How do I softproof for a magazine?

[samosa]

I've been asked to provide some high resolution images for a glossy magazine.

I know how to softproof an image in CS3 and I know about tweaking it to match the pre-softproofed image (as described by Jeff Schewe) for printing with my printer.

But what printer/paper profile do I use if I'm producing a final image to send off for a magazine? Does it even matter?  - After all, all those competition winners we see in photo magazines haven't optimised their image by softproofing.  Should I ask the magazine editor for their printer/paper profile? Or is this something I need to ask the magazine's publisher.  

Finally, I normally work on ProPhotoRGB. Should I keep the images in that colourspace, or convert them to AdobeRGB before sending?

Any advice from those with first hand experience would be appreciated.

[juicy]

You should ask for a profile from the magazine. Depending on your location you may also see how the images look like in the most common pressprofiles like isocoated v2 (eci) in EU or the latest swop in the US. Do not send prophoto RGB unless you have very clearly communicated with the magazine/prepress staff and concluded that they know what to do with it.

Cheers,
J

I've been asked to provide some high resolution images for a glossy magazine.

I know how to softproof an image in CS3 and I know about tweaking it to match the pre-softproofed image (as described by Jeff Schewe) for printing with my printer.

But what printer/paper profile do I use if I'm producing a final image to send off for a magazine? Does it even matter?  - After all, all those competition winners we see in photo magazines haven't optimised their image by softproofing.  Should I ask the magazine editor for their printer/paper profile? Or is this something I need to ask the magazine's publisher.  

Finally, I normally work on ProPhotoRGB. Should I keep the images in that colourspace, or convert them to AdobeRGB before sending?

Any advice from those with first hand experience would be appreciated.

[juicy]

Check out another thread here: cmyk
and especially the link in post #8.

[digitaldog]

Finally, I normally work on ProPhotoRGB. Should I keep the images in that colourspace, or convert them to AdobeRGB before sending?

I'd actually send them ColorMatch RGB. Its TRC (gamma) is more ideal for press print work, its not at all exotic and even if someone is totally color management ignorant, they can't screw it up too much, based on the original color space. They can of course screw it up completely in the conversion TO CMYK. Unless you know the printer has their color management act together, Adobe RGB (1998) is still "dangerous" for this group.