Converting sRGB to Adobe RGB

[desmeralda]

I need to convert an sRGB photo to Adobe RGB.  How do I do that?  I have made a lot of edits, and tried to print, and the print is too brown.  I used sepia toning.  Do I need to convert it?

Thank you!

Desmeralda

[Monika Gause]

You need to use Photoshop for photos.

Set up the color management in PS to your needs. 

Then open the photo and Edit > Convert to profile.

Select Adobe RGB.

[Per Berntsen]

If print colors are wrong, converting to Adobe RGB will not fix the issue.

All the colors that can be reproduced in sRGB can also be reproduced in Adobe RGB, so the result will be identical.

If you provide some more information, we might be able to help you.

• Are you on Mac or Windows?
• Do you have a calibrated monitor?
• Are you printing on your own printer or using a printing service?
• If you are using your own printer, are you using the correct printing profile for your paper/printer combination?
• What application are you using for printing?
• What make and model is your printer?

[desmeralda]

iMac Retina 5k 27 inch.  The monitor is calibrated to our workspace at our college; using Epson 5300 series printer.  Using correct paper profile; printing on Adobe PS Creative Cloud

[Conrad_C]

If the problem is that the sepia is too brown when printed, that might not be a color space problem. Instead, it might be a problem with how the sepia color translates to the color gamut of the printer. And if that is the real problem, changing color spaces won’t solve it, and might make it worse. For example, if you convert the document to a larger color space, it’s now possible for the document to use even more colors that are not printable on that printer.

If the document’s being printed on a printer for which a printer color profile is available, and the profile is installed, then one useful approach is to use the soft-proofing feature in your software to preview how the document colors will print, by simulating how the colors look through the printer color profile. Then adjust the colors using that preview. If the sepia colors look OK throiugh the soft-proof, they should be close enough for printing.

You didn’t mention which software you’re using. If you’re using Photoshop, you can set up soft-proofing using the command View > Proof Setup > Custom. It works similarly in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. If you’re using Lightroom Classic, then in the Develop module use the command View > Soft-Proofing > Show Proof. In any software, soft-proofing works properly only after you select a profile that represents the combination of printer, ink, and paper you’re using.

[desmeralda]

Thank you...I have made global changes with curves, and will reprint.  

[NB, colourmanagement]

@desmeralda @Thanks for the catch up - but do note that if all is working as it should then a calibrated and profiled display should match a print made using an icc profile for printer/ink/paper quite well with no need for extensive manual corrections. 

I hope this helps neil barstow, colourmanagement net - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right' google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered. Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts. 

[NB, colourmanagement]

@desmeralda "I need to convert an sRGB photo to Adobe RGB" it would be helpful to know why you want to do that?

Have you been instructed to do it by a print provider perhaps?

The conversion is easily done in Photoshop (edit/convert to profile), but it's unlikely to fix any appearance problems*

*- unless it’s the rather rare situation of the colour space of your image being misinterpreted in the print process somehow. 

I hope this helps

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts

[Biggs47]

I agree that the RGB colorspace you're using isn't going to make a world of difference. The Adobe RGB space is a wider gamut, but if the the image is already saved in sRGB it wont add color where none was before. Besides the file will be converted to the printer's output space in the end anyway. If you're printing it yourself, just simply make a color correction to it, open it in photoshop and add a curve adjustment layer or however you wish to make the adjustment, and print again. 

If you have the knowledge you can look into to creating an output profile that suites your color preference.

Or perhaps it's in the calibration - or the device that's measuring color.

As a 20 year print veteran, nothing is perfect - and there's no shame in correcting your file to match - either your personal vision - or to account for discrepancies in hardware or profile imperfections -

heck, even the substrate you're printing on may be too warm. Each media should have it's own output profile - if you calibrated and profiled on a very cool white medium, and now you're printing on a warmer white material - it's to be expected that the color wont match