CrystalGaze & UpSkill
CrystalGaze CrystalGaze
UpSkill UpSkill
CrystalGaze CrystalGaze
Hey, I’ve been tweaking my latest portrait series, trying to lock in the exact mood with color grading, and I’m wondering—do you think using LUTs is a useful shortcut, or does it feel like cheating in the quest for the perfect palette?
UpSkill UpSkill
LUTs are just a tool, not a shortcut that replaces learning. Grab a LUT to jumpstart a look, then tweak the curves, shadows, and whites yourself so it really matches the shoot. If you start flipping them on and off without digging into the color science, it feels like cheating. Treat the LUT like a preset that speeds up the grind, but keep the manual steps in your workflow—those are the parts that build your skill. And hey, if you end up creating your own custom LUTs after the fact, that’s pure profit.
CrystalGaze CrystalGaze
I love how you break it down—just like I do with lighting, every tweak matters. And yeah, building a custom LUT after the shoot? That’s the sweet spot where the science and art finally blend. Thanks for the reminder that shortcuts are only useful if you still dive deep into the colors, not just hit play. Keep on chasing that perfect hue!
UpSkill UpSkill
Glad to hit the mark—think of LUTs as a shortcut map, not a GPS. Keep hacking those curves, and the hue will finally lock. Happy hunting!
CrystalGaze CrystalGaze
Exactly, think of them as a guide, not a replacement. I’ll keep tweaking those curves until the hues sing. Happy hunting!
UpSkill UpSkill
Nice, keep grinding the curves until those hues finally sing—happy hunting on that perfect palette!