Reference calibration patch arrangement to minimize exposure and measurement artifacts and maximize robustness to defects

A method of arranging a plurality of reference calibration patches produced by a sequence of exposures on a photographic element, the photographic element exhibiting linear defects in a predominant direction, comprising the steps of:

• a) arranging the reference calibration patches in a two dimensional array;
• b) assigning exposures to the reference calibration patches such that nearest neighbors in the predominant direction are not nearest neighbors in the exposure sequence, whereby the effects of a linear defect are reduced;
• and
• c) simultaneously assigning exposures to the reference calibration patches in the array such that the maximum number of steps in the exposure sequence between a reference calibration patch and that of its nearest neighbors in any direction is less than a predetermined number, whereby the effects of flare are reduced.