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Should I pay someone to color calibrate my monitor for photoshop editing?

I have photoshop, an Epson R1800 printer & a Dell HP1925 monitor, and everything seemed fine with the color just using the free Gamma program. Then I read how you needed a more accurate calibration system so I bought spyder2express. Now everything is messed up. I followed the instructions for the spyder, but it can't locate my monitor's calibration file even though it's installed where it should be when I open the display options on Windows XP. I've tried every trouble shooting suggestion the spyder offered, even sent them an e-mail, read through my monitor manuals and printer manuals. After 10 hours I gave up and restored the calibration to sRGB default with PS so basically the spyder thing hasn't done anything. Should I get a refund, or get some tech help. The colors 'sort of match' but I have to make the monitor colors look darker to get the printed photos to get the right values I want. Also, one PS book says to use 'perceptual' setting, another PS book says to use a different setting for photos. I want to take & print photographs, not become a full-time computer manual reader. Any suggestions?

Public Comments

1. I have never had my monitor calibrated using something besides the calibration tool that comes with PS. It has worked fine for me. I don't see myself buying the Spyder but since you already did and hasn't done anything for you I would see if you can return it for store credit (better get money back) Good luck!
2. Hi, sorry to hear you've been having a struggle - welcome to the digital quality club! : ) Actually it's not hopeless and calibration is WELL worthwhile. If you are relying on your monitor image to edit your photos then you really must have a view you can rely on, or you are more than likely to cause irrevocable image quality problems (and that will cause even more headaches, waste even more time and it can seriously undermine your image quality). OK so what to do. Your question can be answered simply and it has been... so please take a look at this site, which has 700 free tutorials including FULL explanations on calibration, profiling and non-destructive image editing. In short it explains in a simple step-by-step manner, exactly how the pro's work (i.e. the good ones who send work to magazines and corporate clients and HAVE to get the quality right every time, or potentially face getting sued for vast amounts of money). http://www.image-nut.com/spip.php?rubrique21 I've no idea which version of PS you are using but, once profiled, most systems will automatically select the monitor profile for you and use that for display - you should even get a before and after view on many systems. So, once profiled, you should really not have to do much at all - but I am not an XP user. If you have further problems visit image-nut and post up a question to the forum there, where it will get answered in detail by a technical expert - for free... ; )
3. Did you change the settings in your printer? When I print pictures I set Print Setting: to Paper I use Color Management to RGB and since I am a Mac user to 1.5 Gamma I also have the color control checked I use the Blue Eye Calibrador from Lacie. You need to make sure the spider you use for calibrating works with the model monitor you have. Still you problem might not be your monitor but your printer settings. You should also calibrate your system to the lighting you use most. IE if you work on your computer at night calibrate at night and vise versa. The natural and artificial lighting around your computer does effect the calibration. Good Luck it does take tweeking. But ones you get it all figured out you are happy you took the time. Call Epson as well if you still have problems.