Lightroom Problem . . .

tzalman wrote in post #12086379
René has been saying the same thing over and over, but for some reason you are not understanding him. On the Preferences page above, where it says 'Color Matching settings', you have sRGB checked. You should have one of the other two options checked, but if you check the third one, Monitor profile, you will have to browse to your monitor profile and select it and I'm not sure, given your difficulties, that you can do that. So you're lucky you have a Windows system because that gives you the second row to check, something that Mac people don't have (see René's last post). The reason that checking sRGB is not good here (although it is a good choice in the top section) is that it effectively turns off color management - it makes DPP behave like all those other lame, non-color managed programs; Windows P & F Viewer, Internet Explorer, etc. The middle choice, using the OS setting, is what LR does automatically, so now they will be on the same page.

He asked me to post my DPP Preference here and I did. I am having difficulties because a lot of the computer jargon and settings are foreign to me. (I'm pretty much agreeing that I'm a dummy when it comes to this stuff.) When he asked me to post my Preference, I did.

Now, I will say that I am not having trouble with DPP, so I'm not sure why I should change my settings there? I don't want my DPP to start having the same problems that I am having in LR. But I am willing to follow instructions I can understand. For example, French gave me detailed instructions for finding "color management" and it didn't work for me.

OK, these instructions worked fine. Here is what I found:

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

Since your monitor is not calibrated, I'd say in the above dialog try setting it to sRGB and see if that doesn't help things to start with. Make sure DPP is in sRGB as well (as a monitor profile).

Then, though, you will be in a very generic space. You may be happy with that for now but it could cause problems down the road, say with printing. Printing accurate colors will not likely be happening until you get your system calibrated together.

But, the picture viewers you are using may be "happier", it's just that things won't play out well in other things.

What Tony is saying is that at this point you have to make a decision: either (a) turn off color management by making sRGB the default system profile and then all your programs (including LR) will agree or (b) recognize that as it is now it is probably the case that only LR is accurately displaying the photos (I say "probably" because there have been reports of LR sometimes having problems with generic profiles like that Compaq one you are using, so I won't say with certainty that LR is accurate.)

It might be that option (a) will work fine for you - not everybody needs color management. If you send files to be printed and let the lab enhance them, they will probably be great. And if you share them on the web, the vast majority of viewers will be viewing them without c.m., so you will be on the same page with them. Just stay in sRGB and you will be good.

OTOH, what I would do (what I did do 10 years ago when just starting out) would be to invest $70 - $80 in an entry level calibrating kit like the Huey or the Spyder 3 Express
http://www.google.com …KAC&sqi=2&ved=0​CD4Q8gIwBQ

http://www.google.com …KAC&sqi=2&ved=0​CEIQ8gIwBg
It may not be the "pro" setup some people here would advocate, but you can upgrade it later. (In fact, I'm still using my old Huey hardware with a much better software application.) Calibration will enable you to do much better preparation for printing and the editing will be "yours", not the labs. And, of course, if you want to get into home printing, it will be invaluable.

YankeeMom wrote in post #12086807
Now, I will say that I am not having trouble with DPP, so I'm not sure why I should change my settings there? I don't want my DPP to start having the same problems that I am having in LR.

If you set DPP to use your monitor profile, you will have the same "problem" with DPP as with LR. But chances are (assuming your monitor profile is good (which is a pretty big assumption)) what you see in LR and DPP will be accurate.

Right now, what you are seeing in IE / Windows viewer is not accurate (unless, maybe, you did the "visual calibration" using a non-colormanaged application, in which case the monitor profile is useless anyway)

To get the same view in all applications, do this:

set sRGB as monitor profile in windows.
Set DPP to "Use OS settings" (makes no difference now, but makes it easier if you decide to calibrate the screen later).

Now LR, DPP, IE and Windows viewer will show images the same. Not necessarily accurate though.

If you want to make sure you view images accurate, do this:

Buy a calibrator.
Calibrate your screen.
Set DPP to "Use OS settings" .

Now LR and DPP will show identical and accurate. Use Firefox to browse the web. It is colormanaged as well, so will be accurate as well.
Do not use IE or Windows Viewer.

Yikes! So much to think about, but I will try them. I am also going to buy a new computer soon -- mine is going fast. I'll have to think about the callibration kit purchase (save for it.) I don't know about those -- but I can tell you that I have done the visual callibration and, other than with these LR converstions, never had a problem seeing photos as they are or should be. (I can see on my ipod, for example, that my photos in Flickr are exposed well and are of the right color balance, etc.) The same is true for my prints, which come out perfectly whether I develop them at MPix or WalMart.

I do use IE for internet, so I will have to look into/think about changing to Firefox.

Anyway, I will change those settings and see what happens.

I appreciate all the time and knowledge you have all shared with me. I have learned a little about technology -- and realize how much more I need to learn! Thanks so much!