1) Which file format, in what type of compression, in what color space (or photometric interpretation) is the best for archiving and printing (not web use)?
I'd recommend any file format that does not use lossy compression. I use TIFF for my images. I also tend to save in 16 bits per channel, which TIFF also supports. I only convert to 8-bit when I need to run a filter that doesn't support 16 bit yet (Smart Blur).
For colour spaces, just save your image with your working profile embedded. My working space is Adobe RGB 1998. sRGB is very common (its the Windows default). One lab in my city uses Kodak's Pro Photo RGB which is a wide-gamut colour space. There are dozens available but I'd stick with either Adobe or sRGB unless you have specific requirements.
My feeling so far is that GIF is out b/c it is limited to 256 colors; JPEG (which is actually a compression not a format) is out because the compression is "lossy"; TIFF seems to be the winner.
I'd agree with you there. TIFF files are big but storage is cheap these days. When my files start growing I worry more about RAM than drive space.
Are there there viable options to consider. Should the TIFFs be compressed in a particular way, or uncompressed? Which way? Should the file be in RGB, CMKY, XYZ, L*a*b*, or other. I know RGB is good for monitors, CMYK is good for printers, and L*a*b* has its advantages too, but what should be the bread and butter?
I use RGB, as that is my working space. For inkjet printers, the driver typically converts to CMYK for you, "behind the scenes". If I was sending images out to pre-press I would let them do the CMYK conversion.
2) Could someone explain the "Color Management" process.
I used to have a couple of really good references bookmarked. One was on Adobe's website, but they seem to have removed most of the useful information since then. The other was on Barco's website but I can't find that one anymore either.
I don't really know the system in enough depth to adequately explain how it works. I might be able to write a quick overview.
And lastly, is color management based on a standard palette that all profiles look to as a baseline, or does the process happen in the absence of a standard? how?
There is a standard format for describing colour profiles, defined by the International Color Consortium (http://www.color.org/). Colour management systems are many and varied, and each one will convert between colour spaces in a slightly different way. You also have the option of Relative Colorimetric, Absolute Colorimetric, and Perceptual conversions:
http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/12641-1.html
Colour-management-aware operating systems also provide a standard location for ICC profiles. For various versions of MacOS and Windows, see this page:
http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/1401a.htm
Generally you don't need to know where the files go, unless you manually obtain a profile (eg from a print shop).
If you haven't already done so I would strongly recommend calibrating your monitor. Something like Adobe Gamma, or MacOS's built-in calibrator, would be a good start. If you want to get serious you can buy hardware to get a more accurate calibration. I recently bought the Spyder Pro package from Pantone ColorVision and I'm very pleased with the result.
Cheers,
- Dave
http://www.digistar.com/~dmann/
