So, you may be asking, what exactly is this “LUT Life” you speak of? I wrote a post introducing the LUT Life idea and why I am so passionate about it almost a year and a half ago, and wanted to talk a bit more on why it matters, perhaps more than most folks realize. My previous post focused primarily on one image and the use of a LUT to “grade” the color to a more balanced and corrective look.
But LUTs are more versatile than simply “correcting” over-exposed or under-exposed images or “flat” (in the case of shooting in Log mode) video footage, or bringing the color back to a more “neutral” balance. Most of us may be familiar with the term “color grading” when applied to films (mostly) like “The Lord of the Rings” or “The Matrix” which have a particular color look applied to the films. This is often done in the post-production of films to bring out a certain feeling or emotion in a scene, or give the film an overall “look” for a unique aesthetic. Of course one great feature of using LUTs in your workflow is that the same .Cube file can be used for both film/video and still image color grading. You can choose a subtle color change to enhance your work, such as above…
Or choose a bolder color grade that completely alters the mood of your work. And there are of course various degrees of intensity of the applied LUT as your program allows, for a great variety of looks.
For me, the best part of using LUTs in my workflow is, as I’ve stated previously, that you can get a wide range of color changes to your images without touching a single other coloring tool in your program of choice. This means you can enhance your color graded image/footage with masks for targeted local color changes, or use those color tools more globally to tweak your color grading further and truly make it your own. While some may dismiss the use of LUTs as simply the same as “slapping on an Instagram filter”, I assure you the science and art of a 3-D LUT is far more complex, and in fact the way that a well made LUT interacts with certain images is unique and not remotely like a “filter.”
Of course for many people, the number one advantage to using a LUT is how much time they save in color grading their work. A well chosen LUT can save you hours in adjusting and coloring your work using the built-in tools from your application, especially when you’re not sure where to start, or what look you want. Scrolling through a list of installed LUTs and trying out different ones can inspire the direction your work takes.
With that in mind, if you happen to have an external monitor for your camera, which is a must-have for videographers and a great tool for still photographers too, you can load a number of LUTs (.Cube files) onto a card inserted into your monitor and choose which look you’ll like to apply in post-production. It’s a great way to see if you want your footage/image to be in B&W for example or how another “look” would make your work stand out. The use of a LUT in this way is simply a preview and not baked into your files, but it could help you in choosing your style of lighting and exposure as you shoot.
So as you can see, LUTs are powerful, versatile time-savers that have many uses. It’s why I have fully embraced the “LUT Life” for myself and encourage others to explore the possibilities.