ProPhoto, SRGB, Adobe RGB...?

[Paulie1108]

what is the difference and what is best for retouching photos?
What color profile does YOUR photoshop default to when opening a file?
When saving a file do you add sRGB profile?

I'm asking these questions because I have been doing a lot of reading and the more I read the more confused I get...

Looks like Prophoto is the way to go because it offers a huge color spectrum.

Understanding ProPhoto RGB

But would adobe RGB do just as well for retouchers?

[Steve]

ProPhoto & Adobe RGB are the largest color spaces in that order.

You're not choosing one of these profiles to edit your images in, you're editing an RGB image in RGB Mode.

You choose the color profile you want to use in your camera and you're always better off choosing the profile with largest gamut (the most colors).

I don't know if any cameras support ProPhoto, so don't worry about that.

If you choose Adobe RGB you continue with that in Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop.
If you chose sRGB you stick with that.

You can convert an Adobe RGB image to sRGB but when you do it literally throw out the additional colors.
Converting back doesn't recover the colors.

[Paulie1108]

I think I under stand but I don't take the photos I only retouch them. I gonna guess that when a file is sent to me I should find out what settings were used. how would I go about this and could you give an example. thanks a lot.

[hawkeye]

You mean File-File Info...?

[Paulie1108]

Yes the files I recive from the photographer.

[hawkeye]

You mean File-File Info...?

That was the answer to your question...