Editing/ viewing images across different devices?

Question

I have a monitor that has been calibrated and renders colors correctly (or at least close to it). I use it to edit my photos, which I'm happy with the results. When I upload the final image online and view it on other devices (phone, tablet, some other monitor, etc.), however, it usually looks flat (or sometimes oversaturated). That part, I think, is understandable - not all screens are properly calibrated nor display colors accurately. My problem is that if I try to re-edit my image so that it would look good on other devices, it would then look over saturated on my calibrated monitor. If I don't re-edit it, then I know that people could be viewing the image as dull (color wise). How do you guys cope up with this dilemma? Is it just a state of thinking where "as long as I know that I got the colors right, then it won't matter to me how it would show up on other devices"? Similarly, when I see professional's images online, it's like the images would always look vibrant regardless of the device I use to view it. Is it just me, or is there really a technique on how to do this?

Answer 1

Did this for 20-years for the public, the Huntington, and Caltech. This is why most professionals spend so much time on Color Management. The Monitor, your printer, software, and programs all need (1) reference point. That would require all devices to have the same values. For video, the web, and home ptoduction - it is called sRGB. For professional Digital Print Production it is called Adobe RGB 1998. For Press Production it is called US SWOP Coated 2.0. These are the most generic and far reaching versions. There are newer versions. But these are the most compatible. Now comes the hard part. You need to set all these values correcrtly on every one of these devices. Some Monitors cannot show Adobe RGB 1998. Some printers cannot print in Adobe RGB 1998. Software settings must be set accordingly. The standard being Photoshop. It must be in the program. Edit > Color Settings > Working Spaces. For video it is RGB = sRGB. For Digital Pre-Press. It is RGB = Adobe RGB 1998. For CMYK it is U.S. Web Coated SWOP 2.0 The Color Management Policies should all be = Convert to Working RGB / CMYK / Gray. Then check your monitor settings. Built in through the option menu you may find the proper settings. For video, web, home production use sRGB. For color match digital print production use Adobe RGB 1998 - if available. For your printer, use the settings that yeild the best color match. That may require you setting up the proper drivers based on paper type. You could just use the basic settings = sRGB, 1998, CMYK. Then you would probably have to select a manual color correction. Or you can use a color calibrator. You would need a version that matches the monitor, the printer, and creates a new driver for the software correction. Those will usually get you in the ballpark pretty quickly. BUT! Since it does not know all the variables of your system. It may not be all that much better with a calibrator even.