How to Color Grade a Photo Using Lightroom

You might think of Photoshop as the place to do deep color grading work, and that used to be the case, but Lightroom recently added new color grading tools that can also make powerful edits and are arguably more intuitive than those in Photoshop. This great video tutorial will show you how to use them to color grade your photos quickly and easily. 

Coming to you from Kevin Raposo, this helpful video tutorial will show you how to use the color grading tools in Lightroom. If you want the most precise control over your edit, you will want to head to Photoshop, but Lightroom's new tools are likely plenty for the majority of photos, and they are definitely easier and quicker to use. The one downside to having this much power in a fast and straightforward tool is that it is easier than ever to overdo it. Remember that it takes a very light touch to color grade a photo properly and that less is more. If you are unsure of an edit, step away from your computer for a bit to let your eyes reset. When you come back, you will often decide to dial things down a smidgen. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Raposo.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

Log in or register to post comments
1 Comment

Wow...I wasn't expecting that.
I've watched a lot of these LR color-grading tutorial videos. This was, by far, the best that I've seen in explaining the features. Thanks a lot!