ivangdavila_image/photography.md

Photography, Color, and Print

Color Profiles

Profile	Use For
sRGB	Web delivery, most marketplaces, social
Adobe RGB	Print workflows with wider gamut
ProPhoto RGB	High-end RAW editing and master files

• Browsers and many upload pipelines effectively expect sRGB.
• Wide-gamut files exported for the web without conversion often look washed out or inconsistent.
• Embed the ICC profile when the destination respects color management.

RAW and Non-Destructive Editing

• RAW files are source negatives; do not overwrite them.
• Keep edits in sidecars, catalogs, layered masters, or non-destructive instructions when possible.
• White balance corrections are safer in RAW than in JPEG.
• Different RAW converters can produce visibly different output from the same file.
• Keep at least one master export suitable for future edits before creating flattened delivery versions.
• Noise reduction, clarity, and sharpening should be balanced for the final destination; settings that feel dramatic on screen often print badly.

Metadata and EXIF

Preserve when needed:

• Copyright and author data
• Editorial provenance
• Archive or legal context

Strip when appropriate:

• Public web publishing
• Sensitive location data
• Irrelevant camera metadata on lightweight delivery assets

GPS warning:

• Strip GPS before public delivery for homes, private locations, or sensitive subjects.

Print Export Rules

Setting	Web	Print
Color space	sRGB	Adobe RGB or printer profile
Resolution	72-150 PPI guidance	300 PPI typical
Format	WebP/JPEG/PNG	TIFF or high-quality JPEG
Metadata	Minimal	Preserve if needed

• Print work must care about physical size, bleed, sharpening target, and final output process.
• A web export that looks good on screen is not automatically print-safe.
• Ask whether the destination printer, lab, or publication has its own profile and export requirements before assuming a generic print preset.
• Soft-proofing or at least checking for gamut clipping is worth it when brand colors or skin tones must survive print.

Retouching Traps

• Over-smoothing skin or texture until the file looks synthetic.
• Aggressive sharpening halos that only become obvious in print.
• Cropping too tightly and leaving no safe room for print trims or editorial layouts.

Quality Control

Before delivery:

□ Orientation fixed
□ ICC profile intentional
□ No clipped highlights or blocked shadows
□ No obvious halos or oversharpening
□ Dust spots or sensor marks checked
□ Metadata decision made on purpose