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Answered

Image with opaque background does not place correctly

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
October 13, 2025
7 replies
448 views

When I place an image (of .tif format) with an opaque background on top of a background in InDesign, the opaque pixels of the image get some color, not showing the InDesign background. I am using InDesign CS6.

Below are pictures of the Image, of the InDesign background, cand of InDesign with the image.

How to

Correct answer Ananya0

I used the Phtoshop psd format for the image with opaque background. Placing it on top of a background in InDesign the opaque pixels of the image show the InDesign background on the Computer screen. For making prints of the converted Adobe pdf file work the same way, I specified in PROPERTIES the Printer Profile and the Publications Objective, and in ADVANCED Print as Image.

A

Ananya0AuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

I used the Phtoshop psd format for the image with opaque background. Placing it on top of a background in InDesign the opaque pixels of the image show the InDesign background on the Computer screen. For making prints of the converted Adobe pdf file work the same way, I specified in PROPERTIES the Printer Profile and the Publications Objective, and in ADVANCED Print as Image.

A

Ananya0Author

Inspiring

The background colors in the InDesign file go through the color circle of all hues at a fixed lightness and full saturation. Since I used the CMYK mode on the InDesign file and on all images, I originally thought that I shouldn’t apply any color matching, But since the colors showed corrcectly on the computer screen, I now did apply color matching to the printer. But I also had to specify Print as Image in ADVANCED.

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

THis problem is described here:

https://creativepro.com/eliminating-ydb-yucky-discolored-box-syndrome/

To create a clipping path in photoshop select the objedt by clicking on the image with holding the command key and save that pat and as clipping path.

Stop using EPS in modern times. It is an outdated filetype. Use from Photoshop PSD, or PDF.

Peter Spier

Community Expert

@Willi Adelberger , the OP is using a transparent .tif, not .eps

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

He wrote otherwise:

used to spend hours at a time making clipping paths and saving as EPS. These days, PSD is my preferred format, just for the sake of saving time and effort.

That is why I answered as I did.

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @Ananya0 , Check the actual transparency level with Photoshop’s Info panel set to Opacity. You can’t rely only on the transparency grid—here the grid is showing, but the Opacity level is 4%, which shows in InDesign:

Peter Spier

Community Expert

At the very least, the baxkground and blend space models should agree.

BobLevine

Community Expert

That's not opaque, it's transparent and my guess is the same as Peter's. You have a mismatch and I'm going to go out on a limb that you've used a spot color for the background. This article is almost 20 years old but covers this: Eliminating YDB (Yucky Discolored Box) Syndrome | CreativePro Network

Peter Spier

Community Expert

I wonder if the background, the .tif and the transparency blend space all agree? Looks like there's a mismatch in there someplace.

G

Gord@APL

Inspiring

Not really a helpful response, but I stopped trusting TIFF as a transparent image format about 15-20 years ago for exactly this sort of reason. Either the background is not absolutely clear, or it's some eccentricity of transparency in TIFF. Also used to lose chunks of image around the transparent edges, but that was outputting to an imagesetter via a hopelessly outdated and underpowered RIP.

I used to spend hours at a time making clipping paths and saving as EPS. These days, PSD is my preferred format, just for the sake of saving time and effort.

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