Expert: LizaL - 4/28/2005

Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
I just recently noticed that my jpeg attachments of my artwork is being received as a faded or washed image compared to the original file.  When I view "sent items" on my MAC the images are viewable along with the message but they are lighter, more washed out .  If I open the attachments in the e-mail they look just fine.  I asked my agent in NY to send back to me my images so I could compare them to my jpegs and sure enough - they are bad quality.  Any solution to this recent problem?  I've been doing this for years - why is this happening now?  

Thanks, Mark
Answer -
Hi Mark,

Before I answer your question, I need some more information.

1. What OS are you running?

2. What version of Photoshop are you using? Also, have you installed anything else lately, in terms of software?

3. How are you saving these JPEGs? That is, what is the saving routine that you do prior to sending the images?

4. Also, are these CMYK JPEGs, or RGB? CMYK images will always tend to be lighter than RGB, especially in printing.

If you can give me this information it'll give me a lot more to go on, so I can fully understand and hopefully help you fix this.

Another thing you can do is send me a "good" image, and a "washed-out" image -- the email address is lizal@little-works.com. It helps me greatly if I can see what you're talking about.

Thanks!

Lisa

Lisa,

My computer is a MAC OS 9.1  - Photoshop 6.0  - From a normal Photoshop file (psd) I utilize "save as" and then scroll down and choose "jpeg" - I already have "baseline standard" checked - last couple times I had the quality level at "8" which is high. the speed setting is 28.8 kbps.

"Embed color file" is not checked - I wonder if it'll help to check it?  I really don't know what it means or what  the advantages are in doing it.  I will send the attachments to your e-mail address and see what you think.

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to try to help.

Mark Stephens

Answer
Hi Mark --

I could scream: I just accidentally deleted the message you sent me that apparently contained your images. I use a Web-based mail program for my business, and when those messages are deleted from the server, there's no going back.

I am so sorry, but is there any way you could send them again? (I'll blame this faux pas on stress; I've been doing workshop-type training for 2 days running and I'm kind of drained at the end of the day.) It's lizal@little-works.com.

ANYWAY --

Your saving routine sounds fine, but I'm wondering if the image you're saving is RGB or CMYK. CMYK is traditionally used for print, moreso than RGB. And when you have an image that was originally an RGB and you change its color mode to CMYK, you will definitely see some color adjustment -- usually in the way that the file will appear "washed out."

So maybe it's the color mode (to check, go to the Image pulldown menu and select Mode).

You could try bumping up the quality mode to 12 and see if it improves. Baseline standard is also OK; no real need to change this.

I think you might also be referring to the Embed Color Profile option (rather than Embed Color File). And this really wouldn't do anything to the image itself, only the way in which it's viewed on the recipient's computer.

In Photoshop, you can assign different color profiles that coincide with the calibration for your monitor. For instance, if you have an Apple Cinema Display, you might calibrate it and give it a profile name like CD Profile.

Then you might work on an image, and if you wanted, when you saved it, you could choose to embed a profile -- and maybe you'd choose CD Profile, the one you just created. This would mean when the file is viewed by you or anyone else, the color choices you made while working on the image were based on the color profile for the Apple Cinema Display you calibrated.

So long story short, I don't think that would have anything to do with it.

I'm leaning more toward the color mode thing, that maybe it's a CMYK rather than an RGB -- but like an idiot, I can't say for sure because I've deleted your email!

Again, I do aplogize, and hope it's not too much trouble for you to resend them. And this time I PROMISE I won't be so hasty to delete stuff from the server!

Thanks,

Lisa