Question about opening an image in Photoshop

NikonGirl

I shoot with a Nikon film camera. I was scanning my film myself to produce digital images, but I have been recently using Costco to get my negatives on a CD. When I open those jpg files in Photoshop, I get a message in Photoshop that says "The document has an embedded color profile that does not match the current RGB working space." I am then presented with 3 choices:
1) Use the embedded profile (instead of the working space).
2) Convert documen's colors to the working space.
3) Discard the embedded profile (don't color mangage)

Any thoughts on how I should open and save these images. Thank you for your help.

DRT-Maverick

I haven't noticed a big difference, but if it's film, then just go with 2. If it was a digital camera, you'd have to use either 1, or 2 depending on how the camera is set.

NikonGirl wrote:

I shoot with a Nikon film camera. I was scanning my film myself to produce digital images, but I have been recently using Costco to get my negatives on a CD. When I open those jpg files in Photoshop, I get a message in Photoshop that says "The document has an embedded color profile that does not match the current RGB working space." I am then presented with 3 choices:
1) Use the embedded profile (instead of the working space).
2) Convert documen's colors to the working space.
3) Discard the embedded profile (don't color mangage)

Any thoughts on how I should open and save these images. Thank you for your help.

colourbox

This is a difficult question to answer without getting into the huge can of worms that is "color management." The short answer is, #1 and #2 are probably safe choices and #3 might get you into trouble later.

I am going to give a specific answer here but only under the caution that the answer is only fully correct if you will primarily print the photos at home, at Costco, or to send to smugmug for galleries or printing.

In Photoshop, when you go to Edit/Color Settings, what does it say under Working Spaces, RGB? If it says sRGB, then you are set up properly for personal and family use and smugmug, and if you set Photoshop for sRGB, then when you see the mismatch dialog box, #2 is definitely a safe choice, then you can save normally.

If you will primarily be sending the photos off to magazines or high-end art printers, the answer will be different, but too long to explain here. You would need to learn about color management, but be careful, you will get a lot of advice to use Adobe RGB but that is only the right answer for commercial press printing or advanced color users. sRGB is better for the Web or smugmug.

The link below is not intended to give specific advice but only to show how complicated it is to make these choices without prior knowledge of the entire process.
http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps6_colour/ps6_6.htm

Out of curiosity, when you try to open a Costco jpg and you see the box, what does it say for "Embedded" and "Working"? That might change my answer.

NikonGirl

I do appreciate your answers..thank you!

My Photoshop is set to "Adobe RGB (1998)". I believe this is the setting that was recommended to me by a college Photoshop instructor. However, I also remember he did mostly commerical/professional work, so that's probably why he recommended that setting.

So based on your answer Colourbox, then do you recommended I change my setting to sRGB IEC619...? I do not do any commercial press printing and I'm most definitely not a color expert.

I do plan on printing my photos at Smugmug, Costco and other printing services either online or local (such as Camera's West, MPIX, etc.). I don't think those count as "commercial press printing", but correct me if I'm wrong.

I will study the information on the link you posted more carefully tomorrow. I'm off to bed now, tomorrow is a work day.

As for your final question..."Out of curiosity, when you try to open a Costco jpg and you see the box, what does it say for "Embedded" and "Working"? That might change my answer."

I can't answer this question, I don't know where to get that information. When I try to open a Costco jpg, I get only the message and the 3 options, which do not specify the names of the profiles (I am using Photoshop 7).

Thank you both again for your help!!