Need help w/color profile in Photoshop Elements 9

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

07/21/2011 12:14:25 AM · #1

I've just started using Elements.

I understood how to manage color profiles in full-blown PS, but this is flummoxing me.

I'm using a Mac w/OS 10.5.8

I want to use sRGB for use online, right?

When I try to convert the profile, that option's grayed out, which I assume means it's the current profile.

But I get very washed out colors when I use "save for web." I get the same colors, though, when I just choose "save as."

So I need to know how to make "save as web" produce the same output.

Anybody got a suggestion?

Here's a quick example.

"Save as" produces this, which matches what I see when I'm editing:

But "Save for Web" yields this much brighter image:

Thanks.

Message edited by author 2011-07-21 00:21:12.

07/21/2011 12:23:28 AM · #2

Originally posted by levyj413:

I use Photoshop, but in the Save for Web dialog in Elements is there an option to embed the sRGB profile? It definitely sounds like your original is NOT in sRGB at the moment if your colors are getting muted. It sounds more like you're in Adobe RGB or ProPhoto and you're losing your wider gamut colors. Not sure why you can't convert to profile..having it grayed out though.

Dave

07/21/2011 12:25:07 AM · #3

Both photos look identical in color and brightness in my browser. Are you using a wide gamut monitor on your Mac?

Dave

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

07/21/2011 12:27:45 AM · #4

I've looked all over the Save for Web dialog, but don't see anything. I also looked in preferences.

To clarify, I would say the colors are brighter using Save for Web than they are in my editing screen and when I use Save As. I actually don't like that they're brighter - I want the image to look like how I've edited it.

I don't know what a wide gamut monitor is. This is an old iMac, and I see the same thing on our old Macbook pro.

Fascinating that they look identical to you ...

And even more baffling.

07/21/2011 12:29:25 AM · #5

I opened them both in Photoshop. The image that ends in 12 is an untagged color space. The image that ends in 13 is tagged as sRGB. See if you can assign a color space profile...ie. tag the photo that ends in 12 to sRGB in Elements and your issue will be solved.

Dave

07/21/2011 12:30:24 AM · #6

BTW...the reason they both look identical in my browser is because I setup Firefox through the configuration settings page to view all untagged photos as sRGB.

Dave

07/21/2011 12:31:32 AM · #7

Originally posted by levyj413:

Ok, so it's safe to say that your monitors/laptop display can only show sRGB. That's easy enough.

Dave

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

07/21/2011 12:38:12 AM · #8

Originally posted by DCNUTTER:

Ah ha!

Ok, at least now I know it's embedding sRGB when I use "Save As," which at least gives me a workaround.

But when I used PS, it embedded that using either save method.

But even if no one else has an idea how to force it, at least you've given me something to research.

Thanks!

07/21/2011 12:44:20 AM · #9

In the save for web dialog do you see the box that says ICC profile? If it's not checked...check that and see if that embeds the sRGB profile. You can upload the photo here again, and I'll open it in Photoshop again to see if it's tagged.

Dave

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

07/21/2011 12:53:29 AM · #10

Originally posted by DCNUTTER:

Bingo!

Now they look the same:

The truly odd thing is that checking the ICC profile box doesn't change the preview at all. So it still looks off. But it saves looking right.

Thanks a million!

07/21/2011 01:03:29 AM · #11

Originally posted by levyj413:

Originally posted by DCNUTTER:
In the save for web dialog do you see the box that says ICC profile? If it's not checked...check that and see if that embeds the sRGB profile. You can upload the photo here again, and I'll open it in Photoshop again to see if it's tagged.

Dave

Bingo!

Now they look the same:

The truly odd thing is that checking the ICC profile box doesn't change the preview at all. So it still looks off. But it saves looking right.

Thanks a million!

Yup, now it's tagged. You're welcome..Glad to have helped!

Dave

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

07/21/2011 01:17:21 AM · #12

And now I've solved the last mystery - there's a little bubble to click that opens a dialog to let me choose how to display in the preview.

Choosing to display the profile does it.

Why they hide these things is beyond me ...