'Save As' vs 'Save For Web'

[danhendo888]

I was working on a RAW file in Photoshop CC and did some minor adjustments using Curves and Gradient Map layers.

I saved a file in PNG format to my desktop and noticed that the colours were unlike those I was seeing while in Photoshop.

I then saved another copy as PNG but this time using the 'Save For Web' option and the photo looked like what I had been seeing in Photoshop.

Does anyone know why this difference is being caused?

[ameerat42]

Yes.

In your PNG settings you are using a different color profile from the default sRGB profile in Save for web.

You use "File - Save as..." to save a PNG (among many other formats). Look down the dialog box for something like
"Color... ICC Profile" and a tick box.
See what profile it's using.

If your camera uses, say, sRGB, and Photoshop's Save as is different, then set your "other" profile OFF - untick the box.

There's more to setting up color profiles in Pshop, but this will do, as it depends on what your monitor uses and...

>Oh, I should have said: you can change Save for Web settings in later versions, such as your CC version.<

[ricktas]

Great answer Am. Colour profiles and Colour matching are a huge area of photography and printing in general. As Am says chances are you are saving in something other than sRGB colour profile.

If, as a beginner, there was not enough for you to learn about photography! There is way more than meets the eye. If you want some basics on colourspaces click HERE (http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/color-spaces.htm)