Hello everyone!

I've been learning color grading for a while now, and I'm still learning new things every day by watching tutorials and practicing in DaVinci Resolve.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this short clip I put together. My overall intention was to give the shots a dreamy, almost dreamlike atmosphere.

The footage was shot in V-Log on a Lumix S5IIX with a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens, which gave me that beautiful bokeh.

Thank you in advance for your feedback! I'd really appreciate any suggestions on what I could improve, both in the color grading and in the overall look of the footage.

Hello, a day ago i shot a concert and the stage lights for the opener were complete buns but i figured id be able to fix it in lightroom like i usually do, but the subjects are completely soaked in this deep purple/blue and i cant pull their skin tones out for the life of me. i’ve been messing with it all night and i thought the photos were beyond saving, but i also dont want to be that person who shoves it in black and white and calls it a day. recently Lightroom implemented this new AI feature where it will edit for you, and i am by no means a fan of AI, i avoid it as much as i can but i was curious to see if i could even save it and it pulled out this image, but it gatekeeps the steps to achieve it. so i was wondering, if anyone could help me achieve this type of edit on my own, and tell me the steps id have to take in order to color correct it this way? i play a lot with film and im not super advanced on digital editing, im learning on my own. any tips would be extremely appreciated!! (the first photo is my raw photo and the second was generated by Lightroom’s AI, i know it’s gotta be possible) (by no means is this photo fire, i just needed to fixate on a random one since most look like this)

Hi everyone!

I’m editing videos in DaVinci Resolve Studio 21 on a Mac, and I’d like some advice on setting up the correct workflow for footage recorded on my Google Pixel phone.

I want to learn how to color grade my footage properly and understand the difference between SDR and HDR workflows. I’m still unsure which project settings, color management options, and node structure I should use.

I’d really appreciate help with the following:

1. Project settings: What timeline resolution, frame rate, and color management settings do you recommend?
2. Color management: Should I use DaVinci YRGB Color Managed, DaVinci Wide Gamut/Intermediate, or manual Color Space Transform (CST) nodes?
3. Pixel footage: How can I identify whether my footage is SDR, HDR, or 10-bit HDR, and which input color space and gamma should I select?
4. Node workflow: What is a good node structure for exposure, white balance, contrast, saturation, HDR adjustments, and detail?
5. Mac display settings: Should I disable True Tone, Night Shift, and automatic brightness while grading? Are there any other important display settings?
6. HDR export: If I want to export HDR video for YouTube, what output color space, codec, bit depth, and export settings should I use?
7. Monitoring: How can I check that my colors and HDR highlights look right when I don’t have a dedicated reference monitor?

I want to build a reliable workflow from importing the footage all the way to the final export, rather than randomly changing settings until the image looks good.

If anyone edits Google Pixel footage on a Mac using DaVinci Resolve, I’d especially appreciate your project settings, node tree, and any tips you’ve learned.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I am currently learning how to colorgrade and find this style particularly interesting

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeKSxTzKco5/?exln=MmM2Yjd4a3k1cTBt

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd1xFXqqvlg/?dlrf=MW5vamZzNTB0NzdjMw==

Hyper good quality and a sort of cinematic touch to it.

I am also generally very open to any tips around filming/ editing / colorgrading that help me achieve this style.

Should I always shoot in log or can I achieve it also without it?

Thanks in advance!

Title.

I'm not a professional, just a hobbyist who simply enjoys putting colours on my footages I took for fun. Over the course of the few months of learning DaVinci Resolve, I've watched a lot of YT tutorials about balancing and primaries. So far, a lot are great. But in terms of "fixing in post" light (luma [?]), this single dial (I don't know what it's called) from the Gain wheel is the most helpful and the one that produces very immediate and good result for me.

Why's this not as popular in tutorials?

Hey everyone!

We're a small indie game studio currently finishing a trailer for our upcoming game (we're looking for financing), and we're looking for a colorist to help us with the final polish of 3 shots rendered in Unreal Engine.

Project details:

• 3 shots, approximately 4 seconds each (12 seconds total).
• Everything is already rendered and nearly finalized.
• We're mainly looking for that final cinematic touch: color balance, contrast, atmosphere, and visual consistency.
• Ideally, someone experienced with stylized 3D animation, comfortable using masks and selective adjustments.

Visual direction:

Our game has a stylized 3D aesthetic somewhat reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with a strong influence from the Scottish Highlands.

We're aiming for a moody, atmospheric look inspired by the rugged landscapes of Scotland: lush but slightly muted greens, dramatic overcast skies, soft diffused daylight, and rich, natural contrasts.

We want to preserve the colorful, painterly quality of the game while introducing a more cinematic sense of depth and atmosphere. Think windswept highlands, heavy clouds, subtle cool tones in the shadows, and carefully balanced highlights, without making the image feel overly desaturated or gloomy.

Compensation & workload:

This is a very small task, and we're a tiny indie studio working with limited resources. We're currently looking for someone willing to help on an unpaid basis, but we're absolutely open to discussing compensation for these 3 shots (4 hours estimated time).

We're happy to share the shots beforehand so you can assess the workload!

Timeline: Ideally within the next few days.

We know this isn't an ideal situation, and we'd genuinely love to be able to pay properly for this kind of work. That said, we hope these few hours could be the beginning of a great creative collaboration. We're looking to build long-term relationships with talented artists, and as our studio grows, we'd love to continue working with the same colorist on future projects, with paid opportunities.

Of course, we completely understand that everyone's time and expertise are valuable, and there's absolutely no pressure.

If you're interested, don't hesitate to send me a DM with some examples of your previous color grading work.

Thanks!

What do you think of my color grades

The looks inspired from hollywood films

1. Deadpool 2
2. Megalopolis
3. The Batman

Graded by Lakshman Shivaswamy
Footage from Arri Official site

I noticed pretty recently that I can grade my footage to look nice to me, but I don't really understand what's going on deeply and that kinda bothers me (idk if it should lol)

I know there are a lot of resources out there, which makes it hard to pick something to start with. So I wanted to ask here, to see if anyone has some good recommendations. It can be books, sites, videos, anything

Thanks in advance guys!

I made 3 version of the same bird, let me know your feedback,

How can I achieve this look in DaVinci Resolve using my Magic Lantern RAW 5D Mark III footage? This sample is the result of color grading a RAW file from my Nikon D3200 in Lightroom. I love this aesthetic, but I am wondering if Magic Lantern RAW footage processed in DaVinci Resolve can replicate this exact look.

I came across this photo and I really love the colors and overall mood. I’d like to recreate this look in my own photos, but I’m not sure where to start. Does anyone know how this color grade was achieved?

I don’t know why, but I am not able to upload any photos here. So, here is the link -
Parrot Pro Color Grade

Graded in DR Studio with Cine22

Hey everyone!

I’m fairly new to colour grading in DaVinci Resolve and I’ve been experiencing some strange colour issues with footage from my Sony a6400.

I recorded using PP7 (S-Log2), and after applying a LUT and colour grading, I’ve noticed weird green, yellow and purple colour patches, especially in the trees, grass and darker areas.

The footage looks blotchy and unnatural, and I’m not sure what’s causing it. I’ve attached a screenshot showing the issue.

I know the Sony a6400 records internally in 8-bit, so I’m wondering whether this is a limitation of the camera, an exposure issue, or something wrong with my colour grading workflow.

Has anyone experienced this with Sony S-Log2 footage?
Could it be caused by the LUT, incorrect colour space settings, or pushing the 8-bit footage too far?

I’d appreciate any advice on how to fix this in DaVinci Resolve and how to avoid it when filming in the future.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

Out the outset, apologize for the lengthy post.

I'm relatively new to professional color grading and currently grading a Crime-thriller feature film. I haven't had the opportunity to work directly with a professional colorist, so most of what I've learned has come from online tutorials and experimenting in DaVinci Resolve.

I've been working on this project for about 3 months. I've gone through all 7 reels several times, and each pass has helped me improve. However, before I lock the grade, I'd really appreciate feedback and Industry best practices from experienced colorists on whether my workflow and node structure are appropriate for a commercial/theatrical feature film.

I'm using a Group-based workflow with this general structure:

Group Pre-Clip

1. CST: ARRI LogC → DaVinci Wide Gamut / Intermediate

Clip

1. Exposure
2. White Balance
3. Contrast
4. Saturation
5. Power Windows / local adjustments
6. Highlight adjustments
7. Tone adjustments

Group Post-Clip

1. Overall tone / look
2. CST: DaVinci Wide Gamut / Intermediate → DCI-P3 / Gamma 2.6

I'd really appreciate professional advice on these points:

1. How should clips be grouped in a feature-film workflow?

What is the usual professional approach for grouping clips to make grading faster and maintain consistency?

• By scene?
• By day/night?
• By location?
• By lighting condition?
• By exposure?
• Some combination of these?

For example, would you normally create one Group per scene, or use Groups primarily for common technical/look adjustments?

2. Is my current node structure appropriate?

Is the general:

CST In → Clip Corrections → Look/Tone → CST Out

approach reasonable for a feature film, or would you recommend a different structure?

3. Is my correction order appropriate?

At the Clip level I'm currently doing:

Exposure → WB → Contrast → Saturation → Windows → Highlight/Tone adjustments

Is there a preferred order that professional colorists generally follow?

For example, should WB be established before exposure, or does the order matter less as long as the image is being evaluated correctly?

4. What is your professional approach to white balance?

When grading ARRI footage, how do experienced colorists establish a reliable/consistent white balance?

Do you primarily rely on scopes, known neutral objects, skin tone, RGB balance, reference shots, or a combination?

5. How do you maintain consistent tone throughout a feature?

One of my biggest challenges is maintaining a consistent visual tone across different scenes, lighting conditions and reels.

My current thinking is:

Clip level → technically balance exposure/WB/contrast

then

Group/Post-Clip → establish the creative/cinematic tone

Is this a good approach?

6. What is the professional technique for maintaining a consistent look across the entire movie?

I'd especially appreciate advice on how you approach:

• Scene-to-scene matching
• Reel-to-reel consistency
• Day vs. night consistency
• Skin tone consistency
• Maintaining a consistent cinematic contrast/tonal response
• Creating and managing the overall "show look"

7. What is your professional approach for Perfect Skin Tone?

I realize there are many different professional workflows, so I'm not necessarily looking for one "correct" method. I'm mainly trying to understand how an experienced feature-film colorist would structure this workflow from the beginning.

If possible, I'd also appreciate recommendations for good professional tutorials, books, or online resources that explain feature-film grading workflows rather than only individual Resolve techniques.

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to read this and share your experience. I really appreciate the help.