"Soft Proof" or "Convert to Profile"

[ThePhotoDude]

In the fantastic video "From Camera to Print" by Michael Reichmann and Jeff Schewe, they show their method of soft proofing which is:

Duplicate the image, put both copies side by side and soft proof one of them using what rendering intent looks best and then make some edits on the soft proof until you achieve a similar image.

Can you get the same results if, instead of soft proofing one of the copies, you convert to profile the image (to the paper profile) and edit that?

I am trying to put together a simplified color management FAQ on my website for my customers.

Thanks

[JeffKohn]

Converting to a profile is a lossy/destructive process, so you wouldn't want to do that with your master file. I suppose you could do so with a copy of the image but I don't see why that would be preferable to soft-proofing.

[Schewe]

Can you get the same results if, instead of soft proofing one of the copies, you convert to profile the image (to the paper profile) and edit that?

No...Convert to Profile doesn't soft proof, it converts the image to the destination profile. You would want to soft proof BEFORE you convert to profile (which is why we taught soft proofing and not convert to profile)....

[Damo77]

To add to what's already been said: Editing in an output space is a PITA, because R=G=B does not equal neutral.  Not a good idea.

[jjlphoto]

I've been trying it via duplicated image viewed in softproof with ink/paper simulation paper turned on. Then I add adjustment layers as needed to attempt to match the regular image. Nice idea.

[tived]

In the fantastic video "From Camera to Print" by Michael Reichmann and Jeff Schewe, they show their method of soft proofing which is:

Duplicate the image, put both copies side by side and soft proof one of them using what rendering intent looks best and then make some edits on the soft proof until you achieve a similar image.

Can you get the same results if, instead of soft proofing one of the copies, you convert to profile the image (to the paper profile) and edit that?

I am trying to put together a simplified color management FAQ on my website for my customers.

Thanks

ThePhotoDude,
Jeff has a very good white-paper on printing at Adobe, which I found really helpful, ...sorry, don't have the link with me. But it helped me to better understand the process, and the C2P is a good source too!

good luck

Henrik