How to colour grade video (the basics)

Colour grading turns flat footage into something cinematic. Start with these basics.

1. Correct exposure and white balance first. Fix brightness and colour casts before styling.
2. Balance shadows, mids and highlights. Use the wheels to set a clean base.
3. Set a look. Apply a subtle LUT or grade to establish mood.
4. Match your shots. Make clips in a scene look consistent with each other.
5. Keep it subtle and export. Less is usually more; then export your graded video.

Correction vs grading

There are two stages. Colour correction fixes problems — balancing exposure, white balance and contrast so footage looks natural and consistent shot to shot. Colour grading comes after, adding a mood or style (warm and golden, cool and moody, filmic). Always correct first, then grade.

The basic workflow

1. Set white balance so whites look neutral, not orange or blue.
2. Adjust exposure and contrast — lift shadows or tame highlights until detail returns.
3. Balance colour with the wheels: lift (shadows), gamma (midtones), gain (highlights).
4. Match your shots so cuts between them are seamless.
5. Add your look last with a subtle grade or a LUT — keep it tasteful.
6. Check on a calibrated screen and against skin tones, which reveal over-grading fast.

Tools and tips

DaVinci Resolve is the industry standard for colour and its grading tools are free, which makes it the best place to learn. Work with scopes (waveform and vectorscope) rather than trusting your eyes alone, grade in small moves, and remember the goal is to serve the story, not show off the effect.

FAQ

What software is best for colour grading?

DaVinci Resolve — the industry standard, with the best colour tools, free in its base version. See our video editing guide.

What is the difference between correction and grading?

Correction makes footage look natural and consistent; grading adds a creative mood or style on top. Correct first, then grade.