Can we talk color management?

Ok, so for the longest time I didn't bother to convert to sRGB when posting to the web, and what I saw in my browser matched what I saw in CS3, so I thought that any differences were too minor to worry about.

Then, I switched to Firefox (was using safari) and noticed a difference. I went back to follow up on comments to a thread I started and noticed that the image looked horrible.

Turns out that the conversion to sRGB really did matter, and it mattered a LOT!

So I started trying to remember the conversion.

Fast forward to tonight:
I downloaded a photo from one of the threads to try some poking around with the pixels. When I opened it up in CS3 it looked WAY different than what I had originally seen on the thread.

Here is the one:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...6505#post26505

All this got me to wondering what other people see when they are browsing and whether or not images in the browser typically match CS3.

To use my own image, here is a side by side comparison of what I see in Firefox (left) and CS3 downloading the same image (right).



Which image looks closest to what you see in the first post of the thread here:

http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ead.php?t=4024

and which browser do you use?

The one on the right has a strong purple/red cast. In PS, when you go to Edit - Color Settings, what do you see?

I get this:

I have the same settings. Have you checked the thread by Fabs regarding color proofing? http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ead.php?t=2472

I've looked there. Interesting to note that I just re-installed Safari and the colors match the picture on the right in that browser, which is close to how "it is supposed to look" when I processed it.

Under Image - Mode, you have RGB, right? It must be some setting in PS that is off.

If you check "Proof Colors", do you see a difference? :)

Mode=RGB.
Interesting to note as well that I get the same results on my laptop and my main workstation. That would mean that I may have settings off on both machines.

I use i1photo for calibration:

http://www.xrite.com/product_overview.aspx?ID=834

Jim, I use Firefox and the image on the left looks like the original post. Don't know where the second one came from.

I was having big problem in my laptop, colors being off when I saw them in the browser. Once I calibrated my laptop monitor and used the preview feature in PS, I don't have a problem anymore.
I would reset PS to default and calibrate my monitor.

What about the "Proof Colors" setting. Do you see a difference when it is checked/unchecked?

I did see a difference after that, but not total until I calibrated :(

I see the right hand picture as having a strongly pink colour.
Picture on left has natural colours but could possibly be darkened a wee bit.
Ian McHenry

I also see the difference when I turn on proof colors. I'll be doing some recalibration today, but I think a lot of the difference is that Firefox is not color managed and I'm guessing that Safari is.

Just for kicks, those who have the ability can open this thread in Firefox and Safari side by side and see what I'm talking about (or if it all looks the same, then I have more digging to do).


http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ead.php?t=4024

It sounds like a monitor calibration issue. Keep us posted.

I see the problem, Jim is using a MAC.:D

Really, this is a joke. I use both.:)

LoL I have a PC but haven't turned it on since I switched. I'll have to get to the calibration tomorrow. I had too much day job work interfering with my fun today.

Jim - The left one looks correct to me on Mozilla. The problem is almost certainly that Safari is color managed and none of the other major browsers are. One possible cause - if I understand you, you pulled the image off this site, then opened in in CS3. I'm not sure how you got the image, but would it have kept the profile? Did CS3 ask you if you wanted to assign a profile? If not, it may be profile-less or CS3 may be assuming something odd. I noticed you don't seem to have the "Ask When Opening" profile checked.

You can try assigning the image to sRGB, and see if that matches what you see in your browser.

David,

I'm pretty sure you're right.

I went through the calibration regime on all my monitors and machines today. I still get the same result. Also, I notice that when someone posts a picture that is not in sRGB the difference is even more noticeable.

As for how I got the image, I just drag them to the desktop or a folder there (nice thing about a MAC) and then "Open With."
If the profile is embedded in the image, it stays with it.

P.S. Did you get out and enjoy the light today? I was stuck in the basement and couldn't but I'm itching for a day in the field.

I, too, think David's on to something. I opened it in Photoshop and got the image on the right. I should note that Instead of "preserve embedded profile," I have Photoshop set to "Convert to Working Profile," which I have set to Adobe RGB. I also check "Ask When Opening" for both profile mismatches and missing profiles--something you should enable on your installation of Photoshop.

When opening the squirrel, CS3 tells me that the photo has Pro Photo RGB embedded. Pro Photo RGB has a much, much wider gamut than Adobe RGB, which has a much wider gamut than sRGB. If I open it using the existing profile, it looks like the pink version on the right. If I open it set to "convert to working space (Adobe RGB), it looks like the pink version on the right. If I tell CS3 to discard the embedded profile, it looks like the normal, grey squirrel on the left.

Interesting thread. I will have to investigate this more.