Embedding Colour Profiles

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Does anyone know anything about embedding colour profiles into images? I need to figure it out in order to send some prints to a professional lab, but I am having a hard time understanding what it means and how to do it. Any of you able to help me figure this out?

5 comments:

Jamie Lewis said...

I guess I really dont understand your question. Do you need to create a new profile, or are they (the lab) providing you with one? I cant imagine needing to embed a new profile in order to print. Or do you just need to convert them to another color space?

Claire said...

Maybe I just don't understand what embedding a colour profile means! Is it something that automatically happens when you save a file as a jpg in Photoshop? From what I was reading on my lab's site (whcc.com) I was assuming that I had to do something to my photos. Maybe not though! That would be nice!

Jamie Lewis said...

Ok, so I am assuming you need to convert your files to sRGB. Your images are embedded with a color profile when you capture them (or in camera raw with raw files). Make sure you shoot in (and choose in camera raw) Adobe RGB- it has a larger color space than sRGB. Once you are done editing and are ready to export for printing, select edit, convert to profile (NOT assign profile),and choose sRGB (or whatever profile your lab uses). You may want to do this to a copy, but thats up to you.

Side note, if you ever get a message pop up warning saying "profile mismatch", never assign a new profile to match- always use the embedded profile!

Oh, and if anyone knows of an online lab that prints Abode RGB files at a decent price, let me know!

Claire said...

Ok! I think I'm starting to understand. I just checked whcc.com FAQ and it sounds like they will print Adobe RGB. At least from what I understand. http://www.whcc.com/resources/faq/

Jamie Lewis said...

I didnt know they accepted Adobe RGB-cool! Although I dont like that they require you to send level 10 jpgs. I use Adorama and Mpix, but I may try someone new.

If your looking for a book on Color Management...

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Color-Management-Digital-Photography/dp/0596527683

  © Blogger templates Newspaper II by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP