Color grading
Also called color correction, colour grading, LUT
What is color grading?
Color grading is the process of adjusting the color, contrast, brightness and tone of video footage after it is filmed. It gives a video a consistent look and a mood, such as warm and cozy, cool and clinical, or punchy and saturated. It is usually done after color correction, which first fixes exposure and white balance.
Color correction and color grading are often confused. Correction is technical: making skin tones natural, whites white and shots from different cameras match. Grading is creative: choosing the style. Many editors apply a LUT (look-up table), a preset that maps one set of colors to another, as a starting point, then fine-tune by shot.
Footage shot in a flat or log profile holds more detail and needs grading to look right. Phone footage is usually already processed, so it needs lighter adjustments. Grading ties into brand colors: a consistent grade makes a channel recognizable.
Why color grading matters
Color sets the feel of a video before anyone hears a word. A consistent grade makes a business look more professional and helps footage from different days and devices feel like one piece.
It also protects the product. Accurate color correction matters for anything people buy by look (food, clothing, paint, furniture), because a video that shows the wrong color creates returns and disappointed customers.
How to color grade a video
- Correct first: set exposure, then white balance so whites and skin tones look natural.
- Match shots so the same scene looks the same across cuts.
- Apply a look: a LUT or your own adjustments to contrast, saturation and color balance.
- Check skin tones and product colors against reality and your brand colors.
- Save the grade as a preset and reuse it to keep videos consistent.
Color grading FAQ
What is the difference between color correction and color grading?
Color correction fixes problems so footage looks natural and consistent. Color grading is the creative step that gives it a particular style or mood. Correction usually comes first.
What is a LUT?
A look-up table: a file that tells editing software how to transform colors. LUTs are used to convert log footage to normal color or to apply a ready-made look.
Related terms
Brand colors are the specific colors a business uses consistently, defined by hex, RGB and CMYK codes, so its content is recognizable.
A color palette is a defined set of colors chosen to work together in a design or brand, usually with set roles and exact color codes.
Visual identity is the visible side of a brand: logo, colors, typography, imagery, icons and layout rules applied the same way everywhere.
B-roll is supporting footage cut into a video over the main shot, such as product close-ups or scenes of a space, to show what is being said.
Brand consistency is presenting a brand the same way everywhere: same logo, colors, fonts, voice and promise across every channel and post.