What are some color grading tools and techniques that you use to enhance your product images?

1 Choose a color grading software

There are many color grading software options available for product photographers, ranging from free to premium. Some of the most popular ones are Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, and Luminar. Each software has its own features, workflow, and presets that you can use to color grade your images. Depending on your budget, preference, and skill level, you can choose the software that suits your needs and goals.

2 Use histograms and scopes

Histograms and scopes are graphical tools that show you the distribution and balance of colors, tones, and exposure in your image. They can help you identify and correct any issues, such as overexposure, underexposure, color casts, or clipping. You can use histograms and scopes to fine-tune your exposure, contrast, white balance, and saturation settings. You can also use them to compare your images and ensure consistency across your product portfolio.

3 Apply color grading presets

Color grading presets are pre-made settings that apply a certain look and feel to your image. They can save you time and effort, as well as inspire you to try different styles and moods. You can find and download color grading presets online, or create your own using your software. You can also customize and tweak the presets to match your vision and product. However, be careful not to overuse or rely on presets, as they may not suit every image or situation.

4 Use color wheels and curves

Color wheels and curves are advanced tools that allow you to adjust the hue, saturation, and luminance of specific color ranges in your image. You can use them to create subtle or dramatic effects, such as warm or cool tones, color contrast, or cinematic looks. You can also use them to correct or enhance the skin tones, background colors, or product colors in your image. Color wheels and curves require some practice and experimentation, but they can give you more control and creativity over your color grading.

5 Add color grading effects

Color grading effects are additional adjustments that you can apply to your image to create a certain atmosphere or mood. Some of the common color grading effects are split toning, vignetting, grain, and filters. Split toning allows you to add different colors to the highlights and shadows of your image. Vignetting darkens the edges of your image to draw attention to the center. Grain adds texture and noise to your image to create a vintage or film-like look. Filters apply a color overlay or tint to your image to change its tone or mood.

6 Review and compare your images

The final step of color grading is to review and compare your images to make sure they look good and consistent. You can use tools such as zoom, crop, rotate, and flip to check the details and composition of your images. You can also use tools such as compare, before/after, and sync to see the difference between your original and edited images, and to apply the same settings to multiple images. You should also view your images on different devices and screens to see how they look in different lighting and resolution conditions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?