Saving images for web

[john arrison]

I open the images in photoshop everything looks ok. Then I click on file tab, then save for web. When the window opens I loose a lot of color in the photos. I can't remember in the past this happening as bad as it is now. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong or if there is a setting I am not aware of. Anyone have any ideas?

[jfrancho]

In Photoshop, Edit > Convert to Profile... and choose sRGB as the destination color space.



Then you can save for the web, though I prefer to resize it manually and us File > Save As... to preserve embedded EXIF.

[john arrison]

This works! I couldn't tell much difference in the color when I saved for web.
What does convert to profile do?
I have never tried this before. I have always done all pp. then resized and saved for web. I just took some pics over the last 2 days that had some fall colors in them. The originals looked pretty good till I tried (Save for Web) without using Convert to Profile. The color faded a lot.
Every time I read this forum I learn something.

[jfrancho]

What you were doing before was inadvertently assigning sRGB to images that may not have been created or edited in that colorspace. Therefore the colors were odd. sRGB is the standard colorspace for non color managed applications. Non color manged apps include many web browsers, Windows Fax and Picture Viewer, Paint. If there are no "Color Management" options, then assume it isn't managed. This is where Macs do a better job than Windows. If all that sounds confusing, repeat this mantra, "ALWAYS CONVERT, NEVER ASSIGN COLOR PROFILES."

Now to the deeper advice: The easiest color management policy is bind to sRGB early in the workflow, like in the camera. Be sure the cam is set to sRGB, or if you shoot raw, check the converter settings. You cannot mess the color up this way. Now, if you want to learn more about color management, and wide gamut color spaces like Adobe RGB or Prophoto RGB, start doing a little "lite" reading. Try this: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm. http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/tutorials-pdf.htm. http://www.ronbigelow.com/articles/articles.htm.

And while your learning, set up your color policies:

[Worm324]

jfrancho,

Thanks a million for this explaination. I've been having this same exact problem for over a year and could never figure out what the problem was. This solved it totally.

Thanks again.


Jay

[jfrancho]

I see you found the other thread about color management as well. I'm glad it helped.