Camera Raw Version 18.3.2: Professional Color Grading,
Therefore, in Camera Raw version 18.3.2 (and its close iterations), Adobe introduced a massive quality-of-life update for colorists: Local Color Grading. For the first time, you can use the three-way color wheels inside a local mask rather than just applying them globally to the entire image.
Therefore, the Camera Raw Filter features two distinct ways to tackle color grading: globally or locally.
Camera Raw Version 18.3.2: Professional Color Grading,
1. Global Color Grading (The Classic Method)
Therefore, if you want to apply a cohesive color scheme (like a cinematic teal-and-orange or a vintage warm wash) across your entire image, use the dedicated Color Grading panel.
Where to find it: Open the Edit panel stack on the right side of your screen and expand Color Grading.
The Layout: In other words, you will see icons at the top to toggle between viewing 3-Way wheels (Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights all at once) or zooming into an individual wheel for finer control.
How to use the controls:
Hue & Saturation: Click and drag the handle inside any circle. Dragging toward the outer edge increases Saturation, while rotating the handle changes the Hue (color).
Luminance: In other words, slide the horizontal bar directly under each wheel to control the brightness of that specific tonal range.
Blending & Balance: These two sliders sit at the bottom of the panel and make or break your grade:
Blending (0 to 100): Determines how much the color overlaps between shadows, midtones, and highlights. A high number creates a smooth, painterly bleed; a lower number keeps the colors strictly separated.
Balance (-100 to +100): In other words, Shifts the cutoff point between the ranges. If you push it to the negatives, your Shadow color choice will dominate the image; if positive, your Highlight color choice takes over.
Camera Raw Version 18.3.2: Professional Color Grading,
2. Local Color Grading (The 18.3.2 Update)
However, this is where 18.3.2 shines. If you want to color grade only the sky or only the background without ruining skin tones, you can now isolate your grade.
1. Create a Mask: Requires AI selections or manual brushes.
However, click the Masking icon (the dotted circle) on the right-hand toolbar. Choose an AI selection tool like Select Subject, Sky, or use a standard Linear Gradient.
2. Locate the Color Grading tools: Scroll inside the mask panel.
For instance, once your mask is active, scroll down through the localized adjustment sliders (below Exposure, Contrast, and Color Mixer) until you see the Color Grading dropdown menu.
3. Dial in localized tones: Adjusting shadows/highlights of the mask.
However, use the wheels just as you would globally. For instance, if you selected the background, you can cool down the background shadows into deep blues while keeping your subject warm and unaffected.
Camera Raw Version 18.3.2: Professional Color Grading,
💡 Pro-Tips for v18.3.2
The New Vectorscope: For instance, you can now right-click your Histogram and select Show Vectorscope. This gives you a visual map of where your colors are sitting and includes a Skin Tone Indicator line to ensure your portrait edits stay natural.
Fine-Tuning Color Separation: Pair your color grading wheels with the Point Color eyedropper tool (found inside the Color Mixer panel) if you need to manipulate a highly specific hue range before running it through the grading wheels.
