CS3 Images not the same as Windows/Monitor

[mtyler24]

I tried searching this forum and others, and can't seem to pin down the answer to my problem. I'm trying my best to understand the different profiles too.

I use CS3 and X-rite EyeOne Calibration (calibrated it 2 times recently)

My problem current edit work when I saved it as a jpeg the color was dull in Windows picture Viewer, then tried to proof it in CS3 and Proof to Monitor is the same dull color.

Difference is I compared it to and old jpeg colors are fine in Windows Picture and CS3, when looking at it as a proof in CS3 to compare it to monitor it's dull, but the saved JPEG is the right color.

I tried working with that latest file in many different color profiles, sRGB, RGB, etc. when saved it's dull. I don't do Save to Web.

I'm thinking maybe it's my monitor? Since both files still are dull when using Proof to monitor.

No recent upgrades have been done. Did something get switched in Photoshop?

Thanks for any help, I hope I can make sense of it!

[pavel123]

Re: CS3 Images not the same as Windows/Monitor

Mtyler,
Your message is a bit confusing, I am not sure I can understand what you did. A few general comments:

-I don't think Windows picture viewer is a color managed application, so the picture you see there is not entirely relevant
- You need to set ICC profile that was generated after calibration in OS color management
-To be sure that the right monitor calibration profile is used, set a custom proof (view>proof setup>custom) and select monitor profile that was generated by calibration.
- I don't understand what you mean by that something is of right color as opposed to dull. Once you've setup soft proof to monitor, this will be applied to every file you open in PS.
-The only reason I can think of to see different colors is a different color space. Your JPEGS could have a different color profile embedded, that would be used even if the color space you set in preferences is sRGB. By default PS uses``preserve embedded profile``option, so if your earlier JPEGS are in say ProPhoto they should look brighter

[TommyO]

Re: CS3 Images not the same as Windows/Monitor

Mtyler,
I'll explain it in layman's terms, without getting too technical. (So, everyone else, don't pick this apart... it may have a lot of exceptions.) However, I suspect the issue is related to your understanding of color management. So, I would recommend you read some books, articles, threads or whatever. There is a lot of information out there that's free.

When working in Photoshop, you are working in a color space that is defined by your preferences, i.e. Edit > Color Settings. The color space you choose is generally based upon your imaging needs. For example, many photographers use Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB as their RGB color space. Whereas, many graphic artists rendering images for the web may stay in sRGB.

As the image is pushed out to your graphic card and monitor, it undergoes a conversion within the graphic card. It passes through a look-up-table that has been created by your Eye One calibration tool. This conversion is generally rather minor, as is intended to simply adjust color values a little to compensate for the monitor. So, if a color value of R:150,G:120,B:143 is sent out, it may actually display as R:151,G:122,B:144. The colorimeter in the Eye One has determined how far off the monitor is throughout the spectrum, and how much to adjust each color.

A key point after calibration is to not tweak you monitor controls any more. Leave them alone. The controls don't really adjust anything in the monitor (at least not most of them). They adjust the graphic card. So, you're defeating the calibration by tweaking.

Proofing on screen is done in order to get a feel for how something may print, or may look on the web in a browser. It is not used to tell how an image may look on someone's screen (except for a non-color managed browser). For example, if your image looks good on your monitor and you're pleased with your retouching, great. But, how will it look when you send it to a local photo store that has a Noritsu printer. Well, the only way to know is to "simulate" that print on your screen using a Noritsu printer profile. Where do you get the profile?.... from the photography store. They should have built some profiles for each type of printer and each type of paper. So, you download that profile and save it to your computer (in Windows/System32/Spool/Drivers/Color). Then, in Photoshop you click View > Proof Setup > Custom. Within that dialog you create a new proof that will emulate the Noritsu using the downloaded profile. Now, when you click View > Proof Colors [Ctrl-Y] you can emulate the Noritsu print. If it looks bad, you can edit the image, proof again, edit, proof again, and so on.

Many people will save their file, then save another copy and actually convert the image to the printer profile using Edit > Convert To Profile. This simply saves a lot of time by no longer requiring the proof... edit colors... proof... cycle. You simply edit the image until it looks good; you're essentially proofing all the time.

So, when colors look very different between your screen and a proof, it could be several things. One, you're working in a color space that is too broad. Work in Adobe RGB or sRGB. Two, you're not proofing at all. Three, you're proofing with the wrong proof profile.

In your example/problem, it sounds like it could be two things. One, you have not verified what color space you are working in. Maybe it's too broad. Two, you are proofing to the wrong profile. You should not use the Monitor profile unless you want to see what your image may look like on a non-color managed browser. It actually bypasses your graphic card calibration table in order to simulate someone else's computer/monitor. So, it typically looks a bit goofy. This is the same as if you save the file, then view in Windows' Picture Viewer. (Picture Viewer is non-color managed by the way.)

You should work in a known color space, proof for a printer, save and be happy. If you plan to publish on the web, either work in sRGB, or proof for Windows RGB (not Monitor RGB). Windows RGB is basically the same as sRGB. Again, if the image looks goofy in the proof, save it as a new copy, convert it, then work on that image to get it where you want it. Then, in the end, save that copy as a new file with a descriptive name which includes the profile you designed it for, i.e. myimage_Noritsu_glossy.jpg .