Edit with Photoshop -> Output to PS CS3 always Adobe RGB???

Question

Level 1

12 points

Edit with Photoshop -> Output to PS CS3 always Adobe RGB???

I'm having trouble understanding why every photo I export from Aperture 2.1 to edit in Photoshop CS3 is exported to Photoshop in the Adobe RGB color space.

My Nikon D3 is setup to record as sRGB, which I understand does not matter (e.g. Aperture sees only RAW data, and setting the camera to record aRGB vs sRGB RAW (NEF) makes no difference to Aperture.

Is there any way to set A2 to only export to Photoshop in the sRGB colorspace?

I have tried setting it to export files in PSD and PSD 16 bit mode, but not TIFF.

Any hints on this? It's really confounding.

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Posted on May 10, 2008 10:23 PM

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Answer 1

Ian Wood

Level 5

4,350 points

May 11, 2008 3:43 AM in response to Sarge_

Sarge_ wrote:
Is there any way to set A2 to only export to Photoshop in the sRGB colorspace?

No - but it's worth bearing in mind that whatever export preset you eventually use to export the image can be set to use sRGB anyway, regardless of what colour space the PS version is in.

Ian

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Answer 2

KBeat

Level 3

800 points

May 11, 2008 8:42 AM in response to Sarge_

What you can do, as Ian points out, is export the image and embed sRGB. Then open the exported image with Photoshop. This method, rather than "round-tripping" directly to Photoshop will allow you to work in sRGB. You can then, of course, import the image once you're done working in Photoshop back into Aperture. It's an extra step for sure, but the end result is the same: A duplicate (TIFF, PSD, or JPEG) of the original RAW file.

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Answer 3

Sarge_ Author

Level 1

12 points

May 11, 2008 10:14 AM in response to KBeat

So is it better to set PS CS3 to 'not color manage' and leave the exported file in aRGB for PS3 editing?

This doesn't seem like a good idea unless using monitors that reproduce the full Adobe RGB color space, or is there a way to manage this in PS.

I guess this is becoming something of a Photoshop question rather than Aperture, sorry for that, but it's 'Aperture-induced' 🙂

(I can't wait for the Noise Ninja A2 plug-in, due out next month, then I can forgo 90% of my need to export to PS).

Thanks for any further thoughts/advice. While I 'get' certain aspects of color management workflow, I'm still somewhat confused how the software works (making it worse is a dual monitor setup with a 20" Cintiq tablet monitor and an HP LP3065 that even EyeOne can't seem to get right)

- Sarge

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Answer 4

Ian Wood

Level 5

4,350 points

May 11, 2008 10:27 AM in response to Sarge_

Sarge_ wrote:
So is it better to set PS CS3 to 'not color manage' and leave the exported file in aRGB for PS3 editing?

?!?

This doesn't seem like a good idea unless using monitors that reproduce the full Adobe RGB color space, or is there a way to manage this in PS.

Photoshop, like Aperture, is a fully colour-managed application. Regardless of the working space the image will be displayed to your monitor using your calibrated monitor profile. Open up the same image converted to sRGB and to Adobe98 in Photoshop and they should look pretty much identical - that's pretty much the point of a colour-managed app.

Adobe98 is a wider space than sRGB so you're not going to be losing anything by editing in Adobe98 and having Aperture convert to sRGB when you export the final file.

Ian

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Answer 5

KBeat

Level 3

800 points

May 11, 2008 12:27 PM in response to Ian Wood

Yep, leave it as AdobeRGB until you need to export it for something like the web and then embed sRGB. AdobeRGB, being a wider gamut, is a better profile to work in.

As to your Photoshop question, I'd set you color workflow to "North American Prepress 2" and leave profiles intact when you open images. There are exceptions (aren't there always), but I find this to be a really good workflow for most situations.

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Answer 6

rogwp

Level 1

20 points

May 12, 2008 5:18 PM in response to Sarge_

Sarge, you can make the stand alone version of Noise Ninja your external editor, and do a return from there, no need to open PS at all. Roger

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Answer 7

Adsy

Level 1

25 points

May 12, 2008 7:34 PM in response to rogwp

Interestingly, the stand-alone NN doesn't seem to be colour managed, so the image looks washed out when viewed in NN, but fine when brought back into Aperture.

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Answer 8

rogwp

Level 1

20 points

May 12, 2008 7:58 PM in response to Adsy

Hi Adsy
I just did a quick test, and on my set-up the image in NN is just a little bit darker than in Aperture (but very close). Seems to work for me.

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Answer 9

May 12, 2008 11:50 PM in response to Sarge_

Well you can simply set your working space in CS3 as sRGB. When you import it will prompt you to use the image's color profile, or choose the working space which will be sRGB. Choose working space and your set. ie..in CS3 go to Edit>Color Settings>RGB Working Space (near the top), select sRGB.

Message was edited by: Barry Fisher

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Answer 10

May 13, 2008 12:00 AM in response to Ian Wood

Not sure that is correct. If your monitor is properly set, you will see a slight difference between different color profiles. Try changing a file you're working on in CS3 from Adobe RGB to sRGB, the difference in color gamut will appear. At least that's been my experience. Purpose of proper monitor calibration and a color managed app. is to allow a accurate profiles that match with printing profiles to create an accurate printed file, and accurate file sharing, so an sRGB image on a properly calibrated monitor will look the same on another properly calibrated monitor if viewed in the same color space. Like your computer to your editor's computer, or both viewing the same photo on the web.

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Answer 11

Sarge_ Author

Level 1

12 points

May 13, 2008 12:17 AM in response to Ian Wood

Yes, but PS only seems to manage one screen, the one that is being used to host the menu bar at the top of the screen.

In my case, that means that the photo doesn't look the same across the two screens, as it does in aperture. (and even that isn't perfect, but I use an HP 30" and a Wacom 20" Cintiq so there's only so much my eyeOne can seem to manage.)

Point being, if the file imported to PS CS3 as srgb it would be a lot easier to work with on the 30" display, as the colors would be closer to the calibration point.

That's an PS CS3/dual display issue, but it would seem to help if I could at least set Aperture to export to PS CS3 as sRGB in the first place, since the step that follows is exporting to the web (ApertureToSmugMug).

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Answer 12

Sarge_ Author

Level 1

12 points

May 13, 2008 12:18 AM in response to rogwp

I'd rather open it in PS though and have access to all the other tools, the number of steps otherwise being equal. Also NN stand-alone doesn't seem to be color managed?

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Answer 13

Sarge_ Author

Level 1

12 points

May 13, 2008 12:21 AM in response to KBeat

Since I upload to the web for viewing/ordering and the service prints from those files, it makes more sense to just use sRGB, since that's what will be used to print.

Not a 'fine art' standard, but sufficient for 99% of my needs. Special photos don't get processed in Aperture anyway - Capture NX does a better job with RAW from the Nikon D3 and printing can then be ordered using the aRGB file. Only use that for large prints though...

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Answer 14

Ian Wood

Level 5

4,350 points

May 13, 2008 1:22 AM in response to Sarge_

Barry Fisher wrote:
Not sure that is correct. If your monitor is properly set, you will see a slight difference between different color profiles.

Which is why I made a point of typing 'pretty much' identical and not 'totally' identical... 😉

Sarge_ wrote:
Yes, but PS only seems to manage one screen, the one that is being used to host the menu bar at the top of the screen.

In my case, that means that the photo doesn't look the same across the two screens, as it does in aperture. (and even that isn't perfect, but I use an HP 30" and a Wacom 20" Cintiq so there's only so much my eyeOne can seem to manage.)

So your actual problem is with PS/eyeOne, and not much to do with Aperture? I know I'm putting words in your mouth, but it sounds like you're asking for options in Aperture because of bugs in other apps, not for the sake of the feature itself. That said, enough people ask for the ability to set the working space for external editors that I think it should be added anyway.

Have you filled in a feature request on the feedback page?

Ian

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