Color is off in photoshop

JC
Posted By
Jacqueline_Christine
Nov 28, 2006
Views
266
Replies
9
Status
Closed
Hello,

I just built a new windows computer and installed the Adobe CS1 Suite (Educational Version). In my old computer, I had the regular version of psd CS (although it’s my understanding the educational version is identical?).

Anyway, photoshop is displaying grey/black as sepia/dark brownish red. I thought at first it was the color profile I set up for my monitor, however the colors look ok in Illustrator or any other program. It’s ONLY in Photoshop that the colors are off. I’ve tried different color settings/profiles in Photoshop (even some of the weird ones) and don’t even see a difference.

I have some color sensitive work I need to get done and I’m in a panic! Please help!

Jacqueline

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Y
YrbkMgr
Nov 28, 2006
Jac,

Go to Ian Lyons’ site (below) and spend 15 minutes reading about color management – it’s an easy read. Then calibrate your monitor with Adobe Gamma (it’s explained in the article).

Photoshop 8 Colour Management <http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps8_colour/ps8_1.htm>
JC
Jacqueline_Christine
Nov 28, 2006
I had already calibrated my monitor using calibrating software, but I just did it with Adobe Gamma also. However, the problem remains that it is ONLY in Photoshop that the colors are off (grey is way too warm). I have always used the U.S Prepress settings, but trying other settings makes no difference. Could this be a glitch with the "Educational Version"? I’ve been using photoshop for years and have never had such an issue with color.
B
bmoag
Nov 28, 2006
You have a calibration problem.
If you were getting reliable color printing without hardware calibration of the monitor then you were the beneficiary of a happy accident. With your new computer you have changed whatever accidental balance of factors allowed you to print color reliably.
Regardless of what you read color management is not reliable without hardware calibration of the monitor. The Adobe Gamma applet is nearly useless for reliable calibration and is a vestigial remnant from a time when monitor calibrating devices for the masses simply did not exist. The next version of Photoshop would be vastly improved without the Adobe Gamma Applet as users would be forced to adapt more rigorous calibration and color management.
Even a low end calibration solution, like the Huey which costs less than $100, is vastly superior to any software /eyeball method of calibration. I do not believe there is any other way to solve your problem.
JJ
John Joslin
Nov 28, 2006
Could this be a glitch with the "Educational Version"?

No, it is just a pricing difference for the same software.

Do what Tony (YrbkMgr) said, and do it carefully, making sure that you save the new profile correctly.
JC
Jacqueline_Christine
Nov 28, 2006
I have – please understand, the color-grey, is fine in all other programs including Illustrator.

In Photoshop under color settings, I have chosen U.S Prepress Defaults, and also tried many other options, and am still getting a very sepia toned grey.

Any other ideas would be so greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Jacque
L
LenHewitt
Nov 28, 2006
Jaqueline,

The problem you describe is typical of a bad monitor profile. The fact that it is OK in other programs does not indicate anything different.
C
chrisjbirchall
Nov 28, 2006
please understand, the color-grey, is fine in all other programs

Photoshop is likely to be your only fully colour-managed program. You need to carefully calibrate so that PS can communicate correctly with the monitor, and keep checking/recalibrating every month or so as monitors can drift over their lifetime.

This is the only way you can ensure that what you produce in Photoshop can be interperated as near correctly as possible in the non-colour managed world.

Use either Adobe Gamma or a third-party calibration device/software, but not both!

Adobe Gamma is great for CRT monitors and some LCD screens. If you have an LCD monitor which requires a third-party calibration solution, be sure to remove Adobe Gamma loader from your start menu otherwise one will undo the good work of the other.

Also consider your Working Colour Space. Non colour managed applications, browsers and most monitors approximate sRGB. If you are using wider gamut space in Photoshop, such as Adobe RGB1998 which is better for work destined for print, you should convert to sRGB when saving images which will be viewed on screen.

That link Tony gave you in post#1 is well worth adding to your bookmarks.

Hope this helps.

Chris.
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Nov 28, 2006
Use either Adobe Gamma or a third-party calibration device/software, but not both!

Chris’ advice means that Adobe Gamma Loader should be in the Startup folder when you created a profile with Adobe Gamma, but that it should be disabled in the case another calibration/profiling scheme is used.

Rob
J
Jim
Nov 28, 2006
wrote in message
I have – please understand, the color-grey, is fine in all other programs including Illustrator.

In Photoshop under color settings, I have chosen U.S Prepress Defaults, and also tried many other options, and am still getting a very sepia toned grey.

Any other ideas would be so greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Jacque
Are you using U S Prepress Defaults as a monitor profile? If so, there is your problem.
Jim

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