sRGB Correct ColorSpace Tutorial for the Internet The PROOF! www.gballard.net

sRGB Correct ColorSpace Tutorial for the Internet
WWW Target ColorSpace: sRGB 2.2 Gamma
The PROOF!
In my lay style for lay Mac users (like me)
© 2004 www.gballard.net Main Site

This page is part of existing color management tutorials gballard.net to PROOF the "shifty" nature of using various RGB ColorSpaces on the internet and in any "dumb" noncolor-managed application:

• Why Photoshop color changes washes out lightens darkens unsaturates desaturates fades when Save for Web, Jump To, Edit In ImageReady Photoshop, or posted on the www internet, on the monitor display screen or on the printed inkjet laser print.

Evaluate these photos in your SAFARI web browser:

Normal (AdobeRGB) - Over (sRGB) - Click (AppleRGB)

Above color image, all three tagged files are in one box to evaluate them together.

In a color-managed browser like SAFARI and FIREFOX (with its color management option enabled) you should see virtually no change when holding your cursor over the above image, clicking on it, and moving off it.

In a non-managed browser like GOOGLE CHROME, CAMINO, OmniWeb, OPERA, and FIREFOX (in its default configuration), all three above tagged files (normal/over/click) will display very differently.

THE COLOR THEORY IS:

A color-managed browser (or color-managed application like Safari, iPhoto, Preview, Photoshop, Aperture) HONORS the embedded ICC profile(s) and PROOFS or displays the color correctly by Converting or mapping it to the monitor profile space — all three above tagged files match in color-managed web browsers.

A non-color-managed browser is simply applying the same Default profile to all three color images — all three above tagged files display very differently in non-color-managed web browsers.

THE DEFAULT PROFILE

When a browser (or application) is not colormanaged — or it is displaying untagged color — it will always apply a Default profile to display the color.

By default, Mac ColorSync OS-X 10.5 (and earlier) Defaults/Assumes/Assigns/Applies its Default monitor profile to untagged color — the Mac defaults to a 1.8 gamma monitor profile.

By default, Windows VISTA Defaults/Assumes/Assigns/Applies the sRGB profile (a 2.2 gamma monitor-type profile) to untagged and unmanaged color.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

The rollovers on the three lower photo sets demonstrate this phenomenon in action.

The untagged rollovers effectively strip or untag the profiles from the tagged images and shows the color error because the wrong Default profile is being applied — this is very evident in Safari.

Adobe RGB Vs. sRGB

Tagged Adobe RGB (1998)
(Hold mouse over photo to rollover Untagged version.)

The above Adobe RGB rollover illustrates WHY we should not put Adobe RGB (1998) on the internet: BECAUSE 90% of the world's browsers are not color managed and they will desaturate and washout Adobe RGB as seen in the above rollover.

If by chance, your monitor shows the AdobeRGB rollover with the least amount of shift, you are probably using a WIDE GAMUT MONITOR.

sRGB The Proper DEFAULT PROFILE For Web Publishing

Tagged sRGB
(Hold mouse over photo to rollover Untagged version.)
Again, the rollover is effectively removing the ICC profile.
The two photos are identical except one is tagged with an embedded profile.

If your monitor is profiled to 2.2 gamma and 6500, there should be minimum change in the Untagged sRGB rollover.

Any color shift you do see on the screen is the difference between your monitor profile and the sRGB IEC61966-2.1 color space.

If you are using 1.8 monitor gamma, untagged sRGB will display light.

The sRGB rollover illustrates WHY we should publish sRGB on the internet:

BECAUSE over 95% of web monitors are based on 2.2 gamma and do not use color-managed web browsers (sRGB will display the least amount of shift in the sRGB rollover for most users).

If by chance, your monitor shows an intense red saturation shift in the sRGB rollover, you are probably using a WIDE GAMUT MONITOR TROUBLESHOOTING.

Mac OSX and 1.8 Default Monitor Gamma Vrs. 2.2 Gamma

Tagged Apple RGB
(Hold mouse over photo to rollover Untagged version.)
The rollover is effectively stripping the embedded profile.

If your monitor is profiled to 1.8 'Mac' gamma, there should be minimum shift in the Untagged Apple RGB rollover. If you are using 2.2 monitor gamma, untagged AppleRGB will display dark.

If you are on a Mac, I highly recommend you re-calibrate your monitor to 2.2 monitor gamma, D65 6500. SEE apple.com article: "Color and gamma settings for print and web."

HERE if you want help CALIBRATING MAC MONITORS.

HERE if you want help TROUBLESHOOTING MAC COLOR PROBLEMS.

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Please read here for more information about web browsers and color management troubleshooting.

HERE is another internet test page for evaluting 2.2 gamma monitor profiles.

For the main tutorial on the color shift with Adobe RGB (1998), for example: The colour looks unsaturated washed out when Photoshop "Save for the Web" or "Jump To" or "Edit In" ImageReady, and/or on the internet, please see my:

Color Shifts on the World Wide Web: PhotoShop® "Save for Web" ImageReady®gballard.net

For more information about how to work with embedded profiles, see my ASSIGN Versus CONVERT to Profile tutorial.

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To DOWNLOAD ALL the high-resolution 300 ppi tutorial files to print, and this page's 72 ppi Untagged JPEGS, including the full unaltered original PDI_Target.jpg PhotoDisk PhotoDisc PDI Target file and Getty Images, PhotoDisc Licensing info:

My favorite test file (PDI_Target_AdobeRGB.jpg): PDI Graphic
DOWNLOAD PDI Target(AdobeRGB)ONLY.zip (5MB) for PC.
DOWNLOAD PDI Target(AdobeRGB)ONLY.sit (5MB) for Mac.
• PDI_Target_AdobeRGB.jpg is an excellent test file for its various skin tones and neutral gray desaturated areas and device independent ColorSpace.
• Use PDI_Target_AdobeRGB.jpg to evaluate the monitor profile in Photoshop and workflow settings.
• If Photoshop displays this AdobeRGB.jpg file with natural skintones and neutral grays, the monitor profile is at least okay.
• Likewise, if the print from this AdobeRGB.jpg file matches the monitor, the printer profile and settings are good.
• Used properly, this file can confirm a good workflow, and help troubleshoot a bad one.
• If this Adobe RGB file is good in this No-Color-Adjustment workflow, but other files are bad, the problem lies with the other files.

For sRGB, Abobe RGB (1998) and Apple RGB, Tagged and Untagged tutorial versions!
DOWNLOAD all PDI TargetFolder.zip (13MB) for PC.
DOWNLOAD all PDI TargetFolder.sit (13MB) for Mac.
Does NOT include the following iPhotoTESTfolder files.

DOWNLOAD *iPhotoTESTfolder.sit (6MB) for Mac.
DOWNLOAD *iPhotoTESTfolder.zip (6MB) for PC.
* iPhotoTESTfolder contains a collection of six files of one image in various ColorSpaces, in tagged/untagged states, designed to PROOF how the different profiles, ColorSpaces, gammas react on screen.
• iPhotoTESTfolder files are not included with the above "DOWNLOAD all" folder.
iPHOTO Test Files also reference my Assign Versus Convert Photoshop Tutorial gballard.net.

Note:
• PDI_Target images are owned and Copyrighted by PhotoDisc gettyimages.com.
• PDI_Target DOWNLOAD files have been altered by G. BALLARD for this tutorial, in accordance with PhotoDisc's licensing terms. The unaltered Photodisc JPEG and License are included in DOWNLOAD.

For Color Management printing workflow tips on using these files, please see my Photoshop Epson ColorSync WorkFlow tutorial gballard.net.

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