Photoshop printing

[elke]

So I've had my Mac for about 5 months, and Photoshop 4 for Mac for about the same. I haven't had a printer until about a week ago (last one wasn't compatible with Mac...). So I have this beautiful shot of my dog that I did a bit of editing with. Purple filter, adjusted levels, and sharpened just a touch. On screen it looks beautiful. I saved it as a psd as well as a jpeg (in my iphoto cache).

My printer is a Canon Pixma ip4500 photoprinter. I wasn't able to print from photoshop (it wasn't orienting on the paper correctly) and when I printed from iphoto...the picture looked TERRIBLE!!! Terribly pixelated...not sure if it was from the sharpening....

Anyway, just wanted to see if anybody had any ideas....

Thanks!!

elke

[Jeff Perry]

Elke, I am not a MAC user so can't offer any suggestions re: printing from iPhoto, but I was curious as to why you couldn't print from PSE4 (only an orientation problem)? In Menu you should find a "Page Setup" choice that will open a dialog box for the installed printer(s), click on Printer Preferences, and you can set the orientation, paper type, quality, etc.

To help better understand the "pixelation" issue, specifically about the photo you are trying to print, when you open it up in PSE4, what are the dimensions of the image (size) and what is the resolution?

Jeff

[frank abramonte]

elke, try this and see if it solves your orientation problem. I use the full photoshop so your menus may look slightly different in elements, but they will work the same way. I'm sure you will be able to get through the slight differences.
If the prints don't print in fairly good quality it would be color management problem. Perhaps some contributor can guide you through this.


1. Go to File>Print with Preview


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1G0iW857jaZ9Syc9bTBEdI6bGL8URc0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1G0iW857jaZ9Syc9bTBEdI6bGL8URc0)


2. Now go to Page Setup (upper right corner).


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1OPHH8LJ5WXsWCXyQkKWmo97qHB7u0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1OPHH8LJ5WXsWCXyQkKWmo97qHB7u0)


3. Now choose your printer name in the pull down menu. Then choose your paper size and orientation and click Print. When menu #2 reappears again click on the print button.


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1F2Q6PoT4Fw264CCtevv4zhhdOgdX_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1F2Q6PoT4Fw264CCtevv4zhhdOgdX)

Post back if you have any more problems.

[elke]

Thank you both for your replies.

I checked the size and resolution and the the image is about 16 in x 12 in (2800 x 2100 pixels) and the resolution is 180 pixels per square inch.

I've got the orientation right now through photoshop and printed the photo again and if possible, the print came out WORSE!!! I thought maybe I had tweaked the unsharpening too much, but I went back and printed the photo without any sharpening. The image looks really bad and the colors are totally off as well.

Like I said, I just got this printer and upon installing, i went through the color set up and it passed.

Any other ideas?????

elke

[frank abramonte]

elke, why are you printing a 16" x 12" document on a printer that can only print up to 8 1/2" x 11"? Perhaps this has something to do with your problem.
However, try the following set up to print a 4" x 6" of the photo.
Also, check that the photo is in RGB mode: Go to Image>Mode and check to make sure it's RGB, if not change it.
After the first test with No color management try one with Full color management-optimized for Print.
After you complete this entire suggestion post back with what you did.



Open your photo and go to
Photoshop Elements>Color Setting>No color management:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1zVO9IctDRw12SFpjG4Jicl1RafPl1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1zVO9IctDRw12SFpjG4Jicl1RafPl1)


Now go to File>Print Preview
Choose Print. When the print menu appears go to Quality & Pages pull down and choose "Quality & Media"
Now go to Media Type pull down and choose the paper your print on.
Then select the type subject your printing in the Print Mode.


http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1bbUNbIKBtmgeIpzu5QcAA72ausq0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1bbUNbIKBtmgeIpzu5QcAA72ausq0)

[ljameso1]

I'm using the Canon 9000 with mac and PSE6. Here are some additional suggestions. Use a resolution of 300ppi. 180 is too low for the size. That will probably take care of your pixelation problems.
Re the color. Besides selecting no color management in PSE, I also turn off the printer's color management in both the print dialog and under color options in the dialog where you select media type by selecting none for color correction.
I also make sure my mac is calibrated to the ambient light so I'm seeing what I will get. To calibrate your mac, click on the icon in the dock that looks like a light switch. Under hardware select displays and in that dialog click on color and select calibrate. Follow the directions and save the calibration. I have 2 named Day and Night ambient that I just save over depending on what the light is at the time I'm printing or processing.
My mac is 5yrs old and still gives me great prints that match the monitor using this method. I consider additional calibration equipment a waste of money for a mac as the built in calibrater works so well. Yet another way macs just SEEM more expensive than a PC, as you get more standard.

[elke]

*sigh*

Thank you all for the suggestions. I resized the image to 4 x 6 (which automatically changed the resolution to about 480 psi), turned off color management and the photos still look really crappy. Grainy and oversharp. I printed photos through photoshop and iphoto, both edited and unedited photos, and the quality is just super crappy. Maybe my problem is my printer???

elke

[frank abramonte]

elke, give it one more try.

Go to Photoshop Elements>Color Setting>Full color management - optimized for Print

If this doesn't work try making your printer control color management. Not being on a PC I can't guide you on that, but perhaps some PC contributor can help. I'm sure the answer will come along soon.

[ljameso1]

Elke, Try taking another pic. Doesn't have to be anything good, just a test shot. Use Bridge to bring in from your memory card and open with PSE. Just print without saving anywhere(don't bother editing) and following the steps I suggested. If it prints ok(won't be great without editing) likely not your printer and we can continue troubleshooting from there. If still looks bad, try burning the shots you've got in iphoto to a cd(just drag them from iphoto to cd -icon will show on desktop after insertion). Take the cd to walmart or similar and get just a cheapo print done. If their's looks good-may have a lemon printer. This really sounds like a job for Wendy, but she is ill- so give this a shot in the meantime.