Photshop Color Profile Question (Click for Cake)

[Ali]

Hi!

Naturally, the cake was a lie. This just a wee question for Photoshop users.

I've recently moved to a newer version of Photoshop and I'm seeing big change in dark tones when exporting a file as a PNG. Images created on the old version look very milky unless I select 'Proof Setup: Monitor RGB' whereupon they look more like they did before. It doesn't seem right to work on an image with 'Proof Colors' selected, though.

Here is a screenshot of an image in Photoshop (left) compared to Irfanview.


Any suggestions on what settings or color profiles I should be using?

Thanks
- Al

[Anian]

I didn't quite get which version is which, I got that you like the "milky" version, so just the png file when you export has changed, while the opened psd document is shown the same as before?

First, there might be a difference between Windows and Monitor proof.

You can try Convert profile option, that should be the fastest way to check and try things out. It's a few lines beneath Color Settings.

As far as I can see, it seems like the blacks have been changed/washedout, which would indicate the gamut has changed. So you can change profiles (now I don't know if you've set a profile on the old version or not) or try to modify the picture with Levels and such. Although, sometimes the thing that changes is CMYK and RGB, but you'd probably notice that because some options lack when cmyk mode is active.

If you have the .psd file of original background, then, you can check the color profile of it - just open it in Notepad and search for "icc" PNG saves Color profiles, but I'm not usre how to check them, Infraview has a LCMS plugin for viewing it (haven't worked in Infrared much so don't know where to find it or how it works etc., sorry).


A bit off topic: is that Nelly in 3d on 2d backgrounds? Looks awesome, is it still Ags or something like Unity, Dage or Wintermute?

[Ali]

Sorry I wasn't clear! I don't want the milky image!

The milky image is how Photoshop displays the PSD. It has a sRGB IEC61966-2.1 profile and Proof Colours is not selected. If I open the same PSD or a PNG in Irfanview, it looks like the darker image (as it looked when I drew it in the old Photoshop).

What I don't know is how to get the image to look correct (i.e. have darker blacks) in Photoshop.

Off topic: Nelly is still AGS! If you didn't see the Tech Demo I uploaded a while ago it uses pre-rendered 3d characters with an outline effect on 2d backdrops. The style has evolved a little but the tech demo is pretty similar. I'm calling it 'stylised' rather than 'weird'.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I haven't used the latest photoshop but just by looking at the image it seems to be affecting the ENTIRE image and not just the blacks.  It almost looks like a 5-10% transparency is in effect.  All the colors look like they're being shifted towards the grey backdrop you have, which is why I'm curious whether or not the new photoshop applies some kind of transparency value to images now by default.  If the gamma/brightness/contrast are correct, transparency is the only thing I can think of that would generate a result like this while having no impact on the saved image.  Have you looked at the gamma and brightness/contrast sliders?

Edit:  Also, from what I've read, photoshop internally adjusts its color profile based on your monitor, which can make some colors appear differently from inside photoshop.  I think there's an option in the color settings to disable this behavior.

[Anian]

The milky image is how Photoshop displays the PSD. It has a sRGB IEC61966-2.1 profile and Proof Colours is not selected. If I open the same PSD or a PNG in Irfanview, it looks like the darker image (as it looked when I drew it in the old Photoshop).

What I don't know is how to get the image to look correct (i.e. have darker blacks) in Photoshop.

I tried with some imgaes in PS and for some reason, the colors don't always cahnge when I change the proofing options, weird. I guess you can try what Progz suggested, with the disabling, or modifing PS's monitor calibrations.

Edit:  Also, from what I've read, photoshop internally adjusts its color profile based on your monitor, which can make some colors appear differently from inside photoshop.  I think there's an option in the color settings to disable this behavior.

Hmm, yeah I've read something like that as well, but the monitor stayed the same, so that would mean they changed the monitor profile detection, don't know why they'd do such a thing...on the other hand, new versions need new features, so who knows.

[Dualnames]

On topic: I always had those weird issues with the new photoshop, so I switched back. I personally use an older version and my exports are fine. I would suggest you do the same. There's not much in new photoshop worth to upgrade IMHO.

[Anian]

At this point, I'd like to know which versions of the PS are we talking about? Cause I'm so behind, I'm still using CS3.

[Dualnames]

At this point, I'd like to know which versions of the PS are we talking about? Cause I'm so behind, I'm still using CS3.

The version just behind that I think its officially called Adobe photoshop 2008

[Ali]

Thanks for you help guys, but I think I've fixed it.

Embarrassingly, my new(ish)  monitor wasn't correctly calibrated. I suppose made a mistake when I calibrated it before, and Photoshop must have been using the wrong profile when 'correcting' colours.

Sorry to waste your time, cake for all!

[Phemar]

I'm still not sure what "Photshop" is though :/

[Ali]

You know, I spotted that just after I last posted. I thought about correcting it, but decided to let the thread slip into obscurity typo intacto.