Actually, Jeffrey’s Friedl’s blog article called “Digital-Image Color Spaces” intelligently addresses a heck of a lot more about color spaces than just how your browser is handling the color of the images it displays. However, the monitor insight (complete with interactive learning examples) is particularly valuable – even for those with high color space IQs.
As far as I can tell, best color space practices in relation to monitors (e.g. all Web content!) is probably one of the least understood aspects of color management. (I’m still a bit confused.) And arguably, it is the most important aspects of color management to understand. After all, except for the handful of photographers on the planet who don’t know what a computer is, the Web is the single most common media in which their work will be viewed – including critical proof and gallery evaluations by clients and samples for intended clients. Given this, we want to be on top of color issues in relation to monitors.
Many designers seem to throw up their hands and say, “Well, everyone has different monitor and different browsers, so there’s no way to control the viewer experience.” This might be true, rather than to give up, to me this seems to be a reason do dig in a little further, better understand the issues, and do our best to conquer them.
For example, why not suggest that a client view your proofs or portfolio on a certain browser, when it might make or beak your sale? Why not put more effort into testing different profiles on different browsers?
For me, the answer is: I’m going to put more effort into this.
For me, part of the solution is: I’m going to spend more time absorbing Friedl’s information. (There’s a ton!)
Why Friedl’s data so incredibly valuable for the monitor question is two-fold. One is that he covers this aspect of color management much more fully than many. The second (and really cool part) is that he provides multiple image sample with multiple, different embedded profiles, which allows us not only test “How Colormetrically Advanced” our monitors our – but to use the article as a testing ground among our different browsers.
Live action learning on a confusing topic is wicked cool. So thank you Mr. Friedl, for your great, seven-page article!
Thanks also to Victoria Bampton!, who mentioned Friedl’s article on page 308 of her new book on Lightroom 2. Without Ms. Bampton’s expert recommendation, I likely would have never visited such an “old” article on such a critical topic. But it’s worth the visit!
