Lr Editing: How to Make Photos Look Cinematic in Lightroom 2025

Lr Editing: How to Make Photos Look Cinematic in Lightroom 2025

Therefore, Making your photos look cinematic in Lightroom is about mimicking the color grading, contrast, and mood in film and movies. In other words, Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you nail that look:

🔧 1. Lr Editing: How to Make Photos Look Cinematic in Lightroom 2025, Crop & Aspect Ratio:

Set to 2.35:1 or 2.39:1 — this is the classic cinematic widescreen ratio.
Therefore, In Lightroom, go to Crop Overlay → set a custom aspect ratio like 2.35 x 1.

🎨 2. Color Grading (Key to Cinematic Look):

Therefore, Use the Color Grading panel (formerly “Split Toning”):

Shadows: add teal/blue tones.
Highlights: add warm tones (like orange or gold).
Midtones: subtle warmth or cool, depending on your vibe.

A classic “teal and orange” look is super popular in movies.

🌑 3. Lr Editing: How to Make Photos Look Cinematic in Lightroom 2025, Contrast & Tone Curve:

In other words, Use Tone Curve for more filmic contrast:

In other words, Add a subtle S-curve:
- However, Lift the black point slightly (bottom left up).
- For instance, Drop the highlights a touch (top right down).

For instance, This softens contrast and gives that “matte” film look.

🌫️ 4. Desaturate & Control Colors:

However, Reduce overall saturation a bit (films are rarely super saturated).
For instance, Use the HSL panel to:
- Above all, Tame overbearing colors.
- However, Shift greens toward a more olive or teal tone.
- For instance, Boost or mute certain tones to control mood.

🖼️ 5. Lr Editing: How to Make Photos Look Cinematic in Lightroom 2025, Add Vignetting:

For instance, Subtle Post-Crop Vignette adds focus.
Above all, Go to Effects tab → lower the “Amount” slightly (- -10 to -30).

🌫️ 6. Use Grain:

Above all, Add a touch of Grain for that vintage, filmic texture.
In addition, Found in the Effects panel.