Color grading is a powerful technique used in photography and videography to enhance the mood of a scene. However, it can be challenging for beginners to apply color grading effectively.
Affinity Photo 2 provides a range of features that allow us to apply color-grading styles to our own images. This is helpful when first learning this editing technique, as the settings can be easily adjusted to create your own unique style.
What you'll be using:
Create Palette From Image option
Gradient Map Adjustment
Color codes
Blend Modes
Before and after
Before: Standard frame
This coastal mountain scene is fine, but the lack of a distinctive color scheme detracts from the overall effect of the photograph (Image credit: Tobias Bjørkli)
Final: Atmospheric colours
The mood of the scene has been enhanced due to the adjustment of the color grading that underlines the atmosphere of the frame (Image credit: Tobias Bjørkli)
Editing steps
1. Add images
(Image credit: Future)
If you don’t already have a reference image with color grading applied, then search for a suitable frame online. Here, consider what types of hues could enhance the mood of your photo. Popular color schemes from movies or a scheme from the blue or golden hours could work.
2. Start the process
(Image credit: Future)
Upload your own image to Affinity Photo 2.0. Open the Swatches panel, found under Window > Swatches. The panel pops up next to the Color panel and then, in the Swatches menu, click on Create Palette From Image... when the window opens, click on Select to upload your image.
3. Sample colors
(Image credit: Future)
Now Affinity samples five colours from the reference frame. Change the Number of Colors from five to three then press Preview to see the three colors Affinity chooses. Click Create to add this colour palette to the Swatches panel. Go back to the Layer panel and add a Gradient Map Adjustment.
4. Start color grading
(Image credit: Future)
To transform the shadows and darkest color elements, double-click the darkest color in the Swatches panel and copy the colour code at the bottom right. Go back to the Gradient Map and select the left dot to transform the shadows. Click
on Color and paste the copied color code.
5. Repeat and blend
(Image credit: Future)
Repeat step 4 for the mid-tones by selecting the mid-tone color palette in the Swatches panel and selecting the middle dot in the Gradient Map. For highlights, select the lightest tone and right dot in Gradient Map. Close the Gradient Map window and change the blend mode to Overlay or Soft Light.
Key tip
Build a collection
After applying the colour grading style, don’t forget to save it as a preset. That way, you can go back and apply the same color scheme to other images without having to redo the process. You can also experiment and see what type of color grading benefits your subjects the most.
Kim is the Technique Editor of Digital Photographer Magazine. She specializes in architecture, still life and product photography and has a Master's degree in Photography and Media with a distinction from the FH Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences in Germany. While studying, Kim came to the UK for an exchange term at the London College of Communication. She settled in the UK and began her career path by joining Future. Kim focuses on tutorials and creative techniques, and particularly enjoys interviewing inspiring photographers who concentrate on a range of fascinating subjects including women in photography, the climate crisis; the planet, its precious creatures and the environment.
