Mastering the Essentials: A Comprehensive Guide to Fixing Exposure & White Balance in Premiere Pro

Fix Exposure & White Balance in Premiere Pro: a creator-friendly guide

If your footage looks too dark, blown out, or oddly tinted, the fastest way to level up is to fix exposure and white balance in Premiere Pro before any creative grade. In this step-by-step guide you’ll use Lumetri Color, read scopes (histogram, waveform, vectorscope), and dial in neutral skin tones with the WB eyedropper—so your grade starts on a rock-solid base. I tested this workflow on a rainy street vlog and a sunset wedding shoot; in both cases, clean exposure and WB instantly lifted perceived quality.

Want a pro head start while you learn? Try a versatile LUT pack, then fine-tune with Lumetri. Explore the 700+ Cinematic Video LUTs and keep browsing Cinematic LUTs for Premiere Pro—and remember our offer: Buy 3, Get 9 FREE.

Why exposure & white balance come first

Exposure preserves detail across shadows, midtones, and highlights so the image grades cleanly (no crushed blacks, no clipped whites).
White balance neutralizes color cast (blue daylight vs. warm tungsten), restoring natural skin and believable environments.
Get these right and every creative choice (contrast curve, film emulation LUT, HSL tweaks) behaves predictably.

Your command center: Lumetri Color

Open Window > Lumetri Color. In Basic Correction set the foundation (Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks, WB). Adobe’s official overview is a handy reference: Basic color correction options in Lumetri.

Read the picture, not your feelings: scopes

Toggle Window > Lumetri Scopes and keep them visible while adjusting. Use:

Histogram for tonal distribution (left=shadows, right=highlights).
Waveform (Luma) to judge brightness objectively (aim to keep signal inside legal range for SDR).
Vectorscope for hue/saturation; skin tones should cluster near the skin-tone line.

Learn each scope here: Lumetri scopes in Premiere Pro.

Step-by-step: fix exposure first

Exposure: Set overall brightness so the waveform sits comfortably (no hard clipping).
Highlights/Shadows: Recover bright skies or lift murky interiors without flattening midtones. Watch noise when lifting shadows.
Whites/Blacks: Establish clean white and true black points for snap and depth; avoid “crushing.”
Contrast: Add shape. If highlights or blacks clip, back off and rebalance.

Pro tip: If you overshoot, double-click any Lumetri slider to reset. For fast baselines on rough clips, try Auto Color (Adobe Sensei) and then fine-tune manually.

Then neutralize white balance

WB Eyedropper: In Basic Correction click a truly neutral area (white/gray). Temperature and Tint jump to a neutral baseline. See Adobe’s notes under White Balance in Basic Correction.
Manual refine: Nudge Temp (blue↔warm) and Tint (green↔magenta) while watching the vectorscope and, crucially, faces.
Mixed light? Use HSL Secondary to isolate problem hues (e.g., green cast from fluorescents) and correct them selectively. Learn the tool: HSL Secondary controls.

Refinement tools that make a big difference

Curves (RGB Curves & Hue Curves)

S-curve adds punch: gently pull shadows down and lift highlights; keep midtones honest for skin.
Hue vs Sat to tame oversaturated primaries (typical: neon reds, cyan skies).
Hue vs Hue to nudge skin toward the line without affecting the whole frame.

Local fixes with masks

For windows, faces, and backlights, create an Adjustment Layer with Lumetri and draw a mask to isolate the region. Feather generously; track if the subject moves.

Noise & sharpening order

If you lifted deep shadows, apply gentle noise reduction before sharpening. Keep sharpening subtle to avoid halos after export compression.

“Presets vs Manual Editing”: when each shines

Manual: Maximum control for tricky mixed light, brand-critical work, or log workflows.
LUTs/Presets: Speed + consistency for social, client batches, or when you want a starting look you can tweak.

Great hybrid approach: correct exposure/WB first, then audition a filmic base LUT and season to taste. Try the 700+ Cinematic Video LUTs, a clean aesthetic like Creamy Minimalist Cinematic LUTs, or a genre set such as the 300+ Music Video LUTs Pack.

A reliable, repeatable workflow

Organize: Select a representative clip.
Scopes up: Histogram + Waveform + Vectorscope.
Exposure foundation: Exposure → Highlights/Shadows → Whites/Blacks → Contrast.
Neutral WB: Eyedropper, then Temp/Tint; verify on vectorscope and skin.
Refine: Curves, HSL Secondary, masked adjustments.
Style: Add LUT/looks, adjust intensity, and balance saturation/vibrance.
Compare: Toggle Lumetri sections to confirm real gains; check on phone and desktop.

Common problems & quick fixes

Clipped highlights: Pull Highlights down; try Curves to recover roll-off; re-expose midtones if image looks flat.
Green office cast: Warm Temp slightly and nudge Tint magenta; isolate stubborn greens with HSL Secondary.
Mixed daylight+tungsten: WB for skin first; then isolate windows/lamps with masks for targeted correction.
Crunchy blacks after export: Raise Blacks a hair and reduce aggressive contrast; confirm in waveform 0–100 IRE.
Flat log footage: Correct exposure/WB, then apply a technical/log-to-Rec.709 LUT (if needed) before creative looks.

Real-world example (fast)

Underexposed indoor A-roll looks muddy; waveform hugs 0 IRE. Raise Exposure +0.6, lift Shadows +20, set Blacks to just kiss 0 IRE.
WB is too warm. Eyedropper on white shirt → Temp −300, Tint +5. Skin now sits near the skin-tone line.
Add a gentle S-curve and reduce oversaturated reds via Hue vs Sat.
Apply a subtle filmic LUT at 30–50% mix; re-balance contrast.

Keep learning with trusted references

Premiere Pro Basic Correction breakdown: Adobe’s Basic color correction options
Understand Histogram/Waveform/Vectorscope: Lumetri scopes guide
When to use HSL Secondary: Adobe’s HSL Secondary controls

Try this on your next edit

Build your neutral base, then audition a few cinematic looks to find the vibe. Start with 700+ Cinematic Video LUTs, add character with Creamy Minimalist Cinematic LUTs, or go bolder with the 300+ Music Video Color Grading LUTs Pack. Browse more in Cinematic LUTs for Premiere Pro. Buy 3, Get 9 FREE.

How do I know if I’ve nailed exposure?

Check the Waveform: blacks just above 0 IRE, highlights below hard clipping, and a healthy midtone presence. If it looks flat, add an S-curve—don’t just crank contrast.

Is the WB eyedropper always accurate?

It’s great when you have a truly neutral reference. If not, adjust Temp/Tint by eye and confirm skin on the vectorscope’s skin-tone line. For mixed light, correct skin first, then isolate problem areas with masks or HSL Secondary.

Should I use Auto Color?

Yes—as a starting point. Auto Color (Adobe Sensei) often gets you close; refine manually for consistent results across a timeline.

Where do LUTs fit in the order?

Technical/log conversion (if needed) → correct exposure/WB → creative LUT/look → finishing curves and polish. This keeps looks predictable.

Do I need to grade every clip from scratch?

No. Save Lumetri presets or adjustment layers and reuse. For speed and consistency, start from a reliable LUT, then tweak to match shots.

Questions or need help installing LUTs? Reach us via Contact—we respond fast.

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