)
When working with editing digital images, you’ll probably start to deal with color spaces at some point. You may have heard photographers mention shooting in a specific color space when using JPEG files. But what if you shoot in RAW?
As a general rule, RAW files do not have a defined color space. Instead, when a RAW file is loaded into a RAW processor, like Lightroom, it is then that the software turns the file into an image and a color space is chosen.
Though RAW files don’t have their own color space, choosing the right color space can have a major impact on how your image looks. Keep reading to learn more about color space in RAW files and why which one you use matters.
Do RAW Files Have a Color Profile?
You may have seen the color space setting on the back of your camera and wondered what it should be set at if you shoot in RAW. You may be shocked to find out that what this is set to doesn’t really matter at all.
RAW images don’t really have a defined color space. In fact, when your camera takes a photo as a RAW file, it doesn’t capture an image but a stream of information detected by the sensor. Although a digital camera’s sensor has a unique color signature, it does not have a typical color profile.
Only after it has been opened and exported as a rendered file does a raw file receive a profile. When you load it into a raw processor, like Lightroom, that software then converts the saved data into an actual picture. The color space you want to work with can then be decided.
What Is a Color Space?
A color space describes a fixed range of potential colors and tonal values. Its primary purpose is to explain how well a capture or display device can reproduce color information.
A color space is best understood by photographers in the context of what it does for their images, which is to map a variety of colors into a space that is available.
When Do You Choose Color Space for RAW Files?
Though there are many photographers who start to think about color space before they’ve even taken the shot, this isn’t always necessary. This is due to the fact that almost all professional-grade cameras today allow users to select from a variety of capture color spaces. However, when it comes to working with RAW files, editing is really the first place you have to make a color space decision.
You’ll typically be working in the Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB color spaces when using editing software like Lightroom, with Lightroom handling all the development work to preserve all the colors your camera recorded. In actuality, selecting a color space is only necessary when exporting an image from the software so that it can be edited in another program or saved as a finished file.
Which Color Space Should You Choose?
What you’re doing will determine which color space you use. There are three popular color space options available in Lightroom:
- Adobe RGB
- ProPhoto RGB
- sRGB
Generally speaking, you should be working in one of the spaces with a wider gamut, like Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB.
Does Color Space Matter?
In the past, color space was only used by post-production broadcast teams and image scientists. However, in recent years, it has become essential for those working in all aspects of the production process to have a basic understanding of the color space they will be working in. This has a lot to do with how technology and workflow have evolved.
The way your image will appear in various software and application contexts depends heavily on the color spaces you use. If you select the incorrect one and use a color space that is incompatible with some devices, it can ruin the appearance of your image.
A certain piece of content, for instance, might need to be played on HDR TVs, mobile devices, and theater screens. Using an incompatible color space can cause colors to seem washed out or oversaturated in digital settings, or make prints come out with strange color palettes.
Final Thoughts
Even for the most seasoned photographers, it can take years to become fluent in color spaces. Luckily, if you shoot in RAW, color space isn’t something you need to worry about until you reach the editing stage.
However, as our cameras and screens advance, this idea will become more valuable than ever. Hopefully, this article left you with some information on color spaces so that you can shoot confidently for years to come.
