Files used outside PS change color

[peregrineguy]

When using a psd file in an application other than photoshop, such as apple mail or FotoMagico, all my psd files gain a green color cast when opened in those applications.

The files are psd, 8bit, large (32mb) or small (1.5mb) and flat.  Current versions and updates of adobe applications, cc2019,  and apple os (Mojave). This has never happened to me before.

Please help

[mglush · Accepted solution]

Hi!

I believe the issue you are dealing with is color management. What color profile is assigned to your psd files? And, are you calibrating your monitor? I am not sure about FotoMagic, but I believe Apple mail has no color management which could be why your images look different in Photoshop as opposed to Mail.

One other question--why are you using the psds (instead of other formats) in Mail? It would be helpful to know what your want your end result to be...

Michelle

[Michael Bullo]

I'm really just expanding on what mglush has already eloquently said.

Most programs, including web browsers and image viewers, expect images to have an sRGB colour profile. Even if an image has no embedded profile, sRGB will generally be assumed by default. This can be problematic when when you are working with other colour profiles such as Adobe RGB (1998) or ProPhoto. Even if you embed this profile within your image, the program displaying that image might just straight up ignore it. This could explain your weird colour shifts.

Have you recently changed anything about your process that could be resulting in this new behaviour? Are you using a new colour profile?

[D Fosse]

Most programs, including web browsers and image viewers, expect images to have an sRGB colour profile.

Actually the monitor expects the data to be in sRGB; that's what it reproduces (more or less). If the application isn't color managed it doesn't know what a color profile is - it just passes the original numbers along.

But yes, this sounds like ProPhoto without color management. Are these files coming from Lightroom by any chance? It sends to Photoshop as ProPhoto by default. You should change that to sRGB in Lr preferences, until you get more experience. Or convert to sRGB in Photoshop.

[peregrineguy]

Thank you--Fosse, Bullo, and others who have pitched in to help.

Yes, All of the images are (soon to be were) in ProPhoto.  Converting to Adobe RGB solved my problem with FotoMagico.  I don't often use FM and this is probably the first time since I switched my PS workflow to use ProPhoto profile.

I only attached a psd to mail to rule out the issue being with the FM application.  I do know to use SRGB with mail or websites.

Thanks again.

[Michael Bullo]

Thank you. Good to hear you solved the problem.

[peregrineguy]

I forgot to personally thank mglush as well,

n

[mglush]

Thanks!

Michelle

[D Fosse]

Actually I'm not sure this is a solution, only a temporary cover-up. If color management works as it should, any document color space will reproduce correctly. Whether sRGB, ProPhoto or anything in between, it should display correctly and identically.

So if different document profiles display differently, that means color management isn't working. If only Adobe RGB displays correctly, color management isn't working. The most common issues are 1. a broken monitor profile, and 2. using applications that aren't color managed at all.

I had to google Fotomagico, but apparently it's a fairly sophisticated slide show editor. I find it hard to believe it shouldn't be color managed (but I don't know).

So I suspect peregrineguy will run into further issues down the line. If/when that happens, come back with specifics.