Color grading

What is color grading?

The German term for “color grading” is “color correction” or “color adjustment”. The colorist's work goes beyond just setting the white balance. In pure correction, in addition to the white balance, all possible side effects are corrected, such as color contamination due to color reflections, light sources with different color temperatures, correcting skin tones, lighting errors, etc. In the creative part of color grading, special looks are created that emphasize the respective scene This also includes local adjustments, for example limited to the face.

Why color grading?

When you record a movie without using a camera, the camera software interprets sensor data of the scene. By adjusting the colors, contrasts and local changes, color grading creates the final look, the mood of the scene.
The color grading is based on the type of video in question. Documentaries are generally set in color very close to reality in order to create an atmosphere as if you were there on location. In contrast, for very artistic videos such as music videos, commercials or feature films, grading emphasizes the desired mood to be created.

More professional results through color grading

Good color grading gives you a harmonious image, and you can also push the mood of the video in the desired direction by manipulating the colors, contrasts and light gradients.