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Wilsall
Participant
January 10, 2013
Question

Does Lightroom convert images to CMYK?

  • January 10, 2013
  • 1 reply
  • 54158 views

I need to convert images to CMYK to submit photos for an article. I know Photoshop will convert, but don't know which software. If Lightroom does not convert to CMYK, which would I need to get?

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1 reply

web-weaver
web-weaver
Inspiring
January 10, 2013

Lr does not convert to CMYK. In fact it doesn't even display CMYK profiles.

You can convert to CMYK in Photoshop.

But I think that the person who asked you to supply photos in CMYK does not really know what he / she is talking about.

CMYK is not a device independant color space. That means each device, each press has its own CMYK profile, and probably sub-profiles for the actual ink and the actual paper used.

Without knowing the exact CMYK profile for the press the magazine is printed on, your conversion can only be a generic CMYK profile (such as are available in Photoshop) that is not much worth.

Converting to CMYK is usually done by the pre-press person who knows the exact CMYK profile.

I deliver images constantly to publishers of magazines and not a single one has asked me to deliver images in CMYK.

I send them TIFFs with Adobe RGB 8-bit and they are happy with that.

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 11, 2013

    Absolutely. A request for unspecified "CMYK" is a sure sign of an outdated process and people out of touch with modern color management. I wouldn't trust them for a second. Adobe RGB is the current industry standard because it allows prepress to easily repurpose the file if press conditions change.

    Soft proofing is a different matter, but no point as long as they don't give you a specific profile.

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