Applying Custom Color Profile in PS

[SRPcashie]

Hi Everyone, 

I usually take an image with a color checker and run it through the Color Checker Camera Calibration software and it builds a custom color profile that shows up in LR (Classic).  I unfortunately opening my file in PS before doing this and did too much work to go back.  Is there any way to apply the custom color profile to a tif in PS or LR?

Thanks!

PS 23.4.1

LR 11.4

Mac 12.4

[TheDigitalDog]

No, those profiles are camera (.DCP) profiles for raw processing which is why and how you access them in Lightroom Classic or ACR. Photoshop itself only supports ICC profiles.

[D Fosse]

I usually take an image with a color checker and run it through the Color Checker Camera Calibration software and it builds a custom color profile

By @SRPcashie

Just so it's said, for others reading this:

You only need a special profile if the spectral distribution of the light source is different, such as LED or CCT.

Most other common light sources (daylight, flash, incandescent) have continuous spectral output and only the white balance varies, which the standard dual illuminant profiles handle natively. Under normal circumstances it's highly doubtful that you can improve on the standard camera profiles.

A color checker included in the shot can be essential for setting the white balance and building the right contrast curve, but you normally don't need a special profile for that.

[Signfeld]

My turn to be blind. I have never seen this opinion...

So you consider matching camera output, standardizing your output, "reviving" some specific colors, an industry standard... as mostly marketing BS? 😄 😄

[TheDigitalDog]

---

@Signfeld wrote:

My turn to be blind. I have never seen this opinion...

So you consider matching camera output, standardizing your output, "reviving" some specific colors, an industry standard... as mostly marketing BS? 😄 😄

---

Everything you thought you wanted to know about DNG/DCP camera profiles:

All about In this 30 minute video, we will look into the creation and use of DNG (.dcp) camera profiles in three raw converters. The video covers:

What are DNG camera profiles, how do they differ from ICC camera profiles.

Misconceptions about DNG camera profiles.

Just when, and why do you need to build custom DNG camera profiles?

How to build custom DNG camera profiles using the X-rite Passport software.

The role of various illuminants on camera sensors and DNG camera profiles.

Dual Illuminant DNG camera profiles.

Examples of usage of DNG camera profiles in Lightroom, ACR, and Iridient Developer.

Low Rez (YouTube):

http://youtu.be/_fikTm8XIt4

High Rez (download):

http://www.digitaldog.net/files/DNG%20Camera%20profile%20video.mov

[D Fosse]

Signfeld, I work as photographer at a major art museum, so I can assure you that critically accurate color is at the very top of my list of priorities. It's the single most important thing I deal with, next to getting the shot in focus. And yes, I work with multiple cameras. I send images to books, magazines and various publications around the world. Not something I normally flag, but you seem to constantly doubt my credentials.

Those of us who do this for a living eventually learn that there are so many variables in this equation that far outweigh the camera profile. Polarized light, just to name one. There's no way you can just load a profile and call it a day, job done. Getting a colorimetric match isn't even a goal. You're not going to get it, but even if you do, it probably won't look internally consistent. It won't look good. The aim is equivalent color, not an "exact match". And it's done by eye and a good Eizo monitor.

Every camera I have ever used will mess up the blue channel. That has nothing to do with profiles, but is an inherent weakness of the Bayer sensor design. The blue channel is not weighted enough, I don't know, but blues and yellows (complementary to blue) always run off in unpredictable directions. That is guaranteed to get a lot worse with home-cooked profiles. The Adobe profiles deal with it better than anything else I've seen.

I did make my own profiles with the Adobe DNG Profile editor way back. But I stopped because those profiles always, no exception, produced worse results than the standard Adobe profiles. Some colors would be OK, and then some would explode into intergalactic territory. It was full of artifacts and weird color gradients. I know, you're probably going to tell me I didn't do it right.

[Signfeld]

Depending on how much you have edited, you could put a profiled version on top in Color mode. Some people seem to do this. I suspect it could look silly or unnatural if you've changed luminosities too much already... Maybe you can edit the raw similarly re. luminosity.

[SRPcashie]

For the record I went back and did all my PS work over.  I tried and tried and there was no way to match the color I was getting with the custom camera profile.  As I mentioned it is usually the first thing I do and I just messed up because this project was gigantic and I had my mind on other things.  But I whole heartedly agree with D Fosse below.  As an artwork photographer as well, there is no substitute to the custom camera profile to match the colors in a work from the get go.  To make matters worse this was video based artwork with really saturated colors.  I would never bother with this on my other work unless there was a reason, but I have not come across that yet.  I find Canon color out of the camera too saturated and very heavy on the green and yellow.  I am a color novice.  If anyone has advice or can point me in the right direction with that I'd be most appreciative.  In the meantime, thanks everyone for weighing in.  If it matters, I spent a couple hours on the phone with an adobe tech trying to reverse engineer this and it did not work.