Stuck for ideas for the creative people on your gift list? Let Datacolor help! Whether your list includes a content creator, photographer, videographer or digital designer, we have products to help make their work easier by streamlining workflows, saving them valuable time and effort. These tools are designed to support creativity, from managing color accurately, to ensuring that every detail is captured in photos or videos, to producing impeccable prints to sharing online content as it was intended.

Our Newest Spyder and SpyderPro Calibrators – Be Confident in the Color Accuracy of the Latest Displays and Edit from a Point of Color Precision

Both Spyders calibrate monitors in only 90 seconds, and ensure color accuracy, consistency and optimization of the latest display technologies such as OLED, Mini-LED and Apple XDR Liquid Retina. Content Creators will love the Device Preview Beta feature, available in both Spyders and SpyderPro, that simulates what your photos would look like on the latest smartphones and tablets.

The SpyderPro is perfect for Videographers and Hybrid Photo/Video shooters with its video targets (Rec.709 and Rec. 2020) and StudioMatch feature that allows for side-by-side calibration, ensuring consistent, accurate color reproduction across multiple connected monitors or computers.

Spyder Checkr Color Targets (Spyder Checkr, Spyder Checkr 24, Spyder Checkr Photo and Spyder Checkr Video) – Ensure Accurate Color at the Point of Capture

The Spyder Checkr family of products provide a fast, easy way to color calibrate your camera and ensure consistent, accurate image color at point-of-capture. This streamlines post-production workflows, as well as ensures color consistency across a variety of cameras, lenses, and sensor combinations.

Use the Spyder Checkr color target card as a color reference in your photo shoot and Spyder Checkr’s software will automatically color correct images through an HSL preset in Adobe Lightroom Classic® Adobe Camera RAW®, or Hasselblad Phocus® for seamless color correction.

• Spyder Checkr – Offers color targets with a durable self-casing construction and a tripod mount great for studio or location photo shoots.
• Spyder Checkr 24 – Its compact size and protective sleeve make it a take-with-you-everywhere photo tool to always have on hand in your bag or pocket. Ideal for content creators, photographers, and digital designers.
• Spyder Checkr Photo – Offers one of our most comprehensive collections of color targets in a unique, ultra-matte finish that’s perfect for photography and for incomparable color accuracy and depth. The ergonomic case is easy to grip and comfortable to hold, minimizing handling errors. It comes with 4 color target cards that can be interchanged with our Spyder Checkr Video cards for a truly customizable workflow. A great tool for the photographers, content creators and digital designers on your list.
• Spyder Checkr Video – Includes our patent-pending Color Pattern Card that generates a pattern of hues at two saturation levels, allowing you to see how all colors are being captured, not just primary and secondary colors. The easy-to-understand circular pattern that’s created provides an unprecedented level of color information, instantly. Videographers and video content creators will value how easy it is to maintain color consistency across multiple cameras.
• Spyder Checkr Card Sets – Save money and take advantage of the versatility of your Spyder Checkr Photo or Spyder Checkr Video by expanding your target card selection to include a Spyder Checkr Card set. Purchase the Video Card set if you already own a Spyder Checkr Photo, or the Photo Card set if you already own a Spyder Checkr Video, to ensure all your workflows are streamlined and precise. Perfect for photographers, videographers and hybrid photo/video shooters.

Spyder Cube – Easy-to-use, portable reference tool for setting your exposure, white balance, white and black point, and contrast right from the start of image editing

Perfect for both photo and video, Spyder Cube’s unique 3-dimensional design differs from traditional grey cards by mimicking the way light actually falls on your subject, allowing you to see primary and secondary light sources for more precise white balance correction.

This essential tool provides accurate correction across shadow and highlight tones and instantly color-corrects images by setting a color temperature value to neutralize the light source. Additionally, it includes a black trap for an absolute black reference which allows you to set a true black point in an image, and a chrome ball that lets you see specular highlights.

Spyder Print – Advanced analysis and calibration tool for optimizing print results

Perfect for photographers, digital designers and fine art printers looking for precise printer and paper profiles for optimal screen-to-print continuity. Create a custom profile for each paper and ink type you use for the most precise color results from your printer. The Spyder Print software creates a fully editable, custom profile to ICC standards for the most color-accurate reproduction of your image files. Reduces ink and paper waste from repeated print outputs while optimizing the performance of your printer.

Spyder Kits – Comprehensive, cost-effective solutions for managing color throughout various workflows.

Our Spyder kits are designed for both novices and pros alike, offering color management tools from capture, through editing, display and print.

Spyder Photo/Video Kit – The ultimate all-in-one workflow solution for precision color control for photo and video, from capture through editing.

This versatile kit includes everything the photographer, videographer, hybrid photo/video shooter, content creator or digital designer on your list could want! It comes with the SpyderPro calibrator, the Spyder Cube, the Spyder Checkr Video and the Spyder Checkr Photo card set for unmatched flexibility and color accuracy.

Spyder Print Studio – Complete end-to-end color management for photo workflows, from capture, through editing to print.

Photographers, digital designers, and fine art printers will find this kit invaluable for precision color management from capture, through editing and printing. It comes with the SpyderPro calibrator, the Spyder Cube and the Spyder Print tools for unmatched color management.

ColorReader Products (ColorReader, ColorReader Pro, ColorReader EZ) – Simplify the color identification process with one of the products from our ColorReader family.

These portable, pocket-sized color measurement tools streamline color selection for professional and home projects, saving valuable time, effort and costs. Simply use the device to scan the flat surface of a color you like and with the ColorReader app, instantly get its closest paint color match, Savage Universal background match, plus valuable color data.

Ideal for:

• Photographers, videographers and content creators who want to color-coordinate shoots
• Digital designers who want to ensure accurate and consistent color reproduction for branding/logo design
• Professional paint contractors who want to help clients select and coordinate paint colors and match wall colors without drywall removal
• DIYers who want to feel confident in their color selections, from color matching to color coordinating

ColorReader Pro – Our most comprehensive ColorReader. View precise color measurement results right on the device’s LED screen, get paint color matches for top paint brands, as well as Delta E, CIE Lab, RGB, Hex, CMYK, LRV and LCH measurements. Also displays RAL® standards. Includes an advanced quality control feature that shows pass/fail tolerances, made for rigorous industrial setting standards.

ColorReader – Instantly get accurate paint color matches for top paint brands, as well as Delta E, CIE Lab, RGB, Hex, CMYK, LRV and LCH measurements. Also displays RAL® standards. Browse digital fan decks, create color palettes, then save, label and share colors with your paint store, family and friends, right from your phone. Order Samplize peel-&-stick re-positionable paint samples from the convenient ColorReader app.

ColorReader EZ – Capture color inspiration wherever you find it. Get accurate color matches to the top paint brands, Savage Universal backgrounds as well as CIE Lab, RGB and Hex color values. Boost color selection confidence when coordinating colors, during photo shoots and DIY projects. Explore full room color palette options for additional inspiration.

Autumn’s waning light may leave you wondering what’s lurking in the shadows or if that silhouetted figure is something you should be hiding from, but when it comes to your photos, shadows and silhouettes shouldn’t scare you!

Let’s define the terms – in photography, shadows help create texture and add depth and balance to a subject or scene. The edges of a shadow can be sharp or soft, and the opacity of a shadow can range from almost transparent to virtually opaque.

Silhouettes are the solid shape of a person, object or scene, with crisp edges outlined by the dramatic contrast of light and dark that match the shape of subject. You can also create partial silhouettes, where one side of the subject is illuminated while the other is in darkness.

Shadows and silhouettes are a wonderful way to add mystery and mood to your images, as well as make intriguing subjects on their own. Here are some expert tips on how to shoot them and get the results you’re looking for:

Choosing Your Subject

• There’s no limit to your subject matter, but a few things are helpful to keep in mind. When shooting silhouettes, consider the outline and shape of your subject. Is it easily identifiable?
• Think about the white space between your subject and other elements to ensure a crisp outline that’s recognizable. This is especially important when shooting people together. You need enough space between them, so their silhouettes are distinct.
• Consider shooting a side view to portray facial features otherwise lost in a front-facing deeply shadowed or silhouetted capture.

Composition

• As they say, every picture tells a story, including ones of shadows and silhouettes. Determine what you want to say with your photo, then decide on the feeling or mood you want to convey, whether it’s something dramatic, mysterious, sharp or soft.
• The basic elements of good photo composition still apply – an appealing balance of space and detail that avoids visual clutter, a good use of negative space, the positioning of the subject (which may be the shadow or silhouette), the light angle and its intensity, and the line, shape, tone and visual weight of each element in the frame.
• Consider using shadows as a visual frame for your composition, too.

Light

• Obviously, when it comes to shadows and silhouettes, light plays a pretty prominent role. What may be considered “harsh” light for a typical photo can net amazing results for shadows.
• The size of your light source, the angle of your light source, the proximity of your subject to the light source and the color temperature of your light source all affect the look and quality of your shadows.
• Bright light directly behind a subject will result in a crisp silhouette.
• The larger and further away a light source is from a subject, the softer the shadow.
• Warm light will cast a cool shadow while cool/artificial light will cast a warm shadow.
• You can create and define shadows by the direction you angle your light source.
• Right before sunrise or sunset is a great time to shoot silhouettes outdoors, when your subject can be easily backlit and clearly contrasted against the sky. Position your subject directly in front of the brightest area of light.
• Shooting during sunrise or sunset allows you to take advantage of the sun’s low angle for long, dramatic shadows. For sharper shadows, plan outdoor shoots a few hours before or after 12 noon.
• Placing your subject closer to the light and lowering your ISO lets you properly expose your subject while deepening shadows.
• Elements with repetitive patterns like fences or grids can add to your shadow composition, so keep an eye out for them.

Camera Settings

• Shoot in manual mode when you can and keep your ISO low, so your camera doesn’t lift darker areas. This will keep your shadows rich.
• Focus your subject first, then meter to the background light, not your subject. Always opt for underexposure by selecting a faster shutter speed to enhance contrast and preserve details.
• Shooting in RAW will allow for easier editing of underexposed images in post.
• A fixed lowlight lens such as a 50mm f/1.2 or a 35mm f/1.4 will help capture light that’s barely perceptible to your eye.
• If you want shadows to be your focal point, it can help to shoot in black and white to simplify your composition and highlight tonal range.
• A tripod helps prevent camera shake when working in low light and a circular polarizer lens filter can help create more background depth, contrast and saturation.
• Use an aperture of f/8 or narrower when photographing directly into a light source, like a sunrise or sunset, to minimize chromatic aberration, or the blooming of color along the edge of elements within the frame.

Professional photographer and Datacolor Friends with Vision contributor Jeff Cable photographs personal and corporate clients in addition to leading photo tours here in the U.S. and around the world. However, he is perhaps best known for capturing photos for the US Olympic Committee, having photographed the last eight Olympic games, in Beijing, Vancouver, London, Sochi, Rio de Janeiro, PyeongChang, Tokyo and, most recently, Paris. Here, Jeff shares some of his experiences and incredible photos from the 2024 Olympic games in Paris.

How did you get your start in photography?

I grew up in a sports-loving family and spent most of my time being active in the mountain region in which I live. About 9 years ago, I realized that what I loved most about the mountains was not the activity itself, but the beauty which surrounded me. I started to see possible compositions for photos, even before taking any pictures. Everything started for me from those moments. Ever since I purchased my first camera, nothing has stopped me.

What type of photography are you shooting and what motivated you to focus on that genre?

Photography is the best media to show not just a point of view, but also an emotion, a perfect moment. The possibility to share this with other people is one of the aspects that I appreciate most about photography. Probably without it I would not be able to communicate my passions and my feelings, or even what I love about the world that surrounds me, as well.

What has been your biggest achievement or obstacle along the way?

For sure post-production. I never studied photography at school and never followed a course. Therefore, editing in the first years was really challenging for me. Then I found my style and what I like the most and I have continued in that direction. Today, I still love to learn more and improve myself from that point of view.

Who and/or what inspires you most?

It’s hard to limit that to one person or thing. I think that for sure some photographers out there are a great inspiration, but at the same time I prefer to follow some athletes and their adventures in some of the most remote places in the world. That always motivates and inspires me to explore more and do more.

What is your approach? Is there anything in particular you try to achieve during a shoot (for example triggering certain feelings, etc.) or are there any specific techniques you use?

Every time I shoot, I try to focus on the lines of the landscape that I’m shooting and on a subject that balance the scale of the environment. For sport photography, I try to always give that sense of dynamism and action. Sometimes it’s great to try to capture a feeling of spontaneity in a picture, but it’s important to organize your shot and never put yourself in a dangerous situation.

Why is accurate color important within your workflow?

Since I found a signature palette of colors that expresses and represents my photography, people can recognize my work from that of other photographers. Being sure that my work always follows my brand colors and identity is fundamental to me. Having accurate color on all my monitors and computers while I’m working is the base for creating good work.

Any tips or advice for photographers just beginning their career?

This may sound banal and repetitive but follow your feelings, always believe in yourself and always try to do more and do it better. The more you do, the better you become.

About the author – Camilla Pizzini

Camilla Pizzini was born in 1996 in Rovereto, in Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy. She has fell in love with photography during her teenage years. She gained a bachelor’s degree in design at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano which allowed her to expand her knowledge of visual communications and contemporary arts. Since then, she has been working as a photographer for commercial commissions (corporate, outdoor and sporting events as well as portrait photography) as well as working on her own projects. She finds her daily inspiration working in the great outdoors, in the mountains or participating in sports.

Photography Type: Outdoor, landscape, sports, weddings, still-life photography

Mountain guide and extreme skier Vivian Bruchez on the airy abseil from Dent du Géant at sunset, Chamonix, France.

I picked up photography in my early twenties, right at the same time as I was discovering climbing. I was initially carrying a very simple point and shoot camera and remember being so frustrated at the disconnection between the amazing scenes I was witnessing on my climbing adventures and the lackluster images I was bringing back. I started paying more attention to the photography part, eventually carrying a DSLR on most trips, which in turn motivated me to go on bigger and further mountain adventures. A few years later, after quitting my career in computer science, I turned full time professional photographer.

Two paragliders next to Montenvers after having flown over Vallée Blanche, Chamonix, France.

A skier contemplates the famous Vallée Blanche from the bottom of the Aiguille du Midi ridge, Chamonix, France.

Two climbers look toward Italy on Col du Tour Noir, Chamonix, France.

Over the past five years, I have also begun working in humanitarian photography, especially refugee and development stories. It was really important for me to find ways to diversify my subject matters and the ways I tell stories. It helps me bring a slightly more commercial and polished look to humanitarian stories, and in turn a more human focused look in my adventure work.

One of the biggest obstacles to making a living from photography is the constant need to reinvent oneself. There is no “reaching the top” and being able to rest up there while the jobs come to you, you constantly have to think about how to make your work stand out and how to do something nobody else thought about. It is either very exciting or absolutely exhausting, depending on how I am feeling on a given day.

A campsite for alpinists wanting to climb Giant’s Tooth, next to Marbled Needles, Chamonix, France.

Nic Mullin descends from Aiguille du Plan towards Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc du Tacul, Chamonix, France.

A splitboarder skins up Glacier du Géant in a windstorm, Chamonix, France.

But more importantly, I have a giant debt to some of the great documentary photographers: David Burnett, Eric Bouvet, Nick Ut, Don McCullin, Chris Hondros, Carol Guzy and Tim Hetherington. More contemporary, I love and am very inspired by the works of Danielle Villesana, Kiliii Yuyan and Ismail Ferdous.

Two climbers on the summit of Marbled Needles admires the panorama of the East Face of Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France.

Aerial view of the Aiguilles de Chamonix at sunset, Chamonix, France.

A team of refugee athletes walk home in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya.

My guiding principle is to focus on the emotions felt by whoever I am photographing. Nowadays, I am much more interested in the human side of any adventure than in the extreme moves or the peak of the action.

A rope team ascends Aiguilles d’Entrèves, while Val d’Aosta is engulfed by clouds, Chamonix, France.

Alex uses a SpyderX to keep his colors under control.

A team of adventure racers cross the huge Tyndall Glacier on day 1 of the 2013 Patagonian Expedition Race, Torres del Paine, Chile.

I would recommend shooting a whole lot, in every domain, until you find what you are really passionate about. And even then, keep shooting portraits even if all you want to be is a landscape photographer, or shoot cars, or food, or events. Not only will the practice help refine your eye, but you might get new ideas and insights about how to shoot your favorite subjects.

Photography Type: Adventure, Landscape, Humanitarian

Autumn Blues

Summer holidays are over and autumn blues are starting to kick in. This is the time of year to reflect on beautiful summer moments and to spend more time inside again. It is also the time of year to start thinking about photobooks or large format prints, conveying the most precious summer moments and keeping these memories either for oneself or having parents or grand-parents join in and share these memories. I have to admit that although I am looking back fondly at summer, there is still a part of me enjoying the colorful splendor of autumn.

A great variety of print products

At this point, there is a decision to be made around which type of photo product to pick in order to present my favorite summer pictures. There is such a great variety of magnificent print products to choose from these days that I feel inspired every time I face this decision. Everything is available: different photo books, panoramic formats or large format prints on canvas, Alu-Dibond or acrylic printings. This is just awesome! It doesn’t matter whether I “just” want to keep my memories on paper or I have a more artistic approach; as an enthusiast photographer, there seems to be the perfect print product for everyone.

A long and winding road

As I said before, today’s photo products and services are breathtaking. The quality standard certainly rises when you leave the world of memories and embark on artistic paths, which are usually accompanied by the willingness to spend more money on large format prints or photo books. That being said, I find that mainly enthusiast photographers end up editing their pictures. They change color and contrast, sharpen their images, elaborate details from shadows or simply alienate them one way or another. There are a few basic rules one should adhere to in order to avoid disappointment or anger. Frustration with a print result oftentimes depends on the motive itself and to what extent I am happy to tolerate color deviations from display and final print. In order to avoid frustration and save money in the end, I would like to point out a few hints on what you should consider when editing photos and viewing them on your monitor.

Different monitors display the same picture differently without the help of a profile

Error chain in a non-calibrated system: A black and white image displayed on a non-calibrated monitor with a green tint is corrected with image processing software, using its complementary color magenta. Once saved, the previously correct image file that was displayed incorrectly on the monitor now contains incorrect color information. This results in printed images with a magenta cast.

Rule #1: The color on the monitor should match the color in the image file

If it is important to me that the color or the color mood of my picture on the monitor and later in a photo book or as a large format print “comes across” identically. I will need to ensure that the colors displayed on my monitor match those that are actually saved in the image file. When I do not take care of that, it is as if I am judging color through colored sunglasses. There are always nuances that make a difference between a beautiful blue sky and a sky that tilts more towards cyan, for example. The remedy for this problem is simple monitor calibration.

Rule #2: Adjust the brightness of your monitor

Disappointment is huge when the photo book created with much love and dedication, or the expensive home-made fine art print turns out too dark. Oftentimes, the cause is a monitor with a factory default setting that is too bright. What is good enough for word processing or internet browsing is by far not good enough when preparing images for printing. Prints generally have a contrast range that is 10 times lower than that of a monitor. Therefore, one should use the monitor to simulate the physical printing conditions and dramatically reduce the brightness of the display. It is best to use Datacolor’s Spyder X2get this job done, since these tools are capable of measuring and adjusting the display’s brightness and color.

And here’s another tip: If you follow this rule, you’ll soon find that the monitor looks a bit pale and doesn’t display bright and vivid colors. Its brilliance and blaze of color seems to be gone. It is quite likely that you end up fine-tuning your display’s brightness again, simply because you also want to enjoy your holiday pictures on screen or revert to using the monitor for the purpose of text editing or simply for internet surfing. As a result, you will need to recalibrate your display, at least in terms of brightness, whenever you use it as a professional tool to edit your images. A musician does exactly the same. Even if he owns an expensive classical guitar, he tunes it every time he plays it. Although if the guitar is “pre-calibrated” from the factory, it is always at least slightly out of tune.

The original image with a balanced gray value spread

Rule #3: Ambient light

And finally, an obvious hint. Darken the room you use for image processing and make sure that no direct light shines on your monitor. In addition, make sure that the lighting conditions are always the same and thus are easily replicated.

If you follow these rules, there is no reason left to not achieve great results. When things go wrong, it is usually in your hands and not the service provider’s fault. As such, a properly calibrated monitor is vital in order to properly prepare images for printing. A display calibration solution from Datacolor is the right device to set both brightness and color on a metrological basis – after all, your monitor is the window to your digital holiday pictures.

Ernst Thürnau, Datacolor Senior Marketing Manager and image & media technology engineer