Color Help

kanuck

Hey guys,

I need some help with color issues. The color looks great with my images in Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC and I export them with the standard SRGB color space. I am using an ASUS computer and I upload the images to Facebook and other social media. I run into trouble when I transfer the files to my Iphone 7 or Ipad Mini. Also, when I save the files to an external diskdrive and then open the files up on another computer the images look all bland and desaturated. I was told that SRGB was the way to go as far as color space goes. You are not to use Pro SRGB or 1998 SRGB for social media etc. Basically the images look flat on any other computer or device except my own computer. Could anyone offer some help? Thanks

ericktessier

Try to calibrate your screen.

PB_PM

If you monitor isn't calibrated, and you don't have hardware calibration, check to see if there is a colour profile for your monitor (from sites like TFTCentral).

If it is calibrated and supports a colour space wider than sRGB, most higher end monitors have an sRGB mode for checking what it will look like. If your monitor's panel doesn't cover the entire sRGB colour space, there isn't much you can do.

kanuck

Thanks guys I calibrated I made sure that my computer's screen was calibrated but it seems to be a problem with the files themselves. They are being saved as sRGB files for sure but they look bad on every other device. For example if I took my images and opened them on your gorgeous calibrated mac monitor they would be all washed out and dull.

PB_PM

Cannot say I've ever noticed a difference between devices (iMac, Windows 10 PC with ISP monitor, tablet, phone) when it comes to colour output they all look great and I never notice colour shifts.

Something fishy is going on with your monitor or software from the sounds of things.

spraynpray

Can you try someone else's PC? PM me and then wetransfer me a file and I'll check it and edit it on mine then send it back to you. I use a Spyder 5 in my colour managed workflow.

Ironheart

Are you attaching ICC color profiles? It would be good to see at least one image here so we can take a look at the metadata. It actually sounds like you are using AdobeRGB, as the problems you are describing mirror that exactly

kanuck

spraynpray said:

Can you try someone else's PC? PM me and then wetransfer me a file and I'll check it and edit it on mine then send it back to you. I use a Spyder 5 in my colour managed workflow.

Could I try using dropbox to send you the images? I also tried my work computer and the same problem occurs. So my Iphone 7, Ipad mini, and any other computer makes the image look like crap. Only my computer shows nice color and details / basically pop. Files show SRGB in the metadata.

kanuck

Ironheart said:

Are you attaching ICC color profiles? It would be good to see at least one image here so we can take a look at the metadata. It actually sounds like you are using AdobeRGB, as the problems you are describing mirror that exactly

Yes it certainly does right? When I export the images I always select SRGB. Its been an issue since I upgraded my computer 3 weeks ago. Everything is great with images looking nice on social media, websites etc. Only if you view the image from my computer though. Same image is a washed out mess on my Apple products and any other computer.

kanuck

After calibrating my screen it seems to reveal that it is another issue. Its a 4k monitor, 17" top of the line ASUS Gaming laptop. I am certain its the file somehow. One work around might be to the real images as is for my good computer and then save the files to am external hard drive and re-open them on my second laptop that I use for work. I have Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC on both. With the work computer the images will look poor so I will run them through the adobe products and export them getting the results I used to get and them upload them off this computer.

Ironheart

Huh? Can you translate to bad English? My good English ain't so good

ericktessier

I think your new screen could have a "picture viewing" profile which does oversaturate. When you "create" your picture with your new screen you, in fact, create the picture (based on what you see) desaturated (but you see it good on the screen).

Calibrating the screen with X-Rite or Colormunki or any tool specifically designed for the job will make your new screen correct and you'll have consistency when looked on other medias.

(Gaming screen might be factory calibrated to oversaturate)

PB_PM

kanuck said:

After calibrating my screen it seems to reveal that it is another issue. Its a 4k monitor, 17" top of the line ASUS Gaming laptop.

Which model? Some of those high end gaming notebooks tend to have high refresh rate TN panels, which are terrible even colour calibrated.

kanuck

Ironheart said:

Huh? Can you translate to bad English? My good English ain't so good

Sorry very tired it's been a long haul trying to fix this problem both at work and after work. Long hours staying up trying to solve this issue...

Ironheart

I just got lost on which computer is doing what and what is working and what isn't.
Can you clarify this statement? "One work around might be to the real images as is for my good computer and then save the files to am external hard drive..."
Which computer is the "good" one? Work? ASUS? A different one entirely? Just confused...

spraynpray

Can you post a picture on here or PAD for a start? Did the calibration procedure work OK? What system did you use? Are you seeing the profile successfully loaded pop-up during start-up?

kanuck

You can't post a photo to this site without an external site and I don't use Flickr anymore. I've tried everything its just the same. I think I'll see if someone at work can help me or maybe a computer technician can help. It's too difficult to ask this kind of problem on forums I think. I need in person help and this is serious enough to put an end to someones photography I think. Without color whats the point right? The files that are exported just look like RAW files....

henrik1963

Are we talking jpeg?

Ironheart

@kanuck we're here to help, some of the best technicians are right here. Your Flickr account never goes away, you can post there, or use Dropbox, google drive, etc... just post the URL here or PM one of us and we'll post it. It seems you have enough computers and devices we should be able to get to the bottom of it via process of elimination. Hang in there.

kanuck

This is through my Facebook account should appear dull and lifeless on your device:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154174655586268&set=ms.c.eJxlzsENwFAIAtCNGkFR~;~;6LNb00Kb2~_KICAClOtjQB7L7wibX9lql1IExEu55ikZF1bbdL09lpfWDwu8IXL~;N14ctLbk~;lrH08O2NfAFybmkRvt~_Ehf.bps.a.10154174651981268.1073741839.500626267&type=3&theater

kanuck

henrik1963 said:

Are we talking jpeg?

RAW into Lightroom processed then exported into photoshop CC then saved to desktop. Then put into Lightroom again and exported with sRGB color as a Jpeg file.

Ironheart

Are you making mods in the second LR pass, or only saving as jpg? If not, why not save as jpg directly from PS? Just curios to see what that does to the final result. Also can you send a link to an image that has good color rendition so we can compare?

kanuck

I tweak a bit in 1st Lightroom pass such as crop and straighten then export the RAW file into Photoshop CC. I adjust things like color and do some layers then save it to my desktop as a JPEG. I then put the JPEG back into Lightroom to make a few more edits such as clarity and noise reduction. Then I export it as a sRGB JPEG file.

Every picture I have looks fine with my computer so I can't send a link to an image with good color. However, if I use another computer like at work or my phone and tablet the images look like RAW files not JPEGS.

PB_PM

What do you mean when you say that they look like a RAW file not a jpeg? Do you mean that the colours look flat? If so, that's kind of normal for an sRGB jpeg, compared to an edited RAW file, since an sRGB jpeg covers a much smaller colour space.

kanuck

I shoot RAW files and import them first into Lightroom for initial editing. On my computer where I make the edits the files are sharp, nice contrast, clarity, and saturation. They are sRGB files and Jpegs. When they are uploaded they still look okay on the computer that I edited them. However, when viewed by another computer or device like my Iphone they look flat just a RAW file. So no color or contrast etc.

PB_PM

Typical RAW workflow, same as mine. I suspect it's just case of your monitors contrast ratio/colour reproduction being a lot better than the other devices you are viewing the images on. I'm a little surprised about the iPhone, since they tend to produce punchy colours, but it wouldn't be out of the question.

Does your notebooks screen have a matte or glossy finish? Monitors with a glossy finish can make an images appear much more vibrant than they really are.