New In 2024, Everything You Need to Know About Color Grading in Photography

New In 2024, Everything You Need to Know About Color Grading in Photography

Morgan Lv12

Everything You Need to Know About Color Grading in Photography

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Have you recognized how flat your images look when you take them with your camera? While the scenery may be beautiful and your photography skills may be amazing, there’s always something missing. That “thing” is color grading, and that may be why your favorite superstar’s pictures appear better than yours. You can color grade your videos to produce the same effect too.

Color grading photography refers to a post-production process that improves your images by altering their color. The result of an excellent color grading process is an image that looks more appealing and refined. It’s what gives a picture some professional touch.

If you want to learn more about color grading photography, this article will let you in on all you need to know. From essential color grading steps to terms, tools, etc., you can begin your journey to cool and exciting images after reading.

In this article

01 Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

02 Color Grading in LightRoom

03 Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

04 Tips For Color Grading Photography

Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

The first way to fully appreciate color grading is by differentiating it from its closest term—color correction. Many people use both of them interchangeably, and that’s wrong. Although color grading and color correction are post-production processes that enhance image colors, they perform different roles.

Here’s how to differentiate color grading from color correction:

Differentiating Factor Color Grading ; Color Correction
Definition Color grading is a process that enhances an image’s color by stylizing or giving it a cinematic appearance. Color correction is a process that adjusts color mistakes in an image by giving it a consistent appearance. This process balances colors by adjusting whites and blacks.
Purpose The primary aim of color grading an image is to evoke specific emotions in the viewers. Color grading leverages the emotional and psychological effects of colors to manipulate the viewers’ moods. You can use color grading to give your images different tones or themes like fear, femininity, youthfulness, passion, anger, sadness, etc. Unlike color grading, the color correction does very little in setting the tone or mood that an image carries. Instead, it corrects specific mistakes in the image to make it look as natural to the human eyes as possible. Generally, camera lenses and the human eyes view pictures differently. Color correction changes a photo’s look to make it more appealing to humans than the camera. It makes black colors appear darker and adds more white to whites to create the desired effect.
Stage in the production process Color grading typically comes after color correction in the post-production process. That’s because the effects of color grading are more appealing on a color-corrected picture. Color correction comes before color grading. This process does the major work of balancing colors and correcting errors. Color grading only fine-tunes what color correction has done, giving it a professional finish.
Example One of the most obvious examples of color grading is in motion pictures. For example, Sci-Fi movies typically have a very saturated blue color. However, you will notice a little redder in romantic movies. Note that filmmakers can use different color grades in movies to draw attention to specific details or represent changes in the storyline. Color grading produces the same effects in pictures. Color correction is most prominent in documentaries to make pictures and videos look more real to the human eye. Other times, color corrections just adjust one color to merge the rest of the image or video.

color grading photography

Terms and Tools Used In Color Grading

These are the most common terminologies photo editors use when color grading an image:

● Hue

Hue is the general name for describing pure color. That means it defines color without alluding to its brightness, vividness, etc. It describes a color’s position in the color wheel.

● Saturation

When a photo editor talks about saturation, they refer to the hue concentration that defines a specific color. Saturation describes color shades and focuses on how colorful they are. Examples of colors with zero saturation are white, black, and grey.

color grading photography - saturation

● Luminance

Luminous describes how bright, well-lighted or dark a color is. Highlights, mids, and shadows can influence luminance.

color grading photography - luminance

● Additive Color

Additive colors are non-primary colors. However, they typically result from mixing primary colors (blue, red, green).

● Color Cast

Color cast means that the image’s coloring doesn’t look as natural as it should be. This usually happens when different light sources get mixed.

● Temperature

Temperature defines how cool or warm a color is. Cool temperatures typically describe blues and purples, while orange and red represent the warmth.

The essential tools for color grading include

● White Balance

White balance helps to make your photos look more natural by correcting color cast issues. After using white balance, the result is that the whites in your pictures would look exactly like the human eye will perceive it. White balance adjusts your image’s color cast to make them look warmer or cooler.

● Brightness and Contrast

Brightness and contrast are essential in color grading and are among the most used photo editing tools. Different sliders control brightness and contrast during editing. It’s important to note that your image’s brightness will affect the contrast and vice-versa. That’s why they usually appear together, even if they refer to different tools.

● The Three-Way Color Corrector

Many photographers refer to the three-way corrector as the color correction’s workhorse. That’s because this tool adjusts hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast in a single interface. The three-way corrector performs the job of three tools in one interface. Using the three-way corrector ensures that you work faster than usual.

● The Fast Color Corrector

The fast color corrector is like the three-way corrector. However, there are many limitations with the number of potential looks you can achieve with this tool. The fast color corrector primarily focuses on adjusting tint and saturation. Its major advantage over the three-way corrector is its user-friendliness and simplicity.

● Curves

While using curves is pretty complicated, the tool offers impressive functionality that you can’t refuse. Curves are very powerful and precise. Their main function is to overhaul or remove your image’s brightness altogether to give it a distinctive look.

● The Unsharp Mask and Sharpening Tools

With the unsharp mask and sharpening tools, you can give your picture’s edges a sharp illusion by modifying the contrast. This is typically useful for images that you shoot in dark conditions.

Sharp pictures are always a lovely sight. However, these tools can’t correct pictures taken out of focus. To get the best results from these tools. Then you can start moving them back till you get your desired sharpness.

● Color Match

As the make implies, color match tools modify a target picture’s colors to fit the reference image. This is an automatic process and helps to save time.

Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

These are the essential stages for color grading your images:

● Step 1:
The first step in color grading is deciding how warm or cool you want your image to look. Then, modify the white balance to suit your desired warmth or coolness.

● Step 2:
After adjusting the white balance, the next step is to adjust saturation or hue.

● Step 3:
The next step is to focus on the histogram. A histogram is a common feature in many photo editing software that informs you of your image’s tonal values. The goal in this stage is to ensure equal color distribution. Keep adjusting your image till the colors are even.

● Step 4:
Work on your highlights and shadows by modifying the green, red, and blue curves. Also, adjust your vibrancy setting for a good effect.

● Step 5:
Explore split toning. Split toning is a process that involves adding colors to highlight and shadows independently. Learning how to split tone can make a difference in your photo editing.

Tips For Color Grading Photography

The following best practices will enhance your color grading:

  • About oversaturation or under-saturation. Your saturation should be just right to produce the perfect result. So, always be sure to pay maximum attention to this process. This tip is particularly useful when working with portraits.
  • Remember that color grading doesn’t fix a bad shot. So, be sure to improve your photography skills and take the best shots for excellent color grading results.
  • Shoot your images in RAW. Doing this guarantees more control over your pictures’ colors.
  • Always experiment with different looks until you get your precise effect. Lightroom is one of the best color grading apps to use.
  • Exercise maximum caution when manipulating backgrounds. Don’t do too much, especially when you’re taking an indoor shot. That’s because manipulating indoor backgrounds too much can mismatch the foreground and background, making your portrait look weird.

Conclusion

● While your photography skills are essential in influencing your image’s outcome; your color grading skills will take it to another level. It’s one of the fastest ways to make a budding photo editor look like a pro.

● After reading this article, you can be sure that you have the basic information you need to achieve your editing goals. However, you mustn’t stop here. Continuous learning, especially through constant practice, is the way to go. You can visit Filmora today for the best color grading packages and tools.

Try It Free Try It Free

Have you recognized how flat your images look when you take them with your camera? While the scenery may be beautiful and your photography skills may be amazing, there’s always something missing. That “thing” is color grading, and that may be why your favorite superstar’s pictures appear better than yours. You can color grade your videos to produce the same effect too.

Color grading photography refers to a post-production process that improves your images by altering their color. The result of an excellent color grading process is an image that looks more appealing and refined. It’s what gives a picture some professional touch.

If you want to learn more about color grading photography, this article will let you in on all you need to know. From essential color grading steps to terms, tools, etc., you can begin your journey to cool and exciting images after reading.

In this article

01 Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

02 Color Grading in LightRoom

03 Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

04 Tips For Color Grading Photography

Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

The first way to fully appreciate color grading is by differentiating it from its closest term—color correction. Many people use both of them interchangeably, and that’s wrong. Although color grading and color correction are post-production processes that enhance image colors, they perform different roles.

Here’s how to differentiate color grading from color correction:

Differentiating Factor Color Grading ; Color Correction
Definition Color grading is a process that enhances an image’s color by stylizing or giving it a cinematic appearance. Color correction is a process that adjusts color mistakes in an image by giving it a consistent appearance. This process balances colors by adjusting whites and blacks.
Purpose The primary aim of color grading an image is to evoke specific emotions in the viewers. Color grading leverages the emotional and psychological effects of colors to manipulate the viewers’ moods. You can use color grading to give your images different tones or themes like fear, femininity, youthfulness, passion, anger, sadness, etc. Unlike color grading, the color correction does very little in setting the tone or mood that an image carries. Instead, it corrects specific mistakes in the image to make it look as natural to the human eyes as possible. Generally, camera lenses and the human eyes view pictures differently. Color correction changes a photo’s look to make it more appealing to humans than the camera. It makes black colors appear darker and adds more white to whites to create the desired effect.
Stage in the production process Color grading typically comes after color correction in the post-production process. That’s because the effects of color grading are more appealing on a color-corrected picture. Color correction comes before color grading. This process does the major work of balancing colors and correcting errors. Color grading only fine-tunes what color correction has done, giving it a professional finish.
Example One of the most obvious examples of color grading is in motion pictures. For example, Sci-Fi movies typically have a very saturated blue color. However, you will notice a little redder in romantic movies. Note that filmmakers can use different color grades in movies to draw attention to specific details or represent changes in the storyline. Color grading produces the same effects in pictures. Color correction is most prominent in documentaries to make pictures and videos look more real to the human eye. Other times, color corrections just adjust one color to merge the rest of the image or video.

color grading photography

Terms and Tools Used In Color Grading

These are the most common terminologies photo editors use when color grading an image:

● Hue

Hue is the general name for describing pure color. That means it defines color without alluding to its brightness, vividness, etc. It describes a color’s position in the color wheel.

● Saturation

When a photo editor talks about saturation, they refer to the hue concentration that defines a specific color. Saturation describes color shades and focuses on how colorful they are. Examples of colors with zero saturation are white, black, and grey.

color grading photography - saturation

● Luminance

Luminous describes how bright, well-lighted or dark a color is. Highlights, mids, and shadows can influence luminance.

color grading photography - luminance

● Additive Color

Additive colors are non-primary colors. However, they typically result from mixing primary colors (blue, red, green).

● Color Cast

Color cast means that the image’s coloring doesn’t look as natural as it should be. This usually happens when different light sources get mixed.

● Temperature

Temperature defines how cool or warm a color is. Cool temperatures typically describe blues and purples, while orange and red represent the warmth.

The essential tools for color grading include

● White Balance

White balance helps to make your photos look more natural by correcting color cast issues. After using white balance, the result is that the whites in your pictures would look exactly like the human eye will perceive it. White balance adjusts your image’s color cast to make them look warmer or cooler.

● Brightness and Contrast

Brightness and contrast are essential in color grading and are among the most used photo editing tools. Different sliders control brightness and contrast during editing. It’s important to note that your image’s brightness will affect the contrast and vice-versa. That’s why they usually appear together, even if they refer to different tools.

● The Three-Way Color Corrector

Many photographers refer to the three-way corrector as the color correction’s workhorse. That’s because this tool adjusts hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast in a single interface. The three-way corrector performs the job of three tools in one interface. Using the three-way corrector ensures that you work faster than usual.

● The Fast Color Corrector

The fast color corrector is like the three-way corrector. However, there are many limitations with the number of potential looks you can achieve with this tool. The fast color corrector primarily focuses on adjusting tint and saturation. Its major advantage over the three-way corrector is its user-friendliness and simplicity.

● Curves

While using curves is pretty complicated, the tool offers impressive functionality that you can’t refuse. Curves are very powerful and precise. Their main function is to overhaul or remove your image’s brightness altogether to give it a distinctive look.

● The Unsharp Mask and Sharpening Tools

With the unsharp mask and sharpening tools, you can give your picture’s edges a sharp illusion by modifying the contrast. This is typically useful for images that you shoot in dark conditions.

Sharp pictures are always a lovely sight. However, these tools can’t correct pictures taken out of focus. To get the best results from these tools. Then you can start moving them back till you get your desired sharpness.

● Color Match

As the make implies, color match tools modify a target picture’s colors to fit the reference image. This is an automatic process and helps to save time.

Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

These are the essential stages for color grading your images:

● Step 1:
The first step in color grading is deciding how warm or cool you want your image to look. Then, modify the white balance to suit your desired warmth or coolness.

● Step 2:
After adjusting the white balance, the next step is to adjust saturation or hue.

● Step 3:
The next step is to focus on the histogram. A histogram is a common feature in many photo editing software that informs you of your image’s tonal values. The goal in this stage is to ensure equal color distribution. Keep adjusting your image till the colors are even.

● Step 4:
Work on your highlights and shadows by modifying the green, red, and blue curves. Also, adjust your vibrancy setting for a good effect.

● Step 5:
Explore split toning. Split toning is a process that involves adding colors to highlight and shadows independently. Learning how to split tone can make a difference in your photo editing.

Tips For Color Grading Photography

The following best practices will enhance your color grading:

  • About oversaturation or under-saturation. Your saturation should be just right to produce the perfect result. So, always be sure to pay maximum attention to this process. This tip is particularly useful when working with portraits.
  • Remember that color grading doesn’t fix a bad shot. So, be sure to improve your photography skills and take the best shots for excellent color grading results.
  • Shoot your images in RAW. Doing this guarantees more control over your pictures’ colors.
  • Always experiment with different looks until you get your precise effect. Lightroom is one of the best color grading apps to use.
  • Exercise maximum caution when manipulating backgrounds. Don’t do too much, especially when you’re taking an indoor shot. That’s because manipulating indoor backgrounds too much can mismatch the foreground and background, making your portrait look weird.

Conclusion

● While your photography skills are essential in influencing your image’s outcome; your color grading skills will take it to another level. It’s one of the fastest ways to make a budding photo editor look like a pro.

● After reading this article, you can be sure that you have the basic information you need to achieve your editing goals. However, you mustn’t stop here. Continuous learning, especially through constant practice, is the way to go. You can visit Filmora today for the best color grading packages and tools.

Try It Free Try It Free

Have you recognized how flat your images look when you take them with your camera? While the scenery may be beautiful and your photography skills may be amazing, there’s always something missing. That “thing” is color grading, and that may be why your favorite superstar’s pictures appear better than yours. You can color grade your videos to produce the same effect too.

Color grading photography refers to a post-production process that improves your images by altering their color. The result of an excellent color grading process is an image that looks more appealing and refined. It’s what gives a picture some professional touch.

If you want to learn more about color grading photography, this article will let you in on all you need to know. From essential color grading steps to terms, tools, etc., you can begin your journey to cool and exciting images after reading.

In this article

01 Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

02 Color Grading in LightRoom

03 Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

04 Tips For Color Grading Photography

Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

The first way to fully appreciate color grading is by differentiating it from its closest term—color correction. Many people use both of them interchangeably, and that’s wrong. Although color grading and color correction are post-production processes that enhance image colors, they perform different roles.

Here’s how to differentiate color grading from color correction:

Differentiating Factor Color Grading ; Color Correction
Definition Color grading is a process that enhances an image’s color by stylizing or giving it a cinematic appearance. Color correction is a process that adjusts color mistakes in an image by giving it a consistent appearance. This process balances colors by adjusting whites and blacks.
Purpose The primary aim of color grading an image is to evoke specific emotions in the viewers. Color grading leverages the emotional and psychological effects of colors to manipulate the viewers’ moods. You can use color grading to give your images different tones or themes like fear, femininity, youthfulness, passion, anger, sadness, etc. Unlike color grading, the color correction does very little in setting the tone or mood that an image carries. Instead, it corrects specific mistakes in the image to make it look as natural to the human eyes as possible. Generally, camera lenses and the human eyes view pictures differently. Color correction changes a photo’s look to make it more appealing to humans than the camera. It makes black colors appear darker and adds more white to whites to create the desired effect.
Stage in the production process Color grading typically comes after color correction in the post-production process. That’s because the effects of color grading are more appealing on a color-corrected picture. Color correction comes before color grading. This process does the major work of balancing colors and correcting errors. Color grading only fine-tunes what color correction has done, giving it a professional finish.
Example One of the most obvious examples of color grading is in motion pictures. For example, Sci-Fi movies typically have a very saturated blue color. However, you will notice a little redder in romantic movies. Note that filmmakers can use different color grades in movies to draw attention to specific details or represent changes in the storyline. Color grading produces the same effects in pictures. Color correction is most prominent in documentaries to make pictures and videos look more real to the human eye. Other times, color corrections just adjust one color to merge the rest of the image or video.

color grading photography

Terms and Tools Used In Color Grading

These are the most common terminologies photo editors use when color grading an image:

● Hue

Hue is the general name for describing pure color. That means it defines color without alluding to its brightness, vividness, etc. It describes a color’s position in the color wheel.

● Saturation

When a photo editor talks about saturation, they refer to the hue concentration that defines a specific color. Saturation describes color shades and focuses on how colorful they are. Examples of colors with zero saturation are white, black, and grey.

color grading photography - saturation

● Luminance

Luminous describes how bright, well-lighted or dark a color is. Highlights, mids, and shadows can influence luminance.

color grading photography - luminance

● Additive Color

Additive colors are non-primary colors. However, they typically result from mixing primary colors (blue, red, green).

● Color Cast

Color cast means that the image’s coloring doesn’t look as natural as it should be. This usually happens when different light sources get mixed.

● Temperature

Temperature defines how cool or warm a color is. Cool temperatures typically describe blues and purples, while orange and red represent the warmth.

The essential tools for color grading include

● White Balance

White balance helps to make your photos look more natural by correcting color cast issues. After using white balance, the result is that the whites in your pictures would look exactly like the human eye will perceive it. White balance adjusts your image’s color cast to make them look warmer or cooler.

● Brightness and Contrast

Brightness and contrast are essential in color grading and are among the most used photo editing tools. Different sliders control brightness and contrast during editing. It’s important to note that your image’s brightness will affect the contrast and vice-versa. That’s why they usually appear together, even if they refer to different tools.

● The Three-Way Color Corrector

Many photographers refer to the three-way corrector as the color correction’s workhorse. That’s because this tool adjusts hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast in a single interface. The three-way corrector performs the job of three tools in one interface. Using the three-way corrector ensures that you work faster than usual.

● The Fast Color Corrector

The fast color corrector is like the three-way corrector. However, there are many limitations with the number of potential looks you can achieve with this tool. The fast color corrector primarily focuses on adjusting tint and saturation. Its major advantage over the three-way corrector is its user-friendliness and simplicity.

● Curves

While using curves is pretty complicated, the tool offers impressive functionality that you can’t refuse. Curves are very powerful and precise. Their main function is to overhaul or remove your image’s brightness altogether to give it a distinctive look.

● The Unsharp Mask and Sharpening Tools

With the unsharp mask and sharpening tools, you can give your picture’s edges a sharp illusion by modifying the contrast. This is typically useful for images that you shoot in dark conditions.

Sharp pictures are always a lovely sight. However, these tools can’t correct pictures taken out of focus. To get the best results from these tools. Then you can start moving them back till you get your desired sharpness.

● Color Match

As the make implies, color match tools modify a target picture’s colors to fit the reference image. This is an automatic process and helps to save time.

Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

These are the essential stages for color grading your images:

● Step 1:
The first step in color grading is deciding how warm or cool you want your image to look. Then, modify the white balance to suit your desired warmth or coolness.

● Step 2:
After adjusting the white balance, the next step is to adjust saturation or hue.

● Step 3:
The next step is to focus on the histogram. A histogram is a common feature in many photo editing software that informs you of your image’s tonal values. The goal in this stage is to ensure equal color distribution. Keep adjusting your image till the colors are even.

● Step 4:
Work on your highlights and shadows by modifying the green, red, and blue curves. Also, adjust your vibrancy setting for a good effect.

● Step 5:
Explore split toning. Split toning is a process that involves adding colors to highlight and shadows independently. Learning how to split tone can make a difference in your photo editing.

Tips For Color Grading Photography

The following best practices will enhance your color grading:

  • About oversaturation or under-saturation. Your saturation should be just right to produce the perfect result. So, always be sure to pay maximum attention to this process. This tip is particularly useful when working with portraits.
  • Remember that color grading doesn’t fix a bad shot. So, be sure to improve your photography skills and take the best shots for excellent color grading results.
  • Shoot your images in RAW. Doing this guarantees more control over your pictures’ colors.
  • Always experiment with different looks until you get your precise effect. Lightroom is one of the best color grading apps to use.
  • Exercise maximum caution when manipulating backgrounds. Don’t do too much, especially when you’re taking an indoor shot. That’s because manipulating indoor backgrounds too much can mismatch the foreground and background, making your portrait look weird.

Conclusion

● While your photography skills are essential in influencing your image’s outcome; your color grading skills will take it to another level. It’s one of the fastest ways to make a budding photo editor look like a pro.

● After reading this article, you can be sure that you have the basic information you need to achieve your editing goals. However, you mustn’t stop here. Continuous learning, especially through constant practice, is the way to go. You can visit Filmora today for the best color grading packages and tools.

Try It Free Try It Free

Have you recognized how flat your images look when you take them with your camera? While the scenery may be beautiful and your photography skills may be amazing, there’s always something missing. That “thing” is color grading, and that may be why your favorite superstar’s pictures appear better than yours. You can color grade your videos to produce the same effect too.

Color grading photography refers to a post-production process that improves your images by altering their color. The result of an excellent color grading process is an image that looks more appealing and refined. It’s what gives a picture some professional touch.

If you want to learn more about color grading photography, this article will let you in on all you need to know. From essential color grading steps to terms, tools, etc., you can begin your journey to cool and exciting images after reading.

In this article

01 Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

02 Color Grading in LightRoom

03 Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

04 Tips For Color Grading Photography

Don’t Confuse Color Grading With Color Correction

The first way to fully appreciate color grading is by differentiating it from its closest term—color correction. Many people use both of them interchangeably, and that’s wrong. Although color grading and color correction are post-production processes that enhance image colors, they perform different roles.

Here’s how to differentiate color grading from color correction:

Differentiating Factor Color Grading ; Color Correction
Definition Color grading is a process that enhances an image’s color by stylizing or giving it a cinematic appearance. Color correction is a process that adjusts color mistakes in an image by giving it a consistent appearance. This process balances colors by adjusting whites and blacks.
Purpose The primary aim of color grading an image is to evoke specific emotions in the viewers. Color grading leverages the emotional and psychological effects of colors to manipulate the viewers’ moods. You can use color grading to give your images different tones or themes like fear, femininity, youthfulness, passion, anger, sadness, etc. Unlike color grading, the color correction does very little in setting the tone or mood that an image carries. Instead, it corrects specific mistakes in the image to make it look as natural to the human eyes as possible. Generally, camera lenses and the human eyes view pictures differently. Color correction changes a photo’s look to make it more appealing to humans than the camera. It makes black colors appear darker and adds more white to whites to create the desired effect.
Stage in the production process Color grading typically comes after color correction in the post-production process. That’s because the effects of color grading are more appealing on a color-corrected picture. Color correction comes before color grading. This process does the major work of balancing colors and correcting errors. Color grading only fine-tunes what color correction has done, giving it a professional finish.
Example One of the most obvious examples of color grading is in motion pictures. For example, Sci-Fi movies typically have a very saturated blue color. However, you will notice a little redder in romantic movies. Note that filmmakers can use different color grades in movies to draw attention to specific details or represent changes in the storyline. Color grading produces the same effects in pictures. Color correction is most prominent in documentaries to make pictures and videos look more real to the human eye. Other times, color corrections just adjust one color to merge the rest of the image or video.

color grading photography

Terms and Tools Used In Color Grading

These are the most common terminologies photo editors use when color grading an image:

● Hue

Hue is the general name for describing pure color. That means it defines color without alluding to its brightness, vividness, etc. It describes a color’s position in the color wheel.

● Saturation

When a photo editor talks about saturation, they refer to the hue concentration that defines a specific color. Saturation describes color shades and focuses on how colorful they are. Examples of colors with zero saturation are white, black, and grey.

color grading photography - saturation

● Luminance

Luminous describes how bright, well-lighted or dark a color is. Highlights, mids, and shadows can influence luminance.

color grading photography - luminance

● Additive Color

Additive colors are non-primary colors. However, they typically result from mixing primary colors (blue, red, green).

● Color Cast

Color cast means that the image’s coloring doesn’t look as natural as it should be. This usually happens when different light sources get mixed.

● Temperature

Temperature defines how cool or warm a color is. Cool temperatures typically describe blues and purples, while orange and red represent the warmth.

The essential tools for color grading include

● White Balance

White balance helps to make your photos look more natural by correcting color cast issues. After using white balance, the result is that the whites in your pictures would look exactly like the human eye will perceive it. White balance adjusts your image’s color cast to make them look warmer or cooler.

● Brightness and Contrast

Brightness and contrast are essential in color grading and are among the most used photo editing tools. Different sliders control brightness and contrast during editing. It’s important to note that your image’s brightness will affect the contrast and vice-versa. That’s why they usually appear together, even if they refer to different tools.

● The Three-Way Color Corrector

Many photographers refer to the three-way corrector as the color correction’s workhorse. That’s because this tool adjusts hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast in a single interface. The three-way corrector performs the job of three tools in one interface. Using the three-way corrector ensures that you work faster than usual.

● The Fast Color Corrector

The fast color corrector is like the three-way corrector. However, there are many limitations with the number of potential looks you can achieve with this tool. The fast color corrector primarily focuses on adjusting tint and saturation. Its major advantage over the three-way corrector is its user-friendliness and simplicity.

● Curves

While using curves is pretty complicated, the tool offers impressive functionality that you can’t refuse. Curves are very powerful and precise. Their main function is to overhaul or remove your image’s brightness altogether to give it a distinctive look.

● The Unsharp Mask and Sharpening Tools

With the unsharp mask and sharpening tools, you can give your picture’s edges a sharp illusion by modifying the contrast. This is typically useful for images that you shoot in dark conditions.

Sharp pictures are always a lovely sight. However, these tools can’t correct pictures taken out of focus. To get the best results from these tools. Then you can start moving them back till you get your desired sharpness.

● Color Match

As the make implies, color match tools modify a target picture’s colors to fit the reference image. This is an automatic process and helps to save time.

Common Steps To Color Grade a Photo

These are the essential stages for color grading your images:

● Step 1:
The first step in color grading is deciding how warm or cool you want your image to look. Then, modify the white balance to suit your desired warmth or coolness.

● Step 2:
After adjusting the white balance, the next step is to adjust saturation or hue.

● Step 3:
The next step is to focus on the histogram. A histogram is a common feature in many photo editing software that informs you of your image’s tonal values. The goal in this stage is to ensure equal color distribution. Keep adjusting your image till the colors are even.

● Step 4:
Work on your highlights and shadows by modifying the green, red, and blue curves. Also, adjust your vibrancy setting for a good effect.

● Step 5:
Explore split toning. Split toning is a process that involves adding colors to highlight and shadows independently. Learning how to split tone can make a difference in your photo editing.

Tips For Color Grading Photography

The following best practices will enhance your color grading:

  • About oversaturation or under-saturation. Your saturation should be just right to produce the perfect result. So, always be sure to pay maximum attention to this process. This tip is particularly useful when working with portraits.
  • Remember that color grading doesn’t fix a bad shot. So, be sure to improve your photography skills and take the best shots for excellent color grading results.
  • Shoot your images in RAW. Doing this guarantees more control over your pictures’ colors.
  • Always experiment with different looks until you get your precise effect. Lightroom is one of the best color grading apps to use.
  • Exercise maximum caution when manipulating backgrounds. Don’t do too much, especially when you’re taking an indoor shot. That’s because manipulating indoor backgrounds too much can mismatch the foreground and background, making your portrait look weird.

Conclusion

● While your photography skills are essential in influencing your image’s outcome; your color grading skills will take it to another level. It’s one of the fastest ways to make a budding photo editor look like a pro.

● After reading this article, you can be sure that you have the basic information you need to achieve your editing goals. However, you mustn’t stop here. Continuous learning, especially through constant practice, is the way to go. You can visit Filmora today for the best color grading packages and tools.

The Best Way To Color Grading & Color Correction in Filmora

As a post-production analysis of the filmed video, you might have noticed how the color contrast in a real VS reel. The colors do not appear bright and robust on a screen as in real life.

While there are numerous reasons for the dull, uninviting look- a basic edit could fix it quickly. One of the vital, if not the first, steps in the process is color grading and color correction. However, what exactly are color grading and color correction? And how can they help fix the color ratios and balance in a video?

This article covers everything you need to know about color grading and correction and a complete guide to adjusting cinematic colors with the best video editor, Wondershare Filmora. So, without much ado, let’s dig into it!

Part 1. Color Grading VS Color Correction

These terms have often been used interchangeably; people consider them synonymous. However, they are two different artistic phenomena to adjust the color scheme.

Since we will discuss them in detail later, here is a brief description. Put simply, color correcting is a corrective procedure, while color grading is a cinematic adjustment.

Color correction diverts the colors to a relatively neutral baseline achieving a unified look for all captured shots. On the other hand, color grading is inclined more toward a creative look aimed at balancing colors that reflect the emotion of the sequence.

color correction vs color grading

These two work hand in hand to dramatically uplift the overall look of the sequence. Let’s delve deeper into these techniques and see how to use them.

Part 2. What Is Color Correction?

We will start with color correction- the first step in color editing. Even with a slight glance at the raw shots, you can notice how much the tones are messed up. The crude product is oversaturated with colors.

Color correction is about making the shots look as natural as possible. It brings the sequences to the neutral baseline to achieve a unified look.

For now, we need to ignore our creative and aesthetic preferences and focus entirely on exposure and white balance. The actual end goal is to keep the colors true to life.

However, color-correcting a video is challenging if you are a beginner. There needs to be more than just understanding the fundamentals; it requires cinematic and technical skills.

Here is the basic process for a clean, color-corrected shot, irrespective of the software you use.

Essential Steps for Color Correcting a Shot

1. Set the color profile

Different video formats (HDR, LOG, RAW, HLG, etc.) have different exposure content. Therefore, select a color profile that matches your video format for the best results before starting.

2. Adjust the saturation

It is the primary step of color correction. Often the exposure of raw content is high. Next, equalize the saturation for a natural look.

3. Fix the contrast

Contrast is the difference between the light and dark areas of the image. Pictures with a higher contrast are sharper and more detailed.

However, adjust the contrast during color correcting so that the dark areas are not crushed, and you preserve the details maximally.

4. Set the white balance

It is time to adjust the white balance with the saturation and contrast fixed. The colors will shift to orange and blue hues if it is maladjusted.

Use the color curves to ensure pure whites so all colors fall correctly in place.

5. Double-check individual color tones

The final step is a secondary checking of the individual colors. Double-check the skin tones so they match in each shot.

Make sure the skin tones match their natural hues for an authentic, unfiltered look.

It is a basic walkthrough for color-correcting. More steps can vary according to the professional demands of the video. However, as a beginner, this is the best process to follow.

Once we’ve corrected the color, it is time to move to the next and primary step- color grading.

ChatGPT is Now Available in Filmora! Filmora now offers a ChatGPT plug-in to provide a more inspirational copywriting experience.

Try It Free Try It Free Learn More

Wondershare Filmora 12

Part 3. What Is Color Grading?

After you set all the tones to the baseline, you can start with the creative process of color grading. In this case, you do not change the colors anymore. Instead, you make artistic choices to change the moods and emotions of that particular sequence. Color grading is about manipulating the colors and contrasts that intensify the visual tone and explain your story to the world.

Color correction can be enough if you want to keep the video realistic. However, color grading is essential if you want to imply emotions and feelings in your content. Following is an essential step-by-step guide to color grading.

Basic Steps of Color Grading

If you are a beginner, the color grading process can be tricky without expertise. Hence here are the basic steps of color grading a video.

1. Color correcting

Correcting the colors and balance will always be the first step before you can color-grade footage. Next, the video must be normalized and should seem natural before you intensify the overall look.

2. Match the colors

In the next step, we balance the contours between color-corrected footage and color grading. Then, you can use LUTs (Look Up Tables) to match the individual colors to the scheme.

3. Shot-to-shot matching

The next integral step is to match the colors between all the shots so we can achieve a unified look. The contrasting appearance of shots can make them look unprofessional and poorly cinematic.

4. Adjust the mood and emotions

A well-executed color grading can potentiate the emotions in a shot. Use your artistic choices and tools from editing software to imply the director’s feelings in the video.

5. Make the final adjustments

As the final opportunity, tweak hues and chroma to ensure the colors match your palette in each scene. But, again, do not overdo anything, and play with colors to nudge the moods in the shot.

If your footage is the cake, color grading is the cherry on top that enhances the final look. You can instantly evoke connotations and bring the audience to a different page with some professional color grading.

However, while color correcting and grading, there are a few things that you should take care of. Here is a list of some To-do’s and Not To-do’s in the post-production edit.

Part 4. Things To Consider About the Editing Environment

Before you begin color-grading or color-correcting, here are some essential things to consider that can dramatically improve the results.

1. Neutral editing environment

Funky neon lights or fluorescent lights in the background can dominate your vision. As compensation, you will be over-saturating your footage with colors.

Make sure to use only white, neutral light with a CRI (color rendering Index) of at least 90. It will decrease inconsistencies as much as possible.

2. Using might shifts/orange screen

People often activate night shifts or orange screens to protect their eyes from excessive strain. Resultantly, the screen appears dull and orange-y.

Since this alters the actual colors of the video, the results are undermined. So make sure to turn off all technologies that can sabotage the grading.

3. Control the light

It is necessary to control the amount of light that enters your working space area. Excessive light alters your color perception and hence obstructs achieving a balanced contour.

Ensure that the light does not directly falls on the screen or your eyes. You must maintain an adequate distance from the screen to see nuances as you grade.

After completing all the fundamentals of color correcting and color grading, let’s demonstrate how to do it in real-time.

Choosing good software can be chaos. There are plenty of options in the market with the best features, but we will be using Wondershare Filmora . Read on for a step-by-step guide on color correcting and grading.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Part 5. How To Color Correct and Color Grade A Video With Wondershare Filmora?

To color-correct and color-grade a video, we recommend using Wondershare Filmora , one of the finest video editing apps on the market. Equipped with various tools, Filmora allows professional color correction with a few quick steps.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

With the super simple interface, the software is easy to use for beginners and professionals alike. In addition, Filmora offers extensive tools to manipulate colors and color grade your footage professionally. Here is how to color correct and color grade your video with Filmora post-production.

Step1Open Wondershare Filmora

Before we start, Install Wondersahare Filmora on your device. If you already have it downloaded, launch the software so we can begin.

video editing tools

Step2Color correcting the video

Drag and drop the video to the timeline from the Projects menu. Then, follow these steps to color-correct the video:

  • Double-click on the video to open the editing panel. Four options are available: Video, Audio, Color, and Speed. Open the color tab.

video editing tools

  • From the Basics menu, adjust the Exposure, Light Color, Contrast, White Balance, and Vibrance. Then, move the slider or add a LUT value to apply.

color correcting in filmora

  • Filmora offers a wide variety of 3D LUTs with mapped color spaces that project your preferences on the video with a single click. Select a pre-made LUT to apply to your video in the Preset tab. Or custom builds a Look Up Table and saves it for future use.

introducing a preset lut

  • Turn on the Color Match toggle and tap View Comparison to match your current video with a reference shot.

comparison view

Step3Color grading the video

In the color editing panel, use the other two tabs, HSL and Curves, to create the aesthetics of your video.

  • In the HSL panel, select a color from the seven colors of the rainbow. Then, set the hue, luminance, and saturation for each. Next, you can use the slider to nudge the colors or directly input a LUT value.

adjusting the hsl

  • The shadow areas are dark and crushed. To fix this, add the Curves effect to the video. Go to the Curves tab, choose a primary color, and move the curves to balance the color scheme.

altering the curves

Step4Save and export the file

Once you finish the final touches, save your footage to a local folder.

  • Click the Export button. A pop-up screen will open.
  • Select the File type. (MP4, WMV, GIF, etc.)
  • Choose a local destination for the file.
  • Click Export.

exporting the video

Conclusion

Hopefully, this post has given you a good understanding of the differences between color grading and color correction. But ultimately, it is all about your thought process and intuitions.

Filmora’s extensive collection of color editing tools makes color correction and grading a five-finger thing. You can also follow our guide to create some unique and professional-looking masterpieces. Turn on the artistic side and start creating mystical shots!

Try It Free Try It Free Learn More

Wondershare Filmora 12

Part 3. What Is Color Grading?

After you set all the tones to the baseline, you can start with the creative process of color grading. In this case, you do not change the colors anymore. Instead, you make artistic choices to change the moods and emotions of that particular sequence. Color grading is about manipulating the colors and contrasts that intensify the visual tone and explain your story to the world.

Color correction can be enough if you want to keep the video realistic. However, color grading is essential if you want to imply emotions and feelings in your content. Following is an essential step-by-step guide to color grading.

Basic Steps of Color Grading

If you are a beginner, the color grading process can be tricky without expertise. Hence here are the basic steps of color grading a video.

1. Color correcting

Correcting the colors and balance will always be the first step before you can color-grade footage. Next, the video must be normalized and should seem natural before you intensify the overall look.

2. Match the colors

In the next step, we balance the contours between color-corrected footage and color grading. Then, you can use LUTs (Look Up Tables) to match the individual colors to the scheme.

3. Shot-to-shot matching

The next integral step is to match the colors between all the shots so we can achieve a unified look. The contrasting appearance of shots can make them look unprofessional and poorly cinematic.

4. Adjust the mood and emotions

A well-executed color grading can potentiate the emotions in a shot. Use your artistic choices and tools from editing software to imply the director’s feelings in the video.

5. Make the final adjustments

As the final opportunity, tweak hues and chroma to ensure the colors match your palette in each scene. But, again, do not overdo anything, and play with colors to nudge the moods in the shot.

If your footage is the cake, color grading is the cherry on top that enhances the final look. You can instantly evoke connotations and bring the audience to a different page with some professional color grading.

However, while color correcting and grading, there are a few things that you should take care of. Here is a list of some To-do’s and Not To-do’s in the post-production edit.

Part 4. Things To Consider About the Editing Environment

Before you begin color-grading or color-correcting, here are some essential things to consider that can dramatically improve the results.

1. Neutral editing environment

Funky neon lights or fluorescent lights in the background can dominate your vision. As compensation, you will be over-saturating your footage with colors.

Make sure to use only white, neutral light with a CRI (color rendering Index) of at least 90. It will decrease inconsistencies as much as possible.

2. Using might shifts/orange screen

People often activate night shifts or orange screens to protect their eyes from excessive strain. Resultantly, the screen appears dull and orange-y.

Since this alters the actual colors of the video, the results are undermined. So make sure to turn off all technologies that can sabotage the grading.

3. Control the light

It is necessary to control the amount of light that enters your working space area. Excessive light alters your color perception and hence obstructs achieving a balanced contour.

Ensure that the light does not directly falls on the screen or your eyes. You must maintain an adequate distance from the screen to see nuances as you grade.

After completing all the fundamentals of color correcting and color grading, let’s demonstrate how to do it in real-time.

Choosing good software can be chaos. There are plenty of options in the market with the best features, but we will be using Wondershare Filmora . Read on for a step-by-step guide on color correcting and grading.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Part 5. How To Color Correct and Color Grade A Video With Wondershare Filmora?

To color-correct and color-grade a video, we recommend using Wondershare Filmora , one of the finest video editing apps on the market. Equipped with various tools, Filmora allows professional color correction with a few quick steps.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

With the super simple interface, the software is easy to use for beginners and professionals alike. In addition, Filmora offers extensive tools to manipulate colors and color grade your footage professionally. Here is how to color correct and color grade your video with Filmora post-production.

Step1Open Wondershare Filmora

Before we start, Install Wondersahare Filmora on your device. If you already have it downloaded, launch the software so we can begin.

video editing tools

Step2Color correcting the video

Drag and drop the video to the timeline from the Projects menu. Then, follow these steps to color-correct the video:

  • Double-click on the video to open the editing panel. Four options are available: Video, Audio, Color, and Speed. Open the color tab.

video editing tools

  • From the Basics menu, adjust the Exposure, Light Color, Contrast, White Balance, and Vibrance. Then, move the slider or add a LUT value to apply.

color correcting in filmora

  • Filmora offers a wide variety of 3D LUTs with mapped color spaces that project your preferences on the video with a single click. Select a pre-made LUT to apply to your video in the Preset tab. Or custom builds a Look Up Table and saves it for future use.

introducing a preset lut

  • Turn on the Color Match toggle and tap View Comparison to match your current video with a reference shot.

comparison view

Step3Color grading the video

In the color editing panel, use the other two tabs, HSL and Curves, to create the aesthetics of your video.

  • In the HSL panel, select a color from the seven colors of the rainbow. Then, set the hue, luminance, and saturation for each. Next, you can use the slider to nudge the colors or directly input a LUT value.

adjusting the hsl

  • The shadow areas are dark and crushed. To fix this, add the Curves effect to the video. Go to the Curves tab, choose a primary color, and move the curves to balance the color scheme.

altering the curves

Step4Save and export the file

Once you finish the final touches, save your footage to a local folder.

  • Click the Export button. A pop-up screen will open.
  • Select the File type. (MP4, WMV, GIF, etc.)
  • Choose a local destination for the file.
  • Click Export.

exporting the video

Conclusion

Hopefully, this post has given you a good understanding of the differences between color grading and color correction. But ultimately, it is all about your thought process and intuitions.

Filmora’s extensive collection of color editing tools makes color correction and grading a five-finger thing. You can also follow our guide to create some unique and professional-looking masterpieces. Turn on the artistic side and start creating mystical shots!

Guide: Create The Perfect VHS Effect Look in Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is an excellent tool for video editing. It is a tool that can edit, create effects and filters, and do much more. In addition to this, you can even add different effects, such as VHS. The VHS effect in recent years has become significantly important due to its usage. This effect creates an old and jittery look to your video.

VHS effect has characteristics of old video tapes with lines and scales. It also adds distortion, noise, and color shifting to your videos. There are many filters and overlays that you can apply to get the VHS look. However, if you are using a PC tool, such as Premiere Pro, then you have to learn how to apply it. You can easily create a VHS effect Premiere look once you learn to add the effect to your video.

Part 1: What Are The Benefits of Using VHS Effects in Video?

Using VHS effects in your videos can bring several benefits. You can easily use multiple VHS effects in Premiere Pro. However, firstly, explore why incorporating VHS effects can be advantageous:

  • Nostalgic Appeal: VHS effects can take your audience back to the era of VHS tapes. It creates a feeling of nostalgia and familiarity. Such effects also take you back to the 90s era by creating a similar look.
  • Authenticity: Applying such effects mimics the characteristics of old tapes by adding imperfections. These effects also add color bleeding, distortion, and noise to your videos. It creates a sense of authenticity, looking like the video was recorded on genuine VHS tapes.
  • Creative Style: These effects offer a unique style in terms of the video’s appeal. It further enhances the storytelling and allows for artistic expression. They can set a particular mood, add decay, and contribute to specific genres like retro.
  • Enhancing Period Settings: If your video is set in a specific time period, then these effects can help. By using VHS effects, you can make the video more authentic. Additionally, this reinforces the historical context of the narrative.
  • Attention-Grabbing: In a world of crisp and high-definition visuals, uniqueness matters. Intentionally using VHS effects for your video, you can make your video stand out. The distinct and unconventional look captures viewers’ attention.
  • Cost-Effective Solution: You can use such effects to cut down your cost. Instead of investing in expensive props, VHS effects offer a more cost-effective solution. Digital software and plugins can apply these effects, eliminating the need for physical equipment.

Add VHS Effect to Video

Simply add video effects on Video with Filmora Video Effect Editor ! Experience the magic of cool yet outstanding video effects, where your videos come to life in beautiful visuals.

Apply VHS Effect Apply VHS Effect Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Wondershare Filmora 12

Part 2: How To Add VHS Effect in Premiere Pro: An Overview

Do you know how you can add the VHS effect in Premiere Pro? Don’t worry because this guideline will provide you with the required information. These simple steps will let you add your favorite VHS look to your video using Premiere Pro.

Step 1: Import your video into Adobe Premiere Pro. Open the “Lumetri Color” panel by clicking “Color” in the main toolbar. Further, choose “Lumetri Scopes” to access the graph window. Then, adjust the basic settings in the “Lumetri Color” panel. Continue to decrease the value of “Whites,” increase the “Contrast,” and set the “Blacks” to 10 on the graph.

set lumetri color parameters

Step 2: Navigate to the “Creative” tab in the “Lumetri Color” panel. Increase the “Faded Film” and decrease the “Sharpness,” “Saturation,” and “Vibrance” to your liking. Use the color wheels in the “Color Wheels & Match” section to give the right tone. Further, proceed to increase the “Vignette” value from the same tab.

change other lumetri parameters

Step 3: Enable editing mode by selecting “Editing” in the main bar. Choose “Edit” from the lower section and search for the “Channel Blur” effect. Apply the effect by dragging and dropping it onto your video clip. Place the effect above previous adjustments and effects.

add channel blur effect

Step 4: In the “Channel Blur” effect tab, enable “Repeat Edge Pixel” and increase “Red Blurriness” to 30. Repeat the same step but this time increase “Blue Blurriness” to 30 and “Red Blurriness” to 15 and change “Blur Dimensions” to “Vertical.”

change channel blur parameters

Step 5: Continue to add the “Unsharp Mask” and “Color Emboss” effects from the “Effect” tab. Proceed and change “Amount” and “Radius” for “Unsharp Mask” to 85 and 20, respectively. Slightly increase the “Relief” values for the “Color Emboss” effect.

add unsharp and color emboss

Proceed to apply the “Noise” effect from the “Noise & Grain” section and further adjust the “Amount of Noise” to your preference. Induce the “Wave Warp” effect and set the parameters of “Wave Height” to 2 and “Wave Width” to 1000. Change “Direction” to 0 and “Pinning” to “Horizontal Edges.”

add noise and wave warp

Step 6: You can crop your video to a 4:3 aspect ratio to give your video more authenticity. To do this, create two “Color Matte” layers using the “New Item” icon. Name and place them over the video clip. Apply the “Crop” effect to both layers. Set the “Left” option to 86 for the first layer and the “Right” option to 86 for the second layer. Set the “Edge Feather” to 30 for both layers.

add crop effect and adjust

Make sure to save your VHS effect as a preset for future use by right-clicking and selecting “Save Preset.” Finally, export your VHS effect Premiere Pro video to your desired format.

combine to create vhs preset

Part 3: Using Wondershare Filmora to Add The Perfect VHS Effect in No Time

Wondershare has provided us with so many tools and applications for different purposes. It has provided an amazing video editing tool called Filmora. Wondershare Filmora Video Editor provides easy editing options for the user. You can create highly professional videos with impressive results using Filmora. This tool offers multiple overlays, video effects , and filters to use.

Add VHS Effect For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Add VHS Effect For macOS 10.14 or later

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

If you want to add VHS effect Vegas Pro overlays using Filmora, you can. In order to apply such effects to your videos, you need to follow the guide. There are 4 simple steps to add the perfect VHS look to your video in no time.

Step 1xxx

To apply a similar VHS overlay Premiere effect to your video, first access Wondershare Filmora on your computer. Then, click on the “New Project” tab in the main interface, which will take you to a new window.

create new project on filmora

Step 2Import and Arrange Your Video

Next, import your video by either dragging and dropping it into the software or using the import media option. Once imported, drag and drop your video into the timeline area to begin working with it.

import video to timeline

Step 3Apply VHS Effects

Access the “Effects” option from the top bar of the software. Search for “VHS” in the Effects panel to explore the various VHS effects available. Choose the desired effect that fits your style, then drag and drop your video on top of the timeline.

add vhs effect to filmora

Step 4Adjust Opacity and Export

To refine the intensity of the VHS effect, go to the “Effects” tab located on the right side of the screen. From there, you can adjust the effect’s opacity by changing its transparency. Then, click “Export” at the top left of the screen to save your video with the applied VHS effects.

export final video

Conclusion

To conclude, there are many different overlays, effects, and filters that you can use. However, VHS effects are some of the most popular ones. People use different VHS filters in Premiere Pro to give their content a distinctive look. You can add these effects using different online and offline tools. One of the most popular tools is Wondershare Filmora which helps you add the VHS look to your video.

Apply VHS Effect Apply VHS Effect Learn More >

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Wondershare Filmora 12

Part 2: How To Add VHS Effect in Premiere Pro: An Overview

Do you know how you can add the VHS effect in Premiere Pro? Don’t worry because this guideline will provide you with the required information. These simple steps will let you add your favorite VHS look to your video using Premiere Pro.

Step 1: Import your video into Adobe Premiere Pro. Open the “Lumetri Color” panel by clicking “Color” in the main toolbar. Further, choose “Lumetri Scopes” to access the graph window. Then, adjust the basic settings in the “Lumetri Color” panel. Continue to decrease the value of “Whites,” increase the “Contrast,” and set the “Blacks” to 10 on the graph.

set lumetri color parameters

Step 2: Navigate to the “Creative” tab in the “Lumetri Color” panel. Increase the “Faded Film” and decrease the “Sharpness,” “Saturation,” and “Vibrance” to your liking. Use the color wheels in the “Color Wheels & Match” section to give the right tone. Further, proceed to increase the “Vignette” value from the same tab.

change other lumetri parameters

Step 3: Enable editing mode by selecting “Editing” in the main bar. Choose “Edit” from the lower section and search for the “Channel Blur” effect. Apply the effect by dragging and dropping it onto your video clip. Place the effect above previous adjustments and effects.

add channel blur effect

Step 4: In the “Channel Blur” effect tab, enable “Repeat Edge Pixel” and increase “Red Blurriness” to 30. Repeat the same step but this time increase “Blue Blurriness” to 30 and “Red Blurriness” to 15 and change “Blur Dimensions” to “Vertical.”

change channel blur parameters

Step 5: Continue to add the “Unsharp Mask” and “Color Emboss” effects from the “Effect” tab. Proceed and change “Amount” and “Radius” for “Unsharp Mask” to 85 and 20, respectively. Slightly increase the “Relief” values for the “Color Emboss” effect.

add unsharp and color emboss

Proceed to apply the “Noise” effect from the “Noise & Grain” section and further adjust the “Amount of Noise” to your preference. Induce the “Wave Warp” effect and set the parameters of “Wave Height” to 2 and “Wave Width” to 1000. Change “Direction” to 0 and “Pinning” to “Horizontal Edges.”

add noise and wave warp

Step 6: You can crop your video to a 4:3 aspect ratio to give your video more authenticity. To do this, create two “Color Matte” layers using the “New Item” icon. Name and place them over the video clip. Apply the “Crop” effect to both layers. Set the “Left” option to 86 for the first layer and the “Right” option to 86 for the second layer. Set the “Edge Feather” to 30 for both layers.

add crop effect and adjust

Make sure to save your VHS effect as a preset for future use by right-clicking and selecting “Save Preset.” Finally, export your VHS effect Premiere Pro video to your desired format.

combine to create vhs preset

Part 3: Using Wondershare Filmora to Add The Perfect VHS Effect in No Time

Wondershare has provided us with so many tools and applications for different purposes. It has provided an amazing video editing tool called Filmora. Wondershare Filmora Video Editor provides easy editing options for the user. You can create highly professional videos with impressive results using Filmora. This tool offers multiple overlays, video effects , and filters to use.

Add VHS Effect For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Add VHS Effect For macOS 10.14 or later

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

If you want to add VHS effect Vegas Pro overlays using Filmora, you can. In order to apply such effects to your videos, you need to follow the guide. There are 4 simple steps to add the perfect VHS look to your video in no time.

Step 1xxx

To apply a similar VHS overlay Premiere effect to your video, first access Wondershare Filmora on your computer. Then, click on the “New Project” tab in the main interface, which will take you to a new window.

create new project on filmora

Step 2Import and Arrange Your Video

Next, import your video by either dragging and dropping it into the software or using the import media option. Once imported, drag and drop your video into the timeline area to begin working with it.

import video to timeline

Step 3Apply VHS Effects

Access the “Effects” option from the top bar of the software. Search for “VHS” in the Effects panel to explore the various VHS effects available. Choose the desired effect that fits your style, then drag and drop your video on top of the timeline.

add vhs effect to filmora

Step 4Adjust Opacity and Export

To refine the intensity of the VHS effect, go to the “Effects” tab located on the right side of the screen. From there, you can adjust the effect’s opacity by changing its transparency. Then, click “Export” at the top left of the screen to save your video with the applied VHS effects.

export final video

Conclusion

To conclude, there are many different overlays, effects, and filters that you can use. However, VHS effects are some of the most popular ones. People use different VHS filters in Premiere Pro to give their content a distinctive look. You can add these effects using different online and offline tools. One of the most popular tools is Wondershare Filmora which helps you add the VHS look to your video.

This Article Talks in Detail About How to Download Windows Movie Maker 2012 Version, the Key Features, How to Use It, Etc. It Further Discusses an Alternative Way to Create Videos on Windows PC. Check Out

Suppose you are looking for professionals who can edit videos for you and halt your search. It is because, with the help of windows movie maker 2012, you can now fulfill your basic video editing needs for free. There is no need to pay extra to create the videos of your choice. You can do so sitting in the comfort of your house as windows movie maker has some of the best video editing tools that are user-friendly and simple. You will be amazed to make videos with a professional touch.

One of the best features of a movie maker is that you can encapsulate images, sound, and videos into a single frame. With the help of its exciting features, you can edit your videos according to your choice and upload them on social media. Since Windows movie maker 2012 is available online for free, you can easily download the program and launch it on your PC for a perfect video editing journey.

Part 1. Key Features of Windows Movie Maker 2012

Windows movie maker has some of the most exciting features that can help you create professional videos of your choice. Following are some of the key features:

1. Create your movie with photos and images

Windows movie maker enables you to create your personalized movie with the help of photos and videos of your choice. Since it supports files of various formats, you can easily add them to the storyboard to create a viable sequence.

2. Import videos and audio

Windows movie maker allows you to import audio and video from your computer’s hard drive and fix them according to your convenience. You can even edit them with exciting editing tools.

Moreover, you also have the option to download music of your choice online and add it to your storyboard.

3. Record live video and audio

One of the exciting features of Windows movie maker 12 is that you can do live recording from your webcam and use the microphone to add narration to your video. Once you have completed the process, you have the option to edit it at your convenience.

4. Modify the sequence of the videos

Once you have inserted all the video clips on the storyboard, you can modify and change the sequence to make it look like a story. The timeline feature of windows movie maker allows you to drag and drop the video clips according to your choice.

5. Add image effects and transitions

Windows movie maker has some fantastic image effects and transitions. You can choose the effects you can apply to the raw images and give them a professional look.

Moreover, with the help of the transition features, you can make exuberant effects between the video clips.

6. Integrate opening and closing credits

Windows movie maker allows you to give a natural movie effect to your videos. It has the option of incorporating opening and closing credits to your video so that it gives a feel of a real movie.

Part 2. Download and Install Windows Movie Maker 2012

In the present era, you may find it challenging to get the download option of windows movie maker 2012. It is because it does not exist as a standalone application, and you will get it with windows essentials movie maker. Moreover, if you visit the official site of Microsoft, you may find a link for downloading the movie maker. You do not need any tech support to download the software. The most exciting part is that you can download the full version free of cost.

Steps to download windows movie maker 2012

  • Download windows live essential by visiting the official website and clicking on the download option.

download windows movie maker

  • Click to open the setup file from the download folder of your computer.
  • Now, at this point, opt to click on run to start the installation process of windows essentials.

click on open setup file

  • Click on ‘Install all windows essential.

click on install all windows essential

  • The windows movie maker 2012 will start installing on your computer.
  • Once the installation is complete, you can click on the windows movie maker 2012 icon to open the application.

click on windows movie maker 2012 icon

Part 3. How to use Windows Movie Maker 2012?

Though windows movie maker 2012 is a free application, it is professional video editing software. With the help of the software, you can easily create amazing videos and publish them over the net and on social media. It has some of the best editing tools to help you create amazing videos.

Steps to edit a video with windows movie maker

Windows movie maker has some of the best editing tools with which you will be able to enhance your videos easily. Following are the steps to edit a video:

  • Drag the video clips from your hard drive to the storyboard of the windows movie maker.

drag the video clips

  • The software has a trimming tool with which you can easily edit unwanted areas.

trim tools windows movie maker 2012

  • Click on the area that you want to trim and then opt to click on ‘Set Start Point’ and ‘Set End Point.’ You can also split a particular video clip according to your convenience or add effects as per need.
  • Click on the preview to watch the edited video.

Part 4. Alternative Way to Create Videos on Windows PC

One of the best alternatives for windows movie maker 2012 is Filmora . It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software with which you can create beautiful videos. You can add multiple video clips and audio to create a professional video. One of the most delicate features of Filmora is that you can sync the audio with the video, thus making the sound much clearer. You can download Filmora easily over the net as it is free. You need to follow the links to install the software on your personal computer or laptop finally.

filmora

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Following are some simple steps to edit a video with Filmora .

  • Before you start to edit your video, you must plan the sequence of the video clips.
  • Drag and drop the video clips to the timeline.
  • Use the trim option to trim and edit the videos so that there is a smooth transition from one video clip to another.
  • Fiora has a valuable collection of different transitions that you can use to give a professional touch to your video. You can add the transitions while trimming the video clips.
  • Add titles to your video to give it a movie-like feel to the audience.
  • The best part of the editing features of Filmora is the image effects tool. However, it would be best if you spent some time using the effects in your video clips so that it looks perfect.
  • You can also add sound to your video to make it more attractive.

After you finish with the editing, output your project and save it.

Conclusion

Therefore, it is time you explore your creativity with the help of windows live movie maker 2012. It has some of the best and easy-to-use editing tools with which you can create high-quality videos. Moreover, since the software is simple and easy to use, one does not have to know photo editing thoroughly. It is because you can quickly identify the tools without much difficulty. So, if you are looking for a simple video editor that is free as well as has professional features, then you must go for windows movie maker 2012. You will get the best experience of your life in video editing.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Following are some simple steps to edit a video with Filmora .

  • Before you start to edit your video, you must plan the sequence of the video clips.
  • Drag and drop the video clips to the timeline.
  • Use the trim option to trim and edit the videos so that there is a smooth transition from one video clip to another.
  • Fiora has a valuable collection of different transitions that you can use to give a professional touch to your video. You can add the transitions while trimming the video clips.
  • Add titles to your video to give it a movie-like feel to the audience.
  • The best part of the editing features of Filmora is the image effects tool. However, it would be best if you spent some time using the effects in your video clips so that it looks perfect.
  • You can also add sound to your video to make it more attractive.

After you finish with the editing, output your project and save it.

Conclusion

Therefore, it is time you explore your creativity with the help of windows live movie maker 2012. It has some of the best and easy-to-use editing tools with which you can create high-quality videos. Moreover, since the software is simple and easy to use, one does not have to know photo editing thoroughly. It is because you can quickly identify the tools without much difficulty. So, if you are looking for a simple video editor that is free as well as has professional features, then you must go for windows movie maker 2012. You will get the best experience of your life in video editing.

Also read:

  • Title: New In 2024, Everything You Need to Know About Color Grading in Photography
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-04-24 01:01:50
  • Updated at : 2024-04-25 01:01:50
  • Link: https://ai-video-editing.techidaily.com/new-in-2024-everything-you-need-to-know-about-color-grading-in-photography/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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New In 2024, Everything You Need to Know About Color Grading in Photography