Color - sRGB washing out in Windows apps

Hello,
I'm having a color management issue. I use CS3 and the Spyder2Express color calibration system. I presently have my system (Windows) set to the Spyder2Express profile found under the display properties. I have Photoshop set to sRGB under edit-color settings. I am for some reason suddenly (in the past few days) having big issues with editing the photo in Photoshop to look as I want, then it experiencing a large color shift when viewed in any Windows application or uploaded to the web (IE7). Colors look very dull and washed out compared to Photoshop.
From my experience, the opposite has been true if working in Adobe RGB and failing to save to sRGB before uploading the image to the web - the images wash out. So, why are my images washing out if working in sRGB as my Photoshop color space to begin with? Any Photoshop + windows experts combined that can help? I am pulling my hair out. I need to upload photos to my blog (I am a photographer) and they look super dull compared to how they view in Photoshop! Thanks in advance for your help.

My monitor calibration is just fine. I was saying that because similar
problems are almost always due to bad monitor profiles. If you calibrate
regularly using hardware calibration then you're probably fine. Many people
use canned profiles from monitor manufacturers however and lightroom is
highly sensitive to those and shows messed up color depending on the
source. In this case however, since the restart fixed it it was likely a
bad preview image. I have seen before that LR sometimes is lazy in
refreshing those and can show you strange results that only get cleared up
by forcing a preview refresh.
Last your top screenshot DOES show that you are pushing the red in that
dress out of the monitor gamut. You can check this in the soft proof in LR
4 by turning on the monitor gamut warning. If you blow the color out of the
monitor gamut the preview is no going to be accurate no matter how good
your calibration. Just a cautionary warning.
Sent from my iPhone

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@Norma0312 ,
Hello and thank you for posting on the HP support forums. Here is a link you may find usefull that may help you resolve your issue.
Troubleshooting problems with notebook displays (Windows 8, Windows 7)
However you may have the connection cable to the screen a bit losse causing it not to provide enough signal.
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How Do I Find My Model Number or Product Number?
Please call our technical support at 800-474-6836. If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region. http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-phone-assist.html
Thank you again for posting. Please post back with your system information and I might be able to provide other options.
Please click the "Thumbs Up" on the bottom right of this post to say thank you if you appreciate the support I provide!
Also be sure to mark my post as “Accept as Solution" if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others who face the same challenge find the same solution.
D5GR
I work on behalf of HP

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My monitor calibration is just fine. I was saying that because similar
problems are almost always due to bad monitor profiles. If you calibrate
regularly using hardware calibration then you're probably fine. Many people
use canned profiles from monitor manufacturers however and lightroom is
highly sensitive to those and shows messed up color depending on the
source. In this case however, since the restart fixed it it was likely a
bad preview image. I have seen before that LR sometimes is lazy in
refreshing those and can show you strange results that only get cleared up
by forcing a preview refresh.
Last your top screenshot DOES show that you are pushing the red in that
dress out of the monitor gamut. You can check this in the soft proof in LR
4 by turning on the monitor gamut warning. If you blow the color out of the
monitor gamut the preview is no going to be accurate no matter how good
your calibration. Just a cautionary warning.
Sent from my iPhone

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If I save my Ai file as PDF the colors become washed out.. What is it and how do I change it? I've searched the web for it for hours..

Heres an image of the result.

As for the resolution problem: upsampling an image doesn't improve its quality, because there's simply not enough information there.
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In English it's this one:
As far as I see it there's no alternative to learning the basics of printing, color management and transparency. This is nothing that can be done by some forum posts.
Printing:
http://rufus.deuchler.net/2011/06/adobe-publishes-a-new-creative-suite-555-printing-guide. html
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Creative Suite * Understanding color management (there's more about the subject)
As for transparency:
http://partners.adobe.com/public/asn/en/print_resource_center/Transparency-DesignGuide.pdf
http://partners.adobe.com/public/asn/en/print_resource_center/TXPGuide.pdf
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What you see on your monitor won't necessarily match the printed result unless your system is correctly calibrated and color management set up. And even then there might be differences.
Can't you contact this former colleague, pay him an amount of money and let him teach you the tools of the trade?

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so after spending hours editing I output to video only to find the colors looking like the went through the wash ... with extra bleach. The clips look great in iMovie but the resulting output blows.
am I doing something wrong?
thx
gf

Welcome to the  Discussion Forums
am I doing something wrong?
What exactly are you doing? (import format/compression types/export format etc)

When printing photos, pictures are missing colors. ( example no blue sky, colors look washed out )

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Please read this post then provide some details. What printer model? What operating system? It appears you are low on cyan (and/or light cyan depending on your printer model and what cartridges are installed.)
Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button ------------V
If my answer was helpful please click the "Thumbs Up" to say "Thank You"--V

Color - sRGB washing out in Windows apps

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