Color profiling and soft-proof assistance needed

[ivframes]

My workflow goes like this:

- I calibrated my Dell monitors using DisplayCAL program with Spyder 3 hardware. Color profiles are created for each monitor and properly assigned.

- Edit my images in Lightroom RAW then export to Profoto RGB 16bit CR2 raw files in Photoshop for final touches and tweaks.

- Save to 8bit AdobeRGB JPG file using maximum detail at 12, color profile built-in in each file.

What happens next depends on the program. If I view my images in Chrome or Firefox, images look as in PS. If I view them in Edge (IE), images will appear overly saturated as Edge is not utilizing color profile correctly (I think so).

I have sent one adobeRGB image to my friend and he sent me a PNG screenshot of my picture displayed in various programs on his computer. What I saw was a terrible red, even magenta skin tones. But when I saw the same PNG file on my Android smartphone, the skin tones appeared correctly and without any problems!

Whatever I did, I couldn't make that PNG screenshot look good on my monitors _except_ when I went to the PS and chose Proof-> Monitor RGB. Then magic happened and that overly red image showed nice skin tones.

My question is - what is going on here? What am I doing wrong? Why color profiled image look bad on his screenshot on my monitors but good on a smartphone? What PS did with Proof->MonitorRGB? I'm not sure I understand this - does PS turn off color management during soft-proofing? If it proofs using the same monitor profile I'm already having enabled, why do I see a huge difference in reds and why those skin tones suddenly have the right colors?
This was just an example, but sometimes I too can see oversaturated (reds and skin tones) images in some programs on my computer.

Thanks in advance.

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

Don't overcomplicate it. This is simpler than you think.

Few applications are color managed. Those that are, like Photoshop, convert from the document profile into your monitor profile. The monitor profile, made by the calibrator, is an accurate description of the monitor's actual, current behavior.

The profile is set up at system level, and the calibrator software does this for you. Don't do anything. Photoshop gets the profile from the OS and uses it under the covers, without any intervention from you.

Don't proof! Proofing to Monitor RGB disables this whole color management chain. It makes Photoshop mimic any non-color managed application. So they will match - and both will be wrong.

[ivframes]

Thanks for trying to help. I do understand better now, but some things aren't clear yet.

1. Why the same screenshot of my image taken on my friend's PC look terrible in all programs (Chrome, Firefox, Windows photo viewer, PS included, without proofing) on my monitors, but good on his monitor AND good on my Android smartphone?

2. Why the same screenshot with terrible colors suddenly looks good when I turn on the Proofing in PS?

He's a programmer and we are trying to pinpoint a displaying issue of his program that shows a preview of images. It's hard to do it right since he cannot see the flaws and I get mixed results.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Hi

try what I suggested and see if it helps please

I hope it helps

if so, please do mark my reply as "helpful"

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement

[ivframes]

Thanks NB, I will send him a sRGB variant, but we have to fix his program to show AdobeRGB nicely. AdobeRGB is the priority and it has to work.

[D Fosse]

You just need to use color managed applications to view the files. That's all.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Hi

Theres a pretty simple answer to what I think your issue may be.

In a workflow with any programs that are not colour managed, the Adobe RGB colourspace causes issues.

Try making the test file sRGB and test again.

I hope this helps

if so, please do mark my reply as "helpful" and if you're OK now, please mark it as "correct" below, so others who have similar issues can see the solution

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement