confused by color profiles

L
Posted By
louise
Mar 16, 2007
Views
463
Replies
9
Status
Closed
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.

I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.

I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?

My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of:
don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different
printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.

Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.

TIA

Louise

MacBook Pro 16” Mockups 🔥

– in 4 materials (clay versions included)

– 12 scenes

– 48 MacBook Pro 16″ mockups

– 6000 x 4500 px

J
Jim
Mar 16, 2007
"louise" wrote in message
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.
I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.
I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?
My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.
Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.
TIA

Louise

A very short primer on color profiles:

There are three kinds of profile:
1. Profiles for input devices such as scanners and cameras. Such a profile only needs to contain information about handling the input file. I. e., it won’t work on a printer.

2. Output profiles for such devices as displays and printers. PS would use a profile for data that it is sending to an output device.

3. Input/Output profiles for internal use. It has the information required to convert input files into internal representation and to convert internal representation into output files.

Thus, in your case, your camera acquires the image and converts the data to the sRGB gamut.

You are still free to use whatever color space you desire as the working gamut in PS. I use Adobe RGB as a working space because its gamut encompasses both the input profile and the output profile.

However, when printing, you should use the profile associated with your printer (ink and paper). PS will do the conversion from one gamut to another.

Also, when sending a file to your monitor, you should use the profile associated with that monitor.

The entire goal of all this is to get as close as you can to What You Get is What You See. Yes, color management is complex.

I never select "don’t color manage". I never merely assign a profile unless I know that the data is really in the targeted gamut, but for some reason that knowledge no longer exists in the input file.

The best reference is "Real World Color Management" by the late great Bruce Fraser.

Jim
Jim
TW
Toobi Won Kenobi
Mar 16, 2007
"louise" wrote in message
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.
I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.
I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?
My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.
Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.
TIA
Louise

See http://www.computer-darkroom.com/home.htm two essays (amongst others)on CS2 colour management and printing.
TWK
J
Jim
Mar 16, 2007
"Toobi Won Kenobi" wrote in message
"louise" wrote in message
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.
I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.
I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?
My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.
Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.
TIA
Louise

See http://www.computer-darkroom.com/home.htm two essays (amongst others)on
CS2 colour management and printing.
TWK
Yes, I would have put that URL into my reply if I could only have remembered it.

Jim
TW
Toobi Won Kenobi
Mar 16, 2007
"Jim" wrote in message
"Toobi Won Kenobi" wrote in message
"louise" wrote in message
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.
I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.
I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?
My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.

Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.
TIA
Louise

See http://www.computer-darkroom.com/home.htm two essays (amongst others)on
CS2 colour management and printing.
TWK
Yes, I would have put that URL into my reply if I could only have remembered it.
Jim,

It’s well worth a bookmark 😉

TWK
L
louise
Mar 17, 2007
Toobi Won Kenobi wrote:
"louise" wrote in message
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.
I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.
I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?
My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.
Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.
TIA
Louise

See http://www.computer-darkroom.com/home.htm two essays (amongst others)on CS2 colour management and printing.
TWK
Thanks, but I’m still using Photoshop 7. Looking at these tutorials makes me long for CS2 as they seem to have
improved this area a lot.

Louise
TW
Toobi Won Kenobi
Mar 17, 2007
"louise" wrote in message
Toobi Won Kenobi wrote:
"louise" wrote in message
I’m running Win XP, and Photoshop 7. I have a Sony CRT and I have the profile for the Sony Monitor. I have a Canon digital camera.
I just purchased an HP Photosmart 8250 (vivara inks – seven ink cartridges, etc). I am using the paper recommended for the printer.
I am totally confused as to how to organize the different color settings in PS.

The photos produced by the Canon have the standard embedded srgb ie66 etc. profile.
My working space is Monitor – RGB Sony Triniton etc.

So first I am asked if I wish to use the embedded profile or the working space. So I choose the working space because that is the monitor image from which I’ll be adjusting the photo – is this correct?
My plan is to make a print on my HP 8250.

So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage
working RGB – Sony Trinitron etc.
or…..a large dropdown list of many different printers, srgb settings etc. Should I choose the profile for my
HP 8250 with the paper I’ll be using?

If I choose the profile for the HP printer, the picture on the screen looks much less color accurate than it does if I choose the RGB Sony Triniton. So this is very confusing to me. Which should I choose and more importantly, why?

Then I adjust the levels, colors, brightness, etc. of the image on the screen and I’m ready to print.

I have a new set of options 🙂

The printer allows me to choose either
Colorsmart/srgb
Adobe RGB
Managed by application

Once again, which do I choose? Since I’ve told PS to use the printer and paper, should I choose managed by application?

My monitor also has a setting for sRGB. When I used this setting, all my prints had a very mild blue tint.

It seems that when I use Adobe RGB, the colors are vibrant but everything is a drop too red and this also sometimes happens with Colorsmart/sRGB.

Thanks to all who read this long post and as I’m sure is obvious by now, I don’t really understand the "art" of color management. I’ve tried several times to study the help menus in PS, but I can’t really understand much more when I’m done.

All help, clarifications, links to clarifications, greatly accepted.
TIA
Louise

See http://www.computer-darkroom.com/home.htm two essays (amongst others)on
CS2 colour management and printing.
TWK
Thanks, but I’m still using Photoshop 7. Looking at these tutorials makes me long for CS2 as they seem to have improved this area a lot.
Louise,

I know a number of PS7 users who used these tutorials to solve their profiling problems. Long for CS2? You will have to hurry as CS3 will be out shortly.
TWK
LL
Lewis Lorton
Mar 29, 2007
Toobi Won Kenobi wrote:
So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage

I don’t use ASSIGN PROFILE. From what I’ve read, using that doesn’t change anything, it just changes the NAME of the existing file profile. and it is supposed to be used when the pic hasn’t any imbedded profile and you think you know what the color space should be so you ASSIGN it. So you stand a good chance of screwing up your color management workflow right there.

I use Image>CONVERT TO PROFILE
TW
Toobi Won Kenobi
Mar 29, 2007
"Lewis Lorton" wrote in message
Toobi Won Kenobi wrote:
So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage

I don’t use ASSIGN PROFILE. From what I’ve read, using that doesn’t change anything, it just changes the NAME of the existing file profile. and it is supposed to be used when the pic hasn’t any imbedded profile and you think you know what the color space should be so you ASSIGN it. So you stand a good chance of screwing up your color management workflow right there.

I use Image>CONVERT TO PROFILE

I see no mention of you actually calibrating your monitor. (blue in sRGB suggests your calibration is off)
You need to get the colours right on screen before you can hope to get them correct in print.

TWK
TW
Toobi Won Kenobi
Mar 29, 2007
"Lewis Lorton" wrote in message
Toobi Won Kenobi wrote:
So I go to image/mode/assign profile. Here I am given a choice of: don’t color manage

I don’t use ASSIGN PROFILE. From what I’ve read, using that doesn’t change anything, it just changes the NAME of the existing file profile. and it is supposed to be used when the pic hasn’t any imbedded profile and you think you know what the color space should be so you ASSIGN it. So you stand a good chance of screwing up your color management workflow right there.

I use Image>CONVERT TO PROFILE

Are you using your monitor profile as your colour space? This’ll never do, you need to be in either sRGB or Adobe RGB. Still confused?
Read
http://www.lexjet.com/lexjet/icc_profiles/profiles/Epson%20D river%20profiles/How-to-Use-ICC-Profiles.pdf
It’s for an Epson and PS7 but it applies to any printer. TWK

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