Why does the color hue change when I copy and paste image inside photoshop?

[Justin24333119ybj1]

I have a picture frame that I cropped out the inside so I can add my photographs inside of the frame in photoshop. I saved this frame as a .png. The photographs I tweak the colors and save as a jpeg. I then copy the photograph (inside photoshop) and paste it inside the new empty frame as a new layer and adjust it to fit in the frame. But it makes the colors turn very dull almost like the original photo. Does anyone know why the colors are changing when I paste these? Thank you in advance.

[Justin24333119ybj1]

To be a little more clear, both of the photos are opened in photoshop and are both perfect at this point when they are not combined. It is only when I copy the photograph in photoshop and paste it to the other "frame" image that the color changes.

[Chuck Uebele]

Are both images the same color profile? One isn't Adobe RGB and the  other sRGB?

[Justin24333119ybj1]

Both say they are "ProPhoto RGB". So I tried saving the "frame" image as a .PSD and pasted the photograph inside and it looks good. But when I save, it goes back to the dull colors again when I open the saved image. It is saved as a .PNG. 

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

This happens when one file is untagged, doesn't have an embedded color profile. Always make sure the profile is embedded.

In a copy/paste, any embedded profile will be converted to the target document profile when pasted. So you you should normally not see any color changes. But the profile has to be embedded.

And with all that said, I would strongly advise you to not use ProPhoto until you get more experience. ProPhoto is for expert users who know color management well enough to understand all the implications.

[Chuck Uebele]

When you save as png, it gets converted to sRGB, so your extremely wide gamut ProPhoto is greatly reduced.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please set the Status Bar to »Document Profile« and post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible of the steps. 

[Justin24333119ybj1]

Thank You so much everyone for all of your input and help. I am getting consistant results now that I have switched to sRGB.

[thedigitaldog]

Thank You so much everyone for all of your input and help. I am getting consistant results now that I have switched to sRGB.

By @Justin24333119ybj1

You may want to stick with ProPhoto RGB and examine the role of the various color settings on the workflow when using untagged images, copying and pasting etc:

See: http://digitaldog.net/files/PhotoshopColorSettings.mp4
Photoshop CC Color Settings and Assign/Convert to Profile video