Rendered images are darker in Photoshop

eldil

I've had this issue/question for a while, and I've mostly worked around it. But now I'm trying to work on my Lighting and postwork skills, and it's becoming more of a hindrance. I've seen threads on similar issues, and tried several suggestions, but I'm still getting the same results.

Enough with the preamble, here's the breakdown of the issue:

I've included a screenshot of a side-by side comparison of the same image file opened in two different programs.

I render an image, and in the Daz render window, it looks like the image on the left.

I save the file, and open it in Photoshop or Windows Photo Viewer. Now it looks like the image on the right. I'm still a noob on this side of things (with everything really), so I'm not sure if that's gamma, contrast, both, or something else that's changed.

I did try some digging.

This thread suggested that it might be my Windows Color profile, and suggested using IrfanView as my default Image viewer.

I downloaded IrfanView and yes, the images I open with it look the same as they do in the Daz Render Window (Left image). And, oddly enough, they look the same in MS paint.

So I looked at my color profile, I don't remember making any changes to it, and it looked normal. But, in order to rule out profile corruption or anything of that nature, I created a new Windows user, logged in and did another side by side comparison. Same results...
I’ve also tried changing the Gamma correction in my render settings to 2.2. While that did make a difference in the rendered image, the saved file is still darker when opened in PS or WPV.

So, I guess my Question is: How do I get these two to match up?

Or:

Should I be trying to match them up? If it’s a problem with my system, that’s one thing. But if it’s a difference in the way different programs open the images, should I just base everything on the most common viewing method?

Sorry if this was too long, hope it makes sense, and thanks in advance for any help or suggestions...

*edit/P.S. Looks like Internet Explorer gets the lighter "Left Side" results, and Chrome gets the Darker "Right Side" results...

Richard Haseltine

Photoshop is most likely applying a profile to the image (probably sRGB if you haven't changed the set up) and then trying to adjust the screen display to match the profiled colours in the image using your monitor profile. If the monitor profile is not accurate that will lead to a mismatch. Ideally you want to have an accurate profile for your display (Windows does have a crude visual profile generation tool, hardware profiles should be better). If you just want to match the view in DS you can either tell PS not to assign a profile to untagged images (Edit>Color Settings>Color Management Policies) or you can simply switch to monitor RGB in View>Proof Setup.

SpottedKitty

This is one of the things that's more buried in the Photoshop manual than it should be. Photoshop for the last several versions has relied heavily on colour profiles, which it embeds in any images saved in Photoshop. When it loads something and doesn't find a profile, it adds its default setting — which, of course, might not be what you want or need. I wouldn't mind so much, but every time I come across this situation I think my monitor gamma's gone bonkers.

Fishtales

What colour profiles are you using? My monitor, IrfanView and Photoshop are all using AdobeRGB1998.icc with the monitor calibrated with adobe gamma. I don't see the right image as darker but having more colour, the left one looks pale and needing a boost:

eldil

Thanks for the help guys...

I did run across the Color profile settings in PS when I was digging around last night, but it was 3am, and I decided that it wasn't the best time to start monkeying around with things I didn't understand...

(At any other time, I'm completely comfortable monkeying around with things I don't understand...)

My Monitor is using the Dell s 199WFP Color profile, which matches my Monitor's model number. So I assume it's correct...

Photoshop however, was applying the sRGB profile. I told it to use My Monitor profile, and now It matches My Daz Output and IrfanView...

This should help my workflow, or at least eliminate some surprises...

I agree with your assessment of the color, Fishtales. I've basically been rendering washed out images in the hopes that they would look right when I opened them in Photoshop. For some reason, it didn't occur to me that this wasn't normal until yesterday. Now it appears that everything on my render thread is probably washed out as well...

I did try the Adobe RGB1998 profile, and my images looked even more washed out...

Is there a way to change color profiles in Daz?
Also: Is matching my Daz output enough? or should I be working with a specific profile to ensure that my images look the same wherever they are displayed? Granted, most of my renders just sit on my hard drive. But as I move forward and share more stuff, I would like people to see what I see... Or Am I overthinking that? It is in my nature to do so...

Thanks again guys... This has been a huge help...

Fishtales

The Adobe1998 profile has a wider colour gamut that sRGB. What that means is there are more colours to make up the image with. sRGB is the normal Gamut for monitors but on a calibrated monitor using the Adobe profile, or any other wide gamut profile, they will look washed out. Using the Adobe profile means that on an sRGB screen they will look dark but have more colours for the sRGB profile to work with, sometimes this can make an image look muddy.

Some things you might find interesting.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/sRGB-AdobeRGB1998.htm

http://cameradojo.com/adobe-rgb-vs-srgb-vs-prophoto-rgb/

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/adobe-rgb.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamut

If you are printing then you will have to make sure the printer is using the correct profile so that what it prints is the same, or as near as, what you see on your screen as the printer gamut is less again. But that's another lengthy operation.

This might help.

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/match_prints_to_screen.html

eldil

Thanks for the info Fish...

I skimmed through a couple of those articles, and they answered some of my remaining questions. I'll be going back to read them more thoroughly...

I don't plan on doing any printing. I just want the images I post to the forums, or send to my friends for critiques, to accurately represent what I'm seeing. (Or at least have the best chance possible of doing so...)
Thanks again...