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Answered

Lightroom images look VERY different after exporting.

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
October 24, 2020
8 replies
25026 views

Hi guys,
I am a wedding photographer and web developer quite okay with colour spaces. So here is my problem.
Adobe Lightroom Classic is using Adobe Colour profile for my images but when I export the images the image looks totally different. Before you think I am a newbi here is what I have done so far.

1. I understand colour space differences. I also used the soft proofing option within LR with sRGB profile to see how it will look. Soft proofing and develop module gives me the same look, but after exporting is totally oversaturated.
2. I am using my Dell Ultrasharp Premier Colour monitor calibrated to perfection and I am using the monitor in sRGB mode.
3. The exported image is oversaturated compared to LR on ANY DEVICEs. So I export the image, and that images looks exactly the same oversaturated on Iphone, Ipad, Samsung phones, and laptops.
4. I have the same version of Lightroom on my laptop, and if I export it there, it does not alter the settings. I use the same version on the lightroom and my monitor for laptop is also calibrated.
5. I am not applying any user preset upon export.
6. Uploading the exported srgb files and using it on the web looks just as oversaturated than viewing it on my computer.

IT IS definitely an issue with Lightroom but I cannot crack it.
I know many people have this issue but someone is always trying to come and explain why things looks different on different devices, and that the application they are using and not colour profiled and all that jazz but this WAS NOT the case 1 year ago.

When I exported the images on the same computer a year ago they did look the exact same way in Developer Module as the exported version.

I honestly believe this is not a colour correction related issue as the Adobe RGB version looks the same as the sRGB softproof, but I can`t fix what LR Classic applies upon export to distort the colours.

Problem or error

Correct answer Per Berntsen

Did you enable color management in FastStone?

It's done in Settings > CMS. Both boxes must be checked.

As others have said, images will display over saturated in applications without color management on a wide gamut monitor. It's inevitable.

P

Pwndoobcak

Participant

Hey
I fixed this by adding my PC-s default color space profiles. I have no idea how this works but it does, and looks the same on all devices i tested.

Click export...
Click on Color Space dropdown.
Choose Other.
Tick include Display Profiles
Tick sRGB IEC61966-2.1 (dont be fooled the name is the same but the results will be VERY different)
Click OK
Choose the new profile from the dropdown.
Press export and YOU GET THE IMAGE SEEN IN LIGHTROOM 😉

I accidently found this out when i noticed if i print the image from lightroom to MS Print to PDF i get the desired look.
Hope this works for you too.

D Fosse

Community Expert

@Pwndoobcak

You're not solving anything with this, you're just temporarily sweeping any problems you might have under the carpet.

First of all, your display profile has no business at document level. You should never use your display profile for an image. If you do, you disable and null out the whole color management chain.

It might seem to work in your case, but if it does that's just by accident. I don't know what your display profile is, but most likely it's defective or corrupt.

You also need to be aware that many consumer-level image viewers do not support color management at all. They will not, under any circumstances, display correctly.

Furthermore, the display profile shouldn't be any standard profile. It needs to be a description of your display's actual and current behavior. The profile is a map, and like any map, it has to correspond to the real terrain, otherwise it's just inaccurate and misleading. That's why people use calibrators, to make a profile based on actual measurement.

I suggest you start a new thread and show with side-by-side screenshots what your problem is. Where does your monitor profile come from? What application are you using to view the exported files?

P

Pwndoobcak

Participant

Regarding what you say doing this will the colors, but no its not changing anything, its exactly the same so it will not "disable and null out the whole color management chain".
But i have found where all my issues came from, its a bug in LR when using Lens Blur:

If you turn on Lens Blur you probably get the same messed up colors as i had when exporting any image with this effect applied. If i turn it OFF, my exported images look exactly the same with Lightrooms own sRGB IEC61966-2.1 and the loaded sRGB IEC61966-2.1.

BTW the profile i loaded is originated from here:

BUT STILL if i use the lens blur with the method from my previous post, it will give me the results i see in LR. The stock sRGB IEC61966-2.1. will look different with messed colors.

Also it doesnt matter which file format i save or app i use to open them, they look evenly bad, even in PS RAW editor. Another funny thing if i export to DNG the low res jpeg preview in Windows Photos app looks as intended but if i open it in PS it will have the weird colors again.

After all, its not a solution for the original post, but it is for the Lens Blur bug.

E

Emeru33178939m79h

Participant

Hi, I wonder if you are using Lightroom app or Lightroom Classic. I'm using lightroom app and I believe the reason why the image is changing is because of the HDR being on, for some reason it messes up the exported photo that makes it look so off. You can tick Preview SDR display and to view how the exported photo will look like when HDR is on. I hope this helps.

GoldingD

Legend

Hi, I wonder if you are using Lightroom app or Lightroom Classic. I'm using lightroom app and I believe the reason why the image is changing is because of the HDR being on, for some reason it messes up the exported photo that makes it look so off. You can tick Preview SDR display and to view how the exported photo will look like when HDR is on. I hope this helps.

By @Emeru33178939m79h

Two points, and yes I should not reply, but..

1. Why are you adding yourself into a four year old post? Please don't reactivate older posts. This thread is four years old. During this time, development has progressed considerably and this has resulted in completely different conditions. Heck the HDR option was not part of LrC then. So your reply has absolutely zero value. I see you are new. Please do not accomplish Me To replies

2. Yes, your rig is not capable of displaying the HDR, hence all that red and the red Info button. And as such, it looks like crud.

L

LuxxeyC

Participant

Hi ChuckG,

I'm having the same issue and also haven't resolved it. I would love to know if you have resolves it.

My lightroom always displayed exactly what I edited and exported properly. Now the export is VASTLY different than the edit. It's literally whole stops darker and orange. I have tried everything. Just like all these same threads have said to. This wasn't happening a week ago and now I have no idea what's happened.

D Fosse

Community Expert

If this was a sudden change that happened without anything else changing, the most likely explanation is that you got a defective manufacturer monitor profile, distributed through Windows Update.

But to determine that, please answer the following:

What monitor are you using (make and model)?
What application are you using to view the exported file?
What are the Export settings under File Settings?
Can you post a side by side screenshot showing the difference?

L

LuxxeyC

Participant

It did happen after a Windows Update - I currently use the Surface Pro 6 (Windows 11 Home). I used my systems photo viewer (the generic one that comes with the computer) Google Drive, Pixiset, and an Emailed copy of the photo to try and view it. The last three all show a darkening of the photo.

Export settings - JPEG / Quality - 90 / Colour Space - sRGB / Resolution 300

Nothing else is done the photo on export.

Its really noticable in the shadows - this is a photo that was just altered with exposure/contrast, in LR it shows a white cast on her hair, on export it shows it is dark.

This one also pulls dark vs lightroom. I have tried every remedy under the sun for light room - I uninstalled, I updated, restored, wiped preferences, restarted windows, Lightroom and every other photo display have a discrepency. And this is not happening with previous galleries from last month (pre update) every other photo I've edited comes out as displayed.

D Fosse

Community Expert

This is what sRGB looks like on a wide gamut monitor without color management.

That's it. That's the whole explanation. With a wide gamut monitor, you cannot use software that isn't color managed. That's the deal you implicitly accept when purchasing such a unit. Windows "Photos" is not color managed, so you can't use it.

You need to stop thinking that Lightroom "changes" anything in the exported file. What happens is that it's not displayed correctly in Windows Photos, because it isn't color managed.

A standard, traditional monitor has a native response pretty close to sRGB as it is. That means you can send it sRGB data, and it will appear roughly right. Not entirely correct, but close enough. A wide gamut monitor changes the rules. The numbers need to be remapped into this larger color space to display correctly, and that's exactly what color management does.

The monitor profile is a standard icc profile, just like any other icc profile, and it is used by the application in a standard profile conversion, just like any other profile conversion.

But only color managed software will do this conversion. Windows "Photos" will just ignore all profiles.

In other words - everything is working normally and as expected here.

ChuckG.Author

Participating Frequently

At least read my response and solution above before repeating the 1 millionth time the same thing like everyone said except that was not the solution.

D Fosse

Community Expert

Your last screenshot still shows Windows "Photos" vs Lightroom, and there is still the expected difference. Those two will never match, and you cannot rely on Windows "Photos". Lightroom is right and Photos is wrong.

You can deny that as much as you like, but that's just the way it is.

ChuckG.Author

Participating Frequently

ManiacJoe

Inspiring

At a quick glance, this seems to be a color management problem. Meaning that Windows Photos is not properly color managed.

Also, from what I understand, if you are using a large gamut monitor, sRGB in a non-color-managed viewer will look over saturated.

ChuckG.Author

Participating Frequently

I am also using Fastshone Image Viewer which had the same oversaturated look even though it is using the calibrated ICC Profile. It seem the issue was the Adobe Colour camera profile in LR and I have to use Camera Standard instead which seems to have resolved the issue.

Per Berntsen

Correct answer

Community Expert

Did you enable color management in FastStone?

It's done in Settings > CMS. Both boxes must be checked.

As others have said, images will display over saturated in applications without color management on a wide gamut monitor. It's inevitable.

Just Shoot Me

Legend

Are you talking about Color Space and Camera Profile?

ChuckG.Author

Participating Frequently

Both. LR uses Prophoto colour space, and the camera profile is Adobe Colour which is Adobe RGB which is fine, since its smaller than ProPhoto so whatever I see I know it fits.

I have spent 1 hour now with Adobe support and it seems the issue is caused by the Adobe Camera Profile. They recommended to get rid of it and use Camera Standard instead and make sure my camera is set to sRGB.

This seems to have resolved it.

Just Shoot Me

Legend

Adobe Color, your Adobe Colour, is a Camera Profile not a color Space. Adobne RGB is a Color Space.

All the Adobe Camera Profiles are made by adobe to Render the image slightly differently within the ProPhoto Color space.

Just like the Adobe Monochrone. It is a Camera profile that renders the image in B&W.

I am not sure who you spoke to or whetehr it was really Adobe but they more than likely don't know what they are talking about. The Differences you are showing in the screen shot you posted was answered by Maniacjoe, @ManiacJoe , you are Viewing the Exported image in a Non color managed program.

Open it with Photoshop and compare the 2 images.

Actually on my Color Managed screen the 2 images you included in your screen shot don't look all that much different. Just oversaturated which will happen with a Non Color Managed program

You need to learn about Color spaces, Camera Profiles and the proper way to work with LrC.

Just Shoot Me

Legend

In the future, So people don't have to download the image you have attached, please use the Insert Photos icon found in the Tool Bar of the Post and Reply text entry dialog window as pictured below.
Since you Can't Edit your original post to remove the Attached screen shot Please include the screen shot you attached to a new reply to this conversation by clicking the Blue Reply button under your original post and use the Insert Photos icon in the tool bar.
The Insert Photos icon is this one in the Tool Bar.

Thank you.

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