Why do colors change between UFRaw, GIMP, and exported JPEGs?
Asked 8/19/2014
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2 answers
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When I edit a RAW file in UFRaw and click OK to send it into GIMP, the image colors change noticeably. In GIMP, greens and yellows look stronger and the image appears a bit darker than it did in UFRaw. After exporting to JPEG, the result changes again, and still does not match what I saw while editing.
Why would the same photo look different in UFRaw, GIMP, and the exported JPEG? How can I make the color and brightness match more closely across RAW editing, GIMP, and my image viewer on macOS?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
2
You are using an environment without color calibration. Furthermore, the JPEG does not seem to have embedded color information.
I sometimes have the same. Edit a picture in Photoshop - nice. (Photo has embedded color profile, Photoshop can handle that). Then save in JPEG with conversion to sRGB, then preview it - super ugly. (The previewer does not handle the embedded color profile). Open with Fireworks - colors are fine. Upload to sites - colors are nice again.
So basically you will have to make sure you are in a color-managed environment, the image contains embedded color profile and your preview tools can handle the embedded color profile.
Alternatively, use a color-managed environment, generate outputs without embedded color profile to sRGB. Then the pictures will look okay.
Originally by user24785. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user24785
11y ago
0
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This is most likely a color-management/profile mismatch, not a RAW-processing bug.
UFRaw, GIMP, and your JPEG viewer may be handling color profiles differently. If one app is color-managed and another is not, or if the JPEG is saved without the correct embedded ICC profile, the same image can appear more saturated, shifted in yellow/green, or darker.
To improve consistency:
- use a color-managed workflow
- make sure your monitor/display is calibrated if possible
- embed an ICC color profile when exporting JPEGs
- for general viewing/web use, convert/export to sRGB
- use image viewers that properly honor embedded color profiles
A common cause is that the exported JPEG either has no embedded profile or is being viewed in software that ignores it. In that case, the file may look wrong in Preview or other simple viewers even if it looks correct in a color-aware editor.
In short: convert the image to sRGB for JPEG export, embed the profile, and view it in color-managed software. That should make UFRaw, GIMP, and the final JPEG look much closer.
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