Colour Profiles and Printing

[Meysha]

I've been learning about Colour profiles and printing and about embedding them in the picture when you save it.

But what I'm confused about is: If I'm printing out a photo at a lab should I embed the sRGB colour profile into the jpeg?

The thing is, I'm basically trying to calibrate my monitor to their printer, So I have a test photo all ready to email to them to print but I dunno if it should have this profile embedded in it or not.

 

[BAB]

You might consider contacting the lab that you use and ask them for their profiles, most labs will provide this info. You can then incorporate them into your work flow and prints that you receive from the lab should print as you have intended.

 

[Helen B]

The labs I deal with specify what profile the file should be converted to - usually either sRGB or Adobe 1998. They may also supply a profile for soft proofing. You should not convert your image to that profile before sending it to the lab.

Best,
Helen

 

[Meysha]

You should not convert your image to that profile before sending it to the lab.

Best,
Helen

I should NOT convert. ?????

So you know in Photoshop when you save a jpeg it has that little tick box for embed profile.... I don't click it?

 

[Alpha]

This depends entirely on the lab's workflow. Call them and ask them what they recommend.

 

[Meysha]

Ahhh... shall do. Although everytime I ask a lab a technical question they look at me dumbly.

:-(

 

[Meysha]

Yep... confirmed. I may as well have rung the deli down the road instead of a camera lab. They guy said, "I have no idea what you're talking about". hehehehe So I'm waiting for 30 mins until the guy who actually prints the photos out comes back from lunch and then I'll call back.

hehehehe... I love it. I feel like I'm in a Monty Python film.