Highlight/Shadow Test

Ben Willmore's Highlight/Shadow Test

If you're looking for the Minimum Highlight and Maximum Shadow test mentioned in Photoshop User magazine, then you've come to the right place.
Click here to down load the 24K test image

If the image doesn't download from just clicking on the link above, then try Option-clicking the link if you're on a Mac, or right-clicking on it in Windows. In windows you should be presented with a menu that includes a choice that would download the image (but it might not be labeled download so experiment).

Once you've downloaded the test image, open it in Photoshop. If you're prompted with a Missing Profile dialog box, then choose the Assign working gray choice and click ok. If you do not get a Missing Profile warning, then choose Image>Mode>Assign Profile right after opening the file, choose the Working Gray option and click ok.

Next, print the file on the printer you'd like to test using the same printer settings that you use for all your grayscale images. Once it's printed look very closely at the result.

You're looking for the any hint of information showing up below the 1-10% gray markers. The lightest shade of gray that actually shows up on your printer is your minimum highlight dot.
Next, look at the dark areas below the 99-90% areas and look for the darkest area where you can see the slightest hint of a horizontal black line. That will indicate your maximum shadow dot for your printer and paper combination.