Changing Colour Profile for Printing.

The23rdman

The23rdman

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I'm currently prepering some shots for printing at DScolourlabs. I've changed the profiles to the ones they provide, but it's drastically altered the profile of the shots when I view them in CS3. I fiddled around trying to get them back to the original tones but found it difficult. I was going to ask if there's a simple way to match them and have provided examples below, but now I've loaded unchanged ones on Flickr I can barely see the difference from the original shot! Can anyone explain this, please? Does it mean I don't need to work on altering the shots?

In fact the DS labs profile looks a little more washed out on Flickr and here, whereas in CS3 it looks massively over saturated in the reds around the sun.

This is an example...
RGB

DSColour Profile

Both clickable.
 
OK I think I know the problem. The profiles supplied by DS Colourlabs are paper profiles linked to their printers. These profiles are designed to be used for soft proofing. The idea is you can see what the the image will look like when printed.

If you want to use soft proofing, you.ll find it under View menu in Photoshop.

You should keep the image in one of the recognised colour rspaces, I would suggest sRGB is preferable in this case.

Using the printer/ paper profile as your colour space is the reason images look odd in both Photoshop and Flicker
 
Thanks for the reply, Chappers. I understand what you're saying, but DS Colourlabs state quite clearly one needs to change the profile to theirs before sending to them.

I can't find any soft proofing setting in my view menu either so I'm still not really sure whether they're going to look how I processed them or not.:thinking:
 
You are correct you need to set it to the printer profile you can proof it in Photoshop BUT what you have to remember is your screen is a light and that a print will be reflected light.
You screen can not look like it will on a print
One thing I like about Keynsham is they will provide you free set of prints to know your set up is how you want it
 
Chaz Photos said:
You are correct you need to set it to the printer profile you can proof it in Photoshop BUT what you have to remember is your screen is a light and that a print will be reflected light.
You screen can not look like it will on a print
One thing I like about Keynsham is they will provide you free set of prints to know your set up is how you want it
Click to expand...

That's very interesting. I've followed the instructions for proofing my shots and it's an acceptable compromise for some, but the ones in this thread just look rubbish whatever I do.
 
This is interesting indeed! I've played around with several pictures and nearly all are absolutely fine. It's just the sun in the ones on this thread that completely washes out.
 
Chaz, the original is set as sRGB (That's my standard) but the second one is set to the DS colourlabs profile. I don't have the original available on Flickr. Is that a pro only setting?
 
The23rdman said:
but the second one is set to the DS colourlabs profile.
Click to expand...

But web browsers don't know about different colour prfiles, it's sRGB for them. Thats why your flickr and forum pictures don't look the way them do in PS.

For your original problem, it sounds like you have reds in your image that can't be replicated in print, so there is no way to get your print to match the original digital image. Try using Relative Colourimetric conversion rather than Perceptual, which is PS's default. This will loose you some detail in the saturated areas but try to keep all the other colour matched.
 
Thanks, I did try that, but it made no difference. I still lost the reds. I guess I'm just going to have to reprocess it.
 
The reds you're loosing are colours that can not be produced in the printed version. The point of the colour profile you downloaded is to show you what can and can't be printed. There is no way you can process it to keep the reds that you are loosing, although you might be able to make it look better without them.
 
RicherSea said:
The reds you're loosing are colours that can not be produced in the printed version. The point of the colour profile you downloaded is to show you what can and can't be printed. There is no way you can process it to keep the reds that you are loosing, although you might be able to make it look better without them.
Click to expand...

What I meant was I'll have to reprocess it and change the colours and tones. I understand that those reds are a no-no.:)
 
Are you proofing them with sRGB on your screen when putting them on the web?
One thing I never do is hit save for web, I like to set it up myself.
What browser are you using some will alter for different profiles an some wont.
I have Firefox and this one will alter for profiles
BUT you have to remember not everyone will have this so you have to set it for the default.
 
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