What is Color Grading?

Color grading transforms the flat, neutral look of raw camera footage into a polished, intentional visual aesthetic. The process involves two stages: color correction (fixing technical issues like exposure, white balance, and color casts) followed by creative grading (applying a distinctive look or mood). Grading styles range from warm cinematic looks and desaturated moody palettes to high-contrast vibrant grades popular on social media. Consistent color grading across a channel creates visual brand recognition. Professional grading uses tools like DaVinci Resolve and Lumetri Color in Adobe Premiere. LUTs (Look-Up Tables) are preset color transformations that apply a specific grade in one click. AI-powered color grading tools are emerging that automatically match footage to reference stills or apply scene-appropriate grading.