Softproof and ICC profile

Softproof and ICC profile

Accurate colour reproduction is critical in both the digital and analogue worlds, whether images are displayed on screen or produced. Soft proofing and ICC profiles can be used to ensure correct and accurate colour reproduction.

Soft proofing is a process that can be used to assess the colourimetric output of digital production data on a monitor. Using special software and ICC profiles, you can see in advance how your images will look on the product. This allows you to identify and correct any deviations or colour shifts before the final photo product is produced.

Even with the most advanced exposure technology, the final product will never match the brightness and brilliance of a monitor. Therefore, it is important that you adjust your monitor's display accordingly so that you can judge how the final product will look.

What is an ICC profile?

An ICC (International Color Consortium) profile is a file that contains information about how colours should be displayed on a particular device, such as a monitor, printer or camera. It describes the characteristics of the device's colour space and enables accurate colour matching between different devices. Using ICC profiles ensures consistent and accurate colour reproduction and provides an accurate preview of the final photo product.

How do I use ICC profiles and soft proofing

To create a soft proof, you will need software that supports soft proofing, such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. In addition, a well adjusted and ideally calibrated monitor is very important to ensure accurate colour reproduction.

Embedding colour profiles

Care should be taken when embedding a colour profile in a file. For soft proofing, the ICC profile should not be embedded in the file. Instead, the image files should be in the correct colour space, such as sRGB, Adobe RGB (1998) or ProPhoto RGB, and the appropriate ICC profile should be used for the final photo product. This will ensure accurate colour reproduction and prevent colour shifts during the production process.

ICC profiles from us for you

For all our photo products, we provide a specially developed ICC profile that is precisely matched to the final product. This allows us to ensure accurate and consistent colour reproduction that matches the desired result.

You can download all ICC profiles as a ZIP file. The settings and ICC profile for each surface can be found in Surfaces and ICC Profiles:

Photobook and Professional Line:

Photobook Professional Line Cover:

Portfolio Album:

Photo Prints:

Photo Prints XT:

Photo Sets:

Print Bundles:

Photo Stickers:

Wall Art:

Photo Plaques:

Posters:

FineArt (Poster and Prints):

Photo calendar:

Cards and Minileporellos:

Postcards:

Retro Prints:

Photo Booklets, Photo Flips, Flyers:

Business Cards: