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pjoye
pjoye
Participant
June 15, 2016
Answered

Choosing a color space in LR CC

  • June 15, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 15285 views

There used to be an option to choose/set a color space in Lightroom with the choices of ProRGB, Adobe RGB, sRGB like there is in PS/Bridge. As I have used Adobe RGB as the base line - camera/computer and lab - this is a serious problem given the Develop module in LR using Pro RGB which doesn't translate over to Photoshop at all without color shifts. 

And given that there is no setting available to set a color space "at the moment" per the notes on the LR FAQ, is there a time frame for when this critical element will be available?

Common questions asked about Color in Lightroom CC

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer D Fosse

    pjoye wrote:

    I white balance adjustments in LR Library and fine tuned them in Develop. In PS, I further refined with a cool filter but when I viewed them again in LR, they didn't look the same.

    That could happen if you have an import preset or auto-tone in Lightroom.

    Other than that, any difference between Lightroom and Photoshop indicates a broken monitor profile.

    ProPhotoRGB has nothing to do with it. You're looking in the wrong place.

    2 replies

    Per Berntsen
    Community Expert
    Per BerntsenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 15, 2016

    pjoye wrote:

    Develop module in LR using Pro RGB which doesn't translate over to Photoshop at all without color shifts.

    Images should display identically in LR and PS. If they don't, it's usually caused by a defective monitor profile.

    Try setting the monitor profile to sRGB as described here:

    How do I change my monitor profile to check whether it’s corrupted? - The Lightroom Queen

    If this fixes the issue, you should ideally calibrate your monitor with a hardware calibrator.

    pjoye
    pjoyeAuthor
    Participant
    June 15, 2016

    My monitor is calibrated using Spyder and this wasn't a problem before LR CC. I've had a tight color workflow for close to a decade and have never had any color or b/w tonal problems with prints which look the same in a soft proof using the lab ICC profile.

    On a recent client shoot, I white balance adjustments in LR Library and fine tuned them in Develop. In PS, I further refined with a cool filter but when I viewed them again in LR, they didn't look the same. I went to confirm that I was in an RGB color space and learned then that the Develop module defaults to Pro RGB which would explain why things looked differently.

    It's kind of alarming to me that a user can't define a color space for a develop module given that the Profoto space is not one that can be printable or viewable on a monitor. I get that there are more colors available but what's the point? And why would I want to mess with a color workflow that has worked extremely well with consistent results for as long as it has? I guess all I'm asking is why this isn't an option. If you look at bullet #7 on the link below, you'll see why I'm asking.

    Common questions asked about Color in Lightroom CC

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    June 15, 2016

    pjoye wrote:

    I white balance adjustments in LR Library and fine tuned them in Develop. In PS, I further refined with a cool filter but when I viewed them again in LR, they didn't look the same.

    That could happen if you have an import preset or auto-tone in Lightroom.

    Other than that, any difference between Lightroom and Photoshop indicates a broken monitor profile.

    ProPhotoRGB has nothing to do with it. You're looking in the wrong place.

      JP Hess
      JP Hess
      Inspiring
      June 15, 2016

      The color space that you work in when editing in Lightroom has never been selectable, at least that I can remember. It is essentially ProPhoto. However, you can export copies and choose different color spaces. And, it's possible to soft proof in sRGB or Adobe RGB 1998.

        Rob_Cullen
        Community Expert
        Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 15, 2016

        Advice I have read is to also set Photoshop to ProfotoRGB. This then matches with LR.

        Only when exporting or creating derivative images will you need to consider the output file color-space.

        Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
        D Fosse
        Community Expert
        D FosseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 15, 2016

        wobertc wrote:

        Advice I have read is to also set Photoshop to ProfotoRGB. This then matches with LR.

        This is a misunderstanding.

        As Per says, they should always match, no matter what color space*. That's precisely what color management is supposed to do. So if they don't match, that means color management is breaking down somewhere. Usually that turns out to be in a defective monitor profile.

        *The only exception is if you use a color space that is smaller than your monitor color space - in practice, this only applies to sRGB files viewed on a wide gamut monitor.

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