We have gotten questions here at the studio from photographers asking why their clients and their fans vocally praise their work, professionalism, and printed images but rarely, if ever purchase photographs online or use proofs sent digitally. Could it be your monitor calibration is the culprit?
Why monitor calibration? While most pros keep their monitors calibrated in order to adjust their images to perfection, many if not most home computers used by non professionals are not calibrated or color corrected. This can lead to your images not displaying its true characteristics and in a nutshell; a potential client not purchasing your work.
The most common calibration issue is exposure levels or “gamma correction.” Below is an example of just how different the same image can appear if this setting is incorrectly set on a monitor. This is an important issue when displaying images from a PC on a Mac, especially on newer systems.
1.0 Gamma Setting
3.0 Gamma Setting
For anyone who is not familiar with monitor calibration or what exactly is adjusted in the process here is a great tutorial from Cambridge in Colour: Monitor Calibration for Photographers