COLOUR GRADE TO PERFECTION

Balance grading to create images with maximum tonal separation

1 BLACK AND WHITE POINTS

Most raw workflows should start by setting the black and white points, which define the tonal parameters of the file. Hold down the Alt/ Option key to visualise when clipping starts to occur, setting the sliders to just before warnings appear.

3To USE POINT COLOR

target the underlying reddish soil and brown foliage, I used the eyedropper in the Point Colour tab in Lightroom to select this range. I checked ‘Visualise Range’ to see which colours were selected, then further adjusted the HSL of these colours.

5 TONE CURVE TARGETING

Adding more complex tones to the colour palette ensures that the grade looks natural. Using a tone curve, I added more green to the darks, magenta to the upper midtones, and yellow to the highlights, creating a warm glow.

2 ADJUST HSL

I needed to create separation between the green foliage and the bronze leaves and mud behind. To do this I reduced the yellow hue and saturation, which makes natural greens ‘fresher’. I also reduced green luminance to remove the presence of sheen.

4 GRADING WHEEL TECHNIQUES

For a subtle split tone, I added green to the shadows and orange to the highlights, using the grading wheels in Lightroom.

This complemented the scene’s existing colours. To fill out the range, I added a midtone halfway between these.

6 CONTROL CALIBRATION

Finally, I made some minor adjustments to the colour process by increasing the green and blue primary saturation and shifting the green primary hue to the right. This completed the cinema-like grade style I was looking for.