RGB-sRGB for Web - Need Help.

[Michele]

Hello.

I am changing the profile from Adobe RGB to sRGB after I resize, sharpen and before I save for web for my website, but it seems that once I make the change from RGB to sRGB, I see a decrease in my colors. I can watch it happen (take away). I thought this wasn't suppose to happen?

I am going under edit to Assign Profile to make this change in PS CS2. That the right way?

Thank you all.. Michele

[Rense]

Michele,
The colorspace of (adobe)RGB is much larger than the colorspace of sRGB.
See for http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...lorspaces.mspx for more info.
So it is correct that you see some kind of decrease in the colors.

Rense
PS assign profile is indeed the way to go.

[Neil V]

Hi Michele,

Adobe RGB is a larger colour space for sure but you shouldn't be seeing a huge change while converting...

I have always used Convert to Profile to convert my photos to sRGB when I am posting on the net. Try it, it may make a difference, I suspect it will...

Neil

[Michele]

Would I be better off just using Adobe RGB and saving as a regular jpeg? OR should I stick with the sRGB and save for web jpeg?

One more question: Do I want standard, optimize or progressive for jpeg?

Thanks guys! Much appreciated..

Michele

[Michele]

One more: should I be in 8-bit or 16-bit for web purposes?

[Neil V]

Always 8-bit, there is no such thing as a 16-bit JPEG...

Are you using the Save for Web feature in Photoshop?

[Neil V]

My workflow for images on the 'net:

Get image to how I want it to look. (Colour, sharpness, crop etc)
Resize image using Edit--Image Size (Usually around 600x400, 72ppi, Bicubic Shaper)
Convert to the sRGB profile. (I almost always work with ProPhoto RGB)
Convert to 8-bit (I always work with 16-bit TIFF's)
Use the File--Save for Web feature, play with the quality level to get it around 100-150Kb. (JPEG, Optimized, Include Profile). You can also click on the little arrow and Select 'Optimize to File Size' and select the file size you want...

Hope that helps!

[ohenry]

When I make an image ready for the web, I change to a 8 bit file, change the resolution to 72 ppi, then resize to the size I want, CONVERT to sRGB (never assign a color profile, always convert). then use the "save as" option rather than the "save for web". "Save as" allows me to retain EXIF data and control the size of the file by adjusting the image quality. I generally strive to keep the quality 8 or higher (using the highest value that keeps the file to a small enough file for normal use).

You should be seeing color shifts when you convert your color spaces. Often you will detect color differences when you view it on your web browser (or other non-color space aware program) rather than PS (an unfortunate fact of web browsers currently). You don't really want to keep your color space as Adobe RGB when saving for web because web browsers will see the colors as flat and muted (again, not color space aware which is why sRGB is used).

Like Neil, I work in ProPhoto RGB and 16 bit files when doing all tonal adjustments.

[Michele]

Thank you Neil.... Yes, I am saving for web and in CS2, you can save a 16-bit image. I have done it a few times forgetting to change it to 8-bit.

Thank you Ohenry... Your info is very helpful as well. I appreciate it..

[Michele]

Ohenry,

There are a few coversion options in the diaglog box when converting. Do I just change it from Adobe RGB to sRGB and leave the others alone?

Thank you,
Michele

[Neil V]

Originally Posted by Michele

Thank you Neil.... Yes, I am saving for web and in CS2, you can save a 16-bit image.* I have done it a few times forgetting to change it to 8-bit.*

You'll find that it automatically converts the photo to 8-bit... At least I have never been able to save a JPEG at 16-bits? Hmmm, I will investigate a little further, lol... *

[Neil V]

The defaults for conversion are fine for the web...

[Michele]

I never paid attention to it automatically changing it to 8-bit... Now you got my curiosity going.. I just remember that you used to not be able to save it at all as a jpeg till after you changed bits.

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by Michele

Hello.

I am changing the profile from Adobe RGB to sRGB after I resize, sharpen and before I save for web for my website, but it seems that once I make the change from RGB to sRGB, I see a decrease in my colors. I can watch it happen (take away). I thought this wasn't suppose to happen?

I am going under edit to Assign Profile to make this change in PS CS2. That the right way?

No - assigning a profile does not convert the colour space. I think this was covered in a previous post. Assigning a profile simply means that the image has the assigned profile, but doesn't do any conversion so the image will likely look odd on a non-colour managed display (such as a web browser). What you need to do is select 'edit->convert to profile' and select the sRGB profile. This will convert the colours in such a way that they will be pretty much identical to the profile that you are converting from (Adobe RGB). In Photoshop, launch the help menu and search for 'changing color profile document' - there is a brief description of the differences between assigning and converting a profile.

[Michele]

Thank you Paul....

[pjamedia]

Okay, say you do want the colours to look the same in photoshop and also in a web browser (which isn't color managed) what is the best process to use? sorry for butting in, but I am seeing this as an issue as most of my content is for the web, and images with flesh tones look much redder when viewed in the browser than in PS CS2. Any ideas?
Thanks, Paul

[Blinky]

I use the same methods as ohenry and neil v. One way to avoid the shift is to keep saturation down. It's in the deep saturated colors, mainly greens and blues, that sRGB is weakest.

Post processing sometimes results in an imbalance in distribution between the R, G & B channels and converting to a smaller color space can clip one channel more than the others and your color balance will go to pieces.

Do you use curves for color balancing? If so, remember that saturation increases when you do that and you have to go back and trim down after you're balanced.

Good luck,

Chip