Demandware desaturates sRGB IEC color space images

[Kathy23857956s2qv]

Here's the issue... client uses Demandware for their content to display product in their ecom product page. According to DemandWare's articles on the topic, files should NOT be saved as sRGB IEC61966 or Adobe RGB. Their recommendation is "Adobe sRGB" - however I don't see that color space in PS 2022 (or 21). We did try e-sRGB but the results were funky.  (we do work on Macs)

Anyone else have this issue and how did you resolve? I was told that Demandware will not recognize embedded profiles. 

thanks in advance. 

[jane-e]

@Kathy23857956s2qv 

Did you ask Demandware Support?

https://support-demandware.force.com/customer/login?locale=us

Jane

[Kathy23857956s2qv]

yes, they refered us to the knowledge base article stating what I wrote in post. Use Adobe sRGB not sRGB IEC... 

I've attached the two files... jpg is the original, demandware also converts to PNG. Both indicate the right ultimate colorspace, however (18) is desaturated and muddy vs (17)jpg original.

[Kathy23857956s2qv]

sorry, just realized I was sent just screen captures, so that wouldn't help except to show the difference in color... see below. the one on the left if the original, one on the right is after demandware processed.

[Test Screen Name]

I don't think there is any such thing as "Adobe sRGB". But one sRGB should be much like another, and the universal profile for all web design is sRGB. Don't expect accurate colour if you have a wide gamut monitor, as they are not for web viewing. 

[TheDigitalDog]

Don't expect accurate colour if you have a wide gamut monitor, as they are not for web viewing. 

By @Test Screen Name

Sure they are; if the product/software/browser is color-managed. Without color management, sRGB is a meaningless concept. Without, sRGB images are not guaranteed to match what is seen in a color-managed application as outlined below.

In Safari as just one example, ProPhoto RGB documents preview exactly as they do in Photoshop on my wide gamut display. Ditto for any other tagged RGB Working Space.

sRGB urban legend & myths Part 2

In this 17 minute video, I'll discuss some more sRGB misinformation and cover:
When to use sRGB and what to expect on the web and mobile devices
How sRGB doesn't insure a visual match without color management, how to check
The downsides of an all sRGB workflow
sRGB's color gamut vs. "professional" output devices
The future of sRGB and wide gamut display technology
Photo print labs that demand sRGB for output

High resolution: http://digitaldog.net/files/sRGBMythsPart2.mp4
Low resolution on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyvVUL1gWVs

[TheDigitalDog]

As outlined, there is no such thing as "Adobe sRGB".

The simple answer however is, that this product/site isn't color-managed. IF it were, the images would match Photoshop which is color-managed.

If you were told Demandware will not recognize embedded profiles, it's not color-managed. And if you happen to upload sRGB without an embedded profile but you're viewing on a wide gamut display, or something a mile off from 'sRGB', the preview will not match Photoshop.

This isn't a Photoshop issue.

[Kathy23857956s2qv]

thanks to all... I know it wasn't a Photoshop issue & didn't mean to imply that, but hoped someone else had the experience with Demandware and had a process that worked to not lose the quality of the photo. Unfortunately, our client will likely not move away from DW, so we're a bit stuck. If the site isn't color managed, what would be the best working color space to use to simulate "no profile" so we can adjust each photo before sending. Essentially predicting what the image will look like in DW. 

[jane-e]

---

@Kathy23857956s2qv wrote:

Essentially predicting what the image will look like in DW. 

---

Kathy, you can try to "match" what you see in DW to your monitor, but you cannot control other monitors and how anyone else might see it.

Jane

[D Fosse]

As Jane says. Without color management, it's entirely down to the characteristics of the monitor you happen to be looking at. Demandware has no "look" of its own. The numbers in the file just go straight to screen as if the application wasn't there.

Color management is the solution to that problem, but Demandware doesn't do it.

[TheDigitalDog]

If the site isn't color managed, what would be the best working color space to use to simulate "no profile" so we can adjust each photo before sending. Essentially predicting what the image will look like in DW. 

By @Kathy23857956s2qv

sRGB but again, no guarantees that will look well for others, and for all the wide gamut displays, it will likely look awful. And no, you can't adjust anything other than having the images appear as you desire, on your displays under color management. You cannot control or predict how others will see them.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

An sRGB file would currently be your best bet. 

sRGB was formulated to "match" the characteristics of the average CRT display long long ago (1996). So now there's not much kit that it actually represents. 

Anyone with a wide gamut display* will see a quite grossly over-saturated image.

[BUT I guess they are used to that!]

For WG owners the Adobe RGB colourspace would be better, but then the standard gamut displays (FAR more of those) would look pretty desaturated. 

This colour space thing isn't about the embedded profile, it's about the colour values. Converting an image to Adobe RGB from sRGB for example changes all the pixel values (but if the profile is embedded and the viewing application respects it then the appearance does not change].

You can preview what WG display owners will see when viewing an sRGB file

- In Photoshop try edit/assign profile and assign Adobe RGB to your sRGB file - you'll see quite a change. 

(*WG displays are becoming far more common, including current Apple machines which are close to P3)

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