What Is Color Correction?

Color correction is a post‑production process focused on accuracy. Editors analyze each clip’s colour levels—white, black, primary colours and overall tonal range—and adjust them so the footage looks natural and consistent. The goal is to restore what the scene should have looked like on the day of shooting, eliminating colour casts from lighting or camera settings.

Key Steps in Color Correction

• Balance whites and blacks: Identify objects that should be pure white or pure black and use your software’s tools to correct any colour shifts. Make sure white levels match across shots and that shadows and highlights are consistent.
• Adjust primary colours: Examine the dominant colours in your footage and use colour‑balance controls to fix any imbalances. Keep adjustments subtle—correction is about precision, not style.
• Refine secondary colours: For problem shades like an unwanted yellow flower or a patch of shadow, use selective colour tools or masks to change specific areas without affecting the rest of the frame.
• Use colour wheels: Many editors provide wheels for shadows, mid‑tones and highlights. These tools allow fine‑grained control over tonal ranges, especially useful for matching shots from different cameras.

What Is Color Grading?

Once your footage is corrected, color grading adds creative flair. Grading focuses on the stylization of colours: emphasising certain shades, applying overall tones or creating a particular mood. It’s generally done after correction so that your artistic adjustments don’t undo the accuracy you’ve achieved.

Color Grading Techniques

• Work with mid‑tones, skin tones & temperature: Balanced mid‑tones keep attention on your subject. Use colour balance controls to ensure skin looks natural and adjust the colour temperature to make scenes feel warmer or cooler.
• Set the visual tone: Grading can differentiate locations, highlight important objects or evoke emotions. For example, lowering the temperature and desaturating colours can make a scene feel bleak, while warming tones conveys cheer.
• Compare to log footage: If you shot in log format, compare your graded footage to the original to ensure true whites remain intact and that style changes haven’t compromised exposure.
• Adjust the mid‑range: Consider exposure, saturation, hue and contrast across mid‑tones. Reduce distracting background colours so the subject stands out, and pay attention to red, green and blue balance.

Color Correction vs. Grading

Color correction and color grading serve different purposes. Correction fixes problems: it makes sure that shadows are deep, highlights are crisp and colours are accurate. Grading is creative: it transforms a corrected image into how you want it to look. By first correcting and then grading, you ensure that your stylistic choices build on a solid, consistent foundation.

When used together, colour correction and colour grading help you create polished, professional‑looking videos that both look realistic and convey the desired mood. Mastering both will make your footage stand out—whether you’re crafting cinematic pieces or producing content for clients.