Photographers: Which profile for Photo editing on M1 MBP?

Even though this thread is 3 years old, it's helping me (I think) address a confusing print issue. I've long had a workable knowledge of profiles, calibration and color management - but suddenly I'm confused about next steps. I'm attempting to create reference archival images of a painter's works, but all prints are dark and/or muddy regardless of paper choice (and related icc profile.) The common denominator is the M1 Max chip in both my 14" MBP and my Studio. MBP display and same file on my BenQ appear quite comparable and "appropriate." But the prints - no. I have an i1 Display pro - is this useful anymore? I hardware calibrated the BenQ with it and the BenQ Palette master app. Any thoughts are appreciated.  Ventura 13.7.1, Photoshop 2024.

Conrad C has helpfully pointed out that this advice does not apply to theXDR Liquid Retina display

For no XDR Liquid Retina displays though it's relevant as is the working colour space advice

Hi Julia, one more thing:

"a question for photographers  who using MacBook Pro M1 for photo editing. 
which colour profile for display  are you using"

I think you may be getting mixed up here about "which profile to use". When it’s the display profile you don't have a choice. 

When working in Adobe applications (e.g. Photoshop) and, indeed any colour management compatible application, EVERYONE, no matter whether photographer, designer, prepress guy or amateur, should, ideally, be using a profile for the ACTUAL display in use.

We've explained here about custom display profile made with a sensor and software, that’s the best kind of ICC display profile to use. Or select the default for the display and hope its accurate.

You can use something like this to check: icc-profile-verification-kit

Here's where you DO get a choice - Adobe applications do allow choosing a different working color space (profile) for your "document file" - such as sRGB, Adobe RGB etc. THIS is where a user can make a decision about which colour space to work in.

For print, lots of photographers choose Adobe RGB as it is an industry default.

For web - a user might choose sRGB because that’s the "default colour space of the internet".

Now what happens is that Photoshop's colour engine transforms document colour on the fly - just to send to the display screen (this ICC profile to ICC profile conversion [which doesn’t change the actual document file] is based on the document file's embedded ICC profile [e.g. Adobe RGB] and the display profile that’s set in System preferences / displays / color.)

 I hope this explains why a user need to select an ICC profile that truly describes the actual display rather than choosing a profile from the list that gives a "pleasing appearance".

If an image file does not have a "pleasing appearance" then the way to fix that is [working on an accurate display] using Photoshop's editing tools.

NOT by altering the display profile. .

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

Conrad C has helpfully pointed out that this advice does not apply to theXDR Liquid Retina display

For non - XDR Liquid Retina displays though its relevant 

Apple automatically create an ICC profile for attached screens - so, the one to use (if you don't have a calibrator) is the one called, in most Macbooks, "Color LCD" [or similar].

On my Macbook (older model) that appears at the top of the list in the System Preferences / Displays / Color control panel.

Checking "show profiles for this display only" therein the System Preferences / Displays / Color control panel should narrow down the list for you.

The best display profile is one made specifically for your own display by measurement using a device such as a colorimeter and good display calibration/profiling software . 

advice/display-screen-colour-management 

products/basiccolor 

Selecting, say, sRGB, from the list can only be used for troubleshooting display profile issues, no display is properly characterised by sRGB since no display fully matches sRGB.

(BTW, sRGB is a working colour space not a device colour space). 

Newer Apple displays are claimed to be close to the **Display-P3 colourspace by the way. But, all the same, selecting "Color LCD" will be more accurate. 

**

Does your display support Display P3?

Your hardware tools are just as important as your software tools: Ensure that the device you use to create assets supports the Display P3 color space so that you can preview your designs accurately. That includes all iMacs with Retina displays, 2016 and later MacBook Pro, LG’s UltraFine 4K or 5K Display, and the Pro Display XDR.

https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=5cda5ipr

I hope this helps make more sense of the options to you
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
[please only use the blue reply button at the top of the page, this maintains the original thread title and chronological order of posts]

The question needs a little more detail to be answered properly.

Do you mean the 13" MacBook Pro with the older M1 processor, or the newer 14/16" MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro or M1 Max processor ? This is an important question because of a major display hardware difference between those models.

Do you mean choosing a profile in macOS (Displays system preference), or in Photoshop Color Settings?

Start here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20070119043614/http://www.takegreatpictures.com/HOME/Columns/Digital_Photography/Details/Color_Management_and_Display.fci

Assuming (sorry) this isn't anything new, and you have a hardware and software product to actually calibrate and profile that display, keep in mind that the new M1's have a newer backlight and not all calibration software products have a descriptor for this, you may need to try differing settings IF you have such a product along with an instrument to calibrate and profile the display.

You use the profile that describes the actual and current behavior of the display. You can't "experiment" with the display profile - only one is the correct one.

This is why people use calibrators. It will set up a profile built on actual measurement.

If you don't have a calibrator, you need to use the system display profile. It won't be entirely accurate, but usually close enough.

I've moved this from the Using the Community forum (which is the forum for issues using the forums) to the Photoshop forum so that proper help can be offered.