Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

sroyc · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:45 pm

Hello friends

Recently I read an article in a very reputable Photography Magazine regarding settings that Photographers should use in ACR.

Under the Workflow options in ACR it suggested that "Adobe RGB (1998)" option should be chosen and the same Color space should also be set in CS5. Now I have the following doubts:

Please Note: I use D90 and I exclusively shoot RAW (NEF) and looking forward to edit RAW (NEF) files only.

1. If I set the workflow option to 16 bit in ACR, will it benefit the RAW file processing in any way?

2. My camera Profile is set to sRGB. As I shoot RAW only, do I need to change the in-camera profile too? AFAIK, the RAW files have nothing to do with the color space.

3. If I change the color profile in ACR to ARGB (2008). must I set the same in CS5 too?

4. Does Color profile has anything to do when I submit to SS or other stock agencies?

Thank you

rinder99 · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:45 pm

All stock sites change whatever you do to SRGB. Go through all the hoops you want, It comes out as SRGB. ARGB is for print. I shoot straight to Jpeg or tiff SRGB for stock.....because I can and nail the exposure and WB. I upload SRGB.If Im doing Fine art I use prophoto profile.But if it's going to the web. SRGB.It is subject specific and output specific.

bigrock · Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 396

If you shoot raw all options are open to you.

It's at conversion time you choose which color space you will convert to and which bit depth.

It doesn't matter what your settings are in-camera, only active D-lighting can't be undone since it can change exposure settings.

sroyc · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:08 pm

Thanks rinder99 and bigrock for your replies.

I understand your point, but as I edit NEF files in ACR, there is an option to choose the color space and bit depth at the bottom of the screen. Will it be beneficial to choose ARGB here and as I take the photo to Ps main from ACR, with the chosen color space in ACR, will having ARGB give a advantages while editing in Ps (after doing the initial works in ACR).

bigrock · Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 396

Justin Katz · Joined: 07 Jun 2012 Posts: 1

There are three RGB color spaces that are always used:

ProPhoto RGB, Adobe RGB (1998), and RGB, kind of like large, medium, and small.
Most DSLRs support Adobe RGB and SRGB,

In a nutshell, AdobeRGB is bigger (thus better) than sRGB but if you upload images to the internet or send them to a typical print lab, they will likely have to be (should be) converted to sRGB.

RAW files don't necessarily have a color space until they are converted, so when you process your files, that is when you can choose which color space to put them.

Color spaces can be a little confusing depending on your output medium, whether it is for print, web, etc.

sRGB is the recommended color space to use when uploading to the web. This is because sRGB is closer to the color space seen on most current monitors. Adobe RGB for online use results in "washed-out or muted" on most monitors and browsers.

There is a related article that should answer all of your questions about Color Spaces:
[url]
http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/print_workflow_colorspace_article.shtml
[/url]

Hope this helps a little. Cheers!

jeffbanke · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 12:07 am

Some of the non microstock agencies do indeed ask for ARGB, since their primary clientele use is for print, so just save two versions one for the Stock (ARGB), and one for the microstock (SRGB), memory is cheap, so don't over think it, just give them what they want.

So here is a minor observation, I saved and submitted all images to SS as ARGB, but at some point became convinced that they changed images to sRGB, however, had many, many images end up in books prior to this change in my submissions, and as yet (last few years) have found NO other images of mine in use in books, just web usage. Now this may be a coincidence, or may indicate that SS's clientele has changed, or that we are mistaken regarding their changing the real image rather than just the thumbnail into sRGB. Which it is I am unsure, perhaps it is time to revisit this with support?