Getting ready to package ... Photo conversion issue

Question

Using InDesign 2025 on a MacBook Pro. Using Photoshop to process photos.

I've created a coffee table book (print) and an Ebook. The layout is complete and looks great. But the RGB photos I used are too small for conversion for the final CMYK print version. It could still work as a digital version though.

As I see it, I have two options: 1. Reprocess and replace the RGB photos already in the layout with larger ones to accommodate conversion to CMYK in export, or, 2. Reprocess and convert the photos to CMYK in Photoshop then place them in the InDesign layout. I'd probably have an easier time with Packaging this way.

I haven't decided on a printer yet. I'm thinking ahead and wracking my brain as to what's the best workflow going forward that will save me the most time and have the best possible result.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

George D.

Robert at ID-Tasker · Accepted Answer

Yes, I have the originals. And all the project photos are number coded to match the originals.

Yes, I have the originals. And all the project photos are number coded to match the originals.

By @George DeLuca

ROTFL 🙂 then you should've mentioned that in your opening post 😉

In the future, you - and others, who will be reading this and don't already do it that way 😉 - should do it like this:

1) select photos that you'll use - do not delete photos that you think you won't need - you never know 😉 - keep them somewhere safe, unless they are really useless, but even "bad" photos might be useful as a 15% background 😉 in the same or other publications,

2) make the selected photos straight - rotate and fix perspective - DO NOT resample / resize / crop,

3) do color corrections - but WITHOUT RGB-to-CMYK conversion - or vice versa - keep them as they are - UNLESS you're doing high end art catalog 😉

4) do step 3) using layers,

5) fix blemishes,

6) "remove" / mask things that are unnecessary - again - using layers,

7) save your images as PSD - preserving layers - or at least TIFF.

Of course, there might be extra steps needed - like when image is in the RAW format and needs to be converted first.

Any "cropping" - should be done in the final application - InDesign or Illustrator.

And - as long as there are correct profiles assigned everywhere - there will be no need to worry about conversion - export to PDF in InDesign will take care of that.

Willi Adelberger · Answer

Leave all images in RGB. If the printer requires CMYK images, convert them with the PDF export. To small? Image size has nothing to do with the color mode.

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