A color lookup table, or LUT, is a file that remaps the colors in an image to give it a particular look, such as a warm filmic grade. To use one, prepare a neutral edit, load the LUT in your editor, lower its strength if needed, and then fine tune skin tones and contrast.

How to Use Color Lookup Tables for Filmic Photo Color Grades

What a LUT Does

A LUT works like a conversion chart. For every input color, it lists an output color. Apply it, and the editor changes each pixel according to the chart. Some LUTs only adjust color, while others also change contrast and tone curves. Common file types include .cube and .3dl, and most photo and video editors can load them in a color grading section or as a layer.

Step by Step

  1. Build a neutral base. Correct exposure, white balance and lens issues first. A LUT works best on a clean, properly exposed file, preferably a raw file or a flat profile.
  2. Load the table. Add a color lookup layer or open the LUT section in your editor, then choose the file from your library.
  3. Look at the first result. Check skin tones, whites and shadows. Many LUTs are made for a particular tone range and can look heavy on images that are too bright or too dark.
  4. Adjust strength. Lower the opacity or amount slider. Settings around 30 to 70 percent often give a subtle result, but this varies, so use your eyes.
  5. Correct exposure again. If the LUT darkens or brightens the picture, adjust exposure either before or after it in the stack.
  6. Fix skin and key colors. If faces look too orange or green, use a selective color tool or a mask to bring them back to natural tones.
  7. Adjust contrast. Add or reduce contrast after the LUT with a curve, and check highlights for clipping.
  8. Add grain if wanted. A small amount of grain helps give a filmic texture and hides banding.
  9. Save the settings. Create a preset that includes the LUT and your corrections for use on similar photos.

Choosing a LUT

  • Read what the maker says it is designed for, such as log footage, raw photographs or portraits.
  • Try a LUT on several photos with different light before you settle on it.
  • Be cautious with very strong looks that crush shadows or turn highlights a single color.
  • Stick to LUTs you have the right to use, such as ones you made or that carry a clear license.

FAQ

Can I use video LUTs on photos?

Often yes, but many are made for log video and may look wrong on normal photographs. Treat them as a creative filter, and adjust the base image to suit.

Why do skin tones look strange after applying a LUT?

The LUT may shift hues or push saturation in the skin range. Reduce strength, change white balance or use a selective color edit to restore natural skin.

The Short Version

Begin with a clean base, load the LUT, reduce its strength, then repair skin tones and contrast. Save the combination as a preset so your filmic look stays consistent across a set of photographs.