Color Only Looks BAD in Photoshop CS4 CS3 PS11 PS10 CS2 9 6 7 8 CS
In my lay style for lay Mac users (like me)
© 2003 www.gballard.net Main Site
BAD MONITOR PROFILE is the number one SUSPECT when color only looks bad in Adobe Photoshop and other color-managed applications like Apple's Safari, Preview, iPhoto:
How to fix a bad monitor profile: Calibrate-profile the monitor.
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In oversimplified terms:
Each individual monitor profile has TWO PARTS:
This explains HOW Photoshop, a color-managed application, can display bad color when the color looks good in other applications like Microsoft Word, FireFox:
An EASY WAY TO RULE OUT A BAD MONITOR PROFILE is to set the profile display properties to a fresh, generic sRGB profile. On a Mac OSx, go to System Preferences> Displays> Color and highlight sRGB IEC61966-2.1 (or sRGB), then reboot and test for color issues.
If the symptom is an intense color saturation shift (especially in the reds), you are probabably on a Mac and using a wide-gamut monitor.
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BROKEN COLOR MANAGEMENT is the number two SUSPECT:
How to FIX Photoshop color management:
See my: Set Up Photoshop Color Management
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Photoshop is a colormanaged application.
See my: Basic Theory Behind Photoshop Color management
As a colormanaged application:
Photoshop's Color Management System Converts a file's Source Space into MonitorRGB (the monitor's "calibrated" colorspace) and thereby displays the tagged file's "true color" through the monitor's "calibrated" colorspace.
Thus, noncolormanaged applications will display a file differently than Photoshop (unless the file was last Saved in the viewing monitor's specific colorspace).

See embedded ICC Profiles in action Color Management tutorial
Includes Tagged and UnTagged sRGB, AdobeRGB, AppleRGB
Monitor calibrating and profiling tips, 2.2 gamma, 1.8 Mac gamma, D65 6500 Kelvin.
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IF PHOTOSHOP IS DISPLAYING A GOOD FILE BAD (or if it has spoiled color pallets) the monitor profile is bad, or we've broken Photoshop's color management system settings, or the install is corrupted, or the hardware is bad....
See Adobe Photoshop Assign Profile and Convert to Profile tutorial
Includes Photoshop downloads .jpg .tif .png .gif files of Tagged and Un Tagged sRGB, Adobe RGB (1998), Apple RGB and written basic information to understand how Adobe Photoshop handles color profiles.
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by: ©2004 G. BALLARD • www.gballard.net
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