Get Better Color Balance pt. 1

[@nwasoul]

This is better than 99% of the content about color grading. I appreciate your mind. What makes you so profound is that you explain why you do something. It’s not as subjective.

[@LifeOfRaceer]

I’ve learned so much watching your videos in the past month then I have been in the past years. 🎉🎉🎉

[@pinkgiraffe808]

Cullen, you make the best content when it comes to color grading, hands down. Your time and effort are appreciated, never stop!

[@JimRobinson-colors]

I tend to analyze whether the image requires more or less exposure and then decide by looking at the parade if I need to go negative on the blue printer light, lowering the overall exposure, or raise the red/green which raises the exposure. This is why the exposure node for me is followed by the balance node - they both work together for exposure.

[@gabrielwolfcolor]

Awesome tutorial! Note: I tend to get the quickest and best results, if I focus on skin color, if there is any. Brains seem to manage these colors the best... 🙂

[@unconsenting81]

I have learned so much here on your channel! I don't have a trackball so I have been using printer lights mapped to my Streamdeck and love the results I get. I can fine tune much easier with this tool rather than using my mouse with the bullseye

[@Edudigi]

I really connect to your theachings... You are my colorgrading mentor. Thank you.

[@johnmeric492]

This is pretty clear, you can mix a nice coctail between gain, gamma or gamma lift, this makes things very simple. Thank you

[@UraFlight]

Amazing explanation 😊Thank you so much for sharing this information with us Cullen

[@frank2067]

I wish I stumbled on Cullen Kelly first when I started learning the color page. So much amazing info.

[@franzmathauser]

Thanks Cullen, looking forward for all what’s coming up. Love your content ❤

[@arunpaul8624]

It’s always exciting.Thanks

[@JanKlier]

Very good and concise demonstration of these principles, and always good reminder. While the whole look development is a separate topic, I think it was skipped over a bit too easily. In the name of finding that balance, it should be portrayed as 'you need to be able to build that look for the core balance, but that's a separate topic, this is how to take the core balance and refine it to a shot or project'. Otherwise the door stays open to just slapping on a look LUT and not understanding why it works, or trying to match a look LUT with a balance that doesn't match and fight it. That would undermine the idea of understanding balance and over processing the final shot.

[@robrunz]

Great demonstration! I really appreciate these shorter tutorials as I don’t always have the time to watch the longer sessions, although I do try. 👍

[@mihirkumarnayak2299]

Great content... my sincere request to you that if you can make a playlist of all of your videos serially in order for a complete beginner to advanced as what he should know 1st and then what other things....it may take time sir but u have so much knowledge and if someone beginner like me wants to learn from the starting to advanced then it will be easier for him to find which video to watch 1st and then which video in 2nd like that.......can u do this sir because i get confused about where to start and where to go next ? This is my request sir. You are a great teacher ❤

[@mihirkumarnayak2299]

@@CullenKelly okay thank you so much

[@alexabesadubitrusbyanyiko6742]

Incredibly insightful!

[@mykyta.kutepov]

Thanks a lot. Great amount of valuable information!

[@satyamdograreallife]

Ooh Yeah Cullen Grow'em Hair Out. It suits your Face. Also Explaining us to Elevate it & make more Compelling was the Statement I was Looking for as to what Balancing really meant.

[@RootCinemas]

I was waiting for this topic, Thanks for bringing this insight.

[@mellowmel2012]

Thank you for the foundation!

[@nexxtfilm]

thank you so much. I thought / for me balancing is: 2 things. balancing the shot that, for example the sky is actually blue, and white is actually white. and second thing which is much more important. balancing the exposure so the shadows really sit down the lights sit up. for me I thought this is essential that if you work on the next steps such as HSL curves, if you change lum vs sat or other stuff, the software changes colors the right way. what you did in this video is for me the look, so the stuff you do after balancing. giving it the right mood. so conclusion: if the look already looks the way you want it to look at the end, its important to neutrolize it and balance it and give the look back as it already looked like before balancing to have the right input values for the resolve tools. I tend to complicate my workflow so I might talk real shit. Hope you read this text because it's really interesting for me. @CullenKelly

[@ameramdouni3584]

i'm also confused a bit , i tend to neutralize the image then apply a look , like in the car scene as he balanced like he applied the sunset vibe look

[@nexxtfilm]

@@CullenKelly thank you so much. ok this might change where u work. I shoot most of the videos by myself which I colorgrade. Im sure if you are a colorist and work with footage which is more professional, technical balancing is not necessary that often. How essential is a grading panel you would say? I will get one soon and Im stoked how my work will change...

[@Mionwang]

THIS is exactly what I needed! Thank you so much!! :)

[@teamboaz3466]

WOW! what a teacher!!!

[@photography6829]

Yes man at the perfect time 🔥💙💙

[@nathansextoncolour]

Been waiting for this! Great first installment. I am still waiting for the approach on lesser quality footage 😂 I try to only stick to offset and may add a temp/tint adjustment if I am fighting it to much. What I found interesting is that your look is in place before any correction takes place. Maybe that is because the footage is well exposed and balanced. Would you take the same approach in poorly balanced/exposed footage. Meaning creating a look then attacking the balancing etc under it? OR is it better to color correct the footage first to get a more cohesive match then apply the look? There are many different approaches to this and everyone has a different opinion. Does having a look in place before “balancing” make it harder to match? What I find when using offset is if you push like you did it can create a bit of a wash look (sometimes pleasant-sometimes not), sometime effecting to much of the low end. Would you then apply a counter adjustment in your lift (at the clip level when working in groups) to create more separation or do you think this is going down a rabbit hole and that color separation is best applied with the offset and that your global look should be focusing on helping the color separation or split. Would be interesting to hear your opinions mate.

[@nathansextoncolour]

@@CullenKelly thanks so much for the reply. Hearing a solid answer/explanation from a senior colorist such as yourself makes all the difference and gives me more confidence in attacking my future projects. Looking forward to grade school mate!

[@Mrbenbarbie]

I love your videos so much. Even taking into consideration setting up a properly managed project, I still have difficulties when it comes to processing F-Log or now f log 2 to be properly managed. Could you do a breakdown on getting those into either aces or DaVinci wide (whichever) on a project level

[@Bachelor_Gabe]

Thanks from a noob. Saw your name on a reddit post and glad I've checked you out.

[@Veptis]

Thank you for bringing it down to the concepts. i love the idea of coloring, although I only do stills nowadays. And the tools for stills aren't as good as Resolve

[@MacMagic]

SUPER GOOD MORNING FROM BOLLYWOOD, MUMBAI!!!!!!

[@Jossy.mp4]

Legend. I love your class

[@gconlon]

I have a similar request to Benjamin S. I have learned so much from your tutorials Cullen thank you very much for this. I have found when working with Sony SLog3 techniques like using an HSV Saturation node just don't behave in a workable manner especially when it comes to skin tones. On the Color Balance Grade School, it would be amazing to see a breakdown of a number of the different footage types eg Sony, Fuji, RED, Arri working with problematic footage on the verge of recoverable, the kind of shots which will rescue a project. It's great seeing beautiful images from the start which can be enhanced but my main concern is seeing how a pro colorist rescues problematic color balance issues on real-world issues.

[@gconlon]

@@CullenKelly Excellent thanks Cullan, I have to say your tutorials have given fresh understanding on color even on fundamental issues. I would love to see a comparison of different footage types when using color management with a focus on skin tones. SLog3 seems to be especially problematic on ruddy red complexions.

[@BNBN-oo8zk]

I've learned a lot from your videos. You've demystified a lot of color concepts. Do you have any plans for videos about Exposure and Contrast Ratio?

[@northwestimage]

fuck what a valuable installment in color balancing, thank you for uploading this because I learned such a great deal in subtle adjustments. thank you!

[@MichaelKaykov]

Thank you 🎉

[@AdNessTv]

Hey Cullen:) frost thank you for all the information you gave on this Channel The value is insane!! I have bought your lut pack that I love very much, but one thing I need to understand why other says all the time to balance your image before putting a LUts on and the way you do it is just the opposite? Pls can you light me on this subject 🙏🏻

[@AdNessTv]

@@CullenKelly yes completely understand but I will put my question differently lol 😂 (I think I was not precise sorry) So I will gave the example on they way you do it :) First we do proper Color management then on the Timeline level we put TONE and PALET one will be contract one will change the color (hope I’m right) then on the shot level we will do expo,ratio and then balance my question is by the time we arrive to the balance level we still have the LUT that change our color so we basically balancing an image that all ready been change so do I need to “mute” my timeline level and then do the balance or not? Thank you so much for taking the time and answering as 🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️

[@lushinjilo]

Hey Cullen, awesome lessons here and great book! I was just testing out this node workflow, all was well but now the LUT applied to the timeline is not affecting the clips. I can only see the LUTs effect when I switch to the timeline node view. What setting did I change unknowingly?

[@iamzebra7025]

Hey man. Thanks for dedication and information. Much appreciated!!! One thing that I can not find answer to anywhere is: If you set up your color management in the Project settings does that interfere with f.ex setting a film look with Cineon film log CST and the actual film look node which in a CST based management seems to go after the actual "last CST"...? Thank you in advance

[@flochfitness]

Great work! Have you used the HDR for this same process? How do the effects compare to lift/gamma/gain? Thanks!!!!

[@flochfitness]

@@CullenKelly appreciate the reply 🙏🏻

[@jd3047]

This is good!

[@satyamdograreallife]

Cullen, I shoot Videos with my Galaxy Device. How do I set up Color Management for that ??

[@arthurrill]

In a managed timeline, should I add a 'curve' before or after 'primaries' in a node tree?

[@SouthasianSaeein]

hey cullen, hope you are well. I constantly watch all your content. I have a question, i usually grade using my HDR specially the global rather than offset. Is there s difference if i use the global wheel rather than offset as it gives more uniformity specially once we dial in the the color space and the gamma of the camera which we are using as in my case its the A7siii.

[@SouthasianSaeein]

@@CullenKelly ohh thats great. Thanks alot for the reply professor

[@acoast84]

Cullen, but what about those Temp and Tint sliders on Primaries palette? Are there any reason to use those as well? Will those approach color differently? Or is it just a matter of having more fine control when adjusting color on the wheels?

[@huangyunyun1551]

Thanks Cullen, it is really helpful for me as a beginner to learning color correction. But I'm also very confused when I see other colorist pull the wheels in one directions, and pull another wheel to the opposite directions to balance the color which add in the first steep. And he always take a very long time to move between the three color wheels, to find the cleanest result he can get. But as a beginner, I don't know the logic and don't know how to control the three balls and make it balance. What I felt really confuse is that do I need to use three wheels and adjust them again and again to get the clean image? Or I just need using one wheel like Offset or Gain to achieve the goals？How much difference will be between those two ways in color balance?

[@EdwardKilner]

@4.36. C2: You say something about “on top of this”, i think. I’ve heard other editors use layers, and I think the top layer dominates over lower. You are using a node sequence. Is the rightmost node like the top layer? Is there video/text I should have read? Again, you are not alone, but the mystery is still unsolved.

[@amswil3232]

thanks Cullen Kelly

[@vmixer]

Preach!

[@MacMagic]

WOW!!!!

[@msmoozesful]

Hi Cullen first All due thanks and appreciations for what you do for us, my question,I’ve noticed that you always use a sort of two separate parallel route why is it not all serial and whats the benefit of it over the all serial one thanks.

[@msmoozesful]

And also you showed a very clever subtractive colour adjustment node tree with layer mixers subtraction and adding etc in one of your livestreams and mentioned that because of its complexity you are doing it in DCTLs do you have a I don’t really know what should we call code or how could I develop one I haven’t found anything in this regard on KZbin so some form of it that I could buy from you , to be honest I barely know what Im talking about , could you help me out pls

[@msmoozesful]

Im very much into them ,I mean thera are some out there but none of them based on that subtractive node config, so as soon as u develop one I’ll be the first for it !

[@RichsBrainless]

Since im used to work with Printer lights, i rly do love the possibilty to reproduce certain looks, by knowing how Many steps i went into r g or b. When Using the resolve Color wheels with my panel, it takes away some of continuity, and Kind of makes it Harder to communicate with my Clients. Anyway..i will give gain a try. Btw, is it possible to work in a similar Printer lights way with gain? (Im Using the numpa) Thx cullen - great as always 👼

[@RichsBrainless]

@@CullenKelly where can i get it ? (the plugin) thx! :)

[@bobmusikk]

I tried to make a template with these nodes, and when I load it there's no nodes in color, so I dont know how to make a template :)

[@rafabernabeu4611]

Also, funnily enough the temp and tint options in the primary wheels tab is just gain constrained to a certain values. And temp/tint in the HDR wheels tab just linear gain :p

[@ameramdouni3584]

in a narrative context , having a warm light 3200k as the DP watned it to be like, i suppose no need to balance anything , just go for your secondaries then the look , !! or how would you approach it!

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

Interesting. I've been doing this for years and I almost don't use Offset unless I want strong stylization. Offset also colors my shadows and in my opinion, black should be black. Where there is no light, there is no color.

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

@@cicolas_nage I'm not talking about shadows, I'm talking about blacks. But sometimes black doesn't even have to be black if the scene is foggy, with sun flares, or underwater, or if I want stylization. In other words, if I make a correction with Offset, I then have to correct the deffects that this tool has caused. So isn't it better to use the tool directly that does what I want? (gain, gamma, and gently lift)

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

@@cicolas_nage As you say, it's all about taste. I'm just curious. It's good to talk about things, not just blindly listen to something. What else is interesting is that until Resolve 10, the Offset Wheel was not present. It's also not on the mini and micro panel and you have to press the switch button. If it's so essential, why is it a secondary feature?

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

@@cicolas_nage Thanks for the clarification. like I said, I'm just curious, if I wasn't curious I wouldn't learn anything:)

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

@@cicolas_nage Don't worry my friend, thanks:)

[@antonarap]

The default "color temperature" operation offered by resolve is a gain operation. Why is that? Is it that in camera balancing affects more the highlights than the shadows?

[@ameramdouni3584]

indeed color temperature operate like Gain , but camera balancing work as offset in resolve ,

[@antonarap]

@@CullenKelly I guessed so much but isn't Davinci supposed to adjust tool functionality according to the timeline colorspace? So wouldn't that mean that Offset is always linear and Temp always the same despite of timeline being logarithmic?

[@EdwardKilner]

C1: you turn things on and off. I’m not sure what things. You don’t say how to turn on/ off. You are not alone in this, unfortunately. Am I supposed to view a more basic video for this, or read something? @4.01 for writing.

[@eddu4361]

I expected white balance to be about making sure whites are white and blacks are black. And also to be a prerequisite for creating creative looks thereafter. Why is that not your objective or intent?

[@martin.colours]

He talks about color balance. Not necessarily white balance.

[@alexbulliofficial]

Unless you're working purely on educational or non-"creative" commercial work, black blacks and white whites are not only unnecessary, but often undesired. White & black balancing is something done in camera on set to capture the source footage you're looking for, where as color balance is a creative tool used to drive emotional engagement

[@MPAflix]

@@alexbulliofficial I don't understand either why he use the same node to create/enhance a desired look(color balance he called here), I thought his balance node was meant just for white balance.

[@ameramdouni3584]

@@MPAflix he balance his shot protecting skintones like he did in the last shot , like in the first shot , he only balanced his image to serve him better later on when he enhance the look , this is what i understood

[@alexbulliofficial]

@@MPAflix In the intro he specifically states what he's talking about: "balance, for a creative colorist, working in a contemporary color grading context is not about correcting the footage, it's not about fixing things, it's not about neutralizing things, it's about elevating, its about enhancing. We are not here to correct, we are here to compel" It's about achieving a desired emotional response in the viewer

[@EdwardKilner]

C3: @6:41 Turn what on and off? How? Where can I learn this? Would it really slow your video down too much to show how? Ok, I’ll stop. But you are not alone in doing this. Unfortunately, almost every colorist makes videos the same way. If your aim is to teach newbies, you’re all failing. If we newbies need to complete a run up course, please point us to it.

[@robrunz]

Great demonstration! I really appreciate these shorter tutorials as I don’t always have the time to watch the longer sessions, although I do try. 👍