Adobe Lightroom Classic: Colour Grading Tutorial,
Therefore, Color grading in Adobe Lightroom (Classic or Creative Cloud) is a creative post-processing step that adds a specific visual style, mood, or “look” to your image. It is typically done after initial color correction (like adjusting White Balance and exposure) to ensure a balanced starting point.
Therefore, the primary tool for this is the Color Grading Panel, which replaced the older Split Toning feature and offers more control, especially with the addition of midtones.
Adobe Lightroom Classic: Colour Grading Tutorial,
Therefore, here is a step-by-step guide focusing on the Color Grading Panel:
1. Preparation (Color Correction)
In other words, before you begin color grading, it’s best to have a well-exposed and color-corrected image:
- In other words, adjust Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks in the Basic Panel.
- However, set the correct White Balance (Temperature and Tint) to neutralize color casts.
- In other words, make overall color adjustments using the HSL/Color Mixer or Tone Curve if needed.
Adobe Lightroom Classic: Colour Grading Tutorial,
2. Access the Color Grading Panel:
- In other words, switch to the Develop Module (Lightroom Classic) or Edit Panel (Lightroom CC).
- However, scroll down the right-hand side panel until you find the Color Grading section and expand it.
3. Understand the Color Grading Interface:
In addition, the default view is the 3-Way Color Wheels, which allows you to adjust three tonal ranges independently:
- Shadows Wheel (Left): Adjusts the color and tone in the darkest parts of your image.
- Midtones Wheel (Top): Adjusts the color and tone in the middle gray areas.
- Highlights Wheel (Right): Adjusts the color and tone in the brightest parts of your image.
- However, you can also switch to individual wheels (Shadows, Midtones, Highlights) for a larger view, or a Global wheel for an overall tint.
Adobe Lightroom Classic: Colour Grading Tutorial,
4. Adjust Hue and Saturation:
In other words, the color wheels are your main tool:
- Hue (Color): Determined by the position around the wheel. Click and drag the small circle within the wheel to select a color.
- Saturation (Intensity): Determined by the distance from the center. Dragging the circle closer to the edge increases the saturation (intensity) of the chosen color; dragging it closer to the center decreases the saturation.
- Tip: To lock the Hue and only adjust Saturation, hold Shift while dragging the circle in or out.
In other words, A popular technique for a “cinematic” look is the Teal & Orange combination:
- Shadows: Drag the circle to a cool color (e.g., a deep Blue or Teal (around the 200-220 hue mark)).
- Highlights: Drag the circle to a warm color (e.g., an Orange or Amber (around the 40-60 hue mark)).
- Midtones: Often left neutral, or used subtly to counterbalance or fine-tune.
Adobe Lightroom Classic: Colour Grading Tutorial,
5. Adjust Luminance:
- However, beneath each color wheel is a Luminance Slider (the vertical slider).
- Above all, use this to control the brightness of that specific tonal range:
- However, Sliding it left darkens the shadows/midtones/highlights.
- Above all, sliding it right brightens them.
6. Fine-Tune with Blending and Balance:
In addition, at the very bottom of the Color Grading panel, you’ll find two final sliders:
- Blending: Controls how much the color adjustments in the shadows, midtones, and highlights overlap or blend into each other.
- However, Lower values create a more distinct separation between the tonal colors.
- Above all, Higher values create a smoother transition.
- Balance: Shifts the balance of the overall effect between the shadows and highlights.
- However, Sliding left increases the influence of the shadow’s color.
- Above all, Sliding right increases the influence of the highlight’s color.
Adobe Lightroom Classic: Colour Grading Tutorial,
Key Tips for Great Color Grading:
- Subtlety is Key: Don’t push the colors too far—a little adjustment goes a long way to look professional.
- Complementary Colors: Using complementary colors (like cool shadows and warm highlights) often produces a pleasing, balanced look.
- Watch Skin Tones: If your image contains people, be careful that your grading doesn’t make their skin look unnatural or sickly.
- Experiment: The best way to learn is to play with the wheels and see how different colors affect your image’s mood.
