Colour profile workflow

[ijbrewst]

If I use a calorimeter I can calibrate and establish a profile for my monitor. I use Windows XP Pro.

How will Windows know this is the profile to use? or

Do I have to be in Photoshop to select this profile to use as my Working Space?

My printing lab requests files to be sent in sRGB profile. After finalising my file for printing in Photoshop, do I:

a) Convert the file to sRGB, or

b) Assign the sRGB profile to my file, before sending?

Thanks,

[Colin Southern]

Hi Ian,

The colorimeter creates a "translation" file that corrects the screen so that it displays the colours that it SHOULD have rather than those it WOULD have. Surprisingly, this has nothing to do with Photoshop; it's done by the operating system. Profiling software generally sets this (by hook or by crook) to load as the default profile when you start your PC, but you can also do this manually by going into the colour management setting in the advanced section of your display properties (right-click on the desktop and choose properties).

DON'T SELECT THIS AS YOUR WORKING SPACE IN PHOTOSHOP - sorry to shout, but it's a common misconception that WILL lead to all kinds of weird and not-so-wonderful stuff happening.

The correct working space really depends on how you shoot; if you're shooting an sRGB gamut then you may just as well set Photoshop to work in sRGB - if you shoot Adobe RGB then set it to Adobe RGB - and if you shoot RAW then set it to ProPhoto. However - if you choose either of the latter options then yes, you need to go into Edit -> Convert to profile (NOT ASSIGN PROFILE) to convert the image back to sRGB prior to uploading to the web.

[ijbrewst]

Many thanks Colin (I worked out your name!). This is very helpful, as I am grappling with this profile/colour space subject. The tutorials here are a great help, but some things have yet to "click"!.

[Colin Southern]

No worries Ian,

If in doubt, grab a copy of Real World Color Management by Faser, Murphy, and Bunting (2nd edition) - it'll cover EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know, and more!