Complex color problem

MF
Posted By
Marc_Fromm
Feb 10, 2009
Views
468
Replies
12
Status
Closed
On my home and work computer I have Photoshop CS3 installed. Both the home computer and my work computer have the default

installation with no configuration changes.

When I open an image file (any foramt) on my work computer in photoshop CS3 the images appear to be filtered in a way that

while open in photoshop CS3 the images have a rich golden look and appear sharper. The original files are very pale like

sun bleached drift wood. If I save the images and open them in other applications the the images look like the original

files (pale bleached look) and do not retain the adjusted look. When I open the same files on my home computer in CS3 the

files do not have this golden look, but retain the original pale bleached look.

I "uninstalled" photoshop on my work computer and deleted all references and settings that I could find for photoshop. I

then reinstalled photoshop and logged onto the computer as a new user. The images still have the golden look while open in

photoshop CS3 and not the actual pale bleached look.

Files:
1. Both the home computer and the work computer are using the default color settings as shown in this screen capture:
< http://myweb.facstaff.wwu.edu/frommm/photoshop/color_setting s.jpg>

2. The home computer photoshop opens this file and it looks as it does pale bleached look: <http://myweb.facstaff.wwu.edu/frommm/photoshop/original.bmp>

3. The work computer photoshop opens the file titled original.bmp but displays it like this, with the golden look. This image is a screen capture of the file original.bmp open in photoshop on my work computer.
< http://myweb.facstaff.wwu.edu/frommm/photoshop/original_file _open_in_photoshop.jpg>

Why is photoshop CS3 on my work computer altering the image, while photoshop CS3 on my home computer retains orignal pale bleached look?
Related Tags
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CC
Chris_Cox
Feb 10, 2009
Sounds like you just have an incorrect display profile on the system that looks funny.
MF
Marc_Fromm
Feb 10, 2009
By display profile, is that a setting in photoshop or my actual monitor settings? If it’s in photoshop, can you direct me to where the settings are? If it is the monitor itself, how can the file look correct outside of photoshop on the same monitor?

thanks
P
PeterK.
Feb 10, 2009
You need to calibrate all your monitors if you want consistent colour. Calibrating will create a proper display profile. Hardware calibration is best, but there are some software "eyeball" calibrators that can do a decent job, depending on how good your eyes are. Take note, however, that Photoshop is colour-managed, while most other apps are not, so you may still see differences between those apps and Photoshop, although Photoshop will show the "correct" image. Do a google search on monitor calibration and you should be able to find lots of info.
CC
Chris_Cox
Feb 10, 2009
Marc – you should read the help files or Photoshop manual on color calibration. Your display profile is a bit of information about how each display really shows colors. This is not part of Photoshop, but something supplied by the system, set by you, or set by a third party calibration program.
GK
Geoff_K_Jackson
Feb 10, 2009
It seems to me that your work computer is using a wrong or corrupted profile. Is the screen capture of your work or home computer? Perhaps the sRGB profile has been changed when something else has been installed, such as a digital camera software.
Try this on your work computer: Open the image, then Edit/Color Settings. Move the dialog box so you can see your image then change the working space RGB to Adobe RGB(1998). Make sure the preview box is ticked and look at the image to see if there is any noticable difference.
Geoff.
MF
Marc_Fromm
Feb 10, 2009
Geoff
– the screen capture is from my work computer
– I uninstalled photoshop with the option to delete all settings. After the reinstall I have not installed any other devices
– switching working space RGB to Adobe RGB(1998) makes no difference. The image is still golden looking.
CC
Chris_Cox
Feb 11, 2009
Marc – why did you uninstall, reinstall, and play with your working space? We told you that the problem is almost certainly with your display profile, not something in Photoshop.
T
thebookdoc
Feb 11, 2009
I would have to agree with Chris, but with a little different take. One thing you seem to be glazing over is that the hardware is different. If you have the same make and model exactly, that will help you get a closer match, but there is no guarantee unless you do some proper calibration. If there is a huge difference between monitors (e.g., one is a CRT and the other a cheap-o flat screen) you will likely not get a very good match even after calibration if your expectation is that both will be ‘identical’.

I calibrate using a ColorVision Spyder <http://aps8.com/spyder.html>, and I have used hardware calibration devices since the mid 90s. Many people will get by using the Spyder Express (which unlike what the manufacturer says, can calibrate dual monitors). However, you’ll need two hardware devices (one at work and one at home) to be sure your systems are calibrated properly.

Hardware is different. Don’t skip calibration. Color space is not the issue, and neither is the program installation. Once you are calibrated properly to compensate for the hardware, Photoshop (thanks in many ways to Chris) does what it can to make your view of images as close as you’ll get between systems. Also, careful about being clever with your ‘Print Preview’ settings.

I hope that helps.

Richard Lynch
MF
Marc_Fromm
Feb 11, 2009
Chris-I did the uninstall, reinstall long before contacting the forumn about this issue.

So if Iunderstand all this, the problem is with my actual monitor, even though the image lools correct outside of photoshop on the same monitor that when in photoshop the image is golden yellow? My work monitor (the one with the color problem is a Dell 1905FP. My home monitor that displays the image correct in and outside of photoshop is a viewsonic VX922 LCD.
JM
J_Maloney
Feb 11, 2009
View > Proof setup > Monitor RGB? If that displays your images "correctly," then it’s your monitor profile which needs correcting.
MF
Marc_Fromm
Feb 11, 2009
Selecting View _ Proof setup _ Monitor RGB does display the image correctly.
P
PeterK.
Feb 11, 2009
So if Iunderstand all this, the problem is with my actual monitor, even though the image lools correct outside of photoshop on the same monitor that when in photoshop the image is golden yellow?

Yes.

You’re assuming that because the other apps display the image the same way, that Photoshop must be the one in the wrong, but that’s not the case. All the other apps are likely not colour-managed, therefore Photoshop is the only one showing you the true intended colour. The other apps will simply display the image through your monitor space, ignoring ICC profiles like, for example, a sRGB ICC tag in your photo, or any other ICC profile attached to any file from any source.

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