This Blog Post Shows How to Create an Eye-Catching Paper Rip Effect for Your Videos Using Wondershare Filmora with These Easy-to-Follow Steps

Video editors use different effects to add creative flair to their projects. These effects can also create a transition between clips, make text or images stand out, or add movement to a static image.

One of the most fantastic effects is the paper rip effect. It can add a unique look to videos and a touch of creativity to any project. We will discuss the best software and techniques to achieve this effect quickly. So, let’s get started!

Part 1. What Is a Paper Rip Effect?

You must be wondering what is a paper rip effect in videos. It is a visual effect in which a piece of paper or other material appears torn apart or ripped. It is often used for transitions between shots or scenes in a video. Or, you can make the effect for your thumbnail.

Now, as we have seen what a paper rip effect looks like, isn’t it cool? So let’s see which software we need to make the magic happen.

Part 2. How to Make a Paper Rip Effect

We here take Wondershare Filmora as our editing tool to make the paper rip effect. It has many practical features allow you to customize your video with special effects, transitions, and more.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

• Over 1,000 video effects, transitions, titles, etc., to spice up high-quality videos.
• Support speech-to-text that allows smooth conversion of voiceover to text.
• Over 2,000+ audio resources range from music and audio effects, and much more.
• The shortcut key saves you time while editing videos.

Stepwise Guide to Make the Paper Rip Effect

Step1 Download Wondershare Filmora from the official website. If you have already downloaded the Wondershare Filmora. Open it, and let’s start editing the video.

Step2 First, we need to find a photo of a white paper that you can easily download from the internet and two videos in which you want to add this effect. Then import these three files to the media gallery.

Step3 Drag and drop Clip 1 onto the timeline and move the playhead to the last frame of the clip.

Alt text: Paper rip effect.

Step4 Now right-click on Clip 1 to open the menu and select Add Freeze Frame.

Step5 After adding a freeze frame, cut here.

Step6 Drag and drop the paper photo onto the second video track of the timeline, and make sure it starts at the cut on the first video track.

Step7 Double-click the paper picture on the timeline to open the settings window and then open the Compositing menu. Then Change the Blending Mode from Normal to Multiply.

In the preview window, we can see that the freeze frame has the paper texture now!

Step8 Now you can use the new feature of Filmora to export this small portion of the video. First, click and drag the playhead to the start of the freeze frame and press “I” on the keyboard to set the IN POINT, then move the playhead to the end of this freeze frame and press “O” on the keyboard to set the OUT POINT.

Note: If you have the latest version, Filmora will automatically set the OUT POINT on the timeline.

Step9 Then click Export and choose Create Video. Let’s name it freeze frame 1 and click on Export.

It will only export the selected part on the timeline. Once the exporting process is completed, Right-Click on the timeline and Cancel the selected range.

Step10 Import the Freeze Frame 1 to the media folder and replace the Freeze Frame + Paper Photo with this clip. Then adjust the length of this clip to 1 second.

Step11 Now let’s make the second part of the transition effect. You should drag and Drop Clip 2 onto the timeline and move the playhead to the clip’s first frame. Then Add a Freeze Frame; you can also do it by pressing the Alt+F keys. Now click and drag the playhead to the end of the freeze frame and make a Cut.

Step12 Drag and drop the paper photo onto the second video track of the timeline and make sure it starts at the beginning of the freeze frame on the first video track. And again, change the blending mode to Multiply as well.

Step13 Select the range you want to export by setting IN and OUT points as we did before. Press the I key on the keyboard to set the in point, drag the playhead to the out point, and press the O key.

Step14 This time use the shortcut Control + E to open the export window. Again, let’s name it freeze frame 2 and then export it.

Step15 You can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + X to cancel the selected range. Then import freeze frame 2 into the media folder and replace the freeze frame + paper photo. Adjust the length of this new clip to about 1 second.

Step16 Now you can add several Filmora transitions to finish the effect. Go to the Transitions window and find Evaporate 2.

Step17 Drag and drop it onto the cut between clip 1 and freeze frame 1 and the cut between clip 2 and freeze frame 2. You can also adjust the length of the transition.

Step18 Then, find Torned Paper Transition 4 in the Transitions window. Drag and drop it to the cut between freeze frame 1 and freeze frame 2. Then choose Prefix mode in the transition setting video. Adjust the length if needed.

Finally, it’s done. Let’s play the video and see how the paper effect and transitions enhanced the video.

Conclusion

We hope this post has helped you achieve the desired effect on your video. With Filmora’s intuitive user interface, you can customize your paper rip effect with text, images, and more to create a truly unique and eye-catching video. So get creative and start turning your videos into paper rip effects today!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

• Over 1,000 video effects, transitions, titles, etc., to spice up high-quality videos.
• Support speech-to-text that allows smooth conversion of voiceover to text.
• Over 2,000+ audio resources range from music and audio effects, and much more.
• The shortcut key saves you time while editing videos.

Stepwise Guide to Make the Paper Rip Effect

Step1 Download Wondershare Filmora from the official website. If you have already downloaded the Wondershare Filmora. Open it, and let’s start editing the video.

Step2 First, we need to find a photo of a white paper that you can easily download from the internet and two videos in which you want to add this effect. Then import these three files to the media gallery.

Step3 Drag and drop Clip 1 onto the timeline and move the playhead to the last frame of the clip.

Alt text: Paper rip effect.

Step4 Now right-click on Clip 1 to open the menu and select Add Freeze Frame.

Step5 After adding a freeze frame, cut here.

Step6 Drag and drop the paper photo onto the second video track of the timeline, and make sure it starts at the cut on the first video track.

Step7 Double-click the paper picture on the timeline to open the settings window and then open the Compositing menu. Then Change the Blending Mode from Normal to Multiply.

In the preview window, we can see that the freeze frame has the paper texture now!

Step8 Now you can use the new feature of Filmora to export this small portion of the video. First, click and drag the playhead to the start of the freeze frame and press “I” on the keyboard to set the IN POINT, then move the playhead to the end of this freeze frame and press “O” on the keyboard to set the OUT POINT.

Note: If you have the latest version, Filmora will automatically set the OUT POINT on the timeline.

Step9 Then click Export and choose Create Video. Let’s name it freeze frame 1 and click on Export.

It will only export the selected part on the timeline. Once the exporting process is completed, Right-Click on the timeline and Cancel the selected range.

Step10 Import the Freeze Frame 1 to the media folder and replace the Freeze Frame + Paper Photo with this clip. Then adjust the length of this clip to 1 second.

Step11 Now let’s make the second part of the transition effect. You should drag and Drop Clip 2 onto the timeline and move the playhead to the clip’s first frame. Then Add a Freeze Frame; you can also do it by pressing the Alt+F keys. Now click and drag the playhead to the end of the freeze frame and make a Cut.

Step12 Drag and drop the paper photo onto the second video track of the timeline and make sure it starts at the beginning of the freeze frame on the first video track. And again, change the blending mode to Multiply as well.

Step13 Select the range you want to export by setting IN and OUT points as we did before. Press the I key on the keyboard to set the in point, drag the playhead to the out point, and press the O key.

Step14 This time use the shortcut Control + E to open the export window. Again, let’s name it freeze frame 2 and then export it.

Step15 You can use the keyboard shortcut Shift + X to cancel the selected range. Then import freeze frame 2 into the media folder and replace the freeze frame + paper photo. Adjust the length of this new clip to about 1 second.

Step16 Now you can add several Filmora transitions to finish the effect. Go to the Transitions window and find Evaporate 2.

Step17 Drag and drop it onto the cut between clip 1 and freeze frame 1 and the cut between clip 2 and freeze frame 2. You can also adjust the length of the transition.

Step18 Then, find Torned Paper Transition 4 in the Transitions window. Drag and drop it to the cut between freeze frame 1 and freeze frame 2. Then choose Prefix mode in the transition setting video. Adjust the length if needed.

Finally, it’s done. Let’s play the video and see how the paper effect and transitions enhanced the video.

Conclusion

We hope this post has helped you achieve the desired effect on your video. With Filmora’s intuitive user interface, you can customize your paper rip effect with text, images, and more to create a truly unique and eye-catching video. So get creative and start turning your videos into paper rip effects today!

The Most Efficient Ways to Manage Your Timeline

Do you still have a lot of editing to do after spending hours creating a video for your client? Though you already have a lot on your plate, you can’t continue to devote all of your working hours to only video editing. What if we told you there is a way to make this video editing process much quicker and easier? Keep reading this article to learn how to make the video editing process simpler and more effective.

Part 1: Best Way to Manage your Timeline

We all know that keeping good habits while editing could be helpful, whether you are a professional or a newbie. It could make editing so much more efficient. Today, we will show you some easy tips to organize your media browser and timeline while editing videos. But before we begin, download Filmora from their official website so you can follow all the steps easily.

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

1. Create folders in Filmora

If you have footage from multiple cameras, it is best to create some folders first.

Step1 Create a Folder for Camera 1

If you have video footage from three cameras, you can create one folder for each camera.

Go to the default folder on the top left and rename it Cam_A.

Step2 Create a Folder for Camera 2

Then go to the bottom left of the media browser and click on this icon to add a new folder. Rename it to Cam_B.

Step3 Create a Folder for Camera 3

Repeat the steps to create another folder called Cam_C. Now you can import footage from your different cameras into each folder.

Step4 Create a Folder for Production Sound

After that, add three new folders and rename them to Production Sound, SFX, and Music. Production sound is usually the sound that is recorded on set. If you have recorded all dialects from the subjects on the location, you can put them into this folder.

Step5 Create a Folder for SFX

SFX stands for sound effects. You can add push clapping, laughing and other Folly sounds into this folder.

Step6 Create a Folder for Music

Next, import all music files into the music folder. You can create folders for your graphics, B-roll, and stock footage if needed.

2. Organize your Timeline and Video Tracks

Step1 Create Tracks for Picture Editing

Keep the first three tracks for picture editing. These tracks are usually for picture editing that includes footage with no effects or some simple effects—for example resizing, keyframing, transitions, or Green Screen.

Step2 Create Tracks for Temporary Footage

Set up the fourth track for the temporary footage or placeholders so you can quickly switch the temporary footage without spending extra time looking for them.

Step3 Create Tracks for Effects

Set the fifth video track as the effect track. It will include all effects from firmware that do not apply to the footage directly.

Step4 Create Tracks for On and Off Content

Next, on the sixth video track, you can add the content that you would want to turn on and off from time to time. In this example, you can put the subtitles here.

3. Organize your Audio Tracks

Step1 Create Tracks for Dialects

The first two tracks are usually for dialects. You can include all the dialects of characters in these tracks. Keep one track for each character. If you have more characters, feel free to assign more tracks to them.

Step2 Create Tracks for Additional Audio

The third audio track could be for any additional audio, such as voiceover. If you don’t have a voiceover in your video, you can leave it empty.

Step3 Create Tracks for Sound Effects

The fourth track could usually be the sound effects track. You can add all the clapping sounds, laughing, and all kinds of other foley sound here.

Step4 Create Tracks for Ambient Sound

Keep the fifth track for Ambient sound and room tone. You can use it to keep a very subtle environment sound in specific scenes. For example, you can use the room tone recorded on sets.

Step5 Create Tracks for Background Music

Finally, the sixth track is usually for background music. But, of course, you could also keep it empty if your project has no background music.

4. Color Code Your Clips

Suppose you want to make the timeline even easier to view. In that case, you can select all clips from a camera or a subject and color code them into a specific color. For example, you can color code the footage from camera A in red, camera B in yellow, and Camera C in blue. Now, when you look at the Timeline, you can quickly distinguish footage from different cameras.

Part 2: Pro Tips about Improving Video Editing Efficiency

1. Rename Individual Clips

It would be much simpler to organize the timeline if you could quickly rename individual clips. Cut a clip into smaller segments and give each clip a different name. Make sure these clips have a name other than the source video to avoid confusion.

2. Remove Empty Timeline

For quick video editing, timeline organization is essential. Organize your materials and footage at all times to prevent delays. Put everything in the correct folders with the proper labels. To keep your timeline organized, select “Delete Empty Tracks” from the context menu when right-clicking on the track window on the left.

3. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Knowing keyboard shortcuts allows you to carry out the editing process quickly and precisely.

4. Select Good Music

Don’t only concentrate on the images; the music also affects how well your video comes out. For example, suppose you’re making a drama movie. In that case, you should pick the right music track to evoke particular emotions in your viewers.

5. Add Text and Graphics

Depending on the style of the video, adding text, graphics, or stock video to your project could be helpful. You should provide more text than just the title for some videos.

Summary

You don’t need to be an expert in video editing to produce high-quality videos. In reality, you can complete the task without any expensive, high-end professional training. So how? Well, with the proper video editing tools like Wondershare Filmora, anything is possible. Follow the above guide, organize your timeline and keep the tracks consistent while video editing on Filmora so it’s easier to come back and edit a project or share with other editors.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

1. Create folders in Filmora

If you have footage from multiple cameras, it is best to create some folders first.

Step1 Create a Folder for Camera 1

If you have video footage from three cameras, you can create one folder for each camera.

Go to the default folder on the top left and rename it Cam_A.

Step2 Create a Folder for Camera 2

Then go to the bottom left of the media browser and click on this icon to add a new folder. Rename it to Cam_B.

Step3 Create a Folder for Camera 3

Repeat the steps to create another folder called Cam_C. Now you can import footage from your different cameras into each folder.

Step4 Create a Folder for Production Sound

After that, add three new folders and rename them to Production Sound, SFX, and Music. Production sound is usually the sound that is recorded on set. If you have recorded all dialects from the subjects on the location, you can put them into this folder.

Step5 Create a Folder for SFX

SFX stands for sound effects. You can add push clapping, laughing and other Folly sounds into this folder.

Step6 Create a Folder for Music

Next, import all music files into the music folder. You can create folders for your graphics, B-roll, and stock footage if needed.

2. Organize your Timeline and Video Tracks

Step1 Create Tracks for Picture Editing

Keep the first three tracks for picture editing. These tracks are usually for picture editing that includes footage with no effects or some simple effects—for example resizing, keyframing, transitions, or Green Screen.

Step2 Create Tracks for Temporary Footage

Set up the fourth track for the temporary footage or placeholders so you can quickly switch the temporary footage without spending extra time looking for them.

Step3 Create Tracks for Effects

Set the fifth video track as the effect track. It will include all effects from firmware that do not apply to the footage directly.

Step4 Create Tracks for On and Off Content

Next, on the sixth video track, you can add the content that you would want to turn on and off from time to time. In this example, you can put the subtitles here.

3. Organize your Audio Tracks

Step1 Create Tracks for Dialects

The first two tracks are usually for dialects. You can include all the dialects of characters in these tracks. Keep one track for each character. If you have more characters, feel free to assign more tracks to them.

Step2 Create Tracks for Additional Audio

The third audio track could be for any additional audio, such as voiceover. If you don’t have a voiceover in your video, you can leave it empty.

Step3 Create Tracks for Sound Effects

The fourth track could usually be the sound effects track. You can add all the clapping sounds, laughing, and all kinds of other foley sound here.

Step4 Create Tracks for Ambient Sound

Keep the fifth track for Ambient sound and room tone. You can use it to keep a very subtle environment sound in specific scenes. For example, you can use the room tone recorded on sets.

Step5 Create Tracks for Background Music

Finally, the sixth track is usually for background music. But, of course, you could also keep it empty if your project has no background music.

4. Color Code Your Clips

Suppose you want to make the timeline even easier to view. In that case, you can select all clips from a camera or a subject and color code them into a specific color. For example, you can color code the footage from camera A in red, camera B in yellow, and Camera C in blue. Now, when you look at the Timeline, you can quickly distinguish footage from different cameras.

Part 2: Pro Tips about Improving Video Editing Efficiency

1. Rename Individual Clips

It would be much simpler to organize the timeline if you could quickly rename individual clips. Cut a clip into smaller segments and give each clip a different name. Make sure these clips have a name other than the source video to avoid confusion.

2. Remove Empty Timeline

For quick video editing, timeline organization is essential. Organize your materials and footage at all times to prevent delays. Put everything in the correct folders with the proper labels. To keep your timeline organized, select “Delete Empty Tracks” from the context menu when right-clicking on the track window on the left.

3. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Knowing keyboard shortcuts allows you to carry out the editing process quickly and precisely.

4. Select Good Music

Don’t only concentrate on the images; the music also affects how well your video comes out. For example, suppose you’re making a drama movie. In that case, you should pick the right music track to evoke particular emotions in your viewers.

5. Add Text and Graphics

Depending on the style of the video, adding text, graphics, or stock video to your project could be helpful. You should provide more text than just the title for some videos.

Summary

You don’t need to be an expert in video editing to produce high-quality videos. In reality, you can complete the task without any expensive, high-end professional training. So how? Well, with the proper video editing tools like Wondershare Filmora, anything is possible. Follow the above guide, organize your timeline and keep the tracks consistent while video editing on Filmora so it’s easier to come back and edit a project or share with other editors.

Everything You Need to Know About Color Grading in Photography

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Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

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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.

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.

● Luminance

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

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.

● Luminance

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

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.

● Luminance

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

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.

● Luminance

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

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