Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Ok...so something I didn't consider. I'm using a macbook pro to do my images. The images turn out great on my display and when I post them on Flickr, FB, etc. However, when I view them on other machines like a Windows based pc, the images have high contrast. They look completely washed out. I'm worried that my images aren't being post processed correctly because my screen displays what I like to see but it may not be correct on others.

Do you guys know if there's a way to find the right color correction for both a Mac and a PC?

Thanks,
Jeoff

Monitor calibration would likely help but you may also be in a ProPhoto colour space whereas you need to output sRGB for the web. That can cause issues as it relates to displaying colours.

Others on here are far better versed on this topic than I am though, I will let them chime in.

I thought there may be some type of calibration I have to do. I just don't know other than changing the system settings. I have not touched those since I got this laptop a couple of years back. However, I have noticed that my images look the same on other computers...like my work computer. It's not a fantastic piece of machinery but it displays almost true to what I see on this macbook.

Could it also be possible that other people's monitors are not calibrated?

Also depends on the monitor installed in your laptop...most laptops and cheaper (less than $200) monitors use lower cost TN technology which is better for video games and watching movies...instead of 24bit sRGB colour range you get only 18bit colour.

As well with LCD monitors is the age of the backlight (assuming fluorescent). Just like normal household fluorescents, backlights dim with age.

I'm using a macbook pro.

Here are two image samples. Do they look washed out? Contrast too high? Overexposed? It looks fine on my screen and on another computer. On two others, it looks washed out.

The problem you are having is with colour management.

So, in an ideal world, we would all use colour calibrated displays, and run colour managed software (Lightroom, PS, etc). Exporting files with colour profiles tagged on, any other colour managed software will be able to translate the colour model used in the production to reproduce the correct colours on the second format, be in a printer or another screen.

Here's where non-ideality can creep in:
(i) Is monitor is not colour calibrated?
(ii) Is your photo editing software colour managed?
(iii) Is your browser colour managed?
(iv) Are your friends' displays colour calibrated?
(v) Are the browsers used to view the images colour managed?

Answer 'No' to any of the above questions, and most likely, the colour displayed on another computer will not look the same as you saw it on your screen.

Google Chrome is not colour managed, that is, it does not respect any colour space tagging, and images will NOT look as intended on it.

I dunno about FB, but I'm quite sure Flickr respects colour space tagging, and not strip the tag from images as they are processed.

Also, Flickr likes to add contrast and sharpness to all images uploaded, so if your image is already highly contrasting, and sharpened, flickr tends to push it over the edge.

Monitors need to be colour calibrated with an external hardware spectrophotometer (aka colour calibrator). Macs have a 'colour calibration' option, but that one uses your visual judgment and can be quite inaccurate.

Generally, assume others' displays to be uncalibrated, and you cannot do anything about that. So, just work on a calibrated display, and hope for the best.

See more here:
http://www.gballard.net/psd/go_live_pag ... files.html

and many other sites.

I'm on Mac OS 10.7.1, display calibrated with a Spyder 3 sensor.

On non-colour managed Chrome, both pictures look desaturated.

In contrast, on Safari, model #2's face looks yellow, I can see the blusher and lipstick, clearly, model #1's jacket looks more yellow.

So in a nutshell, what you're saying is, calibrate my gear to the best that I can and hope that others who are viewing my work on their machine looks fine.

Your second photo has blown highlights, nothing to do with calibration or colour management. Do a histogram of the shot and you should see that you have clipped the white levels on her coat. I don't know if you clipped it when you exposed it or in post.

Thanks. It's the exposure. I did notice it but wasn't sure how to fix it in post. These would be my first studio shots btw. hehehe Still learning. I'll see if I can fix that.

My opinion, but I am not a pundit
It's all to relative to:

- The build type of your monitor's panel (TN - ISP - TFT etc)
- The calibration output you're aiming for (1.8@5500k, 2.2@6500K)
- The native color space you capture and edit your images in
- How your images are converted for viewing in web or non-color managed applications.

By factory default most monitors and TV's are calibrated to a high contrast and vivid color presets as the image "POP" and creates a "punch". After properly calibrating your monitor you will notice a decrease in contrast, brightness and saturation, to a more life-like color.

Proper color space conversion is key in keeping somewhat web color predictability. As mentioned above, everyone's monitor and display may greatly vary, it's not a PC vs Mac issue, it's more of a general application one

I believe the problem you are having has to do with converting to the color profile compatible with web viewing. As James mentioned above you are using ProPhoto color space when editing. When saving as a jpeg remember to first convert to sRGB color space in Photoshop. This should fix your problem.

I see. I will definitely try that. Thank you.

Ok...so I double and triple checked a few things. I am saving as an sRGB and embedding it when it is saved. I also checked a few more computers and some of them actually display what it is I see on my screen. So...I guess that's a good thing.

Anyway, I know one of the images was clipped. I read/watched up on a few things online and fixed it.

I'll ask for feedback in another thread.

Thanks guys,
Jeoff

Indulge me a little bit. When you say you save as sRGB and imbedd it what are you exact steps?

After editing you should be going to the 'EDIT' menu -> choose 'Convert to Profile' and then choose sRGB in the drop down box for 'Destination Space'. Click ok.

Then go into the 'FILE' menu and choose 'save as' and choose jpeg.

So...Edit -> Mode -> RGB color is not it? It was one of the sites that I went to that said to do that. Sigh...

I would still have to go to Mode and have it go into 8bits/channel 'coz I don't get the JPEG option when I go to Save As...

Yes, you will still have to change to 8bit to save to jpeg but follow my steps and let me know if you see a difference.

I did a few mins ago. I'm comparing the same images one with the conversion and one that I did earlier. No difference.

At least now I know what to use.

That's interesting because when I grab your photo and convert to sRGB from ProPhoto it shows properly on non-color calibrated web browsers.

That is interesting...

Uncalibrated
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wanderingw ... otostream/

sRGB
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wanderingw ... otostream/

They look the same to me...

Nope, they are different. The converted one will show fine now on non-color managed web browsers (like Chrome) and other apps who don't respect the tagged or untagged color space information.

Hrrmm...ok...it shows up fine on mine but cool. I'll remember to convert my images first then. Thanks!

Not converted


Converted to sRGB


You should be able to see the difference from these screen caps.

Holy moly...that's a huge difference!!! The converted one is what it looks like on my screen...for both of them. But if that's what you're seeing then a lot of others will see that too.

Okay...I'll have to convert them all. Thanks man.

No problem. Glad I could help. Wait until you try to match what you see on your screen with what you get printed at the printers .. fun stuff.

Oh I bet...