Skip to main content
C
CalamityBird
Participant
September 2, 2011
Question

Photoshop saves JPEG images much too dark--any ideas?

  • September 2, 2011
  • 3 replies
  • 27165 views

Hi there, I'm having an issue with my Photoshop applications and I was hoping someone could give me a little insight/help in fixing the problem.

When working with a file in Photoshop (I am an artist, so I usually create my files from scratch rather than loading them from a camera), I can get the colors to appear as they should in the workspace. When I finish artwork, I make sure the colors are exactly as I want them, then save it as a JPEG file. However, if I open this JPEG file in any application--browsers, photo viewing programs--it is extremely dark and saturated. If I open the JPEG in Photoshop, though, it looks fine. This issue seems to have occurred spontaneously 3-4 months ago. I don't recall changing or deleting any of my monitor or video card preferences, or my color profiles. I was working with Photoshop Elements 4.0 at the time, and it suddenly started happening.

Now, I have found a sort of work-around for it. If I screencap my workspace with the artwork open in it, then I can open up that screencap in Photoshop. The colors are much TOO bright and washed out when I do this, but if I crop the image so it's just the artwork and save it, then it displays in browsers and viewing programs more or less as it should, i.e. how I see it in Photoshop. However, if I open that JPEG in Photoshop, it will display much brighter than the original artwork.

It's not a desperate issue since I have this weird work-around, but I'm currently trying to save images for printing--which means they need to be very large, and I'm not keen on zooming to 100% and screen-capping the art piece by piece, then stitching it all together before saving it. I'd really like to get this issue resolved. I thought it might have to do with the fact that I was using outdated software (PSE 4.0), but I've just recently upgraded to CS5 Extended and the same issue prevails.

If it's any help, I'm working on an HP EliteBook 8740w, with Windows 7 and an NVIDIA Quadro video card.

Here are the things I've tried, which haven't worked:

Deleting Photoshop preferences/settings (in both PSE 4.0 and CS5)

Uninstalling and re-installing both programs

Re-calibrating my monitor

Changing color settings in Photoshop (files still end up dark regardless)

Disabling OpenGL Drawing

Switching between file types when saving

I am at my wit's end! I am mostly concerned that my clients and professors aren't going to see my work as it is intended to look, when they view it online. The erratic behavior of too-dark or too-light, and my pictures seemingly never displaying correctly on any browser or in any program, has me a little paranoid about my online portfolio, haha. I'm applying for an art scholarship in a month, and if none of my work will save correctly (much less print correctly!) then it will be a sad day indeed!

As I said before, this problem seems to have popped up out of nowhere. My artwork from before the whole saving-too-dark issue began still displays perfectly in most programs, but the rest is totally hit-and-miss. If any of you have fixes or suggestions (even suggestions on adjusting Photoshop so that my images display more consistently in browsers and other programs) I would be extremely grateful.

Thanks so much for your time,

-Jenna

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    the_wine_snob
    the_wine_snob
    Inspiring
    September 3, 2011

    As Emil Emil points out, the problem is that Photoshop is a Color Managed Workspace, while many other (most?) programs are not.

    Even with Color Managed Workspace programs, they must be calibrated the same, say between PS, AI and InDesign.

    Calibration is the key, and then for non-Color Managed Workspaces, a critical eye is needed. If you are delivering your artwork to others, there is absolutely no guarantee that they will have any calibration, or a Color Managed Workspace, so one is at the mercy of the clients' displays. It's the same, when doing work in Video, as few people have ever calibrated their TV's, so the editor can ONLY edit to a calibrated CRT monitor, and then just hold their breath.

    There are links in the threads, that Emil Emil posted, and they should be useful to you. Also, calibration covers every device in the chain. In your case, a scanner, or camera is not part of the worlkflow, but your monitors and any printers will be.

    Good luck,

    Hunt

    PS - I have a similar issue, when starting work on my laptop. There is only so much calibration, for that type of display. I have to interpolate, and be prepared to tweak Adjustment Layers, etc., when I take the Images to my workstation, which is fully calibrated. I have a fair idea of colors and density, so I can get it close, then finalize things.

      E
      emil emil
      Inspiring
      September 3, 2011

      similar recent post may give you some clues

      http://forums.adobe.com/thread/897737?tstart=30

      If you are relying on your monitor for creating colors, color managed programs like Photoshop must know how your monitor displays colors. The best way to do that is to create a monitor profile by using a color measuring device. There are many posts about similar issue, try searching. Here's another one I remember:

      http://forums.adobe.com/message/3758179#3758179

        C
        CalamityBirdAuthor
        Participant
        September 4, 2011

        Thank you very much--those links helped me to sort out the calibration issue. There were some discrepancies between my monitor color profiles and the profiles I had set for my Adobe software.

        Thanks again!

        -Jenna

        the_wine_snob
        the_wine_snob
        Inspiring
        September 4, 2011

        Jenna,

        You are most welcome. When calibrated, be sure to test in both Color Managed Workspaces, and then non-Color Managed apps.

        Good luck,

        Hunt

        Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
        Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices