to in ACR.
Peter

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kann527 wrote:
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I have been asking for "Print to File" ever since I was under NDA during the betas.

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Since many of my pictures have shades of green, I'm often disappointed with the conversion to CMYK because I lose saturation and brightness. Am I doing anything wrong? Is there a better way of preserving the quality of colour in my images when going to a commercial printer?

To see in InDesign what color shifts will occur, use View=>Proof Colors.
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Yes there are color shifts when converting RGB to CMYK, but those are due to the fact that the gamut of CMYK is significantly less than AdobeRGB or even sRGB. The same color shifts going to CMYK will occur whether you convert the image in Photoshop or in InDesign during PDF export or at the RIP.
Keeping the color in ICC color managed RGB has the advantage that last minute changes can be made as to what CMYK printing conditions are used, i.e. all CMYK is not the same. Furthermore, if you convert RGB to CMYK early in the workflow, you lose the ability to maintain the color gamut for display of the PDF as well as for printing to high fidelity color devices, i.e., offset or digital (especially inkjet) devices that have extra colorants such as light cyan, light magenta, orange, and/or green to dramatically expand the gamut. Once you lose the gamut in your imagery via conversion to CMYK, you can't go back.
- Dov

Maximum files size for print orders?

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The files may be getting converted to PDF files for uploading and printing like the books are. So maybe the larger files are getting converted and limited to 1OMB in the process. Just a guess, however.
OT

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CS2 / Mac OS 10.4.11 / various Mac hardware

RGB-workflow is just a way to do things... You can do it in at least CS2, CS3 and CS4 softwares, propably with earlier versions too. It basically means that you adjust your images in some wide RGB gamut, like AdobeRGB, then save them without making CMYK conversion and place them to indesign layout as RGB images. When you export your PDF, you make that RGB-CMYK conversion to all images at once.
Normally people can use same adjustments for both web- and print images. When image is adjusted well, icc-profile that will be used for RGB-CMYK converion will take care of fine tuning like compensating midtones and Total Ink Limits...
In InDesign CS4 you can use Photoshop PSD images with adjustment layers. If you really have to make some adjustment that would be nice to get rid off in indesign, you may toggle visibility of those adjustment layers in InDesigns Object Layer Options tool.
I still suggest that you try to fix your workflow so that you don´t have to make any extra adjustments to images for printing after you have once placed them to indesign layout. It should be possible, millions of publishers do that every day...

I want to create a document in Illustrator that i can use for Print and Web - using 2 different colourspaces.

Is it possible to do this? I need to create a document so that I can export as a high quality CMYK for print and export the same file as RGB jpeg / pdf for web and email use. Do I have to create the document with 2 different colourspaces, or can I change / convert the colourspace after I have created and finished the document? or is there some simple way to select an RGB / CMYK option when saving/exporting?
look forward to your reply!
Tom

Tom,
In addition to what Monika said, the document can be either CMYK or RGB Colr Mode, but not both.
And you are right in starting with the CMYK because that will ensure (to the degree possible) that the CMYK and RGB versions match in colour (gamut, the CMYK gamut being the more linited and almost entirely included in the RGB gamut); this will prevent more vivid RGB colours which will make the CMYK colours seem duller.

JPEG conversion for printing

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