I’m selling Photoshop-enhanced prints of my photography on eBay, and I’m worried that the JPEGs that I include in my listings aren’t showing the colors properly. I realize that there are huge inconsistencies among people’s computer/monitor settings that are beyond my control, but how can I increase the odds that my images will look right to the greatest number of viewers?
I’m working on a G4 Mac, both in System 9.1 and 10.3, with an Apple 20" Multiscan monitor and usually Photoshop 6.0 (sometimes CS).
I’m scanning 35mm slides with a Nikon Super CoolScan 4000 slide scanner, which produces “calibrated RGB” TIFFs. I open these in Photoshop and convert them to RGB PDFs, in which I do my editing. I then create separate CMYK files for printing, plus low-res RGB JPEGs, to be uploaded to my eBay store.
I’ve resigned myself to the fact that the printed output won’t match what I see on my monitor; I’m used to doing some trial-and-error printing before the contrast and colors are right. But the jpegs for eBay have to look relatively accurate to my customers. One disturbing phenomenon is the fact that when I view my listings on eBay, many of the images look very different than the original JPEGs before being uploaded.
I’ve got my default RGB ColorSync profile set at “Apple Multiple Scan 20 - 9300,” and I’ve calibrated my monitor with the Adobe Gamma control panel. Should that also be my RGB working space setting in Photoshop?
And what should be my Photoshop CMYK working space, to minimize monitor/printer discrepancies?
You may need to convert from whatever your working color space is to sRGB (Image > Mode > Convert to Profile) before saving it for the web.
I’m now wrestling with much the same issues as you, and FWIW just started reading Real World Color Management (so don’t ask me for a full review) in my effort to get that under control.
I heartily concur with that recommendation if you’re serious about applying color management settings correctly. Earthling is absolutely correct that sRGB should be your output space. Be sure to embed that profile into your JPGs to give them the best chance of being interpreted correctly by CM aware browsers.
Don’t use your monitor profile as your working space. Use one of the synthetic spaces like AdobeRGB. You could use sRGB for your working space to streamline your workflow but you’ll probably find it’s too limiting for high quality printed output.
You didn’t provide enough info for me to comment on the CMYK output side of the problem. Depending on what type of printer you’re dealing with (inkjet)? The driver will take whatever CMYK you provide, force it back into RGB and then convert it to the printer’s final output space whether 4 color or the now more common 7 or 8 color devices. And given a little effort, you absolutely can make your printer and monitor match if you want. It’s not terribly hard if you have the equipment or can hire the resources. Read around at Chris Murphy’s site (colorremedies.com) and also Steve Upton’s site (chromix.com). I believe both guys offer services where they will remotely calibrate and profile your printer.
I’m currently printing on a 6-color HP DesignJet 120. It makes gorgeous prints, but in other respects is a piece of crap (constant paper feed problems, software crashing, inks that noticeably fade in a matter of months, etc.).
When I have an order to fill and the DesignJet isn’t cooperating, I print with my DeskJet 1220C.
Another variable: my monitor is several years old now, and I’m thinking that maybe I should upgrade it before I get any further into it.