I want to start posting and sharing more of my color grading work and showcase the before and after images. The process of color grading is more complex than 99% of people realize and there are so many details that need to be paid attention to.
This is the Reference Image and the overall look and feel I'm going to be working to match.
This is a still from the flat source file and the footage original comes from here Red Free Sample Footage. The image is naturally in a "flat" or "log" profile to save as much detail as possible and allow more flexibility in post production and color grading.
After all the adjustments are made with colors and saturation and contrast. You get the overall natural look. This should be what your subject looked like in real life when filming. This is the base grade and is also known as color correction. Hence the name you are correcting the flat image to look natural. Then this is where things get more fun. The next step is to go into color grading.
This is where the final image and look will be made to match the look and feel of the reference image posted above. Remember that the image will never be a 100% or a 1:1 exact replication due to so many different factors such as different people, location, camera and equipment, and completely different lighting situations. However when you work on things and you learn how to properly go about making the adjustments you can usually get pretty close.
What do you all think? How did the final image turn out in relation to the reference image? Comment below and let me know what you think and if anyone has any questions.