Photo color shift on import into iPhoto 5.0.3

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Level 1

9 points

Photo color shift on import into iPhoto 5.0.3

I imported photos taken in color space Adobe RGB (1998). They were vibrant in the finder and in Photoshop Elements 3.0, but they're faded and lacking in color in iPhoto. When I open them from iPhoto in an external editor (Elements 3.0), they look great. This didn't happen before I upgraded, but the photos I already imported in Adobe RGB (1998) now look dull in iPhoto (but great in Elements). What's going on?

Posted on Jul 19, 2005 8:14 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 25, 2005 9:49 AM in response to Owings Stone

hi owings
I've the same problem, and it has something to do with how your camera puts the adobe rgb color space on the picture. If you convert you picture in PSE into adobe rgb and save the picture it wil looks good in iphoto.
by what i found out so far it looks like iphoto can't read color space information from the EXIF data so if your camera puts the in formation there the picture looks faded in iphoto (also in preview by the way) You can verify with a script if your pictures have a color profile ( library>scripts>colorprofiles>Show profile info )

I solved this problem so far bij writing a applescript that coverts my pictures automaticly to Adobe rgb in image transfer and i import them after that in iphoto

what camera are you using ? mine is a nikon D70

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Answer 2

Owings Stone Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 27, 2005 6:05 PM in response to mal luker

Mal, I'm using a Nikon D70 as well. Here's what I've found:

-- Take a photo in sRGB and the photo imported to iPhoto looks the same as it does in both Preview and PhotoShop Elements 3.0

-- Take a photo in Adobe RGB and the photo imported to iPhoto looks less vibrant than it does in either Preview or PhotoShop Elements 3.0 (Note: Adobe RGB photos look slightly less vibrant than sRGB photos on screen in any case regardless of the viewer, but the output is supposed to be better)

You're correct: by opening a photo in iPhoto in my external editor (Elements), making a "change" in Elements (e.g., add a layer, delete the layer) and saving the photo, results in an increase in the vibrancy to what it looks like in Preview. So it is a fix...except for 2 things: doing this to every photo will be time consuming and resaving jpgs results in a degradation of the image (okay, probably not so much that I'd notice).

Can you send me the scipt you wrote (wosboston@hotmail.com)? I'd really appreciate it!

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Answer 3

Jul 27, 2005 7:47 PM in response to Owings Stone

There is some good info on color management here.

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Answer 4

Network 23

Level 6

12,351 points

Jul 27, 2005 10:13 PM in response to Owings Stone

If color management is set up and working correctly, an image saved in, say, six versions each using a different color space (sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB, etc), all six versions should look nearly identical, with maybe a few more colors visible in the versions using larger color spaces. That is because the job of the profiles is to compensate for the space differences, if the color management in the application or the OS is working properly. If two images use different profiles and they display radically differently, then something is broken in color management at the app or OS level. Because Adobe RGB and sRGB images aren't appearing nearly identical, something is broken. Re-saving images is not the answer, it's a waste of time and it's bad for the images.

There are many people who are very unhappy about iPhoto's color management philosophy.

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Answer 5

Martin S.

Level 3

712 points

Jul 29, 2005 3:24 PM in response to mal luker

Perhaps this might shed some light on the issue:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?128@@.68b58bd9

Cheers Martin

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Answer 6

Oct 10, 2005 6:33 AM in response to Martin S.

Martin,

Regarding this iPhoto topic. If Image capture is used to download images instead of iPhoto. What would you say is the best RGB color profile to use?

iPhoto is needed to make DVD slide shows and photo books, but color management has been a problem. One answer could be to download images in a color space that works best for iPhoto.

I'm also using Nikon cameras and have Nikon View installed.

Photoscene

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Answer 7

Martin S.

Level 3

712 points

Oct 10, 2005 7:53 AM in response to Photoscene

What colour space to use isn't really up to you to decide unless your camera allows you to specifically choose one.

It is my experience that the cheaper models are tuned towards sRGB while the semi-professional and professional ones will give you a choice of usually Adobe RGB or sRGB.

If your camera does allow for it set it to Adobe RGB as it's a much wider colour space than sRGB.

The important bit is to find out whether your images have an embedded profile or whether it's merely referenced in the EXIF data. iPhoto honours embedded profiles but seems to ignore referenced ones.

You can check that by dropping any image onto an AppleScript droplet located here:
Macintosh HD -> Applications -> AppleScript -> Example Scripts -> ColorSync -> Show profile info

Cheers Martin

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Answer 8

Martin S.

Level 3

712 points

Oct 10, 2005 7:59 AM in response to Photoscene

Forgot to mention one thing:

telling from past threads about colour shifts after edits in iPhoto, it might be a good idea to do your edits in Photoshop or the likes and use iPhoto only for organizing and slide show creation etc.

Cheers Martin

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Answer 9

Oct 10, 2005 1:23 PM in response to Martin S.

Thanks Martin. The Apple Script is certainly useful.

I did a test with a color chart and found that the iPhoto color shift was only in red. The other colors were identical. The chart used was a bar chart that can be downloaded from:

http://www.cctvlabs.com/tpg/tpg.html

One answer would be an RGB adjust pallet. The iPhoto tint and temperature are not very effective. I'm not sure why Apple did this when digital photography is RGB. I have Photoshop and Elements, however it would be nice to have a simple app to make RBG adjustments and then drop them back into iPhoto.

Photoscene

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Answer 10

Oct 15, 2005 10:54 AM in response to Photoscene

Photoscene, I have found that the best RGB colour profile to use is 'Adobe 1998'. Is has a larger and more accurate gamut than some of the others. I have also found Srgb profiles to be the worst and least accurate. According to several professional photographers I know - shooting your photos in RAW format (although physically larger) also gives you a wider range of colour than using compression-based formats - such as JPG. Not sure if they are right or not, never actually tried!

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Answer 11

Proggie

Level 4

1,328 points

Oct 16, 2005 10:04 PM in response to colin clarke1

I actually started shooting in RAW (using a Canon Digital Rebel XT) last week and I don't know what took me so long to try it. The results are amazing, especially when post processing in RAW using Canon's Digital Photo Professional. Much better than shooting in JPG and then post processing in photoshop/iPhoto. My RAW files aren't supported by iPhoto so I don't know how well iPhoto would handle them.

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Answer 12

Oct 18, 2005 8:23 PM in response to Owings Stone

You images should have an embedded ICC color profile! When you save from Photoshop Elements 3.0 check the box to embed the profile (found on the save dialog). Files that you import into iPhoto should have an embedded profile or iPhoto will assume that the color is "Default RGB". iPhoto only knows what the colors are by using this embedded profile. Colors can shift if an application assumes what the profile should be and it gets the colors wrong.

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Answer 13

Oct 22, 2005 10:50 AM in response to Proggie

I have tried three times to install Canon's Solution Disk to no avail. My iBook keeps shutting down half way through the install. I really want to use Dig Photo Pro, Photostich, with RAW images.. ect... Did you have any problems with the install? Im using Ver. 10.1. Thanks.

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Answer 14

Proggie

Level 4

1,328 points

Oct 22, 2005 8:43 PM in response to BlondeBabe

I had no problems installing, but I installed each app individually using its own installer, instead of using the main one. You may also want to do a repair permissions just in case before doing the install.

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