Luminance Value

[GAB]

I have recently had a number of images passed by QC which I am now keywording. However the images displayed on Alamy seem much duller and the colours muddy when compared with the images in my upload folder on the hard disc. I have not noticed this effect before. I use a Dell U2410  monitor which I regularly calibrate with an i1Display Pro. I have worked with a luminance value of 120 for a number of years. Should I lower this to 100 to see matching images on Alamy?

[M.Chapman]

8 hours ago, GAB said:

I have recently had a number of images passed by QC which I am now keywording. However the images displayed on Alamy seem much duller and the colours muddy when compared with the images in my upload folder on the hard disc. I have not noticed this effect before. I use a Dell U2410  monitor which I regularly calibrate with an i1Display Pro. I have worked with a luminance value of 120 for a number of years. Should I lower this to 100 to see matching images on Alamy?

 

If you're viewing Alamy's webpage in a colour managed browser, using the same monitor, then monitor brightness shouldn't be the issue. However, there are a couple of factors that maybe affecting your view of the images. Alamy's images appear on a white background (which makes them look darker), whereas you may have been preparing them in an editor with a black or dark grey background (which makes them look brighter). Some suggest that images are edited on a white background. Also, if you submitted your images in AdobeRGB format, Alamy will have converted them to sRGB format which can make some colours look duller, if you have a wide gamut monitor. Try downloading a preview image and opening in your editor (make sure you use/apply an sRGB profile - as Alamy will also have removed the profile) and make a side by side comparison with the image you uploaded.

 

Mark

Edited June 10, 2020 by M.Chapman

[MDM]

11 hours ago, GAB said:

I have recently had a number of images passed by QC which I am now keywording. However the images displayed on Alamy seem much duller and the colours muddy when compared with the images in my upload folder on the hard disc. I have not noticed this effect before. I use a Dell U2410  monitor which I regularly calibrate with an i1Display Pro. I have worked with a luminance value of 120 for a number of years. Should I lower this to 100 to see matching images on Alamy?

 

Your images generally look pretty good to me - I have seen much duller and darker so I wouldn't be too concerned about how they look on Alamy.  

 

In relation to monitor calibration, I calibrate to 90 cd/m2 as I find 120 cd/m2 too bright. I work in a dark environment and 90 cd/m2 is about perfect for printing so I use that for all my images. But monitor contrast is also important as well as colour space and other factors that Mark talks about. The histogram in Lightroom or Photoshop is a great tool for checking contrast and exposure.