A complete guide to color grading and photography.
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Have you ever seen a photo and wondered how the photographer managed to capture such vibrant color, or was able to tone down the noise to create a crystal clear image? Chances are it was done through a process called color grading.
Color grading is the process of changing the color tone of an image by adjusting hue and saturation. By changing these elements, you can create a specific mood or add drama to your photos in ways that you can’t otherwise. This is a common technique used in both photography and film.
The difference between color grading and color correction.
Color grading is often confused with color correction, but the two deal with very different kinds of adjustments or corrections. Color correction balances the colors and evens them out, making them look as true to life as possible. In the case of video, color correction can make video shot throughout the day appear as if it was all shot at the same time or in the same light.
Color correction focuses on:
Exposure
Highlights
Noise
White balance
Contrast
Color grading follows color correction. It manipulates color and can change the mood of a shot. For example, if you want a shot that conveys a sense of drama, you can enhance the saturation of the color blue or red.
Color grading focuses on:
Hue
Solid color fill
Levels
Saturation
Curves
Color grading vocabulary.
Before you get started in color grading, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the vocabulary terms used.
Terms
Hue: the main property of color, independent of brightness, or intensity. The purest form of the color.
Saturation: basically, saturation is how intense a color is. If you reduce the saturation to zero the image will become black and white.
Value (also referred to as lightness, brightness, or luma depending on the program): all of these terms refer to how light or dark a color is.
Tools
White balance: this control allows you to adjust how warm or cool an image appears. A cooler image will appear more blue-toned, while a warm image will have more reddish or sepia tones.
Brightness and contrast: adjusting these controls will either make your image lighter or darker. Brightness and contrast work together; increasing either one will affect the other.
Curves: This tool can adjust the overall brightness of the image as well as the individual red, blue, and green colors.
The steps to color grading.
If you’re looking to learn color grading techniques, here are the steps to get started:
Before shooting, make sure that you’re shooting in RAW so that your image has as much information from the sensor as possible
The first step that you should take when color grading your photos is to adjust the white balance. Figure out how cool or warm you want your photo to be and go from there.
Next, adjust your hue/saturation.
Keep an eye on the histogram and make sure that the colors are evenly distributed. If not, you’ll have to adjust your image accordingly.
Adjust the red, blue, and green curves on your highlights and shadows.
If you’re going for a vivid look, play around with the vibrance setting.
Learn split toning. This will allow you to add different color tints to your highlights and shadows letting you create a unique look.
The best thing that you can do if you’re new to color grading is practice. Adjust a variety of different photos and see what looks you like the best. Remember, this is your art; there is no right or wrong.
If you’re a mobile-first photographer, not to worry: you can also color grade photos right from your phone with special editing apps. Apps such as Snapseed, VSCO and Afterlight are just a few to get you started (available on both Android and iOS).
Color grading may seem intimidating at first glance, but it just takes some practice. It will enhance your photos and help you to create art that’s all your own.
