Cinematic Colour Grading Using Adobe Photoshop Adjustment

Cinematic Colour Grading Using Adobe Photoshop Adjustment

Therefore, Color grading in Adobe Photoshop using Adjustment Layers is a non-destructive way to give your images a specific “look” (like the classic teal-and-orange or a moody noir) without damaging the original pixels.

In other words, here is a workflow to achieve a professional cinematic grade:

Cinematic Colour Grading Using Adobe Photoshop Adjustment

1. The Foundation: Color Balance:

Therefore, the Color Balance layer is the most direct way to inject cinematic tones. High-end cinema often uses “Split Toning” (different colors for shadows and highlights).

Shadows: In other words, add a bit of Cyan and Blue for a moody, grounded feel.

Highlights: Add Yellow and Red (or Orange) to make skin tones and light sources pop.

Midtones: In other words, keep these neutral or slightly lean toward your dominant theme.

2. Depth and Contrast: Curves:

Curves is the most powerful tool for cinematic texture. To get that “filmic” look:

The Fade: Therefore, lift the bottom-left point (Blacks) slightly upward. This turns pure blacks into a soft, charcoal gray, mimicking film stock.

The S-Curve: However, create a subtle “S” shape by pulling the shadows down and the highlights up to add punchy contrast.

Channel Editing: Therefore, switch from “RGB” to the Red or Blue channel within Curves to fine-tune specific color shifts in the luminance ranges.

Cinematic Colour Grading Using Adobe Photoshop Adjustment

3. Global Mood: Color Lookup (LUTs)

In other words, Photoshop comes with built-in Color Lookup tables (LUTs) that emulate specific film stocks.

Pro Tip: Always lower the Opacity of this layer to about 30–50%. LUTs are often too intense at 100%.

4. Nuanced Control: Selective Color:

However, this is how you isolate specific colors (like the green of trees or the blue of the sky) without affecting the whole image.

However, Go to Selective Color.

For instance, choose Neutrals from the dropdown to shift the overall “wash” of the image.

However, Choose Blacks to add a tint (like a deep navy) specifically to the darkest parts of the frame.

5. Final Polish: Camera Raw Filter:

For instance, while not technically an Adjustment Layer, you can right-click your layer, select Convert to Smart Object, and then go to Filter > Camera Raw Filter.

Color Mixer: In addition, Fine-tune the hue and saturation of individual colors.

Vignette: Under the “Effects” tab, add a subtle post-crop vignette to draw the eye toward the center of the frame.

Grain: In addition, adding a small amount of “Grain” helps simulate 35mm film and masks digital artifacts.

Cinematic Colour Grading Using Adobe Photoshop Adjustment

Suggested Workflow Order:

Quick Tip: In conclusion, set your Color Balance or Curves layer to the Color or Soft Light blending mode if you find the adjustments are affecting the brightness of your image too much.