Image Colors Look Washed Out When Uploaded But Not Locally.

Hey guys, following up on this issue after having some time to look more thoroughly into it.

It looks like the issue that was occurring is related to the site I was uploading them to and the gallery it uses to preview photos.

When using Box.com the user has the ability to preview images before downloading them. Upon looking to see if anyone else was having this problem I came across this thread where other users confirmed having the exact same issue. Here​ is another example of users having this issue.

I decided to try uploading my images to Facebook and Instagram and both sites rendered colors as expected.

I'm not sure if this is really the "solution" but for now I'll be avoiding previewing images on box.com as the embedded gallery seems to use a different color space to produce previews of images stored on there.

Thanks so much for all the help and for attempting to help me find a solution. I feel kind of silly knowing that it was an issue with the site I used rather than an issue with Lightroom.

iandenegri, we need to cut through and get to the bottom of this:

Open the exported file directly into your web browser. Don't post it anywhere, just right-click the file and "Open With". If your web browser (Firefox or Chrome) isn't listed as available choices, there's a browse button where you can navigate to it. Find Chrome or Firefox.exe and click on that.

Yes, a calibrator is the proper solution to most color management problems, we all agree on that. But until then, we need to establish that the monitor profile is indeed the problem, and find workable solutions for now.

Hey everyone, thanks for the quick responses. Adding some images to help out since it slipped my mind and I didn't do it in the first place (sorry!)

Here's what the image looks like in Lightroom prior to exports:

Here's what I see in Bridge for this image, including the image profile:

And here's what ends up being seen once I upload the picture so that it can be downloaded:

The image above is washed out and doesn't match up with what I exported. However, if I export a PNG from Photoshop using the Save For Web command this is what I get:

I can include more screen shots if need be but I just find it odd that PNG's work okay but not JPGs with the same profile

I've also tried using a calibration for my specific Notebook and panel and the sRGB profile suggested above to no success.

Also, the Browser in question doesn't seem to matter; I've tried uploading with both Firefox and Chrome.

Here's how you replace the monitor profile to test it. You need to relaunch all applications when done, so that they can load the new profile at startup. This is important, otherwise they will just keep using the old profile.

Tony, according to the OP's description, the sRGB profile is correctly embedded. Otherwise Bridge would report "untagged". It also appears correct in Windows "Photos", which isn't color managed at all and ignores all profiles, tagged or not.

Hi Ian: With your work in Photoshop, are you embedding the image prior top Export?

Could we have a couple of images which demonstrate the problem to play with?

Washed out how? Can you show side by side screenshots?

What web browser? From your description, it sounds like it might be a defective monitor profile. This can often affect some color managed applications and not others.

As long as you export to sRGB, and the sRGB profile is embedded, and you are using a color managed web browser - then it has to display correctly. If it doesn't, a link in the color management chain is broken. Usually it's a bad monitor profile.

Are you using a calibrator to make the monitor profile? If not, you may have received a bad profile from the manufacturer, distributed through Windows Update. That happens very often.

To test, replace your current profile with sRGB. I'm on a traveling laptop right now, but I'll post a screenshot showing how later. If that appears to solve the immediate issue, you know your monitor profile is bad, and you should get a calibrator to make a new one.

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As a side note, you need to be careful when using Save For Web / Export. They both strip the document profile by default and you must make sure "embed" is checked.