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Participating Frequently
October 31, 2007
Question

Photoshop CS3 color management "Save for Web" problem

  • October 31, 2007
  • 680 replies
  • 62091 views
This problem is getting the best of me.......

After spending 3 full days researching this problem, I am no closer to finding an answer than when I started. I still cannot produce a usable image through the "Save for Web" feature of Photoshop CS3. I have read web page after web page of "Tips, Tricks and Recommendations" from dozens of experts, some from this forum, and still I have no solution... I am exhausted and frustrated to say the least. Here's the simple facts that I know at this point.

I have a web design project that was started in PS CS1. All artwork was created in photoshop and exported to JPG format by using "Save for Web". Every image displays correctly in these browsers (Safari, Camino, FireFox and even Internet Explorer on a PC).

I have recently upgraded to PS CS3 and now cannot get any newly JPG'd image to display correctly. My original settings in CS1 were of no concern to me at the time, because it always just worked, and so I do not know what they were. I have opened a few of my previous images in CS3 and found that sRGB-2.1 displays them more or less accurately. I am using sRGB 2.1 working space. Upon openning these previous image files, I get the "Missing Profile" message and of course I select "Leave as is. Do Not color manage". CS3 assumes sRGB-2.1 working space, opens the file, and all is well.

The problem is when I go to "Save for Web", the saturation goes up, and the colors change. The opposite of what most people are reporting. Here's another important point... new artwork created in CS3 does exactly the same thing, so it's not because of the older CS1 files.

I have tried every combination of "uncompensated color", "Convert to sRGB", "ICC Profile", etc. while saving. I have Converted to sRGB before saving, and my monitor is calibrated correctly.
I have tried setting the "Save for Web" page on 2-up and the "original" on the left is already color shifted before I even hit the "Save" button. Of course, the "Optimized" image on the right looks perfect because I am cheating by selecting the "Use Document Color Profile" item. Why do they even have this feature if doesn't work, or misleads you?

Does anyone have any ideas what could be happening here? Why is this all so screwed up?
CS1 worked fine out of the box.

Final note: I do have an image file I could send along that demonstrates how it is possible to display an image exactly the same in all 4 of the browsers I mentioned with no color differences. It is untagged RGB and somehow it just works.

I am very frustrated with all of this and any suggestions will be appreciated

Thanks,
Pete
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    680 replies

    Inspiring
    December 10, 2007
    Ramon, my monitor is fine, my prints match my monitor on 95 brightness copy paper, and I don't give a rat's patootie what web addicts see.
    December 10, 2007
    Thank you for removing it. it was in 522.
    December 10, 2007
    can someone delete the link in post 523 I think. As it is really bad advice.
    Participating Frequently
    December 10, 2007
    >So unlike working with images, I just want to keep my colors consistent across all my sites web pages AND when I go to update the backgrounds in some future version of Photoshop I can be secure that the colors will not change.

    By using your monitor profile, you ensure that there is no way anyone in the future will be able to duplicate the colour (even yourself, if you recalibrate, or your monitor drifts, or you get a new one with a new computer, etc).
    Didn't we already have this discussion and didn't we already point out that that Tancredi website was giving bad advice?
    Anyone know the song, "there's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza?"
    Participating Frequently
    December 10, 2007
    THE main problem with working in a monitor color space is the simple fact that monitor color spaces usually not linear like for example Adobe RGB. Therefore, when you make a color adjustment to an image with a curve or any other color tool, you may be over or under compensating the adjustment because the tools are linear.

    Tancredi advice is awful not only for web work, but for everything else as well. This persons approach to color is to be blind.
    December 10, 2007
    Never ever use your monitor profile as your working space.
    jefbak
    Known Participant
    December 10, 2007
    Paolobaillie, Buko:

    The links tips fixed my color problem (though I have not compared with CS1 output yet (will the color be the same as CS1 save for web default settings).

    The monitor selection is always an interesting question for me. In my case here, the issue is with colors generated in photoshop for use as css background .gifs and .png files.

    So unlike working with images, I just want to keep my colors consistent across all my sites web pages AND when I go to update the backgrounds in some future version of Photoshop I can be secure that the colors will not change.

    Perhaps the I should just stick with a generic profile in my case?
    December 10, 2007
    paolobaillie

    that link you provided is very bad advice you should never never never use your monitor profile as your working space. You images will look good on your computer and that's it. They will look like Sh!t everywhere else because nobody else has your monitor profile.
    Participant
    December 10, 2007
    Greetings

    Trying hard to look beyond the tech fest and unfriendliness of most of this thread - so this is mainly aimed at normal photoshop users who like me have suffered this frustrating problem and just want to get it sorted - the link below had my solution, thanks Tancredi.

    Usual disclaimers - sorry if posted before etc.., this worked for me on my set-up (took about 30 secs) and after testing definitely sorted the problem.

    No I can't tell you why it worked - only that it did!!

    [link to incorrect advice removed by F/Host]
    Ramón G Castañeda
    Inspiring
    December 5, 2007
    > I calibrate to 1.8 and 9300 on my 17" LCDS because the gray scale is brown at 3/4 if I don't.

    Then the monitor and/or its calibration and profile are beyond salvaging. :/