Advance Techniques for Color Correction

https://youtu.be/8b_mU7_sreg

Node Tree Overview

You will build a sequence of 3 distinct nodes:

1. Primaries Color wheel (Exposure & Tone)

2. WB (White Balance)

3. Curves (Midpoint & Luminance Curve)

Step 1: Adjust Exposure with Primary Luminance Sliders

1. Create a new node and name it Primaries.

2. Locate the luminance sliders underneath the wheels (the white sliders at the bottom of Lift, Gamma, and Gain)

3. Use only these luminance sliders to balance your shadows, midtones, and highlights.

   • Adjust Lift to set shadow depth without crushing detail into absolute black (0).

Adjust Gain to push your highlights up without clipping (1023).

Step 2: Correct White Balance

1. Create a new node and name it WB.

2. Open your Vectorscope window.

3. Check your Gain and adjust the color temperature/tint controls until your shot's neutral highlights and whites center correctly on the scope axis.

   
   

Step 4: Calibrate the Midpoint Curve

1. Create a new node and name it Curves.

2. Go to the Custom Curves panel. Unlink the RGB channels so that Y (Luminance) is the only channel selected. This guarantees you are only altering light, not saturation.

3. Isolate the Curve Node for Calibration:

   • Temporarily disable all other nodes in your node tree except for this Curves node.

   • Set your project Contrast and Saturation sliders to 0.

   • Move your Contrast Pivot to 0.435.

4. Open your Waveform Monitor:

   • Set the reference level Low to 64.

   • Set the reference level High to 940.

   • Turn on Show Reference Levels in the Waveform settings.

5. Make your curve adjustments to place your exposure midpoints precisely against the reference lines, giving you an evenly distributed, perfectly balanced image luminance.

Part 2: Rebalancing Uneven Light & Targeted Shaping

Phase 1: Fix Split/Uneven Exposure

When two sides of your frame or different subjects are lit unevenly, balance them inside your primary light node.

1. Return to Light Node: Select your primary light node (placed before WB and Curves).

2. Apply Gradient Mask: Open the Window panel and select the Linear / Gradient Window. Position and rotate it over the exposure split, then soften the blend handles heavily.

3. Rebalance: Adjust the Gamma (or Offset) slider inside the mask to bring the darker area up or pull the bright area down until exposure is even across the frame.

Phase 2: Create Depth with Layer Nodes

Guide the viewer’s eye by separating your subject from the background using a two-layer structure.

Build the Structure: Right-click the Curves node and choose Add Node → Layer Below (Alt+L / Option+L).

Isolate & Shape Subject (Top Layer):

• Rename the top node Subject.

• Use a Circular Window or Magic Mask to select your subject and soften the edges.

• Slightly lift Gamma or Gain to help the subject pop off the screen.

Adjust Background (Bottom Layer):

• Rename the bottom node Background.

• Open the Key panel and click Invert to target everything outside the subject mask.

• Slightly lower Gamma or Offset to dim the background and eliminate distracting highlights.