Accurate color is one of the most confounding issues in the digital workflow. Here are a few things to consider:

Not all Web Browsers are color managed

You can spend time and money calibrating your camera, monitor and printer. However, when you upload an image to the web, the color might seem "off" for the simple reason that not all browsers are color managed. Depending on your browser of choice shifts in color from your original file can be expected.

The only file types we specifically color manage are JPEG and TIFF.

Images displayed on the website are converted to and tagged sRGB

Regardless of which color space you shoot in, images displayed on PhotoShelter are converted to sRGB for the simple reason that sRGB was developed to match the color space of the typical computer monitor.

sRGB tagged images enable browsers the ability to reliably render your image on the web as close to possible to your original file.

If you upload a JPEG or TIFF file that has an embedded color profile, that profile will be used when creating the conversion to sRGB for the screen resolution file. This assures us the color fidelity matches your original image.

Please note your original file is never altered.

Why sRGB?

sRGB is the default color space as outlined by the World Wide Web Consortium. PhotoShelter adheres to their recommendations.

What about RAW files?

Screen resolution images for display on PhotoShelter are pulled from the embedded preview inside many raw files. If there is no embedded preview, a copy of the raw file is converted to JPEG and then a generic color profile for the type of camera used to produce the file is added.

PhotoShelter applies color profiles to downloaded images.

Any JPEG or TIFF file that is purchased for download will have the original color profile embedded when it is processed for download. For example, if a user purchases a 500 pixel wide image for download, the original image will be copied, resized and have any IPTC data re-embedded. At this point the original color profile of the image will also be added so the download matches the original except for it's dimensions.

If a client purchases a download from a RAW file, and is not given the 'download original' option, the file is duplicated and then converted to JPEG at which point a generic color profile that matches the camera used is added to the file. This gives a good base conversion that the end user can then use to tweak to final specs.