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Inspiring
January 16, 2012
Open for Voting

P: CMYK soft proofing needed

  • January 16, 2012
  • 57 replies
  • 2960 views

Following a discussion on the LR4 beta forum:

Converting to CMYK and soft proofing in CMYK are two completely different things, so at least we need a CMYK softproofing.

During the last years I ran into a lot of problems due to modern LED lightning on the scene, it is able to produce colors (especially in the blues) far away out of the CMYK color space. Converting pictures to CMYK later after my initial processing can change a picture dramatically, a bit similar to a conversion to b/w.

So even if you have to deliver your material in RGB and someone else is doing a professional conversion later, you should be able to predict what can happen to your material!

So if you deliver material that will be converted – earlier or later – to CMYK: You need at least a simple soft proof. Otherwise it can happen that you deliver material that simply can’t be published.

    57 replies

    Show previous replies
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    February 6, 2019
    I don't feel like exporting to PS and then have to deal with an extra TIF file instead of using LR virtual proofing copies to use the text tool. Or layers. But I can and do so.
    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 6, 2019
    I have PS too obviously but I want to do my proofing in LR period. I don't feel like exporting to PS and then have to deal with an extra TIF file instead of using LR virtual proofing copies.
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    January 31, 2019
    I never said PS is a substitute for LR; thats your assumption! I stated the fact that PS handle CMYK along with the same price you pay for Lightroom. Guess what? LR and PS are not a substitute for Indesign or Acrobat.
    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    adamk43159330
    adamk43159330
    Participant
    January 31, 2019
     If you were subscribing, you'd have Photoshop to do the CMYK work for the price of LR. 
    Photoshop is not a substitute for Lightroom and you know it.
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    January 30, 2019
    3 years later and still not working. Glad I'm not paying for my software, rats.
    If you were subscribing, you'd have Photoshop to do the CMYK work for the price of LR. 

    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMemberAuthor
    Inspiring
    January 30, 2019
    3 years later and still not working. Glad I'm not paying for my software, rats.
    adamk43159330
    adamk43159330
    Participant
    May 21, 2017
    Come on Adobe, I just had my CMYK profiles in Lightroom disappear on me. This was supposed to have been fixed soon, 11 months ago.
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    April 17, 2017
    Correcting by the CMYK numbers is akin to trying to count cards at a Vegas blackjack table. They are all over the map. CMYK numbers for just skin tone using the same CMYK ‘ink colors’ with just differing black gen!
    http://digitaldog.net/files/BlackGenCMYK_Skin.jpg

    Which of the three values, but showing identical color appearance is correct; any? 

    The old CMYK by the numbers dates back when some of us ran drum scanners where such products while RGB, could only output CMYK for a specific press/paper behavior. We had to learn the CMYK values over time because that’s all we had! Based on one output! This isn’t 1990; we have calibrated and profiled displays, readouts in RGB and Lab and the ability to fix/render from raw using the wonderful ACR engine which is and always will be RGB based. 
    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    Victoria Bampton LR Queen
    Community Expert
    Victoria Bampton LR QueenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 17, 2017
    I cut my teeth on Dan's color correction methods too, so I understand the desire to stick with the familiar. I have to agree with Andrew though - there are much better options these days. Lightroom's not the tool for doing things the 20-year-old way. What is it you like about Dan's methods specifically? The ability to correct by the numbers?
    Victoria - The Lightroom Queen
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    April 17, 2017
    Dan’s very tired old ideas about correcting in CMYK should go the way of the dodo bird. Even Dan later moved to using Lab, a device independent color space for this work. CMYK is an output ready, specific color model and all over the map. And LR is a totally RGB processing path so all you’ll get from it is either CMYK values (gone, not really necessary; we have Lab) or it maybe converting to some CMYK space when you export. So you can totally forget about Dan’s old CMYK “fix a trud appearing image in Photoshop” in this product. And IF you still have a CMYK file, you can’t process it in LR; again it’s engine is solely RGB (it IS the ACR, raw converter engine). So what’s the point of soft proofing in a color space you can’t edit? Answer: none.
    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
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