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rod mclean
Known Participant
January 31, 2018
Answered

Light room color space default, unable to change in camera raw workflow

  • January 31, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 2441 views

I have always adjusted the color space and image sizing in camera raw workflow options without issue but suddenly the changes are not applying to the image.  I want to change my adobe rgb 8bit to cmyk 16bit but it does not change.

I have deleted and reinstalled photoshop cc18, I have deleted all adobe preferences, and I am running out of options.

If I go to photoshop and open as smart object, the original raw image directly from the HD there is not an issue, I can adjust the color space and image sizing in camera raw and it applies to the smart object.

However if I select the image in Lightroom and open it via "edit in.... open as smart object" I am unable to change the default settings.  I can change the color space in the workflow box but it does not apply to the final smart object.

Additionally if I save the smart object psd file to a separate location and reopen it in photoshop I am still unable to adjust the color space of image sizing in camera raw workflow.

So someplace within the most recent updates there must be an option that is not allowing me to override light rooms default settings

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Conrad_C

    I am actually leaning more towards a lightroom issue because if I open the original raw file from the HD with PS I have complete control over the smart object in camera raw.  It is only when opening the file in PS via lightroom that I am unable to edit the color profile.   This has only just become an issue.


    I'm thinking along the same lines as johnrellis​​ and his helpful screen shots, but with a slightly different angle on the question.

    What's probably confusing here is that when Photoshop and Lightroom create a new Photoshop document from a Smart Object, they handle it differently:

    • When you’re in Photoshop and you use Open as Smart Object, Photoshop takes your Camera Raw settings and creates the containing Photoshop document based on those settings. Both the smart object and its containing Photoshop document are CMYK from the beginning, because Photoshop fully supports CMYK.
    • When you’re in Lightroom and you use Edit in Photoshop as Smart Object, Lightroom takes its External Editing preferences and creates the containing Photoshop document based on those. Lightroom doesn't have an external editing preference for CMYK, so the default for both the smart object and its containing Photoshop document are RGB.

    Then, in the Lightroom-created version, you change the Camera Raw smart object profile to CMYK. What happens is that you’re changing the profile for the Camera Raw smart object, but not for the containing Photoshop document. That's why the Photoshop document created by Lightroom is still RGB even though the smart object is now CMYK. In this case you must also use Edit > Convert to Profile to convert the Photoshop document to CMYK as well.

    The containing Photoshop document created by Open as Smart Object (from Photoshop) started as CMYK from the beginning, but Lightroom can't do CMYK so its Photoshop document cannot be CMYK from the beginning.

    This is a subtle difference in workflow, but it's the key to understanding why the containing document profile isn't changing. The profile of each smart object only applies to the smart object contents, and the Photoshop document profile is independent and handled separately.

    I think the way it works is that at output time, Photoshop converts the colors of all smart objects from whatever their individual profiles are to the Photoshop document profile and bit depth.

    1 reply

    D
    dj_paige
    Legend
    January 31, 2018

    Lightroom does not let you change the color space that it works in.

      R
      rod mcleanAuthor
      Known Participant
      February 1, 2018

      Thanks but I am not trying to change the color space in lightroom.

      I view the image in lightroom, select "edit in" "open as smart object in CC18" it opens in photoshop as a smart object with the default lightroom rgb, 8bit, color space profile.  I double click on the smart object to adjust in camera raw.  I select cmyk... and 16bit in workflow, click ok, the progress bar says preparing smart object.  I check the image color profile and it is still the original rgb, did not change to a cmyk 16bit. 

      I am assuming it is either a glitch in the software or somewhere with in the newest updates there is the option to essentially embed a locked color profile via lightroom.

      Conrad_C
      Community Expert
      Conrad_CCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      February 1, 2018

      I am actually leaning more towards a lightroom issue because if I open the original raw file from the HD with PS I have complete control over the smart object in camera raw.  It is only when opening the file in PS via lightroom that I am unable to edit the color profile.   This has only just become an issue.


      I'm thinking along the same lines as johnrellis​​ and his helpful screen shots, but with a slightly different angle on the question.

      What's probably confusing here is that when Photoshop and Lightroom create a new Photoshop document from a Smart Object, they handle it differently:

      • When you’re in Photoshop and you use Open as Smart Object, Photoshop takes your Camera Raw settings and creates the containing Photoshop document based on those settings. Both the smart object and its containing Photoshop document are CMYK from the beginning, because Photoshop fully supports CMYK.
      • When you’re in Lightroom and you use Edit in Photoshop as Smart Object, Lightroom takes its External Editing preferences and creates the containing Photoshop document based on those. Lightroom doesn't have an external editing preference for CMYK, so the default for both the smart object and its containing Photoshop document are RGB.

      Then, in the Lightroom-created version, you change the Camera Raw smart object profile to CMYK. What happens is that you’re changing the profile for the Camera Raw smart object, but not for the containing Photoshop document. That's why the Photoshop document created by Lightroom is still RGB even though the smart object is now CMYK. In this case you must also use Edit > Convert to Profile to convert the Photoshop document to CMYK as well.

      The containing Photoshop document created by Open as Smart Object (from Photoshop) started as CMYK from the beginning, but Lightroom can't do CMYK so its Photoshop document cannot be CMYK from the beginning.

      This is a subtle difference in workflow, but it's the key to understanding why the containing document profile isn't changing. The profile of each smart object only applies to the smart object contents, and the Photoshop document profile is independent and handled separately.

      I think the way it works is that at output time, Photoshop converts the colors of all smart objects from whatever their individual profiles are to the Photoshop document profile and bit depth.

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