Color shift in PhotoShop

[rm]

This happens on virtually every rendering I produce out of Artlantis or Piranesi. I set up my view, lights, size....etc, hit render and wait for the image to magically appear. Color / light / saturation is as intended ( or at least as good as Artlantis will allow for ).

Then I take the image into Photoshop to crop, touch up, size, and prepare for my layout sheet so I can print.

As I open the jpeg in PhotoShop, the image color and saturation shift. Usually the result is the image is darker, and more saturated. I tested this just now in Illustrator too, and while the problem occurs, it is not nearly as bad as in PhotoShop.

Is there a setting in PhotoShop that lets the imported image look as originally produced. I hate having to adjust every image in Photoshop.....its really a time suck. Anyone else noticed this.

Dwight, maybe this is one for you to field.

Thanks in advance!

[rm]

rm wrote:
I hate having to adjust every image in Photoshop.....its really a time <b>[censored]</b>. Anyone else noticed this.

Thats funny, I got censored for a word that is not a curse or foul word. It sounds like Chuck, get rid of the ch and add "s" to the front of the word.

Wow, so much for free speech

[Karl Ottenstein]

rm wrote:
As I open the jpeg in PhotoShop, the image color and saturation shift. Usually the result is the image is darker, and more saturated. I tested this just now in Illustrator too, and while the problem occurs, it is not nearly as bad as in PhotoShop.

First, I wouldn't use jpeg until final output. Even at highest quality, it is a lossy format and can alter color somewhat, more so with high compression. Try TIF.

This sounds like a color management problem. Even if you haven't calibrated your monitor (which you should if you want to see what is supposed to be printed), what you see in each application should match.

Photoshop has various options for color profiles when you open a file. It can read the profile from the file (won't find one for your jpeg), it can assign a default profile, or it can simply not color-manage the document.

My guess is that your settings in PS are to assign a default working profile, and you have that profile set at Adobe RGB, which will produce the affect you are describing.

If you use a default working RGB profile, it should probably be sRGB.

In PS CS2 and CS, the profile and color settings commands are under the Edit menu. Illustrator is using a different profile for you.

Also, with CS2, all Adobe Creative Suite applications can be made to use a common color profile management scheme via the new Adobe Bridge. There is a PDF file on color management on one of the CS2 CD's.

HTH,
Karl

[rm]

Karl wrote:


First, I wouldn't use jpeg until final output. Even at highest quality, it is a lossy format and can alter color somewhat, more so with high compression. Try TIF.

This sounds like a color management problem. Even if you haven't calibrated your monitor (which you should if you want to see what is supposed to be printed), what you see in each application should match.

Photoshop has various options for color profiles when you open a file. It can read the profile from the file (won't find one for your jpeg), it can assign a default profile, or it can simply not color-manage the document.

My guess is that your settings in PS are to assign a default working profile, and you have that profile set at Adobe RGB, which will produce the affect you are describing.

If you use a default working RGB profile, it should probably be sRGB.

In PS CS2 and CS, the profile and color settings commands are under the Edit menu. Illustrator is using a different profile for you.

HTH,
Karl

Karl THANK YOU


Couple of things. First believe it or not, the original screen image produced as a jpg or tif is best matched on my monitor with the Generic RGB when the image is opened in PS CS, if you can believe that. The sRGB actually turns the screen image dark and saturated. There is also a profile called Apple Cinema Display which is pretty close too, and since my office does all work on Apple LCD cinema displays, this is probably a good thing.

A side note about monitor calibration, believe it or not, when printing color to a Cannon i9900 from an Apple 22" Cinema display from PS, the resulting print is almost an "exact" match. Now I know if we calibrated with a Spyder, we would probably get an even better match. I guess my point is between Apples builtin Colorsync software and the Cinema display, color matching is "almost" not a problem. My problem has been that I have been getting color shift from my originals out of Artlantis and Piranesi into PS.

One other small clarification. To adjust the profile, at least on a Mac, in PS you go to the Image menu / Mode / Assign Profile......I was scratching my head trying under the Edit menu as you suggested. But maybe thats how its done on Windows.

Anyway, thanks for your insight, it is was quite useful.

Regards!

[Karl Ottenstein]

You're welcome. Glad I could help out a little.

rm wrote:
One other small clarification. To adjust the profile, at least on a Mac, in PS you go to the Image menu / Mode / Assign Profile......I was scratching my head trying under the Edit menu as you suggested. But maybe thats how its done on Windows.

Sorry. I was looking at CS2. Yes, in CS, the menus under Windows match those on Mac.

In CS2 ( 9 ), they put all color commands together under Edit.

In CS ( 8 ), Assign Profile and Convert to Profile are under Image / Mode as you say ... but Color Settings is under Edit.

Very nice that without a spyder you're getting such a great color match. Another plus to being on a Mac. 😉

Best regards,
Karl