Hey there, fellow video editors! 👋 I’m here to talk about one of the most important aspects of video post-production: color correction. We all know that having the right color grading can make or break a video’s visual appeal, but it’s easy to fall into common mistakes that can ruin even the most high-quality footage. 🤦‍♀️

Don’t worry, though - with this guide, you’ll be able to avoid these mistakes and create videos that look professionally edited. 🎬 Let’s dive right in!

Mistake #1: Over-saturating Colors

One of the most common mistakes in color correction is over-saturating colors. It’s easy to get carried away with making your footage look more vibrant, but too much saturation can make it look unnatural and oversaturated.

To avoid this mistake, be sure to keep your saturation levels in check. Don’t just arbitrarily increase the saturation - make sure that it serves a purpose and complements the overall style and tone of your video.

A photograph of two photos, one showing over-saturated color and the other showing just the right amount of color saturation.

Mistake #2: Neglecting White Balance

Another common mistake videographers make during color correction is neglecting white balance. White balance is critical because it affects the entire video’s appearance. If white balance is too warm or too cold, then your videos will appear different from the intended look.

To avoid this issue, ensure that your camera’s white balance is set correctly before you start shooting, and make sure you continuously check it while shooting. If doing color correction post-shooting, take time to adjust the white balance and ensure all colors are at a neutral point.

A photo of the same scene side-by-side, one showing the right amount of white balance and the other showing poor white balance adjustment.

Mistake #3: Making Colors Look Flat

In a bid to make videos look natural, some editors make the mistake of making colors look too flat. While a realistic look is needed for documentaries, weddings and interviews, it can take away style from artistic videos.

To avoid this mistake, understand who your target audience is and think about how you want your video to appear. Use the personal style of your video and decide how much contrast, shadow, and light are necessary. A little contrast makes that dark or bright image pop up well.

A side-by-side photo having a contrast image and another appearing flat and dull.

Mistake #4: Clipping Shadows & Highlights

Lastly, color correction mistakes can arise from clipping shadows and highlights. Clipping is wherein the brightest pixels turn white, or the darkest pixels turn black, losing detail in that area. Poor lighting adds to the damage done by clipping because it might cause distortions.

To avoid this issue, ensure that you check your footage under different brightness and contrast levels. Alternatively, use adjustment layers to prevent the destruction of pixels.

A side-by-side comparison of a well-lit video and one with questionable highlights and shadows

Phew! There are a lot of common mistakes made when doing color correction, but with the right knowledge, you can avoid them. Remember, color correction isn’t just about increasing the vibrancy of colors, it’s about properly balancing the white, adding contrast, and avoiding clipping shadows and highlights.

So that wraps up our guide on color correction, đź‘Ź We hope it was helpful and guided you towards making visually appealing videos.

A cohesive creative photo of various scenes which are properly color corrected