Step-by-step Camera Raw Color Grading Breakdown Photoshop
Therefore, to nail a moody cyberpunk aesthetic, we are going to lean heavily into high-contrast neon blues (cyans/teals) and hot, vibrant oranges or magentas, while crushing the shadows to give it that rain-slicked, night-in-the-city vibe.
Therefore, open your image in the Camera Raw Filter (Ctrl+Shift+A / Cmd+Shift+A) and apply these exact slider configurations step-by-step.
Step-by-step Camera Raw Color Grading Breakdown Photoshop:
1. The Basic Panel (The Foundation)
Therefore, we need to under-expose the shot slightly to simulate nighttime, then push the whites to make the neon “pop.”
- Temperature:
5200 K(Slightly cool)- Tint:
+8to+12(Leaning into magenta)- Exposure:
-0.40to-0.75(Darken the environment)- Contrast:
+25- Highlights:
-30(Prevents neon light centers from blowing out)- Shadows:
+15(Opens up just enough detail to see shapes in the dark)- Whites:
+35(Forces the neon signs and light sources to pierce through the darkness)- Blacks:
-25(Crushes the deep background shadows)
2. Curve Panel (The Cyberpunk Matrix)
In other words, instead of a standard tone curve, we are going to manipulate the individual Red and Blue channels to inject color directly into specific brightness levels.
Step-by-step Camera Raw Color Grading Breakdown Photoshop:
The Parametric Curve (RGB)
Above all, Create a tight “S-Curve” to create harsh contrast, but lift the very bottom-left point slightly to keep the shadows looking matte and filmy.
The Red Channel Curve:
Above all, place a point right in the middle (Midtones) and pull it down slightly. (This injects Cyan into the midtones).
For instance, place a point near the top (Highlights) and push it up. (This injects Red/Orange into the bright lights).
The Blue Channel Curve:
However, place a point in the bottom third (Shadows) and push it up. (This floods your dark areas with deep Blue).
For instance, place a point near the very top (Highlights) and pull it down slightly. (Blue pulled out of highlights creates a warm Yellow/Orange glow).
Step-by-step Camera Raw Color Grading Breakdown Photoshop:
3. Color Mixer (Hue, Saturation, Luminance)
However, this is where we explicitly force the colors of the city into the cyberpunk spectrum.
Hue (Shifting the spectrum)
- Reds:
-15(Shifts red toward hot pink/orange)- Oranges:
-12(Shifts orange toward gold/red)- Yellows:
-40(Pushes yellows heavily into orange territory)- Greens:
-100(Kills natural green, shifting it toward yellow/orange)- Aquas:
+35(Shifts aquas toward deep blue)- Blues:
-25(Shifts standard blues into rich, cinematic Cyan/Teal)
Saturation (Vibrancy control)
- Reds & Oranges:
+20(Makes the neon pop)- Yellows:
-30(Cleans up muddy transitions)- Greens:
-70(De-emphasizes foliage or unwanted green light)- Aquas & Blues:
+35(Forces the teal environment to dominate)
Luminance (Brightness of colors)
Oranges & Yellows: +15 (Makes warm light sources appear emissive)
Blues: -15 (Deepens the blue sky/shadows so they don’t look washed out)
Step-by-step Camera Raw Color Grading Breakdown Photoshop:
Presets Free Download,
4. Color Grading (The Split-Tone)
However, this binds the whole look together. After that, use the global color wheels at the bottom of the panel to dial in these exact coordinate targets.
[Color Grading Targets]
├── Shadows (The Environment)
│ ├── Hue: 212°
│ └── Saturation: 28% (Deep, rich teal-blue)
├── Midtones (The Skin & Streets)
│ ├── Hue: 35°
│ └── Saturation: 12% (Subtle warm orange balance)
└── Highlights (The Neon Sources)
├── Hue: 28°
└── Saturation: 35% (Vibrant electric orange)
Camera Raw Color Grading Breakdown Photoshop:
5. Effects (Atmosphere)
Above all, Cyberpunk needs grit and atmosphere.
- Clarity:
+15(In addition, Enhances textures like wet asphalt or concrete)- Vignette:
-20(Draws focus inward toward your brightly lit subject)- Grain (Amount):
25| Size:25| Roughness:40(Simulates high-ISO cinematic film grain)
Final Polish Step: In addition, Hit OK to apply. Back in Photoshop, if your subject’s skin looks too orange from these settings, add a Layer Mask to your Smart Filter, select a soft black brush at 30% opacity, and gently paint over the skin to mask back a bit of the original tone.
