DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

I know this probably should go into the "post processing" section but I wanted input from the broadest audience regarding this subject.

I know many of you pros do some sought of color adjustments or color grading to your images prior to turning them over to your clients. I'm really struggling to get better at this in LR. I came across the following website and really am impressed with the adjustments Jordan Brittley does to her images. Yes I realize that taking the picture with as much of a light background and color matters and getting it right in camera is important.

I'm interested in what your experience and process (workflow) is when doing this type of color grading using the basic panel and HSL panel in LR. I'm probably going to purchase the presets from the website sometime in the future but I want to understand the workflow and adjustment process to get similar looks so I can create similar presets of my own. I don't plan to go professional but I strive to get the professional look. Hopefully this doesn't get moved to the links section!

https://jordanbrittley.com/

Thanks in advance for your positive comments!

Dave

Haydon

This might help you out Dave. This system calibrates to your specific camera and works with minimal fuss.

Where this really works (at least for me), is color accuracy when you struggle with partial color blindness.

An added bonus is correction when you have more than one light source as in artificial and natural light blending into the scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5rW74-zCQ0

DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

Thanks Haydon, This is helpful but I found what I'm referring to is considered color theory with relation to color grading. This is a very subjective topic that many people don't understand. THIS WILL completely change and enhance your photography once you understand and use it with purpose.

For me photography is a hobby. I do it for fun and to see how I can best create photos with interest and how creative I can get. Sometimes I get in a rut and can't seem to find subjects with enough color or interests. I've realized by viewing the courses I've found below that color grading with color theory in mind creates a whole new interests for me and to go back to many of my photos and experiment.

This subject is not hard to understand and apply. It just takes practice. On1 software applies this in many of it's "looks" it supplies to your photos on the left side of the window pane. I just didn't realize how they got that way.

I'd like to propose a challenge to all in this forum to post your photos SOOC and also with your new look and what color changes you may have made with your favorite post processing S/W for us to learn from. Watch the free first lesson of the two links below to see what I mean. They're very enlightening and will make you want to learn more about this subject. This is going to make my hobby much more fun and challenging. There is no right or wrong method. You will use the color wheel to assist you in what colors to use to enhance or change your photos.

I didn't realize but I actually already own the first class below, I just haven't watched it yet.

https://www.creativelive.com/class/color-theory-for-photographers-blake-rudis/lessons/introduction-and-importance-of-color-theory

https://www.creativelive.com/class/transform-your-images-with-color-grading-lindsay-adler/lessons/introduction-to-color-grading-preparing-for-the-shoot?via=site-header_0

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...I'm not "color finicky" as such, and shoot mostly auto WB in all my Nikons (each body is slightly different in the red range, for example). I make use of the eye dropper for WB in LR (normally I shoot RAW, but I *do* shoot jpeg when thousands of images are involved) if things don't look right, otherwise I move on. That's just me. When printing, however, I can get sucked into the black hole of color corrections. In the end, though, I'm an eyeball processor/printer. I've never used a "bought" preset and generate my own (really come in handy for venues and times of day, etc.). I think that might be my most valuable input to your quest: do your own. You'll learn faster and more completely than depending on someone else's POV. JMHO.