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What Is a LUT?
Janine van der Kooij - Vink
What is a LUT and how do you use it?
Color plays a major role in the look of a video. The right use of color can strengthen a story, set a mood, and evoke emotions in the viewer. But how do you ensure that the colors in your video look exactly as you envisioned them? That’s where color correction and color grading come in.
If you’ve ever delved into color correction or image editing, you may have come across the term LUT (Lookup Table). But what exactly is it? Simply put, a LUT is a preset color correction that you apply to footage to adjust the colors and contrast in a specific way. This can range from subtle adjustments to a completely new atmosphere that gives your image a specific appearance.
What are LUTs used for?
They are widely used in film, photography, and video production to quickly create a consistent style. For example, a warm ‘cinematic’ LUT can instantly give a video a filmic look, while a cooler LUT can create a more modern feel. Photographers often use them to speed up their post-processing and maintain a consistent style across their images.
In television productions and live broadcasts, they are also used to directly adjust colors based on lighting and environment. Additionally, LUTs are popular in the gaming industry to visually elevate a game by applying specific color adjustments that enhance the game world.
Why should you use LUTs?
If you’re working on video editing, you want footage that stands out and has a professional look. LUTs help you achieve the desired result faster and more consistently. They simplify the color correction process and let you experiment with different styles. But what makes them so useful?
It speeds up your color correction process
Color correction can take a lot of time, especially when manually adjusting every clip. LUTs take much of this work off your hands by applying preset color profiles. With one click, you bring your footage to the right color and contrast level. This not only saves time but also helps you achieve a professional look faster.
It gives a consistent look across different clips
When creating a video with multiple shots, slight variations in exposure and color can occur. By using a LUT, you give all your footage the same treatment. This ensures a uniform appearance within your video, which is especially important in longer projects or video series.
You can emulate the look of films or professional color profiles
Want your footage to feel like a movie or a specific cinematic style? LUTs help replicate well-known color profiles and filmic looks. Whether you prefer a warm vintage feel or a cool, futuristic atmosphere, the right LUT instantly gives your video the desired look.
Creative adjustments and style development
Beyond imitating existing color profiles, you can also develop your own style. By combining or adjusting different LUTs, you experiment with unique colors and contrasts that give your footage a personal signature. This makes your videos recognizable and distinctive.
By making smart use of standard or custom-made LUTs, you can take your video productions to the next level.
What types of LUTs are there and what are their applications?
It is a powerful tool for videographers and photographers who take color management seriously. Depending on the goal, there are different types, each serving a specific function. From technical color correction to creating a specific style, LUTs help you perfect your footage and achieve a consistent look.
Technical LUTs
When shooting in log profiles or RAW format, you often get a flat and desaturated image. Technical LUTs correct this by converting colors to a standard color space such as Rec. 709. This is especially useful in editing, so your footage immediately has a natural and balanced look. They ensure that skin tones are accurate, contrast is better balanced, and colors look realistic — without having to manually apply extensive corrections.
Monitoring LUTs
During filming, a monitoring LUT can be useful to get a realistic impression of what the final result will look like. This is especially helpful when shooting with flat color profiles, which often look lifeless on the camera. By loading one onto your camera or external monitor, you immediately see a correct image, allowing you to better judge whether exposure and color rendering are to your liking. This saves time and ensures you can make the right creative decisions during the shoot.
Creative LUTs
Want to give your footage a specific look? Creative LUTs are designed to instantly set a certain mood. From warm, nostalgic tones to cool, dramatic color palettes: with a creative LUT you can add a cinematic feel without extensive post-processing. This type is often used in storytelling to enhance emotion and style. Think of the deep colors of a Hollywood blockbuster or the soft, pastel tones of a romantic film.
LUTs are therefore much more than simple color filters. They are an important tool for both technical correction and artistic style. By using the right LUTs, you can elevate your footage and create a consistent look, whether you’re making a documentary or a cinematic music video.
The difference between 1D LUT and 3D LUT
There are different types of LUTs, of which the two best-known are 1D and 3D. A 1D LUT applies corrections to the three primary colors (red, green, and blue) separately. This means you can easily adjust brightness and contrast, but the colors remain connected to each other in the same way.
A 3D LUT, on the other hand, works more complexly and applies color changes on multiple levels. This means that in addition to brightness and contrast, you can also adjust the way colors mix together. This allows for finer color adjustments, which is especially valuable in film and professional video production.
How do you use a LUT in video editing?
Want to give your videos that little bit extra? With a LUT, you can quickly and easily apply a specific color style or mood to your footage. But how do you apply it in your video editing software? Here you can read step by step how to do this.
1. Import your footage and open the color panel
Start by importing your video recordings into your video editing program. Then open the color correction or color management panel. Each program has its own name for this, such as the Lumetri Color panel in Adobe Premiere Pro or the Color tab in DaVinci Resolve.
2. Add the LUT to your footage
In most programs, you can apply a LUT directly via the color panel. Choose the option to load or select a LUT, and browse to the LUT you want to use. Once you apply it, you immediately see the effect on your video.
3. Adjust the intensity and color correction
Sometimes it can be too strong or too subtle. Adjust the intensity by playing with the opacity or strength settings. Additionally, you can make small adjustments in exposure, contrast, and saturation to finalize the image to your liking.
4. Export your video
Satisfied with the result? Then it’s time to export your video in the right quality. This preserves the color rendering as you set it. Using a LUT makes color correction much easier and ensures your videos get a professional and uniform look. By experimenting with different LUTs, you’ll discover what works best for your style!
Where can you download free and premium LUTs?
Whether you’re just starting out with color correction or have been editing videos for years, the right LUTs can give your footage a beautiful atmosphere and professional look. Fortunately, there are many sources where you can download free and paid LUTs.
For free LUTs, you can visit websites such as Colour Grading Central. Here you’ll find a wide range of creative color profiles that you can apply directly to your videos. Many videographers and photographers also share their own LUTs via blogs or platforms like GitHub and Gumroad. Keep in mind that free LUTs are sometimes less optimized and may require some extra adjustments to perfectly suit your footage.
How do you create and customize your own LUTs?
Want to truly give your video footage a personal touch? Then creating and customizing LUTs yourself is a great way to develop your own style. With programs like DaVinci Resolve and Photoshop, you can create LUTs that perfectly match your vision. In DaVinci Resolve, you first adjust the colors with color correction and grading, after which you can export your settings as a LUT. In Photoshop, you can work with adjustment layers to edit the color and light feel of an image and then save these settings as a LUT file.
Once you have created a base LUT, you can refine it further to create a unique look. By working with adjustment layers such as Curves, Hue/Saturation, and Selective Color, you can add subtle nuances and adjust the mood of your images as desired. This not only provides control over the colors but also enables you to maintain a consistent style across different projects. Whether you’re working on a cinematic look, a vintage feel, or fresh and natural colors, creating your own LUTs gives you complete freedom to bring your footage to life.
Common mistakes when using LUTs
LUTs (Look-Up Tables) are fantastic tools for giving your videos a certain atmosphere or style. But a common mistake is applying a LUT too strongly, making your footage look unnatural. A subtle color correction can enhance your footage, while an exaggerated adjustment results in oversaturated colors, unnatural skin tones, and dark shadows where details are lost.
It’s important to use LUTs as a starting point and then fine-tune the settings to your footage. Every shot has its own characteristics, such as exposure and white balance, which affect how a LUT turns out. Blindly applying a color profile without making adjustments can result in footage that looks too artificial. Work with layers or adjust the intensity of the LUT to achieve a more natural effect.
A handy tip is to always correct with a lighter hand. Start with a lower intensity and increase it if needed. Additionally, it can help to combine it with small adjustments in contrast and saturation to achieve a more balanced and realistic final result. This ensures the LUT enhances your video rather than overshadowing it.
