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Color Space workflow question


greyhoundrick

greyhoundrick

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Hello everyone,

Glad to have found this board and look forward to interacting with you :-)

I shoot Nikon and use Capture NX2 as my RAW converter. I then save my conversion as a TIFF and move into Photoshop CS6 for all of my editing and processing.

Here is my question:

I have an Epson 3880 printer and i really like it. Ive started making my own prints and ive found that the ability to tweak the images is really an advantage vs. having a lab print them for me.

I was wondering if you could help me with color space? Ive read quite a bit and seem to get conflicting positions.

Its seems as if sRGB is best for internet whereas Adobe RGB (1998) is best for prints. However, im a bit confused by all of the articles ive read.

If i want the best of both worlds would the following be a good workflow?

1. Shoot in RAW
2. Convert RAW image to a TIFF in Capture NX2 with the Adobe RGB (1998) color space (I use Capture NX2 as my RAW converter)
3. Move the file to Photoshop CS6 and fully edit
4. Print the image
5. Convert the image to the sRGB color space and save as a JPEG
6. Post to web (i.e. Flickr)

Does that sound like a good plan or would you recommend starting and ending in the sRGB color space. Ive heard that changing the color space in an image slightly denigrates it (??)

Thanks so much for your help!

best to you,

rick
 
I have noticed that when I convert an image to jpg from tiff, I get a color shift (change), not huge but enough to notice. I attribute this to the compression etc that happens when you go to jpg. We all need to remember that jpg format was originally developed for moving images over e-mail and later on the internet in general. One needs to set up the PS color settings based on your end use. My thought is that the Adobe 1998 color setting would do pretty well overall but if your not going to print, use the North American Web/Internet setting which is sRGB. The Adobe 1998 is however slanted toward RGB images that are eventually going to be converted to CMYK by your printer. If you use the Save for Web option under File, this will allow the image to be opened in your browser and see what it will look like with that particular browser. If my intention is to print my image, I save in tiff or PSD.
It is important to have a decent calibrated monitor also. Hope this helped.

Edit: By the way, I have preferences set up so that jpgs and tiffs open in Camera Raw first. I do any adjustments I can there before opening in PS. Many times the image is ready to go when finished in Camera Raw. Makes life a little easier.
 
Last edited:
MikeMc said:
Why not pre process in RAW ?
Click to expand...

Thank you Mike for your input.

I used to do everything in Capture NX2, but since i have started using Photoshop i just cant seem to do any processing at all in Capture NX2 other than just the RAW conversion. Im starting to feel more and more comfortable in PS and was also having continual problems with crashes in Capture NX with extensive processing jobs.

Do you think the workflow ive outlined would work for me if i want to print an image and also post it to Flickr?

thanks again,

rick
 
Thank you ALB Laser Engraver for the input! I think im going to give my new workflow a try today and see how it goes. I will let you know what happens. I will probably print the same image in Adobe RGB (1998) color space and also in sRGB just to see if i can tell the difference. thanks again, rick
 
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