Mastering the Vertical Canvas: Your Comprehensive Guide to Grading for Reels, TikToks, and Social Formats

Vertical video color grading: how to make Reels, TikToks, and Shorts pop without losing realism

If you’ve ever crushed a cinematic grade on a 16:9 timeline and then felt disappointed when it looked “flat” on a phone, this guide is for you. Vertical video color grading (the 9:16 world of Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts) rewards clarity, smart contrast, confident color, and rock-solid skin tones. Below is a practical, creator-tested workflow that keeps your look consistent across platforms and screens—plus links to deeper reading and tools.

Quick win before we dive in: if you want a fast, consistent starting point for multiple shoots and phones, try creator-ready LUT bundles and browse curated collections—easy to tweak per clip and perfect for a vertical-first pipeline. Try these today—Buy 3, Get 9 FREE: Cinematic LUTs Pack and LUTs for Video.

Why vertical frames need a different grading mindset

People watch vertically, on the move, in mixed lighting, and decide in seconds whether to keep watching. Your grade must read clearly on small screens without looking garish on larger ones. That means stronger midtone separation, slightly bolder color, and carefully protected highlights and skin.

The 9:16 canvas and sequence setup

Start right at the timeline level: create (or re-create) sequences in 1080×1920 or 2160×3840, not 1920×1080 with a crop. Proper sequence setup avoids scaling softness and scope confusion, and it keeps graphics crisp. See Adobe’s guide to setting sequence aspect ratios in Premiere Pro.

A proven grading workflow for vertical content

Normalize exposure & white balance first. Use your scopes (Waveform for luma, RGB Parade for color balance). Nail neutrality before taste—this keeps skin and product colors believable across varied phone displays. For core “Basic Correction” controls in Lumetri, see Adobe’s Basic Color Correction options.
Build contrast for readability. Drive a gentle S-curve, protect toe/shoulder, and emphasize midtone separation. On phones, shallow contrast often reads as “soft”; excessive contrast clips detail. Aim for rich blacks that still show texture and highlights that keep detail around speculars and faces.
Direct attention with color. Use HSL qualifiers to nudge a single “hero” hue (product red, brand teal, fresh greens). Keep secondaries on a separate Lumetri/Node so you can toggle and match across cuts. For palette planning, experiment with Adobe Color’s harmony rules (analogous for calm, complementary for energy).
Skin first, style second. On the vectorscope, skin clusters should sit near the skin-tone line—then season to taste. If your look pushes teal/orange, adjust overall hues around the skin, not through it. Review Lumetri scopes in Premiere Pro and Adobe’s skin-tone correction tutorial.
Clarity & texture, not crunchy sharpness. A touch of “Texture/Clarity” (or mild mid-frequency contrast) helps micro-detail read on mobile without halos. Save fine sharpening for the very end; over-sharpening plus platform compression = brittle edges.
Test on a real phone in bright and dim environments. Vertical content is judged on-device. Do a quick pass at 50% and 100% screen brightness and scan for crushed blacks, clipped highlights, or oversaturated reds.

My field notes from creator work

I tested this workflow on a two-camera talking-head shoot and a high-motion travel montage. On the talking head, I let contrast live in the mids, kept warmth just right of the vectorscope skin line, and used a gentle teal push in shadows outside the skin key. For travel, I bumped saturation +10–15 globally, then used HSL to lift only water/cyan and foliage/green while taming clipping in bright skies.

Presets vs manual grading (and how to blend both)

Presets/LUTs: Speed, consistency, and brand identity. Drop a show LUT or creative LUT to set a vibe fast—then trim with exposure, WB, and targeted secondaries. Great for social teams and multi-shooter workflows.

Manual grading: Maximum control and adaptation. You’ll fix mixed lighting, unify different cameras, and finesse product colors and skin with precision.

Best of both: Start with a LUT preset that matches your aesthetic, then localize the tweaks per scene. For repeatable deliverables, build your own “vertical base” LUT from a dialed reference grade and stack scene-specific adjustments above it. Try creator-favorite packs to jump-start your look: 700+ Cinematic Video LUTs and Music Video LUTs Pack.

Platform-aware choices that keep viewers watching

Contrast you can see in two seconds. Slightly stronger midtone contrast helps faces and products “read” in motion and on small screens.
Color with purpose. Pick one hero hue per scene; keep the rest supportive. Vertical frames are tighter—competing colors feel chaotic.
Protect highlights and whites. Over-white backgrounds flare easily on OLED phones. Roll off highlights; use soft keys for faces.
Noise discipline. Mid-tone lifts can accentuate phone-visible noise. Prefer selective noise reduction and protect texture in hair/eyes.

Step-by-step vertical session template

Prep & conform – Build a 9:16 sequence (1080×1920 or 2160×3840). If reframing wides, use Auto Reframe to keep subjects centered, then re-grade for the new framing. Reference: Premiere Pro aspect ratio setup.
Primary balance – Fix exposure/WB; ensure blacks sit above crush and whites below clip. See Basic Correction in Lumetri.
Creative contrast – Gentle S-curve; add local contrast with masks (faces, products) as needed.
Targeted color – Two secondaries max per shot (e.g., skin + product hue). Keep saturation bias modest; re-check on phone.
Look layer / LUT – Apply your creative LUT at the end of primaries; trim intensity. Save a “Vertical_Base” version for future projects.
Finishing – Texture/clarity, subtle sharpen, noise cleanup. Export at native vertical resolution.

Keep color consistent across shoots

Make a “vertical color bible”: a one-page doc with target skin hue/sat ranges, brand hex values, hero color rules, and reference frames. Keep a three-clip test reel (dim indoor, daylight, mixed light) for quick cross-checks. For deeper color discipline across devices and exports, it helps to understand ICC color management and the role of a profile connection space (PCS) in ensuring predictable transforms between devices (neutral reference: ICC).

Real-world scenarios (and exactly what to tweak)

Fast travel montage

Boost global saturation slightly; lift blues/cyans selectively for water/sky.
Use a vignette or gradient to anchor subjects in tight frames.
Keep highlights tame; phone panels amplify glare.

Product how-to

Prioritize accuracy over style; lock WB to a neutral reference.
Use masked contrast on the product only; avoid heavy overall curves.
Keep brand color within Adobe Color harmonies (e.g., complementary for “pop”).

Lifestyle & fashion

Pick one hero hue per scene (e.g., wardrobe or background neon) and cool the rest.
Skin secondaries always active; small hue shifts, never swings.
Use a lightweight teal-in-shadows if your palette needs cinematic separation.

Quick FAQ

What resolution should I export for vertical?

1080×1920 for Full HD vertical or 2160×3840 for 4K vertical. Match your sequence to reduce scaling artifacts and preserve text/graphic sharpness.

How do I keep skin tones consistent across clips?

Balance WB first, then isolate skin with HSL/qualifiers and align the cluster near the vectorscope skin line; trim saturation and hue gently.

Are LUTs okay for vertical content?

Yes—use them as a fast “look layer,” then adapt exposure/WB and run targeted secondaries for skin and hero colors. Save a tuned “vertical base” for speed across projects. Try: 300+ Music Video LUTs.

Should I grade differently for TikTok vs Reels?

The core approach is the same; lean a touch brighter and punchier for fast-scroll feeds, but always protect skin and highlights. Test on an actual phone before posting.

Do I need to worry about color management?

For short-form social, keep your pipeline simple and consistent. If you deliver across many devices and platforms, understanding ICC color management and PCS helps keep colors predictable.

Try this next (and keep your look consistent)

If you want a reliable, vertical-friendly starting point you can apply across shoots and creators, grab a curated LUT bundle and refine per scene. You’ll work faster and keep brand identity tight across platforms—Buy 3, Get 9 FREE: Cinematic LUTs Pack • 700+ Cinematic Video LUTs • LUTs for Video. For photo-first creators who also post vertical stills, consider 1000+ Master Lightroom Presets for a matching visual identity.

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