Technology in color separations has advanced I rapidly, and now provides the opportunity to color separate film in groups, either electronically or photographically, which is less expensive than individually shot separations. The equipment used is computer-driven and capable of picking up very fine detail from the photography. Electronic systems are frequently utilized for catalog separation work. These are state-of-the-art scanning systems that will do much more than just separations. They can be used to prepare the mechanical art boards, whereby the operator electronically moves type, four-color artwork, and design elements
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around on the spread to the desired position. They can also be used to take the place of extensive retouching and of transparency duplication. However, these electronic systems should not be used as a crutch to help save poor quality photography. They are expensive to operate, resulting in a cost to correct film that can be much higher than simply contracting for good photography for your catalog. Color proofing is the checkpoint for fidelity in separations. Ideally, transparencies should be turned over to the separator with “Match the chrome” instructions. This means that you are happy with the transparency, and that the separator’s objective is to
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match it. However, for several reasons, photographed merchandise will frequently show up in film in a different color than the actual sample. It may be an effect that happens under the shooting lights because of luminous dyes in the fabrics or substance of the product. This happens in makeup, leathers, vinyl’s and in many kinds of cloth material. So color shifts may occur in photography in spite of careful lighting and other controls. If change or balance is needed in order to color correct the products and/or the backgrounds, the request should be made to the separator when the transparencies are being released.
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