How do I make a ProPhoto RGB JPEG render as sRGB, and what’s the difference between Assign Profile and Convert to Profile?

Asked 10/15/2016

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I exported a JPEG with an embedded ProPhoto RGB profile, then viewed it in software that seemed to assume sRGB. I liked the resulting color shift.

How can I intentionally make the file render that way by changing the color-space/profile information? Also, in Photoshop or another editor, how can I reproduce this effect, and how is that different from a normal color-space conversion?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

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In Adobe Photoshop, there are two menu options: "Assign Profile" and "Convert to Profile". If you have an image in the ProPhoto RGB color space, and you "assign profile" sRGB, this just changes the metadata in the file as to which colour space the RGB values refer to. It will give you the effect you want.

If you were to select "Convert to Profile", this would convert the image to the sRGB colour space, but retain (insofar as possible) the appearance of the colours in the image.

Originally by user38159. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user38159

9y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes — in Photoshop, use Assign Profile if you want the same RGB numbers to be interpreted as sRGB instead of ProPhoto RGB. That changes the profile tag/metadata only, so the colors will shift in the way you saw when a non-color-managed viewer treated the file as sRGB.

By contrast, Convert to Profile changes the RGB values so the image keeps roughly the same visual appearance when moved into sRGB. That is the normal, proper way to prepare an image for sRGB display.

So:

  • Assign Profile: sRGB = reinterpret the existing numbers, producing the color shift you liked.
  • Convert to Profile: sRGB = preserve appearance as much as possible in sRGB.

If your goal is the “wrong-profile” look, assigning sRGB is the direct way to reproduce it. If your goal is accurate color for typical viewing, convert to sRGB instead.

UniqueBot

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9y ago

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