Client Workflow: How Professional Colorists Use Grading in Real Jobs

Professional Color Grading Workflow: From Creative Brief to Delivery

A professional color grading workflow isn’t just “making shots pretty”—it’s a repeatable system for translating story and brand into color. In this guide, I’ll walk through a practical colorist client workflow you can apply whether you’re doing DaVinci Resolve color grading or Lightroom/Camera Raw finishing. We’ll cover shot matching, power windows and qualifiers, using LUTs for video without overbaking a look, and how to prep deliverables for HDR vs SDR (including Rec.709 web masters). I’ll also share pro tips I use on paid gigs and a quick comparison of presets vs manual editing so you can balance speed with control.

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Step 1 — The Pre-Grading Huddle (Setups That Save You Later)

Before a single node or color wheel, align on intent. Treat this like a mini creative brief you can reference when feedback gets subjective.

Vision & emotional arc: Name the mood in plain language: “gritty neo-noir,” “warm commercial elegance,” “cold distance.” Pin two or three adjectives for each sequence and note where the mood changes.
References: Mood frames, stills, paintings—anything that communicates contrast ratios, skin tone placement, and palette. Build a lightweight lookbook.
Tech specs & deliverables: Where does this live—cinema, broadcast, YouTube, phones in bright rooms? Decide early if you need HDR (PQ/HLG) and an SDR Rec.709 trim.
Time & scope: Agree on review rounds, what counts as “a pass,” and which changes are cosmetic vs structural (e.g., re-lighting with power windows across 40 shots is structural).

First-hand note: On a recent commercial, we locked three look adjectives per scene (clean, glossy whites, warm neutrals) before I touched Resolve. That alignment cut revision time in half.

Step 2 — Primary Grade (The Foundation)

Primary corrections establish technical balance and the project’s base aesthetic.

Normalize footage: If you’re in log/RAW, convert to a working space (CST, IDT, or a technical LUT) and set a consistent exposure/white balance baseline across the scene.
Shot matching: Balance exposure, color temperature, and contrast so cuts feel invisible. Use scopes: waveform for luminance structure, vectorscope for skin placement, parade for channel bias.
Define contrast curve: Choose a curve shape that matches mood (lifted blacks for nostalgic softness; deeper toe for drama; gentler shoulder for highlight roll-off).
Establish palette: Decide where neutrals live (slightly warm? clinically neutral?), where skintones sit on the vectorscope line, and how saturated mids/highs should feel.

Need a refresher on core tonal tools? See Adobe’s article on working with tone and color in Lightroom Classic and the Lightroom Classic Color Grading feature overview.

Step 3 — Secondary Grade (Story-Driven Refinement)

Secondaries sculpt attention and emotion without breaking the base.

Isolation with masks/windows: Lift a face in shadow, cool a steel backdrop, or subdue a bright sign. Lightroom/ACR’s Masking panel and Resolve’s power windows are your best friends; learn automatic selections and tracking. See Adobe’s guide to Masking in Lightroom Classic.
Qualifiers (HSL keys): Target only the foliage greens, or just the saturated neon. Nudge hue, tame luminance, protect skintones with narrow keys and clean despill.
Micro-contrast & texture: Gentle clarity/texture in mids can add presence; be cautious in faces to avoid plasticity or gritty pores.
Skin tone management: Anchor skin on/near the vectorscope skin line; prefer selective adjustments to global hue shifts. Subtle warming of mids often reads “premium.”

Field note: I tested a soft mid-tone lift + mild cyan shadow bias on a wedding prep sequence; the dress held detail while skin stayed natural. That combo became the project’s “morning” look.

Step 4 — LUTs Without the Handcuffs

LUTs for video are great as a sketch—not a cage.

Use as a starting point: Apply a creative LUT at reduced intensity (20–60%), then re-balance primaries underneath. Keep the look modular so you can swap later.
Customize, don’t cookie-cut: Build parallel nodes/adjustment layers for look vs correction so you can adjust the LUT’s effect on highlights/shadows independently.
Protect skin & neutrals: Key or mask skin before the LUT if it pushes too far; let wardrobe/production design carry more of the stylization.

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Step 5 — Collaboration Loops That Actually Work

Great color is a conversation. Make it easy for clients to give precise notes.

Share WIPs with time-coded notes: Export watermarked H.264s for quick review; request timecode + desired outcome (“01:15:32, lift face ⅓ stop”).
Batch changes logically: Group notes by scene/look so you don’t re-break matching. Tackle structural fixes before cosmetic ones.
Lock language: Define what “pop,” “film-like,” or “neutral” means on your project (e.g., “neutrals live at D65, skintone slightly warm”).

Step 6 — Delivery (SDR/HDR and Platform Masters)

When the client signs off, conform and render with intent for each screen.

Conform: Ensure picture-locked timeline parity (edits, handles, speed changes) before final renders.
SDR Web/Broadcast: Rec.709 masters for YouTube/social/broadcast—consider a separate “bright-environment” trim for mobile viewing.
HDR Masters: PQ or HLG in Rec.2020 for supported platforms, then create a faithful SDR trim pass rather than auto-mapping.
Color management hygiene: Keep profiles/working spaces consistent from grade to export. For a neutral overview of device profiles, read the ICC’s introduction to the ICC profile format.

For Lightroom output color management basics, see Adobe’s color management guide for Lightroom Classic.

Presets vs Manual Editing (Which Should You Use?)

Presets (speed + consistency): Best for baselining a series, social workflows, or aligning multiple shooters. Expect to tweak exposure/WB, skin, and contrast per shot.
Manual editing (maximum control): Necessary for high-stakes storytelling, mixed lighting, or unique palettes. Slower, but protects skin/brand fidelity.

Practical hybrid: Start with a preset/LUT to set palette & contrast quickly, then refine secondaries. That combo gives you predictability without a “template” look. If you need a cohesive foundation, explore the Master Lightroom Presets and Cinematic LUTs, then tune secondaries per scene.

Rapid, Repeatable Workflow (Cheat Sheet)

Brief: Lock 2–3 adjectives per scene + reference stills.
Normalize: Bring log/RAW to working space, set WB/exposure.
Match: Balance shots with scopes before look work.
Look: Establish curve + palette; test one hero shot per scene.
Refine: Mask faces, tame neon, protect skin; add micro-contrast.
Review: Share WIP with time-coded notes; batch revisions.
Deliver: Render SDR Rec.709 + HDR where needed; QC thoroughly.

Pro Tips from the Suite

Start neutral, then stylize: It’s faster to add a distinct palette to a stable base than to fix a stylized mess.
Skin is king: Mask it early. Even a heavy stylized look reads premium if skin remains natural.
Don’t global-saturate: Prefer selective saturation in mids and targeted hues; preserve highlight color separation.
Two scopes at once: Waveform for exposure, vectorscope for skin; glance at both before approving a scene.
Save look templates: Keep reusable node stacks/Lightroom presets for “morning soft,” “office cool,” “night sodium” to iterate quickly.

FAQ

What’s the fastest way to get a cohesive look across a mixed camera shoot?

Normalize each camera first (technical transform), match exposure/WB, then apply a look layer (preset/LUT) and refine with masks. Lock skin early so style tweaks don’t break people.

Should I grade in HDR if most viewers are on SDR screens?

If the delivery includes HDR platforms, grade in HDR and create a careful SDR trim. If it’s purely web/social today, a well-made Rec.709 master is efficient and consistent for mobile viewing.

How do I keep faces natural with a strong stylized palette?

Key/mask skin before creative adjustments, protect it from extreme hue shifts, and add subtle warmth in midtones. Use the vectorscope skin line as a sanity check.

Are LUTs bad for professional work?

No—overreliance is. Use LUTs as modular building blocks: reduce intensity, isolate problem areas, and keep corrective nodes separate from creative nodes for flexibility.

What’s the difference between presets and manual editing?

Presets give speed and consistency; manual editing gives precision. Most pros combine them: preset for baseline, manual for scene-specific refinement.

Next Steps

Build a reliable grading baseline and iterate faster on every project. Start with the 1000+ Master Lightroom Presets and round out your video looks with the Cinematic LUTs Pack, then explore the full Lightroom Presets collection. Buy 3, Get 9 FREE.

External resources worth bookmarking: Adobe’s guide to Masking in Lightroom Classic, Lightroom Classic Color Grading overview, Lightroom Classic color management basics.

Written by Asanka — creator of AAAPresets (10,000+ customers).