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2024 Photo Color Adjustment Complete Guide: From Beginner to Expert

March 1, 2024

15 min read

intermediate

Professional color grading workspace showing color wheel and advanced grading tool interface

Color Adjustment Basics
Color Spaces Explained: RGB vs HSL vs LAB
Color Theory & Harmony
Basic Grading Tools & Techniques
Advanced Grading Techniques
Grading by Photo Type
Cinematic Color Grading
Professional Workflow
FAQ

Color Spaces Explained: RGB vs HSL vs LAB

🔴🟢🔵 RGB Color Space

Principle: Generate all colors by mixing red, green, and blue primary colors

Features:

- Most commonly used color space
- Intuitive and easy to understand
- Suitable for screen display
- Additive color mixing (light mixing)

Adjustment Method:

R (Red) = 255, G (Green) = 255, B (Blue) = 255 → White
R = 255, G = 0, B = 0 → Pure Red
R = 255, G = 255, B = 0 → Yellow

Best for:

✅ Overall color balance adjustment
✅ Removing color casts
✅ Adjusting specific color channels
❌ Precise single color adjustment

🎨 HSL Color Space

Principle: Define colors through three dimensions: hue, saturation, and lightness

H (Hue) - Color type:

0° = Red
60° = Yellow
120° = Green
180° = Cyan
240° = Blue
300° = Magenta
360° = Back to Red

S (Saturation) - Color purity:

0% = Gray (no color)
100% = Most vibrant

L (Lightness/Luminance) - Color brightness:

0% = Black
50% = Standard brightness
100% = White

Best for:

✅ Selective adjustment of specific colors
✅ Changing color types (e.g., green to blue)
✅ Controlling color vibrancy
✅ Independent brightness adjustment

🔬 LAB Color Space

Principle: Simulates human eye color perception

L (Lightness) - Brightness: 0-100

Brightness channel independent of color

A Channel: Green ← → Magenta

Negative values = Green
Positive values = Magenta/Red

B Channel: Blue ← → Yellow

Negative values = Blue
Positive values = Yellow

Best for:

✅ Precise brightness control without affecting color
✅ Advanced color correction
✅ Professional print color management
❌ Not recommended for beginners

📊 Comparison of Three Color Spaces

Feature	RGB	HSL	LAB
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Precision	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Intuitiveness	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Selectivity	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Professional Level	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommended Usage:

🔰 Beginners: Start with HSL
🎯 Daily Use: HSL + RGB combination
🎓 Professional Grading: HSL + LAB combination

Color Theory & Harmony

🎨 Color Wheel & Color Relationships

1. Complementary Colors

Definition: Colors opposite on the color wheel (180°)

Classic Combinations:

🔵 Blue + 🟠 Orange
🔴 Red + 🟢 Green  
🟡 Yellow + 🟣 Purple

Visual Effect:

High contrast
Strong visual impact
Attention-grabbing
Full of energy

Suitable Scenes:

Product photography (highlight subject)
Sports photography
Advertising photography
Works needing strong visual impact

Grading Technique:

Method 1: Make subject and background complementary
Example: Orange sunset against blue sky

Method 2: Adjust HSL hues
- Select sky (blue)
- Blue hue: -10 (deeper blue)
- Blue saturation: +25
- Select sunset (orange)
- Orange saturation: +30
- Orange luminance: +10

2. Analogous Colors

Definition: Adjacent colors on the color wheel (within 30°)

Classic Combinations:

🔵 Blue + 🔵🟢 Blue-Green + 🟢 Green
🟠 Orange + 🟡 Yellow + 🟡🟢 Yellow-Green
🔴 Red + 🟠 Orange + 🟡 Yellow

Visual Effect:

Harmonious and unified
Comfortable and soft
Natural flow
Warm atmosphere

Suitable Scenes:

Landscape photography
Portrait photography
Lifestyle photography
Works needing warm harmony

Grading Technique:

Sunset scene (analogous: Orange-Yellow-Red)

Steps:
1. Overall warming: Temperature +15
2. HSL adjustment:
   - Orange saturation: +20
   - Yellow saturation: +15
   - Red saturation: +10
3. Unify luminance:
   - Orange/Yellow/Red luminance: difference within 10

3. Triadic Colors

Definition: Three colors evenly distributed on the color wheel (120°)

Classic Combinations:

🔴 Red + 🟡 Yellow + 🔵 Blue (Primary colors)
🟠 Orange + 🟢 Green + 🟣 Purple (Secondary colors)

Visual Effect:

Balanced yet vibrant
Rich but not chaotic
Strong visual interest

Suitable Scenes:

Creative photography
Commercial photography
Children's photography
Holiday themes

Grading Technique:

Control hierarchy:
- Primary color (60%): Saturation +30
- Secondary color (30%): Saturation +20
- Accent color (10%): Saturation +40 (most vibrant)

🌡️ Color Temperature & Emotion

Warm Tones (Red, Orange, Yellow)

Emotional Expression:

🔥 Passionate, energetic, warm
☀️ Happy, positive, friendly
🍂 Comfortable, nostalgic, traditional

Application Scenarios:

Family photos
Food photography
Sunset/golden hour
Festival celebrations

Grading Parameters:

Temperature: +10 to +25
HSL:
- Orange saturation: +20
- Yellow saturation: +15
- Red luminance: +5

Cool Tones (Blue, Green, Purple)

Emotional Expression:

❄️ Calm, rational, professional
🌊 Fresh, clean, modern
🌙 Mysterious, melancholic, premium

Application Scenarios:

Tech products
Architectural photography
Business photos
Night scenes

Grading Parameters:

Temperature: -10 to -20
HSL:
- Blue saturation: +25
- Cyan saturation: +15
- Purple luminance: -5

Basic Grading Tools & Techniques

🎚️ Tool 1: Temperature/Tint Sliders

Temperature

Left (decrease) = Cool tone (blue)
Right (increase) = Warm tone (yellow)

Common scenarios:
- Indoor yellow light: -30 to -40
- Overcast blue: +20 to +30
- Create mood: ±10 to ±15

Tint

Left (decrease) = Green
Right (increase) = Magenta

Common scenarios:
- Fluorescent green: +20 to +30
- Balance skin tone: +5 to +10

📊 Tool 2: Curves

RGB Curve Basics:

Curve diagram:
     Output Brightness
      ↑
      |     /
      |    /
      |   /
      |  /
      | /
      |/______→ Input Brightness

S-Curve (Enhance Contrast):

Brighten highlights: Pull up
Darken shadows: Pull down

Effect:
- Brighter highlights
- Darker shadows
- Unchanged midtones
- Enhanced contrast

Reverse S-Curve (Reduce Contrast/Vintage Effect):

Lower highlights: Pull down
Brighten shadows: Pull up

Effect:
- Faded look
- Vintage film feel
- Soft atmosphere

Independent RGB Channel Adjustment:

Red channel curve:
- Up = Add red
- Down = Add cyan

Green channel curve:
- Up = Add green
- Down = Add magenta

Blue channel curve:
- Up = Add blue
- Down = Add yellow

🎨 Tool 3: HSL Selective Color

Complete HSL Adjustment Example: Portrait

Skin tone optimization (Orange channel):
- Hue: +5 to +8 (reddish, healthier)
- Saturation: +10 to +15 (more rosy)
- Luminance: +5 to +10 (fairer)

Background foliage (Green channel):
- Hue: -10 (cyan-green, fresher)
- Saturation: +20 (more vibrant)
- Luminance: -5 (doesn't compete with subject)

Sky (Blue channel):
- Hue: -5 (deeper blue)
- Saturation: +25 (more vibrant)
- Luminance: -10 (more depth)

Advanced Grading Techniques

🎬 Split Toning

Principle: Add different colors to highlights and shadows

Classic Cinematic Tone: Orange & Teal

Highlights:
- Hue: 40-50 (orange)
- Saturation: 15-25
Effect: Warm highlights

Shadows:
- Hue: 200-210 (cyan-blue)
- Saturation: 20-30
Effect: Cool shadows

Balance: 50 (neutral)

Other Classic Combinations:

Vintage Film Look

Highlights: Yellow (hue 55, saturation 20)
Shadows: Blue (hue 220, saturation 25)

Fresh Japanese Style

Highlights: Light Pink (hue 350, saturation 10)
Shadows: Light Cyan (hue 180, saturation 15)

Warm Nostalgic

Highlights: Golden Yellow (hue 45, saturation 25)
Shadows: Deep Brown (hue 30, saturation 20)

🎭 Color Masks

What are Color Masks?

Select a specific color range for independent adjustment without affecting other colors.

Practical Case: Sunset Sky Enhancement

Step 1: Create color selection
- Tool: Color Range
- Click orange sky area
- Tolerance: 30-40

Step 2: Adjust sky separately
- Saturation: +30
- Luminance: +10
- Hue: +5 (more red)

Step 3: Feather edges
- Feather: 20-30 pixels
- Ensure natural transition

📐 Color Harmony Adjustment

Golden Ratio Color Method:

Primary color (60%):
- Dominates the frame
- Saturation: Medium (+15 to +25)

Secondary color (30%):
- Supports primary color
- Saturation: Slightly lower than primary (+10 to +20)

Accent color (10%):
- Finishing touch
- Saturation: Highest (+30 to +40)

Case: Beach photo
- Primary: Blue sky (60%, saturation +20)
- Secondary: Golden sand (30%, saturation +15)
- Accent: Red umbrella (10%, saturation +35)

Grading by Photo Type

👤 Portrait Photography Grading

Basic Skin Tone Correction:

✅ Step 1: Overall temperature
Temperature: +8 to +15 (slightly warm)
Tint: +3 to +5 (slight magenta)

✅ Step 2: Orange channel (skin tone)
Hue: +5 to +8
Saturation: +10 to +15
Luminance: +5 to +10

✅ Step 3: Desaturate other colors
All colors except orange saturation: -5 to -10
Effect: Highlight subject, weaken background

✅ Step 4: Soft glow effect
Highlights: +10
Shadows: +15
Contrast: -5 to -10
Clarity: +5 to +10

Different Skin Tone Adjustments:

Fair skin:
- Orange luminance: +10 to +15
- Orange saturation: +8 to +12
- Avoid excessive whitening

Healthy skin:
- Orange luminance: +5 to +8
- Orange saturation: +12 to +18
- Orange hue: +5 (reddish)

Deep skin:
- Orange luminance: 0 to +5
- Orange saturation: +15 to +20
- Overall exposure: +10 to +15

🌄 Landscape Photography Grading

Blue Sky White Cloud Enhancement:

Sky section:
✅ Blue channel
- Hue: -5 (deeper blue)
- Saturation: +25 to +35
- Luminance: -10 to -15

✅ Cyan channel
- Saturation: +20
- Luminance: -5

✅ White cloud contrast
- Highlights: +15
- Whites: +10

Green Vegetation Enhancement:

Vegetation section:
✅ Green channel
- Hue: -10 to -15 (cyan-green)
- Saturation: +20 to +30
- Luminance: -5 (avoid too bright)

✅ Yellow channel
- Hue: -5
- Saturation: +15
- Luminance: +5

Effect: Fresh, vibrant

Sunset Sunrise Grading:

Warm tone enhancement:
✅ Temperature: +15 to +25
✅ Orange saturation: +30 to +40
✅ Yellow saturation: +25 to +35
✅ Red saturation: +20 to +30

Sky gradient:
✅ Gradient filter
- Top: Temperature +20
- Bottom: Temperature +35
- Create natural gradient

Shadow processing:
✅ Shadows: +20 (preserve detail)
✅ Blacks: -10 (add depth)

🍕 Food Photography Grading

Make Food More Appetizing:

Basic adjustment:
✅ Temperature: +10 to +20 (warm = appetizing)
✅ Saturation: +20 to +30
✅ Clarity: +20 to +30 (enhance texture)

Different food types:

🥩 Meat (steak, BBQ):
- Red saturation: +30
- Orange saturation: +25
- Temperature: +20
- Contrast: +15

🥗 Salad, vegetables:
- Green saturation: +35
- Yellow saturation: +25
- Temperature: +5 to +10
- Vibrance: +20

🍰 Desserts, baked goods:
- Orange luminance: +10
- Yellow saturation: +30
- Temperature: +15
- Highlights: +15 (glossy look)

☕ Coffee, beverages:
- Orange/brown saturation: +20
- Temperature: +15
- Contrast: +20
- Clarity: +25

🏢 Architectural Photography Grading

Modern Architecture Style:

Cool tone professionalism:
✅ Temperature: -10 to -15
✅ Tint: -5 (slight green)
✅ Contrast: +20 to +25
✅ Clarity: +25 to +30

Blue channel:
- Saturation: +20
- Luminance: -5

Reduce other colors:
- All except blue saturation: -10
Effect: Emphasize lines, professional simplicity

Historic Architecture Style:

Warm nostalgic feel:
✅ Temperature: +15 to +25
✅ Saturation: -5 to -10 (slightly faded)
✅ Contrast: -5 to -10 (soft)

Orange/yellow channel:
- Saturation: +15
- Hue: +5

Add warm tone:
- Highlight tone: Orange, saturation 15
- Shadow tone: Deep brown, saturation 10

Cinematic Color Grading

🎬 Classic Cinematic Tones

1. Orange & Teal (Orange-Cyan Contrast)

Feature: Most popular cinematic tone

Application method:

Basic adjustment:
- Temperature: +5 to +10
- Contrast: +15 to +20

HSL adjustment:
- Orange saturation: +25
- Orange luminance: +10
- Blue saturation: +30
- Cyan saturation: +25

Split toning:
- Highlights: Orange (hue 45, saturation 20)
- Shadows: Cyan-blue (hue 200, saturation 25)

Curve adjustment:
- RGB: Slight S-curve
- Blue channel: Shadows up (add blue)
- Red channel: Highlights up (add red/orange)

2. Bleach Bypass

Feature: Low saturation, high contrast, cool tone

Application method:

Basic adjustment:
- Saturation: -20 to -30
- Contrast: +30 to +40
- Temperature: -15 to -25

Curve adjustment:
- Strong S-curve
- Black point: Raised (reduce pure black)

Color adjustment:
- All colors saturation: -15 to -25
- Keep blue and cyan relatively higher

Suitable for:
- Action films
- Thrillers
- War themes

3. Warm Film Look

Feature: Warm, nostalgic, film feel

Application method:

Basic adjustment:
- Temperature: +20 to +30
- Saturation: -5 to -10 (slightly faded)
- Contrast: -10 to -15 (soft)

Curve adjustment:
- Reverse S-curve (raise blacks, lower highlights)
- Red channel: Overall up
- Blue channel: Shadows up (reduce pure black)

Split toning:
- Highlights: Golden yellow (hue 50, saturation 20)
- Shadows: Deep orange-brown (hue 35, saturation 15)

Add details:
- Film grain: 15-25
- Vignette: -15 to -20

🎨 Create Your Own Cinematic Tone

Step-by-Step Workflow:

Step 1: Determine main tone (60 seconds)
Ask yourself:
- What emotion to express? (Warm/Cool/Mysterious)
- What color is the subject?
- What's the environment tone?

Step 2: Basic correction (2 minutes)
- Fix white balance
- Adjust exposure
- Basic contrast

Step 3: Set temperature base (1 minute)
- Warm tones: Temperature +15 to +25
- Cool tones: Temperature -15 to -25
- Neutral: Temperature ±5

Step 4: Curve adjustment (3 minutes)
- RGB curve: Create contrast
- Color channel curves: Add color bias

Step 5: Fine HSL adjustment (3 minutes)
- Adjust main colors (2-3)
- Control saturation
- Fine-tune hues

Step 6: Split toning (2 minutes)
- Highlight tone
- Shadow tone
- Balance adjustment

Step 7: Final polish (1 minute)
- Sharpening/clarity
- Vignette
- Film grain (optional)

Professional Workflow

🎯 Complete Grading Process (15 minutes)

Phase 1: Analysis & Preparation (2 minutes)

✅ Evaluate original photo:
□ Is exposure correct?
□ White balance issues?
□ Obvious color cast?
□ What's the subject?
□ What style desired?

✅ Define goals:
□ Write down 3 keywords (e.g., warm, vintage, soft)
□ Find 1-2 reference images
□ Determine main tone

Phase 2: Basic Correction (3-5 minutes)

✅ Exposure correction:
1. Overall brightness
2. Highlight/shadow balance
3. White/black adjustment

✅ White balance correction:
1. Temperature adjustment
2. Tint adjustment
3. Remove color cast

✅ Basic contrast:
1. Contrast: +5 to +10
2. Curve: Slight S-curve

Phase 3: Color Enhancement (5-7 minutes)

✅ HSL adjustment:
1. Identify 2-3 main colors
2. Adjust their saturation
3. Fine-tune hues
4. Control luminance

✅ Overall tone:
1. Adjust temperature based on target style
2. Fine-tune overall saturation (±5 to ±15)
3. Vibrance adjustment (recommended for portraits)

✅ Selective coloring:
1. Enhance subject colors
2. Weaken background colors
3. Desaturate irrelevant colors

Phase 4: Stylized Grading (3-4 minutes)

✅ Split toning:
1. Set highlight tone
2. Set shadow tone
3. Balance adjustment

✅ Fine-tune curves:
1. RGB curve: Contrast optimization
2. Color channel curves: Color bias

✅ Refine details:
1. Clarity: +5 to +15
2. Sharpening: Moderate
3. Noise reduction: If needed

Phase 5: Final Check (1-2 minutes)

✅ Quality check:
□ Zoom to 100% to check details
□ Zoom out for overall view
□ Toggle before/after 3 times
□ Rest 1 minute then re-evaluate

✅ Key point verification:
□ Are skin tones natural? (portraits)
□ Is white actually white?
□ Detail in shadows?
□ Highlights blown out?
□ Overall harmony?

FAQ

Q1: RGB or HSL - which is better?

A: Each has advantages, best used together

RGB better for:

✅ Global color balance
✅ Removing color casts
✅ Channel-level precision control
✅ Advanced curve grading

HSL better for:

✅ Selective adjustment of specific colors
✅ Changing color types
✅ Intuitive saturation control
✅ Quick daily grading

Recommended workflow:

1. First use RGB/temperature-tint for basic color correction
2. Then use HSL for fine adjustment
3. Finally use RGB curves for stylization

Q2: Why does my grading look unnatural?

A: 5 common reasons

Reason 1: Over-saturation

Symptoms: Colors look harsh, distorted
Solution:
- Keep saturation within +30
- Use vibrance instead of saturation
- Check individual color saturation

Reason 2: Ruined skin tones

Symptoms: Subject looks alien
Solution:
- Keep orange hue within ±5
- Orange saturation no more than +20
- Use local adjustment to protect skin

Reason 3: Excessive contrast

Symptoms: Blown highlights, crushed blacks
Solution:
- Keep contrast within +25
- Use curves instead of contrast slider
- Preserve highlight and shadow detail

Reason 4: Extreme temperature

Symptoms: Severe overall color cast
Solution:
- Keep temperature adjustment within ±30
- Reference white objects for judgment
- Maintain natural temperature bias

Reason 5: Multiple effects stacked

Symptoms: Looks "over-edited"
Solution:
- Adjust only one dimension at a time
- Regularly compare to original
- Follow "less is more" principle

Q3: How to learn color grading quickly?

A: 3-stage learning path

Stage 1: Imitation (1-2 months)

Tasks:
1. Find 10 photos you love
2. Try to replicate their tones
3. Record parameters for each step
4. Understand each adjustment's effect

Practice: 2-3 photos per day

Stage 2: Understanding (2-3 months)

Tasks:
1. Learn color theory (complementary, analogous)
2. Understand different color spaces (RGB, HSL, LAB)
3. Master curve principles
4. Know when to use different tools

Practice: 10-15 complete grades per week

Stage 3: Creation (Ongoing)

Tasks:
1. Develop your own color style
2. Create your own presets
3. Design color schemes for different projects
4. Continuously experiment and optimize

Practice: Design tone from scratch for each project

Q4: What tools do professional photographers use for grading?

A: Industry standard tools

Desktop Software:

Adobe Lightroom 💯 Most recommended
- Pros: Easy to use, RAW support, batch processing
- For: Daily grading, bulk processing
- Price: Subscription ($9.99/month)
Capture One
- Pros: More precise, color science
- For: Commercial photography, high requirements
- Price: One-time purchase ($299)
DaVinci Resolve
- Pros: Professional-grade color grading
- For: Video, cinematic grading
- Price: Free (Pro version $295)

Online Tools:

ImageWA 💯 Most recommended
- Pros: Free, no installation, full features
- For: Quick grading, mobile work
- Link: imagewa.com/tools/editor

Mobile Apps:

Lightroom Mobile
- Mobile version of desktop
- Can sync presets
VSCO
- Rich preset filters
- Great for social media
Snapseed
- By Google, completely free
- Powerful features

Q5: How to create unified color style for clients?

A: 5 steps to establish brand tone

Step 1: Define brand colors (1 day)

Tasks:
1. Determine 2-3 brand primary colors
2. Choose color atmosphere (warm/cool/neutral)
3. Define saturation level (high/medium/low)
4. Select contrast style (strong/soft/medium)

Step 2: Create basic presets (1 day)

Tasks:
1. Adjust 20-30 representative photos
2. Find common adjustment parameters
3. Create preset template
4. Test in different scenarios

Step 3: Refine category presets (2-3 days)

Create variants for different scenarios:
- Indoor preset
- Outdoor preset
- Portrait preset
- Product preset
- Low-light preset

Step 4: Document standards (1 day)

Create color style guide:
- Temperature range: X to Y
- Primary color saturation: X to Y
- Contrast standard: X
- Prohibited colors
- Must-maintain elements

Step 5: Continuous optimization (Long-term)

Regular review:
- Monthly consistency evaluation
- Collect client feedback
- Fine-tune presets
- Update style guide

Q6: What's the difference between grading RAW and JPG?

A: Key differences comparison

Feature	RAW	JPG
Color Depth	12-14 bit	8 bit
Adjustment Space	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Huge	⭐⭐ Limited
Recover Highlights	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Lift Shadows	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
File Size	20-40MB	2-10MB
Grading Difficulty	⭐⭐⭐ Learning curve	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Simple

RAW grading advantages:

✅ Larger adjustment space
✅ Non-destructive editing
✅ Better highlight/shadow recovery
✅ More precise color control
✅ Can change white balance

❌ Large files
❌ Requires professional software
❌ Slower processing

JPG grading tips:

⚠️ Be careful with adjustment range
- Saturation: No more than ±20
- Exposure: No more than ±1
- Contrast: No more than ±25

⚠️ Avoid these operations
- Large white balance changes
- Extreme highlight/shadow recovery
- Multiple re-saves

✅ Recommended practices
- Complete all adjustments at once
- Export as PNG (lossless) or highest quality JPG
- Keep original file

Q7: How to maintain consistent tone in batch photos?

A: 4 efficient methods

Method 1: Preset Method (Most common)

Steps:
1. Adjust first photo to satisfaction
2. Save as preset
3. Batch apply preset
4. Fine-tune each (within ±5 range)

Suitable for:
- Multiple photos from same scene
- Similar lighting conditions
- Unified style projects

Method 2: Sync Adjustment Method

Steps:
1. Select all photos
2. Adjust one "representative photo"
3. Sync settings to all photos
4. Individually adjust special photos

Tools:
- Lightroom: Sync Settings feature
- Capture One: Copy adjustment layers

Method 3: Reference Photo Method

Steps:
1. Select one "color standard photo"
2. Adjust other photos by comparison
3. Use same temperature ±3 range
4. Keep saturation difference within ±5

Tips:
- Side-by-side comparison on monitor
- Use color sampling tools
- Record key parameter values

Method 4: Automation Script Method (Advanced)

Suitable for:
- Large quantities (100+)
- Standardization needs
- Commercial photography

Tools:
- Lightroom: Auto sync
- Photoshop: Batch actions
- Professional plugins: Like Color Efex Pro

Q8: How to know when grading is complete?

A: 10-point checklist

✅ Technical checks:
□ Accurate white balance (white is white)
□ Proper exposure (no blown highlights, shadow detail)
□ Appropriate contrast (not flat, not harsh)
□ Natural saturation (not harsh, not gray)
□ No obvious color cast

✅ Artistic checks:
□ Matches creative intent
□ Harmonious unified colors
□ Subject stands out
□ Mood properly expressed
□ Overall visual comfort

✅ Practical checks:
□ 100% zoom shows no detail issues
□ Zoom out shows satisfactory overall
□ Comparison to original shows improvement
□ Still satisfied after break
□ Meets project/client requirements

Ultimate test:

1. Rest 30 minutes
2. Re-evaluate with fresh eyes
3. View on different devices
4. Ask others' opinions (optional)
5. Only when all satisfied, it's complete

Summary

Photo color adjustment is the core skill of photography post-processing. Through this guide, you've mastered:

✅ Theoretical Foundation: RGB/HSL/LAB color spaces, color theory
✅ Basic Tools: Temperature-tint, curves, HSL selective coloring
✅ Advanced Techniques: Split toning, color masks, harmony adjustment
✅ Practical Application: Portrait, landscape, food, architecture grading schemes
✅ Professional Grading: Cinematic tones, unified brand style
✅ Complete Workflow: From analysis to completion standard process

Remember these key points: