One Simple Trick for Better Color Grading in Adobe Premiere Pro

Color grading is a profession in and of itself, which means the technical know-how, the theory, and the nuance, all run very deep indeed. However, some methods are more powerful and useful than others, and this one particular tool could greatly impact your work.

I love color grading in photography; it's as powerful as it is addictive, often having a transformative effect on the overall work. Color grading video is markedly trickier in my experience. The key elements are moving and if you're looking to localize your color alteration, you'll either have to settle for a holistic change, or you will need to put in some extra effort.

In this video, Aidin Robbins, a filmmaker and great colorist — at least from what I've seen of his — goes through a tool within Adobe Premiere Pro CC which he leans on for color. The tool in question is HSL Secondary and it can seem a little intimidating at first glance. Then, when you add in Lumetri scopes, you could be forgiven for giving up before you start. It is deceptively straightforward though, and incredibly powerful for controlling colors in your video, as well as its overall look.

Rob Baggs's picture

Robert K Baggs is a professional portrait and commercial photographer, educator, and consultant from England. Robert has a First-Class degree in Philosophy and a Master's by Research. In 2015 Robert's work on plagiarism in photography was published as part of several universities' photography degree syllabuses.

Log in or register to post comments
7 Comments

Come now, never look down at a kid teaching someone. Just because you may very well be experienced doesn't mean someone younger than you hasn't aquired similar, or even greater experience than you in a given realm. I'm 65, and I can still learn a thing or two from a 20-something. Don't feel so insecure.

You're right but he has a point, and the real problem is he is regurgitating something he learnt somewhere, in a fancy 10 minutes video. Ten minutes video. And apart from the tip, he's 20 and has no experience whatsoever to bring around the tip that would justify a 10 minutes video.

Ten Minutes, Video. Because he wants money from Youtube, not teach you something efficiently.

That tip need a sentence or two, one screenshot, not a TEN MINUTES VIDEO.

This is half a con, attention grabbing. If you have time to ingest a ten minutes video for every technique you need to learn, fine, you're free.

ONE TRICK in the title, TEN MINUTES VIDEO in the end.

Perhaps you're correct, perhaps not. For me, the simple trick for better color grading is DaVinci Resolve. ;-)

The problem isn't this kid making a video, he very well could have experience, and he may not. I started editing digital photos for a company when I was 16, by the time I was 25 I had a ton of real experience. The problem is this article is citing this guy without knowing which.

Age doesn't really matter and you can learn from people much younger or much older than you simply because their view is different and they have another style. Sometimes those who are younger can be even more creative despite the lack of experience. Age doesn't define creativity or photo editing experience and Photoshop/Photoworks/Lightroom skills.

But 10 minutes video is still too much for one single trick.

Easy, download some free LUT and you're done