The Finished Cover

Mulberry Square was recently asked to print manage a wedding photography booklet, “A Guide To Posing”. We were supplied with the digital artwork and the copy for the booklet and were tasked to find the right printer, paper, finishing and binding to perfectly complement the images contained within.

With such important images; those of a bride and groom on their wedding day, it was essential that the colour management of this booklet was perfect. The effects of the lighting on people’s faces can make or break an image and so our pre-flighting expertise was key to ensuring the look of this booklet lived up to its potential. Happily, as we at Mulberry Square always employ cutting edge digital proofing – to FOGRA standards – you can rest assured that your printing will always be picture perfect.

An oversight or a cock up? I commend Heidelberg for their effort but to what end? I find it pretty difficult to criticise what I and many deem to be the standard bearers in terms of printing press manufacture – 95% of the presses our partners in print employ are made by Heidelberg, and why? Because these printers can, when using ISO12647 accredited papers supplied by Howard Smith Papers, match our contract proofs, ran through a GMG/Epson system and calibrated to FOGRA 39L – the ISO12647 standard for proofing. In their attempt to align themselves with the ISO12647-2 colour management standard Heidelberg have scored a bit of an own goal!

The word on the street is that Heidelberg have a deal in place with Robert Horne for the supply of paper – well done Robert Horne but really, how can it be that they thought that nobody would pick up on the fact that the papers used in the guide do not meet the criteria set by the ISO? The result – a colour guide with a price tag of £50.00 that does not meet the standards set by the ISO!