BenQ

Editing my Photographs in Lightroom on my iPad Pro

Now that I’ve been able to calibrate the screen on my iPad Pro, I’m really enjoying it when from time to time I retouch some of my pictures on it; reason being that the results on my calibrated iPad Pro are extremely close to how they look on my calibrated BenQ SW 272U Display.

I always struggled taking it seriously before now because it wasn’t calibrated and thought …

What’s the point when I’d then have to go and make corrections
in Lightroom on my desktop afterwards?
— Me (Before)

But now this is definitely not the case …

I actually had the technical folks at Calibrite reach out to me after having seen the iPad Pro calibration video I shared on my YouTube channel, asking if I’d be able to do a 2nd calibration to check whether the one I did was indeed accurate; and it most definitely was …

  • Target Luminance = 100cd/m2

  • Achieved Luminance = 99.355cd/m2

  • Target X = 0.3127

  • Achieved X = 0.313

  • Target Y = 0.3290

  • Achieved Y = 0.331

So yeah … the calibration of the iPad Pro screen worked a treat!

If you didn’t see the video I put together showing how to calibrate the iPad Pro and whaich also makes sense of what all this Luminance, X and Y stuff is all about, here it is …

So now, knowing that my iPad Pro screen calibration is good, I’m definitely making more use of it; not for every edit but just for those times when I just fancy sitting with my feet up in front of the TV and tinkering and when out and about on a phot shoot and then grabbing a coffee.

Also on those occasions if I haven’t finished the editing, when I get back home in front of my main computer I can just pick up in Lghtroom on my desktop from where I got to in Lightroom on my iPad Pro; such is the way that Lightroom syncs across all devices.

Clever stuff!

Actually on the subject of getting home and diving back on to my main computer, I’ve some new kit coming that is going to improve my workflow, set up and backing up, so I’ll make sure to share about that here and in a video 👍🏻

FIXED 💥 BenQ Display CALIBRATION SETTINGS + Hot Key Puk

If you’ve a BenQ Display with a Hot Key Puk, when calibrating the display using either the Palette Master Ultimate and Palette Master Element software you can assign different calibrations into 3 different presets namely calibration 1, calibration 2 or calibration 3.

Each of these can then be quickly and easily junmped between using the corresponding 1, 2 and 3 keys on the Hot Key Puk.

However, if when pressing 1, 2 or 3 the display doesn not change to the corresponding calibration setting, here’s the VERY simple fix …

Note:

As a BenQ Ambassador I am able to help out with a discount on anty of the SW and PD range of displays.

If you’d like to know more, just drop me a message using the CONTACT page

DISPLAY 123 - Screen Calibration SIMPLIFIED but IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE

The Display 123 from Calibrite removes the technicals from Screen Calibration making it possible for everyone with a simple 3 step process ... BUT it's not aimed at the Professional!

NOTE

The Display 123 is NOT suitable for the new LED technology Displays such as in the New Apple Macbook Pro M3 and Apple Pro Display XDR; for these a device like the Display Pro HL from Calibrite would be needed. The display 123 COULD prolfile these displays however only in sRGB. For all other displays using Backlit technology (which is currently the majority of displays on the market, the Display 123 will Calibrate the screen albeit without the additional parameters that more expensive / high end devices can. The display 123 is more aimed at the Consumer as opposed to the Professional.

For more information check out the Calbrite website ( LINK )

Want / Need a BIGGER Display to use with your Apple MacBook ?

So this morning I was contacted by someone from my Newsletter Subscriber list asking about the BenQ Discount I’m able to give details about for their SW and PD range of displays, but also asking a bit of advice on their choice of display.

In short, they use a MacBook Pro as their main computer but the current display (not BenQ) that they plug their MacBook into, after a good few years of reliable service has developed a fault that by all accounts to get fixed would cost more than a replacement, so … a replacement it is.

SW or PD ?

Initially they were looking at getting the BenQ SW272Q which basically has the same spec as the display I have, the SW272U other than it’s a 2K display rather than 4K, however after a bit of digging about to discover exactly what they do, I suggested they consider a Display from BenQ’s PD Range.

As for ‘what they do’ it was mainly editing their photographs but not doing any home printing; if they did print any images they used a lab. They also did a little bit of video editing for social media content and the rest was general day to day computer use stuff.

The reason I recommended they take a look at the PD range of displays from BenQ was first and foremost because their main computer is their MacBook Pro.

Mac Ready

The PD range of displays are Mac Ready, meaning when you connect the MacBook and turn on M-Book mode you get identical colour and brightness, basically meaning no difference between the MacBook screen and the BenQ PD display.

HASSLE FREE Connection

Using just one cable, Thunderbolt 3, you connect the MacBook to the display and this cable is also used for audio, video and data.

ERGONOMIC STAND INCLUDED

The PD displays come with an ergonomic stand that as well as having that Mac metal kind of look, is also able to tilt, rotate and is height adjustable.

2 DISPLAYS IN 1

I have the PD 3420Q as a 2nd display, and because of the ultra wide screen format being 3440 x 1440, it’s like having 2 Displays in 1.

Unless I have Premiere Pro open full screen on my PD display, I’ll often have the Chrome Browser AND my MacMail open together side by side which makes day to day working at my computer way more efficient.

There’s lots more to the PD displays but I just thought it beneficial to share the main reasons I recommended the PD over the SW range of displays, and also to give you something to think about if you were consiodering a new display … especially if you’re a Mac user.

PRICE DISCOUNT

Anyway, if you are looking to get a new display now or in the near future, drop me a message and I’ll give you a link to a page where I have details that explain how you can get a discount on Benq displays in the SW and PD range.

There’s a reason I won’t just post that openly here and when you go to the page I explain why that is 😉

Also, here’s a link to my GEAR page where you can see my desktop set up and the displays I use.

My ULTIMATE Desktop Set Up for Photography, Content and Zoom ( YouTube LIVE )

I'm often asked about the kit / hardware I use every day for photography , content and live streaming so in this video I'll go through the lot; EVERYTHING I use that makes editing (photography& video) and streaming so much easier.

You can see all of the kit I go through over on my GEAR page.

GET IT RIGHT!!! My Step by Step Guide to DISPLAY CALIBRATION for PHOTOGRAPHERS

If you work on images on your computer then Accurate Colours, Brightness and Contrast of your Display is VITAL so here's my Step by Step Guide to GETTING IT RIGHT!!! In this video I use the NEW Palette Master Ultimate Software from BenQ but the settings I use translate to other displays and software …

Check out the NEW Palette Master Ultimate Software … ( LINK )

I’ll be posting a video very soon about my new display which is the BenQ SW272U which has a completely redesigned interior with faster processor making the calibration process literally 50% faster , a matt screen which redices the effect of reflections and glare , screen hood , wireless hot key puk and although it might not seem like a big deal, actually is … a fake leather material on the stand so you can place items on it without them sliding off.

In the mean time, here’s a link for more detials about the display which despite being brand new with new technology, is a way more affordable option than the larger SW321C … ( LINK )

Wales and West Photography Show 2023

Last Friday (16th June) I was at the Wales and West Photography Show, held at the International Convention Centre in South. Wales, presneting on behalf of Permajet

This was the 2nd year of the show, and my first time being there and loved every minute! Such a great venue and so well organised with a great hall of vendors, stands and stage / presentation area.

Nothing was too much trouble. Smiling faces an d helpful staff from. the Camera Centre UK but also from staff at the Convention Centre. There was always someone noticing if you were ok or not, maybe needed pointing in the right direction and so on. Also outside, a great refreshements area.

My talk / presentation was going thorugh how to get “Perfect Prints” so taking folks through how to correctly calibrate their displays and also explaining what certain settings mean, what settings to use in your printing software (Lightroom, Photoshop etc) and then paper choice.

This was a brand new presentation I’d put together for the show including the new Palette Master Ultimate Software from BenQ, which allowed me to go through settings clearly and that translated into other calibration software. Feedback after and since has been wonderful, so thank you if you were there!

Thank you to my friend Steve Healy for grabbinh these shots during my presentation

Thanks once again to Permajet, in particular Adam Hinchcliffe who not only was working incredibly hard on the stand but sorted everything out so that on the day I literally had nothing to think about other than my presentation. Also, Abi Symons who had done a fantastic job printing out some of my images on various papers, so that they could be on display on the stand over the 3 days and folks there could cleasrly see the benefits of certain paper types.)

If this was just the 2nd year of the Wales and West Photography Show then I can’t wait for next year. It’s definitely one to add into the diary!

BenQ UK "Show your Mac Desktop" Event to WIN a Designer Monitor

BenQ UK are currently running a “Show your Mac Desktop” Event where anyone who posts a picture on Instagram of their current Mac Device and BenQ Monitor stands a chance to WIN a 4K Thunderbolt 3 Designer Monitor …

To enter the competion all you need to do is the following steps …

Post the photos on your public Instagram channel with hashtags #BenQ and #ShowYourMacDeskSetup
Visit BenQ UK event site 
✅ 
Visit @aqcolor_by_benq and @BenQ UK on Instagram 
Follow @BenQ UK on Twitter

Here’s my current Desktop Set Up with my Designer Monitor (PD 3420Q) on the right hand side and you can just about see my Apple Mac Studio on the far left 😃


My GO-TO Screen Settings for PERFECT PRINTS

My GO-TO screen calibration settings for PERFECT PRINTS!

I always have 2 different screen calibrations stored in my BenQ display … one for day to day use , video editing etc and the other purely for photography.

Both have different settings but the ones I show here for Photography ensure a near perfect Screen to Print match 👍🏻

This video is just 60 secinds long and I show the settings for Photography / Print …