Do You Need Color Management - Adobe 13101332 - Photoshop - Mac User Manual

Adobe Photoshop Help
Using Help | Contents
Color management engine Different companies have developed various ways to
manage color. To provide you with a choice, a color management system lets you choose a
color management engine that represents the approach you want to use. Sometimes called
the color management module (CMM), the color management engine is the part of the
CMS that does the work of reading and translating colors between different color spaces.
Color numbers Each pixel in an image document has a set of color numbers that describe
the pixel's location in a particular color mode—for example, red, green, and blue values for
the RGB mode. However, the actual appearance of the pixel may vary when output or
displayed on different devices, because each device has a particular way of translating the
raw numbers into visual color. (See
When you apply color and tonal adjustments or convert a document to a different color
space, you are changing the document's color numbers.
Color profiles An ICC workflow uses color profiles to determine how color numbers in a
document translate to actual color appearances. A profile systematically describes how
color numbers map to a particular color space, usually that of a device such as a scanner,
printer, or monitor. By associating, or tagging, a document with a color profile, you provide
a definition of actual color appearances in the document; changing the associated profile
changes the color appearances. (For information on displaying the current profile name in
the status bar, see "Displaying file and image information" on page
without associated profiles are known as untagged and contain only raw color numbers.
When working with untagged documents, Photoshop uses the current working space
profile to display and edit colors. (See

Do you need color management?

Use the following guidelines to determine whether or not you need to use color
management:
You might not need color management if your production process is tightly controlled
•
for one medium only, for example, if you're using a closed system where all devices are
calibrated to the same specifications. You or your prepress service provider may prefer
to tailor CMYK images and specify color values for a known, specific set of printing
conditions.
You also might not need color management if you are producing images for the Web or
•
other screen-based output, since you cannot control the color management settings of
monitors displaying your final output. It is helpful, however, to use the Web Graphics
Defaults setting when preparing such images, because this setting reflects the average
RGB space of many monitors. (See
page 105.)
You can benefit from color management if you have more variables in your production
•
process (for example, if you're using an open system with multiple platforms and
multiple devices from different manufacturers). Color management is recommended if
you anticipate reusing color graphics for print and online media, if you manage
multiple workstations, or if you plan to print to different domestic and international
presses. If you decide to use color management, consult with your production
partners—such as graphic artists and prepress service providers—to ensure that all
aspects of your color management workflow integrate seamlessly with theirs.
Using Help | Contents
| Index
"Why colors sometimes don't match" on page
"About working spaces" on page
"Using predefined color management settings" on
| Index
Producing Consistent Color (Photoshop)
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48.) Documents
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