What is color correction?
Color correction is the process of fine-tuning colors to make sure they appear natural and consistent. Usually, this process fixes bad lighting, white balance, and washed-out colors.
Color correction usually involves adjusting:
- Brightness and contrast to balance light and dark areas.
- Saturation to make colors more vivid or muted.
- White balance to ensure that whites appear neutral and not tinted.
- Exposure to correct overexposed or underexposed footage.
Is color correction worth it?
Yes, color correction can make your video look more natural by removing issues that could appear jarring to viewers. These basic fixes improve the overall quality of your video so your audience can focus on the main content instead of being distracted by color inconsistencies.
What is the difference between color grading and color correction?
Color correction is about making colors look realistic, while color grading is more of an artistic process in which you change the color to set the tone. For instance, you can make the video seem warm or moody with color grading if the narrative of the video calls for this type of correction.
Should you color correct before or after editing?
You should color-correct once you’re done editing your footage. Otherwise, you’ll add unnecessary color correction on footage that may not make the final cut.
Troubleshooting videos with inconsistent colors
- Check that the brightest light in the room is on your face, rather than something behind you.
- Record with a brighter lighting setup.
- Your camera may be increasing its ISO (light sensitivity) to adapt to a darker space.
- If using an external camera, turn off your camera's auto-exposure feature and try to set a manual exposure.
- For example, for a Logitech camera change this setting using the Logi Tune Desktop software.
- If using an external camera, confirm that it is connected directly to your computer and not through a USB hub.
- Use the camera's software to reduce its default recording resolution.
