sorting out color management woes

spent some time sorting out color management woes today and would like to document it for future reference.

the problem statement:
photos edited in srgb working space, appears differently (muted) in "save for web" (sfw) preview window even with the embed icc profile option checked.

the fact:
if u have used the sfw option to save the file, when you open the saved file using photoshop, the colors actually appear normal and not as muted as shown in preview window. since most of the web browser is not color managed, photoshop probably previews the image under sfw option without the icc profile embedded (even if you choose to embed the icc profile) to provide a closest match when you view it on your browser. the solution is not to judge the output of photos with icc profile embedded using the sfw preview window and use only safari for viewing of color managed photos since it has color management capability and will display color correctly, with regards to their icc profile.

note: new firefox 3 with color management ability was recently launched

soft focus effect (the moments)

for a dreamy look, duplicate a new layer and applied gaussian blur with threshold level adjusted till all features cannot be clearly observed (15-20). Multiply it to the original background and conduct the necessary level adjustment when necessary.

first portraiture session (the journey)

using the available light, diffused through my windows and curtains, i managed to take some decent shots which potray the moodiness. the mood is great, contrast ratio is excellent but subject sharpness is not desirable. sharpness issue is due to the weak available light, causing low shutter speed of 1/4s - 1/2s and unavoidable subject movement. all photos were then processed with soft filter effect to give a dreamy feeling as a workaround for sharpness issue. the other problem with weak available light is camera has to be tripod mounted, instead of handheld, which reduce the flexibility of photographer movement.

it is a good learning curve, and now i know the reason behind portrait photographer going for leaf shutter system that can sync at higher speed than 1/250s for freezing subject movement and most importantly, improve subject sharpness. as a start, i would need studio strobes so that i can utilize a higher shutter speed with my current camera system. alternatively, take portraiture only in outdoor location with bright sun light, apply blur filter for photos taken indoor or utilizing sb800 as a temporary solution.

quadtone vs. greyscale

~ preset-quadtone with black, pt541cvc, pt513cvc, pt5773cvc produces warmer photo than greyscale, great for photos for an old school feeling. highlight part is badly blown but nothing much can be done with the pns on hand ~