Color shift after export- reimport issue?

[learnit23898361]

I don't know what has happened, but there last two times after I have received my DNG/TIFF files back from my retoucher and I put them into LR classic, and then export jpeg files- the colors shift soooo far RED. 

I've tried everything, but the TIFF files are being sent in sRGB and when I export I ensure that the color space is sRGB.

Not sure if this is happening because I am putting the file back into lightroom and making slight adjustments.... 

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thank you

[learnit23898361]

I also should add, this only started happening that the colors did not adjust when uploading to social/web within the last month. Before I would expect a color shift on my monitor or Windows photo application, but when I would put them into a file delivery systemm dropbox/wetransfer or the like, then export to say instagram the colors would shift back to how they were correctly seen in my LR/PS. 

But now they just stay shifted to the RED profile.

And I can't adjust this as I'm seeing how the image should be within lightroom's color managed profile...

[Per Berntsen]

In what application are you viewing the exported jpg? If it is not color managed, colors will be wrong, especially if you have a wide gamut monitor.

Not sure if this is happening because I am putting the file back into lightroom and making slight adjustments.... 

So, do you see any difference in Lightroom before you make the adjustments?

[learnit23898361]

Hi -

I am viewing the image in the pre-installed windows photo application - which I understand that is an unmanaged photo space so I don't really have expectation that the colors will look correct there.

But the issue is that when I put the photo into Dropbox and look at it on my phone, and then put it into Instagram, it typically would look fine and colors would shift back to how I saw them on my LR.

However now - they are completely out of range and the color does not shift. How I see it in the dropbox/window photo app is how it is on the web.

Attaching example - this may not show how fully red she is on my side, but even here the subject is much more orange toned and saturated then I had edited the image to.

[Per Berntsen · Accepted solution]

If you are on Windows 11, make sure that it's up to date. There was a color management bug that was fixed recently, with the KB5008353 Cumulative Update.

If it is up to date, or you are on Windows 10, note that the Photos app is now color managed, and should display the same as Lightroom. When two color managed applications don't match, it's usually caused by a defective monitor profile.

As troubleshooting, and as a possible temporary fix, try setting the monitor profile to sRGB (use Adobe RGB if you have a wide gamut monitor).

If this fixes the issue, you should ideally calibrate the monitor with a hardware calibrator. This will also create and install a custom monitor profile that describes your monitor accurately.

Close all color managed applications, including web browsers.

Press the Windows key + R, type colorcpl in the box and press Enter.

Add the sRGB profle, then set it as default.

[learnit23898361]

Thank you!

Just to understand,  this will also help so that when I see the image in LR, it will be the same when I export the photo? There shouldn't be any color shift?

[learnit23898361]

And, sorry should have asked this as well,  this isn't anything to do with me putting the file back into LR/PS after receiving it back from the retoucher (as long as they use the same color profile - sRGB)?

[Per Berntsen]

Just to understand,  this will also help so that when I see the image in LR, it will be the same when I export the photo? There shouldn't be any color shift?

With a correct and sound monitor profile, there won't be any color shift, as long as you view the exported image in color managed applications. Paint, the File Explorer and the desktop are not color managed.

And, sorry should have asked this as well,  this isn't anything to do with me putting the file back into LR/PS after receiving it back from the retoucher (as long as they use the same color profile - sRGB)?

If you import the jpg and do edits, or a develop preset is applied on import, it will of course look different.

But the main issue here is that two color managed applications don't display identically, and when they don't, it's usually caused by a defective monitor profile. This is quite common on Windows, which will often install monitor profile from monitor manufacturers when doing updates. You'd think that monitor manufacturers know how to make profiles, but they don't. These profiles are very often defective out of the box.

[learnit23898361]

WOW!

What a difference that made. It may not be perfect, but at least now I am in the ballpark and can make accurate adjustments. I also use a second, larger monitor to do my edits. So I reset both my direct computer screen and the display screen using your fix! Thank you, very detailed with the screen grabs.

I am on Windows 10, and as I was making these changes I also realized that I had to get my computer serviced this month, and all my settings must have been reset to defaults, so I'm sure there are other tweaks that I'll need to make as I run into issues - but thank to this community I'm sure I can work it out.

In the image below you can see the unmanaged image on the left, and and now with changing the profile monitor on the right.... that is unbeliveable how far off the monitor was.

[thedigitaldog]

Hi -

I am viewing the image in the pre-installed windows photo application - which I understand that is an unmanaged photo space so I don't really have expectation that the colors will look correct there.

By @learnit23898361

And that is the issue. The app has to be properly color managed or all bets are off, even using sRGB which isn't a fix (non color managed applications have no idea what sRGB is or means).

[Per Berntsen]

The Windows Photos app has been color managed for several months now, at least on my Windows 10 system.

I assume that it's also color managed on Windows 11, but I don't want to upgrade to find out, and I haven't been able to find any Microsoft documentation on this.

[thedigitaldog]

The Windows Photos app has been color managed for several months now, at least on my Windows 10 system.

I assume that it's also color managed on Windows 11, but I don't want to upgrade to find out, and I haven't been able to find any Microsoft documentation on this.

By @Per Berntsen

All know is what the OP stated: which I understand that is an unmanaged photo space. The OP will have to clarify what he is using. All kinds of reported issues with Win 11 with color management although I did hear a new(er) version fixed it? No idea, I don't do Windows for kind of obvious reasons <g>.

[Per Berntsen]

Well, the Photos app was not color managed until recently, and had a reputation for not being color managed.

The OP mentions  "Windows photo application", which probably means Photos – it's the only image viewer that comes with Windows.

As for the Windows 11 color management issue, it has now been fixed.

[thedigitaldog]

Well, the Photos app was not color managed until recently, and had a reputation for not being color managed.

No idea what version he might be using, but the issue sounds just like what one would expect viewing image data without color management.