CMYK Separation as TIFF?

[Shotster]

I'm submitting some digital photos to a magazine to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming issue. Here's a quote stating how to submit them:

> If sending your submission on cd, please save to Photoshop TIFF,
> CMYK, 300 dpi minimum with color proofs (fetch catalog appreciated)
> approximately 5x7 size.

I want to make sure I understand this and can do it in Elements. Does this mean I just run through the "CMYK Process" hidden power tool and then save only the grayscale representations of each color into a layered TIFF file - i.e. 4 different grayscale layers in the same file? Is this a common format for submission to a printing service? I have very little experience with the world of print and paper.

Thanks for any help,
---
Steve

[dpnew]

> If sending your submission on cd, please save to Photoshop TIFF,
> CMYK, 300 dpi minimum with color proofs (fetch catalog appreciated)
> approximately 5x7 size.

I want to make sure I understand this and can do it in Elements. Does this mean I just run through the "CMYK Process" hidden power tool and then save only the grayscale representations of each color into a layered TIFF file - i.e. 4 different grayscale layers in the same file? Is this a common format for submission to a printing service? I have very little experience with the world of print and paper.

I don't know if you've read the book or not, but you have to save the CMYK plates as separate files or in a DCS file because "Elements won't handle CMYK channels"(p.142). The instructions say you have to save "to Photoshop TIFF, CMYK". I'm pretty sure that involves changing the color space setting in PS from an RBG color space to CMYK and then saving the file.

Their requirements make sense since they are going to be receiving a lot of submissions, and they aren't going to mess around trying to put four files together to print your image--assuming they even know how. So, you're out of luck unless you know somebody with PS that can save your image in the proper format.

[Richard_Lynch]

You will not be able to save CMYK files to TIFF format from Elements, currently. dpnew is pretty much right on. There may be other options for converting the images. There are other programs that can do this:

http://www.printingforless.com/rgb-cmyk.html
http://www.aols.com/colorite/softwarecmyk.html

I would not see a limit to just this list, as there are of course even more expensive programs...but myself I like freeware when I can get it. Try this list:

http://www.newfreeware.com/graphics/de/P/

In there you will find PhotoLine32, which may be just the ticket. There is a Mac and PC version.

[Shotster]

Ok, I guess what's confusing me is that I didn't realize the TIFF file format "knew" anything about color spaces. I thought the image file format was completely independent of color space. So how does a RGB TIFF differ from a CMYK TIFF? Is it just the fact that the TIFF is saved with 3 layers vs. 4 for CMYK or what? I don't get it. Aren't most TIFFs saved flattened - i.e. without layers?

Thanks again,
---
Steve

[Richard_Lynch]

CMYK is the color mode of the file; TIFF is the format. CMYK will have 4 color channels, and RGB has three. That will be the difference between CMYK and RGB color modes. The TIFF file formatting will not change whether it is CMYK or RGB, it just has more information to encode.

These are distinct things, but as Elements doesn't have a CMYK save directly, you can't save the file you need as CMYK in TIFF format. You create CMYK files in Elements by hijacking a DCS file which comes in 5 parts...as dpnew said.

I would hope the Photoline32 program would help you out...no?

[Shotster]

Thanks for explaining about the TIFF format. And yes, PhotoLine might be helpful, but it's not free as you indicated. It's shareware. Programmers have to eat too, ya know.

[Richard_Lynch]

Sorry, thought that was a freeware page. It doesn't list a price so I made the assumption. In any case, I am certain that it is MUCH less than Photoshop, and as it is shareware you will be able to test to see if it suits your needs. I cannot vouch for the CMYK separation quality.

I have great respect for shareware, as I have an inkling as to what goes into program development...