GCR profiled images not viewing correctly in Acrobat PDF

[tirerack]

We currently use the custom GCR CMYK profile offered in Photoshop for a number of our images that require assistance in remaining as neutral as possible on press. I am running into problems when the GCR'd images are put into InDesign and a PDF is made, the GCR'd images visually do not match how the image appears in Photoshop. Making tone, color and any other adjustments difficult based on viewing the PDF. Any ideas on why the images are shifting in color when the PDF is made?

[Lukas Engqvist]

What proof settings are you using? Is it a Photoshop GCR profile?
Are you proofing in Photoshop towards the output intent with preserve numbers? (I think you should)

I would recommend once you have separated your image to assign the output intent profile to the image, (or removing the ICC) so that no further colour management takes place.

If it is gray images, I would leave them as Greyscale TIFF or JPG and colourise in InDesign with a swatch 20 15 15 100 (or something similar)

[leonardr]

We currently use the custom GCR CMYK profile offered in Photoshop for a number of our images that require assistance in remaining as neutral as possible on press. I am running into problems when the GCR'd images are put into InDesign and a PDF is made, the GCR'd images visually do not match how the image appears in Photoshop. Making tone, color and any other adjustments difficult based on viewing the PDF. Any ideas on why the images are shifting in color when the PDF is made?

In addition to the other questions asked, here are a few more:
* Did you embed the profile in the image in Photoshop?
* How did you create the PDF from InDesign?
* What PDF settings did you use when you exported the PDF?

All of these things impact the final PDF and whether or not your profile survived the workflow...

[tirerack]

Lukas-
I'm working with full color images.
Here are my steps when I use GCR in Photoshop. We start with our images in RGB with a generic sRGB profile embedded. Then Convert to Profile>Custom CMYK> SWOP coated ink colors, Separation Type: GCR, Black Generation: Medium, Ink limits: 100% black, 280% total, 0% UCA.
As for proofing that, I dont! If I'm using the US Web Coated (SWOP) v2, I use Proof Set Up/Proof Colors from the View menu. But honestly I've not figured out if there is a way to use that with a GCR option. We only use the GCR on our images of tires, everything else gets the SWOP v2 profile.

After apply the GCR should I then be applying the SWOPv2?


Leonardr-
* Yes, when the image gets saved, the Embed profile box is checked on.
* I need to get with the print designers on to answer how the PDF is made. They've given me the following info so far.
Under "Output"
Normal PDF Preset
Standard:ODF/X-1a:2001
Color Conversion: Convert to Destination (preserve Numbers)
Destination: Document CMYK -US Web coated SWOP
Profile Inclusion Policy: Dont include
Output Intent Profile: Document CMYK -US Web coated SWOP
Output condition Identifier: CGATS TR 001

Is any of this helpful to you?
Thanks for your assistance so far. I appreciate it.

[Lukas Engqvist]

Your printing intent is SWOP v2. So proofing you should be enough to proof with SWOP v2, the inks are the same regardless of separation.
I would say after you converted the profile re-assigning or removing the profile is what i would do. GCR has to do with the sepparation, once it is separated the custom profile and SWOP v2 should be "identical" for production purposes.