Color Space for Posting to Web

[AndrewCCM]

Just wanted to post a little something after noticing a LOT of posted images lately with Adobe RGB colorspace embedded.

Hope this helps some of you...

If you shoot and/or edit in a colorspace other than sRGB, be sure and CONVERT to sRGB before posting to the web. Most browsers are NOT colorspace aware and expect sRGB. When an alternative colorspace image is displayed in a browser, many times the image will become washed out and desaturated.

So...if you are noticing that your posted images don't look as good as they did in Photoshop, be sure and check your colorspace.

I typically work in ProPhoto RGB 16bit as assigned from RAW. However, prior to posting any image to the web, I will CONVERT (not ASSIGN) to sRGB. This allows the image to closely mimic Photoshop rendition of the colors while viewing in a web browser.

Thought this might be useful information for some.

[JohnT]

Just to add one little tidbit of important info to what Andrew said...

Keep in mind that once you convert to sRBG from a larger color space (e.g., ProPhoto), there is no going back so you'll want to save your image that you labored over first before doing the conversion. In my early days of processing, I made the mistake of converting without saving the original. Oops.

[AndrewCCM]

So true...
Been there done that too...
:)

[AKPhotography]

Glad I saw this post! Hopefully you can help...

I'm having a hard time with my color from PS to the web or in any other application other than PS and I can't figure out why.

I've checked my camera settings and PS mode, they are all in sRGB.

It is really evident on my b&ws, see below. color looks completely different. If it is a color image, it turns really dark. IfI add a screen layer, it actually looks somwhat ok.

Any ideas?

[Jenny Z]

I've got a silly question, screenshots would be helpful....

I see where you can convert to sRGB in Camera Raw, before you open the picture to work on it. But where is the option to convert it to sRGB before you save a copy to post on the web?

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by Jenny Z

I've got a silly question, screenshots would be helpful....

I see where you can convert to sRGB in Camera Raw, before you open the picture to work on it. But where is the option to convert it to sRGB before you save a copy to post on the web?

In Photoshop, go to the Edit menu and choose 'Convert to Profile.." then select sRGB in the drop-down for the color space. (sorry, no screenshot since I'm at work )

[jasonhuang]

Originally Posted by AKPhotography

Glad I saw this post! Hopefully you can help...

I'm having a hard time with my color from PS to the web or in any other application other than PS and I can't figure out why.

I've checked my camera settings and PS mode, they are all in sRGB.

It is really evident on my b&ws, see below. color looks completely different. If it is a color image, it turns really dark. IfI add a screen layer, it actually looks somwhat ok.

Any ideas?

Not sure if this is the fix, but click on "View" on the top bar, go to "Proof Setup" and click on "Monitor RGB" and then click on "View" again and make sure "Proof Colors" is checked. I think this will produce accurate results between PS and how your monitor/computer views browsers. I'm a real huge noob when it comes to color spaces, but I've used this to 'fix' other stuff before....good luck! (someone please tell me if I'm wrong!)

[AKPhotography]

Originally Posted by jasonhuang

Not sure if this is the fix, but click on "View" on the top bar, go to "Proof Setup" and click on "Monitor RGB" and then click on "View" again and make sure "Proof Colors" is checked. I think this will produce accurate results between PS and how your monitor/computer views browsers. I'm a real huge noob when it comes to color spaces, but I've used this to 'fix' other stuff before....good luck! (someone please tell me if I'm wrong!)

OMG - YOU ARE A GENIOUS!!! This is at least the 3rd board I have asked this on and noone has known why it happens. I think its fixed!!

Well, I guess I have another question now... how do I get it to look like the before?? hah, It looks so much better before. The "accurate" color (once I changed it to Monitor RGB), looks terrible. Is this how everyone sees it or just how my monitor shows?

Wow - I went through and changed it from Monitor RGB, to Macintosh RBG, to Windows RGB and they all look so diffrerent. How do I know which is right (to see what everyone else see and what my prints will look like)?

Thanks so much for your help! I feel like I have a huge weight lifted off my shoulders!

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Kinda along the same lines... IF you use a lab for business card and other printed materials... AND they use the CMYK color space. It is best to pick your colors in the CMYK color space and then find the sRGB equivalents. If you pick your colors in the sRGB color space and then try to convert them to the CMYK color space, most likely you will not be able to have the exact same color.

Take sRGB (100, 149, 237) for example... which is "cornflower blue" by the way. There is no CMYK equivalent. That color will "shift" to sRGB (109, 145, 202) when you convert to CYMK. And that's not what you wanted is it?!

So, pick your branding colors carefully.

Nice topic Andrew!

- Wil

[Jenny Z]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

In Photoshop, go to the Edit menu and choose 'Convert to Profile.." then select sRGB in the drop-down for the color space. (sorry, no screenshot since I'm at work )

Aah, perfect! Thanks!