Image Viewer color/tone differences?

[thebeginning]

I've noticed that after I process and image in photoshop, it just doesnt look the same in other programs or image viewers. I've continually had to adjust images just so it looks good on the web or in microsoft image viewer...if I get everything (contrast/color/levels, etc.) right in photoshop, it gets all wacked out when previewing it on the computer and usually on the web too (i'm using firefox). the contrast is higher, the tone is redder, the color is more saturated, and the shadows tend to block out easier. here's an image i grabbed off the internet for editing practice...while i was working on it I checked it in image viewer and it was waaay different. i fixed it to look right in image viewer and took a screenshot of it in both that utility and in adobe bridge. here are the results:

this time the difference is bearable, but it can get reaaally bad. anyone else experience this?

bottom line is, which one should I trust?

 

[markc]

You are probably working in AdobeRGB colorspace in Photoshop and then not converting to sRGB when saving for the web. Use AdobeRGB when editing and saving as TIFF, then when you want to save a JPG, go to Edit->Convert to Profile.

http://www.zuberphotographics.com/page_Profiles.htm

 

[markc]

If the image is a JPG to start, make sure you are using the sRGB color space to start with.

 

[thebeginning]

actually yeah i think that's the problem...i used to always use sRGB so now that i'm using prophotoRGB i forget to convert. i'll try that...thanks mark!