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Calibrating my Macbook Pro with Spyder 3 Express
Most of you who read this blog have some sort of fancy camera (i.e. a DSLR) and most of you have some sort of fancy editing program (i.e. PSE, PS or LR) but I cannot safely say that most of you have a monitor calibration system. So, I am going to briefly talk about what the heck that is and why you might need to do it (oh, and I’m giving one away).
What does it mean to calibrate your monitor and why should you do it?
Calibrating your monitor helps you see the colors you think you are seeing, so that the pictures you print have the color you meant them to have.
Simply put, the calibration system measures the colors on your monitor (in the right lighting conditions) and adjusts them to be truer colors if they are off. If you have ever edited a picture, loved everything about it, then printed it and got a big surprise because the picture did not have the colors you were seeing on your monitor, that was most likely because your monitor needed calibrating.
How do you calibrate a monitor? You buy a monitor calibration system. There are many available, some more elaborate and expensive than others. My suggestion to you is access your needs then find the calibration system that will meet those needs. My needs were simple, so I bought a simple system.
What do I use for calibrating my monitor? Spyder 3 Express. It is affordable, easy to use and effective. I bought it 1.5 years ago and I have been extremely pleased with it. I have a video showing how to use the Spyder 3 Express at the bottom of this post, for those interested.
Here are some tidbits about my Spyder that may be helpful to know:
- I can calibrate two separate computer monitors with it
- It notifies me when the calibration has “worn off” and to recalibrate
- I get notified when there are free software updates
- It is small and easy to tote with me if I need to calibrate while away
Things to remember about calibrating:
- Do not calibrate your monitor “cold;” allow it to warm up for 30 min before running the software
- Do not calibrate in the dark
- Do not calibrate with light directly hitting your monitor (like don’t have sunlight shining directly on the monitor)
- Do not calibrate then print at a discount lab (i.e. Walmart, Costco, CVS, etc.) and expect to see the same colors as your monitor – the problem there is the LAB.
To better explain what a calibration system does, here is the product description of Spyder3 Express (per the product page at Amazon):
The Spyder 3 Express adjusts the color on your monitor so your photos appear more accurately. Easy-to-use right out of the box, this award winning proven technology helps you calibrate your display – just like professionals. There’s a reason your on-screen colors aren’t always true. Chances are, your monitor color is the problem, not your camera or your printer. The Spyder 3 Express is a simple monitor color correction tool that automatically adjusts the color of your monitor so what you’re seeing is more true. It is designed for Photo Enthusiasts, Advanced Amateurs, Passionate Photographers and DSLR users of all kinds.
GIVEAWAY IS OVER
Comment #20, made by Beth, was the winning number chosen via Random.org. Thank you to all who entered!
I am giving away one brand new Spyder 3 Express calibration system.
To enter the giveaway simply tell me your favorite book (or top 3 for book lovers out there).
- One entry per person
- Comment must be left on this blog post, not on Facebook
- Giveaway ends Thursday, November 10 at 11:00 PM EST
- Winner will be chosen via Random.org
- Winner will be notified by me via email and has one week to respond, after which another winner will be chosen
GIVEAWAY IS OVER
Note: This is not a sponsored post. I will be buying the Spyder3Express for the winner, not DataColor. All links to Amazon are affiliate links which means I earn 3% of sales made through the link, which help me cover the cost of items I giveaway here.
About Amanda
Awesome giveaway! Thank you for being so generous.
I loved the Harry Potter series and the Hunger Games.
One of my favorite books is The Alchemist byPaulo Coelho. I also have enjoyed Diana Galdebon’s Outlander series. I like any historical fiction, like The Red Tent, The Help, The Other Bolelyn Girl.
Thank you for the chance of a give-a-way…it’s definately time for me to calibrate!
The Scarpetta Series by Patricia Cornwell AND The Women’s Murder Club Series by James Patterson.
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon, The Soldier’s Wife by Margaret Leroy and 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson. Thanks for the chance to win!
My favorite book that I am reading right now for the second time is “The Secret of Contentment” by William Barclay.
My favorite book….hmmm….
Let me do it this way:
My favorite Christian fiction book is Christy, by Catherine Marshal. It’s so amazing, and by the end of it you feel like you’ve lived with the characters!
My favorite secular book is actually a series. It’s the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. It’s SO AMAZING!!!!
Great giveaway…..I loved ” The Shack “
My top three:
1-Alice in Wonderland
2-The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe
3-The Bible
Okay – so I loved “It” by Stephen King. He does a great job of building his story and his characters. Clowns still creep me out.
Thanks for the info on calibrating your monitor. I have heard about this but never investigated it. What an early Christmas it would be to win the Spyder 3 Express!
My all time favorite book is Gone With the Wind…kinda dates me I guess…but I also like anything by Clive Cussler or Patricia Cornwell.
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp-it opened my eyes to how many blessings are around me each day.
this is so something i need! i have many favourite books but could i recommend Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder. a wonderful escape.
Currently, The Help. I teach and also read the Hunger Games series this summer. Love the idea of a calibrating system!
Anything by Janet Evanovich! One for the Money is coming to a theater near you January ’12…can’t wait! I am always up for a good laugh…and I’m not allowed to read them in bed anymore because I start laughing hysterically and the bed shakes and “cranky” gets cranky! 😉
There are so many good books out there I could never narrow it down to one! The ones that have resonated with me recently are 1.) In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan and 2.) Flourish by Martin Seligman
I haven’t had time to read a book in so long (other than a daily bible reading and kid’s books to my grandson) what with trying to build a business.
I have been recommending a health book…”Hormones, Health & Happiness” by Dr. Hotze. It literally saved my life by giving me my life back, healthy and pain free. I think all women should read it just to see the relationship between Hormones and Life!
Fav book?
That would have to be “The Stand” by Stephen King.
Huge book . . but I could not put it down and I hated for it to end!
And by the way . . the TV mini series did NOT do it justice. At all!
My fav book: “The moment of Now” by Eckhart Tolle.
(love your website, Amanda, thanks!)
Greetings from Spain to everyone!!!!!!!!!
“The POWER of Now”, of course….
(I’m not a morning person, jajajaaja)
My favorite book is Jane Eyre – such integrity and conviction!
My favorite book is The Secret Life of Bees.
The only book that’s made me cry was Charlotte’s Web – love love love that book.
My favorite book recently is The Help. I missed it when I was done reading.
Thanks for the giveaway! pick me…pick me! LOL
Katrina Kenison – The Gift of the Ordinary Day………………… check out her 7 minute video on her blog about the book………..best book I’ve read in my life….
Ooooh…book recommendations!
Great idea!
From what I’ve read this year:
[fiction] A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
[non-fiction] The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Thanks for the giveaway! My favorite has been the Great Gatsby for many years!
I have to go with “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy ! 8 )
Thanks!!!
My favorite book is the Bible. Not being cheesy or generic. This is the creator of the universe, the savior of my soul and my daily comfort and friend speaking directly into my life. I find that when I miss my time with this book and its author my day just isn’t the same.
Lately, my favorite books have been of the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Thanks for the giveaway!
Right now it’s the Hunger Games series
The Help and The Scarpetta Series by Patricia Cornwell. Thank you for being so generous.
Great Giveaway! Currently the most impacting for me is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.
The Art of Racing in the Rain….AMAZING!
Well I’m a book lover, I would have to give my favorite authors/books:
Nelson DeMille
Harry Potter Books – love them
and recently read Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol stayed up till after 3:00 a.m. reading it.
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win!
I recently read A Dog’s Purpose and it was such a sweet book. I also love the Twilight series. Finally, I read Marley and Me last year and loved it too!
Great giveaway!
Favorite book since childhood is Anne of Green Gables. Anne made me embrace my hair and be proud to be a redhead!
I’m currently enjoying “Grace for the Good Girl”. A good, easy-t0-read, uplifting book.
Ooh! This is on my Christmas list!
Favorite books:
As a child: Harriet The Spy or any Babysitter’s Club book
Right now: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
The Count of Monte Cristo (abridged)
My favorites are Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen), The Green Mile (Stephen King), and all the Harry Potter books. Thanks for the chance to win.
The Bible would be my first. I wouldn’t want to imagine by life without it.
Regarding fiction books–enjoyed earlier John Grisham, Safely Home by Randy Alcorn, and a Rush of Wings by K. Heitzmann.
Oh I have been thinking about getting calibrated for awhile now. This is an awesome giveaway, thank you for the chance.
My very favorite book of all time is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
One favorite book is very hard to pick, even three are hard, but I’ll give it a shot. I’ll have to say these are 3 “of my” favorite books.
1) Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher
2) Calico Palace by Gwen Bristow
3) Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
1-The Help by Kathryn Stockett (currently reading, haven’t finished, enjoying it so far)
2-The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (fave book when I was little)
3-The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreth (on my reading list)
I’ve been wanting one for the longest time! Thanks for the chance to win!
My favorite book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers!
I’ve needed a monitor calibrator for a long time, but honestly, it scared me! You’ve shown me that it’s nothing to be afraid of! Thanks 🙂
I loved Harry Potter. They are one of the few series I have read mulitiple times.
I read 2 books this summer that go on my favs list. Unbroken and Water for Elephants. Thansk for the giveaway.
the Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. SO amazing on so many levels.
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED! The Shell Seekers!! 😀
I can’t pick one book, I have to pick a series. The Harry Potter Series is my favorite!