Question about color grading.

harmonica44 · Mar 4, 2015

I was told before on here in grading, not to color the shadows, or the lift, as it's called in the three way color correction wheel type system.

This causes the shadows to become tinted looking, and creates a faded look sort of. It just looks unnatural. I showed some comparisons to some movie making acquaintances, and they agreed. Maybe not so much as unnatural, but unusual, compared to most movie looks. I don't like it cause it takes the contrast away. I want my blacks to appear more black.

However, one thing about my camera, the Canon T2i, is that a lot of times the shadows can be red under certain lighting conditions, especially tungsten lights. Even when white balanced, if you are going for a shadowy look, there is some red in the shadows, and I would like a more cold look.

So instead of using the lift on the three way color corrector to add blue, in order to flush out the red in the shadows, and loose blackness in the blacks, is there another way I can pull the red down and perhaps add blue without the blacks being faded looking?

Thanks.

Sweetie · Mar 4, 2015

I was told before on here in grading, not to color the shadows

This is another classic example of H44 with your head up your ass. This is not what you were told.

I don't like it cause it takes the contrast away. I want my blacks to appear more black.

Stop doing stupid stuff and make your blacks, black.

there is some red in the shadows

2 options: Operator error or Broken Camera. Either way, it's a fairly simple adjustment. Read the manual and do the suggested training and you'll know that this is a rather simple adjustment.

I would like a more cold look

Make the appropriate adjustments.

So instead of using the lift on the three way color corrector to add blue, in order to flush out the red in the shadows, and loose blackness in the blacks, is there another way I can pull the red down and perhaps add blue without the blacks being faded looking?

Adding blue doesn't remove red, it adds blue.

What you're asking sounds rather simple though once again, you've neglected to include screen shots. No matter how many times you've been told, you just don't learn this simple thing.

Your problem with color grading is you don't understand the basics. RTFM and do some courses. There are some good ones out there that don't cost too much.

WhiteOpus · Mar 4, 2015

harmonica44 · Mar 5, 2015

Oh yes, my mistake. Sweetie, you said before that you could not think of a time that blue in the shadows should be used. But you said that it's more common in movies to color the shadows, other colors.

Even though adding blue does not take away, the red, once I have taken away the red, I still want to add blue anyway to get a cold look.

Sweetie · Mar 5, 2015

I said it's uncommon though it does get used in the horror genre, usually using greens, occasionally purple, though you're not ready for the exception to the rules when you haven't even read the rules, let alone understand them.

So you want to have black in the shadows by adding blue to the blacks? Do you really think that turning the blacks blue will give it a cold look?

Sweetie · Mar 5, 2015

I was told before on here in grading, not to color the shadows

Sweetie, you said before that you could not think of a time that blue in the shadows should be used. But you said that it's more common in movies to color the shadows, other colors.

This is the reason why I personally think you're a straight up and down idiot. You don't listen, you twist words for god only knows what reasons and you're surprised when things don't work out for you.

I'm guessing this is another one of your instructing the grader to have "less contrast" when if you had a clue, you'd know that you really mean more contrast and you have your head sunk so far into the sand, you simply cannot hear the shit you're shoveling.

harmonica44 · Mar 5, 2015

Okay, you're right. I tried to apply your advice before to a different situation, hence twisting the words. I'll ask the question from a clean slate, with no prior examples.

I want to make my shadows more cold or cool looking. I can do this by turning down the color temperature in the shadows in the blues. However, this makes the shadowy areas look more purple, and possibly less black. I don't like the purple, and would like more blue, but good blue. Is it possible to change the hue of the color temperature in the shadows, without changing the whole image? Cause if I change the lift hue wheel, it effects the whole image and creates a blue smear.

Aegis · Mar 5, 2015

Not sure what you're using for grading but if it's Resolve, try looking up log mode (page 510 in the manual) - that gives you more focussed control over what you're affecting than the primary color wheels.

Sweetie · Mar 5, 2015

I want to make my shadows more cold or cool looking.

So you want to turn your blacks blue? Then it's a simple modification to shift them blue.

I can do this by turning down the color temperature in the shadows in the blues.

Grats. Problem solved. Why write more?

However, this makes the shadowy areas look more purple, and possibly less black.

huh what? You want the color to be black and you want it to be blue.

I don't like the purple.

Then don't turn it purple. It's really that simple.

Is it possible to change the hue of the color temperature in the shadows, without changing the whole image?

Yep. You may need to redefine what region you want changed. Try using your HSL to change the area you want changed.

Have you read the manual yet?

Cause if I change the lift hue wheel, it effects the whole image

Yep, as expected.

and creates a blue smear.

Now you know how we feel about the h44 smear across the forums.

Hell, he's probably using notepad to color grade for all we know.