If you are working in RGB then there will be changes when converting to CMYK. When working with books, I always work in CMYK keeping the orginal RGB file separate.
If you do all your proofing in RGB, then your client will be less than happy with the final result of the output when converted to CMYK. You already know how the conversion to CMYK affects the appearance. The adjustment layers in an RGB file can put the colours way out of the CMYK gamut.
Then there is the problem of colour management; do you actually know what your client is seeing? Probably not.
If I change the mode from RGB to CMYK, I lose the adjustment layers, and would have to re-correct the photos again (many photos = long job)
Why would yo ahev to recorrect? Is there that big a shift when you convert? If yes, the same shift will appear when you convert to CMYK when making the PDF.
Keep an RGB original and a set of CMYK converted files (with the proper CMYK settings of course – talk to the printer)
If you are employing color management within ID, there may be no need to convert to CMYK. InDesign has recommended color profiled RGB images for placement in print publications for the past several releases. Check the manual and help files.
Verify your working color space in InDesign to best approximate color.
….oh yeah – and you should be viewing your images in Photoshop as CMYK (not necessarily in CMYK mode, but at least in CMYK preview) when doing color corrections.
CJ: Accidentally found out while converting a file that if you hide/turn off the adjustment layers they will not be deleted when you convert the file.
Hum,
CS doesn’t act that way, hidden adjustment layers get discarded.
Why would yo ahev to recorrect? Is there that big a shift when you convert?
Because if you convert an RGB file with a "Levels" adjustment layer, you can either choose to flatten the file completely, or discard the adjustment layer (thereby losing any contrast/brightness adjustments made by that layer)
CS doesn’t act that way, hidden adjustment layers get discarded.
Same in CS2
So flatten the image and save a copy
You should keep the RGB originals in any case and go back to it if you need to output to a different CMYK device
I’m using CS2, I had two adjustment layers to assist in ripping backgrounds, the active one was deleted and the hidden one remained.
I just did a check by activating every adjustment layer available, when converting:
Layer that stay: Posterize, Threshold, Photo Filter, Gradient Map, Channel Mixer, Selective Colour, Brightness Contrast, Color Balance, Pattern Fill, Gradient Fill, Color Fill & Invert.
Layers removed: Levels, Curves & Hue/Saturation.
I just did a check by activating every adjustment layer available, when converting:
You’re right, it works the same in CS. Since I mostly use Curves and Hue/Saturation that’s what the file I tested on had.
It was an accident that I was using ‘Invert’ & ‘Hue/Saturation’ so that I saw this behaviour.
