At the time I do softproofing at the last step in my workflow. Often applying a curve and some extra saturation before print.

Would you benefit to have softproofing on when you start in photoshop.

I often work like this:
Lightroom:
• Whitebalance
• White and black point
• Color noise reduction
Photoshop
• Capture sharpening
• Contrast work
• Color enhancing work
• Burning and dodging work
• Detail massaging, (bring a bit more texture if need)
• Output sharpening
---
Softproofing
• Curve to balance contrast
• Bump saturation to bring back colors if needed, depends on output medium
• Check the blacks
---> Then print

Then I start to think about it, If I adapted to the output medium already at the start my resultat maybe be better. As I would edit for a limited medium. Not a big prophoto 16 bit space.

I have no idea if this stupid. I havnt actually tested. But as usual I more than welcome to learn from others experience instead off testing all stuff myself

What would happen if you change your output to another type of printer/inks/media?

True, didnt thought about that. Thanks for pointing that simple issue out. Heh theories always good to share with others. Somehow somethings always looks so good inside the head.

Well I guess there is no shortcuts.

I think Jeffs comment in the LL camera to print is funny and true. Soft-proofing is look-like-crap button.

Cheers,
Daniel

So another reason not to "soft-proof" too early is so you won't get too depressed and give up on potentially good images.

I would do the Capture sharpening within LR