9 Replies Latest reply: Dec 8, 2010 8:35 AM by P Spier RSS

    Placed Photoshop Images

    KreativeBomb Community Member

      I'm sure this question has been asked many times and I'm sorry if I am repeating a post that has already been answered.

       

      My problem is this:

       

      When I place a Photoshop PSD file into my InDesign CS4 document, all the other images on that particular page appear to go lighter.

       

      When I print the document or export to PDF - the page containing the placed PSD does indeed come out lighter.

       

      When you delete the PSD image off the page, you literally see all the images on that page return to their true brightness.

       

      Any suggestions would be gratefully welcome.

       

      Thank you

       

      Jonathan

        • 1. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
          P Spier CommunityMVP

          Sounds like you've got transparency in that image, the images are in RGB, and the transparency blend space is set to CMYK. Try Edit > Transparency Blend Space > Document RGB and see if it helps.

          • 2. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
            KreativeBomb Community Member

            Hi Peter, many thanks for your reply and your help on this matter.

             

            The images used in the document are greyscale PSDs (the artwork is a black and white book - all text and images are greyscale)

             

            I changed the Transparency Blend Space as you suggested to RGB and this appears to have remedied the problem visually on screen but the problem is still there when I produce a high res PDF.

             

             

             

            Many thanks

             

            Jonathan

            • 3. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
              P Spier CommunityMVP

              Are these REALLY grayscale images (the mode is listed as grayscale), not just deaturated or filtered RGB? InDesign doesn't support Grayscale the same way that Photoshop does. In ID, the numbers in the grayscale image are taken as-is and put on the black plate using the current CMYK working profile (which makes sense to me, but there si a great deal of agitation towards true grayscale support). This means that the dot-gain factors or gamma curve built into the grayscale profile are going to be ignored and the image is going to be treated as a CMYK image with only black ink. The only really accurate way to view what the output is going to be is to swtich to overprint preview mode (and RGB is not the right blend space in this case).

               

              You can make a custom grayscale profile that uses the black channel of any CMYK working space by selecting the CMYK profile in the color setup instead of one of the grayscale profiles in Photoshop's color settings. This might help get you a more consistent view.

              • 4. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
                KreativeBomb Community Member

                There is a greyscale JPEG (have also tried using a greyscale EPS and TIFF) and a greyscale PSD.

                 

                All images are Greyscale with Black & White ICC

                 

                When I place the greyscale jpeg on the page, it looks fine. As soon as I place the greyscale PSD, the jpeg becomes lighter. If you delete the PSD, the jpeg goes back to it's true appearance.

                 

                I have tried working in a fresh document and re-saving the image files in case something has become corrupt.

                 

                Another route I have tried is copying the greyscale file into a blank CMKY file and placing the greyscale image solely on the black channel. The black channel looks fine but then when you click on the composite channel - the image appears lighter.

                 

                It appears I am going to have to go 'old skool' and created the whole page layout in Photoshop!!

                 

                I have been using Photoshop and InDesign for years - I'm at a loss to why I'm suddenly not getting the results I desire

                 

                I appreciate your help.

                 

                Regards

                 

                Jonathan

                • 5. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
                  P Spier CommunityMVP

                  Sounds like the .psd has a transparent background, maybe? What you describe would be ID switching to the more accurate rendering necessary to dal with transparency on the page.

                   

                  And the lightening of pasting the grayscale into the black channel is esssentially exactly what you are doing inside ID.

                  • 6. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
                    KreativeBomb Community Member

                    Yes, the PSD has a transparent background - that's essentially why I'm using a PSD because the image has an uneven feathered edge so needs to be on a Photoshop layer.

                     

                    It's very frustrating that the greyscale jpeg on one spread looks fine but on the following spread (spread where the PSD is placed), the jpeg shifts brightness.

                     

                    It's equally as frustrating that when placing a greyscale image into the black channel of a CMYK - the composite channel does not accurately reflect the information on the black channel.

                     

                    This project is turning into a nightmare!! You would've thought working in single colour (black) would be easy!!

                    • 7. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
                      P Spier CommunityMVP

                      Does the jpeg actually print differently on the two pages (it might on a desktop printer, but I wouldn't expect a difference on a press). If you turn on Separations preview, do the two instances still look different, and do they show different valuse on the black plate in the same areas?

                       

                      Transparency is a real bugger as far as display in ID.

                      • 8. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
                        KreativeBomb Community Member

                        You know what, I have just ran the two pages out on my desktop laser printer (including seps) and the jpeg looks the same. Maybe I should've tried this first before perstering you on here??

                         

                        Obviously I have been worried because of the shift on screen in InDesign and the high res PDF I have supplied the client has looked wrong also.

                         

                        Maybe in this instance when I send the job to the printer, I'll supply them with the InDesign files and images instead of a high res PDF.

                         

                        Many thanks for your help.

                         

                        Regards

                         

                        Jonathan

                        • 9. Re: Placed Photoshop Images
                          P Spier CommunityMVP

                          Are you flattening the transparency when you make the PDF? Exporting to Acrobat 5 or higher compatibility will pereserve the transparency and might improve the appearance of the PDF.

                           

                          DId I ask if you still see a difference on screen in Separations Preview (Overprint Preview)? That's the most accurate view ID can render.