How to use the RGB Curve in Lightroom to Edit Photos Like a PRO!

Рет қаралды 52,761

6 жыл бұрын

Stop randomly tweaking your tone curve and start OWNING it!
More about this video: Master how to edit photos using the RGB Curve in Lightroom to move beyond simple contrast adjustments to create your own badass photography editing style (without presets).
Follow me on Instagram: / chelseanicolephoto
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ABOUT THIS VIDEO:
Mastering RGB Tone Curve = Game changer! If there was only ONE tool I suggest photographers (new and pro) have in their photo editing arsenal - it’s a proper knowledge of how to use RGB Curves. Whether you’re editing photos in Lightroom or Photoshop, for Instagram, using phone apps like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile, or even editing and color grading videos in Premiere, you NEED to understand curves.
Tone curve tutorials usually fumble around with settings and miss the point of the RGB curves entirely, which is to give complete control over making your photos look gorgeous! In this video I explain a simple yet in-depth breakdown of tone curve works, how I use curves in Photoshop and Lightroom for editing portraits and how you can use curves to bring your editing game to the next level!
Is there anything I missed? Let's continue the discussion below. :)
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Let's Connect!
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Пікірлер: 120

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Are you using Curves? :)

@xeler8r 6 жыл бұрын

I am - but I was kind of just guessing about it. This vid changes everything! Ty ty!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

YAY! 🙌 So glad it helped!

@xeler8r 6 жыл бұрын

Nobody explains curves like this! FINALLY they totally make sense! Thank you so much for all your time on these. Many likes from me!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Ahhh so awesome!! Thank you! 🤗

@MaximeTessier 6 жыл бұрын

You really deserve a bigger audience. Your videos are really well edited and you explain complicated stuff in a wonderfull simple way. keep it up! :)

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Your comment just made my day. 🤗 Thanks so much for the kind words Maxime!

@thejaysehansen 6 жыл бұрын

☝️

@alvinj3294 4 жыл бұрын

Probably one of the best explanation for beginners... I wasn't sure how to explain fully to a friend of mine how colors and toning works Your explanation is simple and straight forward 10/10

@stillstymied 5 жыл бұрын

You're a natural teacher, Chelsea. Hoping to see more content from you. :)

@PauloSousa86 6 жыл бұрын

one other thing with curves is that color curves generally lighten or darken is a specific color, example: RED (will lighten in red color but darken in cyan) GREEN (will lighten in green color but darken in magenta) BLUE (will lighten in blue color but in darken in yellow) So if you want the opposite Example (darken in red green or blue or lighten in cyan magenta or yellow) Just move the other two color the same amount in the darker or lighter direction (example if you want to darken with green just move RED and BLUE the same amount to their opposite (darker) sides, cyan and yellow, as both these color will form green)

@Zeis 6 жыл бұрын

You know what, I've been using curves for almost 10 years now, but always did so by gut feeling and trial and error. This is the first time I truly understood the entire thing and how to read a histogram. Thank you!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

This is SO amazing to hear! 🙌🏻😄 Thanks Zeis!

@KirschenHerzchen 6 жыл бұрын

Same for me! Thank you, Chelsea!!

@JustMeChris 4 жыл бұрын

The use of the colour wheel illustrating the primaries directly affecting the secondaries and then translating that to how it works with curves was just butter!

@Amisshot 6 жыл бұрын

Never seen such good explaination of the TONE CURVE! Looking forward to your next video ;-)

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Amisshot! Working on lots more vids! Lmk if you have requests :)

@Amisshot 6 жыл бұрын

A friend recently told me he always edits his photos first in the last Tab of Lightroom (Camera Calibration) and ajusts the Colors there. After that he does his basic edit. Maybe if you use that tool on your pictures too, a video about that would be nice.

@sarahyg2172 5 жыл бұрын

Love this video! You are a great teacher and very talented.

@kylejonathanlao1312 3 жыл бұрын

This is not the typical "just make an S curve" tutorial. This is way better. Explained every detail.

@milenagandalfthegrey1349 Жыл бұрын

Finally an amazing guide to this. I can’t tell you how many videos I’ve watched and felt more and more confused with each video. People make it overly complicated. Thanks so much for this 👏🏻💜

@rachelguo5162 3 жыл бұрын

Love your tutorials, thank you!

@shitparkhe 5 жыл бұрын

Really well made tutorial!

@maribelwilliams9807 5 жыл бұрын

This makes perfect sense!! Ty soo much!

@easttodressed5409 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video Chelsea! Tone adjustments always intimidated me so I always stuck to levels. They make so much more sense now.

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Love this! Hope it inspires you to use tone curves on your next photo edit. :)

@jennheflin 6 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial.Thank you!

@MohamedAteph 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing one ❤️

@phuctruong1825 2 жыл бұрын

Great explaination! Thank you!

@davidmarin6513 6 жыл бұрын

Good job i love it

@Mishalphoto 11 ай бұрын

Great tutorial

@edbeard442 2 жыл бұрын

doing my daughters wedding photos.....your video's are a great help. :D

@klarab3599 3 жыл бұрын

very nice tutorial. thank you so much.

@ClaudiaGoodwin 5 жыл бұрын

PLEASE post more editing videos! This is so awesome! I love the milky, natural look you use, it would be awesome to see step by step what you like to use!

@chanmark1527 4 жыл бұрын

I have seen tons of tone curve tutorials video and this one is the most clear explained one! Thank you !!!!! all those pointings on specific area in the image is very helpful.

@ChelseaNicole 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chan! 🙏🏻 Im so happy hearing it was helpful! Curves can be such a powerful tool, yet so many avoid it - so my goal was to demystify and make it easy to understand. :)

@fahadsulehria 3 жыл бұрын

This is very valuable to me. Thank you for sharing!

@brianvargas7163 5 жыл бұрын

This is very helpful, great video and demonstrations

@jaroslav22100 4 жыл бұрын

nice explanation of the curves and colors.. i like the way you pronounce “s” 😃

@samanthamcnamara7682 4 жыл бұрын

I'm in the comments just to see if I was the only one who heard the "s". 😂

@TheBrickBro 3 жыл бұрын

never knew curves were a thing till earlier today. thanks for this! i think ill start using em

@jacintalegge-wilkinson2309 5 жыл бұрын

Such a great tutorial. I learnt so much!

@clarkyvlogsofficial6654 2 жыл бұрын

very clear tutorial

@pdxmonkee 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chelsea, this exactly i was looking for!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

pdxmonkee yay! So glad! :)

@TonyDoesAds 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! You are helping me step my photo editing skills up phenomenally! I can't wait to utilize curves more now that I know how to use them.

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Tony!! Love this! 🙌🏻

@thejaysehansen 6 жыл бұрын

🤙

@roberttorres6693 5 жыл бұрын

great video and channel, really well edited videos with easy to understand explanations!

@francescoz1964 6 жыл бұрын

Very interesting tutorial, thx :)

@sparkstudiosoc 5 жыл бұрын

Love your videos, thank you so much for taking the time to make them. They have been so helpful for Lightroom! :)

@emily.in.progress 5 жыл бұрын

This was incredibly helpful ❤️ thank you!!

@ania_kosma 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, this is so helpful and you have a gift to explain it so well :)

@PinkPetraPhotography 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, thank you! :)

@bryandeitherluza2962 5 жыл бұрын

thank you sooo much! I've grasped the things that I should need to understand in tonal curves. the vid is not too short nor too long to deliver the content. And I liked the way you explained it (not like other videos that are very lengthy and as it goes longer it gets boring and dreadful) --- it really shows that you know what you are doing and you really clarified certain key points for a better understanding of the tonal curves. I actually noted down the basic just in case I need to go over them again. THANK YOU A BUNCH :D

@karlthefirst8690 5 жыл бұрын

Wow Chelsea, I’ve browsed past your Y/T channel before thinking it was more business-oriented, but your curves and HSL videos are both fanTAStic. So helpful for someone who has been chipping away around the edges of these functions for a while now without ever feeling like he’s really in control of them. Thanks!

@kelvintoo3118 5 жыл бұрын

Clean explanation, thanks for the video and keep it up!!

@thatcheesysongwriter 5 жыл бұрын

This was incredibly helpful! THANK YOU!!

@georgejohnson2634 6 жыл бұрын

Really good tutorial! I never thought of curves this way and learned a lot from this. Thanks!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks George! Glad the video got you thinking about Curves differently - it's super powerful!

@hermanmunster4949 6 жыл бұрын

Chelsea, you did a wonderful job explaining curves in meaningful way and through easy to follow examples. I'm looking forward to viewing your past and future lessons. Job well done..!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Herman! Tone curves can be confusing, so my goal was to explain it in a way that would make it easy to understand and use. I’m so glad you liked the vid! :)

@viktoriatschernenko 6 жыл бұрын

oh my god. thank you so much! I spend all day with research on lightroom and how to edit pictures the way I want and they fit my own style. your videos were by far the best! thank you soo so much!

@elielc2431 6 жыл бұрын

This is what I was looking for!! Thanks a lot!! Keep it up!! ❤️🔥

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Woohoo!! Thanks Eliel! Happy you liked the video. :)

@kellijoyproductions 4 жыл бұрын

I'm so thankful I found this channel! 🥳

@ChelseaNicole 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Kelli! I’m so happy to have you here! 🤗🎉

@klarisselitao2503 4 жыл бұрын

This was so helpful! Thank you

@ChelseaNicole 4 жыл бұрын

🙏🏻🤗

@DAANNNN1 5 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial. Subbed :)

@AghaSayed3055 3 жыл бұрын

Love your videos

@ChelseaNicole 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Sal! 🙂

@jacecha2210 6 жыл бұрын

I struck gold finding your channel! Thank you so much for the hard work that you do! I appreciate it so much! Subbed!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

YAY! Thanks so much Jace!! 😄

@aidarivera6113 3 ай бұрын

Much better understanding of how to use curves

@Reviveftp 4 жыл бұрын

Ty!

@laurenrhodes3972 5 жыл бұрын

Wow this is by far the best explanation of tone curves I've seen! The color wheel chart is very helpful! Now comes my question: what's your opinion on the difference between the RGB tone curve and the RGB primary in the camera calibration section?

@dvrffcl 5 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU 😭😭😭😍🙌🙌👏👏

@saschagobbels2177 5 жыл бұрын

thumbs up from germany :) very well explained !

@lina6641 6 жыл бұрын

Great explanation! Love your channel, subscribing now :)

@MichelleCoxPhotography 6 жыл бұрын

I LOVE curves... Don't know what i would do without it! :)

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Same! When they added tone curves to Lightroom a few years back, you'd think I won the lottery I was so excited. I still use Photoshop for some things, but curves was the main reason I would switch between apps so much. So amazing that we have it in both now. :)

@thejaysehansen 6 жыл бұрын

Same here! Once you discover them you can never go back! :-)

@godfreyerasto1737 6 жыл бұрын

Clean explanation never heard before, I like that 😍😍😍🙏🏾

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Godfrey!! 🤗❤️

@JuanLopez-oz9kh 6 жыл бұрын

Have always been afraid of the Curves, but this videos is like vanilla screen with caramel , sweet and inviting. thnks

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Haha, best compliment! Ice cream is my fave 😊🍦Hope this inspires you to use curves more!

@AV-kq9is 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome job! I love it when someone takes the time to create the graphics to match the tutorial and help visualize the process. Great work! Sub for sure

@ChelseaNicole 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks A V! ♥🤗

@Aestheticaphoto 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your explain, best

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Sahabat!

@catalin.tanase 5 жыл бұрын

I found your video while searching a better way to understand curves, since I'm not using it. Very nice explained!

@MB-wx4gp Жыл бұрын

You are amazing! Thank you SO MUCH for posting these videos. I’m a beginner and just did a practice couple’s photo session. Was having the most frustrating time editing. I just watched your previous video (EDITING Natural Light Portraits in Lightroom) while editing and pausing periodically as I followed along. Blew me away with how amazing it looked afterwards! I’ve always been kind of scared of that weird and technical looking curve tool. I didn’t even have to use the blemish remover afterwards! 😂

@ChelseaNicole Жыл бұрын

Yessss Love hearing this!! 🙌 And happy my video made the curve tool less scary. Even many established photographers don't know how to use it, but it's SUCH a powerful tool! Congrats on rocking your edit!

@triplestrafe 6 жыл бұрын

OMG you did it! this is exactly the video i was talking about! Thank you, Chelsea! (-bry from FB)

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Hey Bryan! YES! I was thinking of you since you were asking about getting color tints and looks. Curves is definitely the best tool for this! Hope the tutorial helps. :)

@triplestrafe 6 жыл бұрын

I tried it out! Definitely what I was looking for! Great job on the video!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

That's AWESOME!! 😄 Thanks Bryan!

@pyroBlastM 3 жыл бұрын

Your channel is so good. Thanks forcejos tip. May I ask you, when you do weddings and you are in harsh sun do you do this kind of editing as well? Do you have a vid aboutcthis?

@brendengraham9650 6 жыл бұрын

Chelsea, amazing video. Thank you for sending out the email. Your youtube is going to blow up soon.. keep working at it! Amazing video. Super helpful. Thank you thank you!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Brenden! Happy you loved the video & your support means SO much! ❤

@maribelwilliams9807 5 жыл бұрын

So chelsea, if I wanted a golden hour moody brownish look what color in the rgb would I adjust!

@Linallarii 5 жыл бұрын

Can you do more curves videos showing different scenarious....example one picture where its forestry and theres more greenery!

@ocgirltw 6 жыл бұрын

this is one of the best video explanation on curves! i have a question though, how is adjusting the RGB tone curve different from adjusting the HSL section ?

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

ocgirltw Thanks! And great question! Tone curves + HSL are kind of like a power couple. 😘 It can go deep, but the basic difference is with Curves you’re focused on targeting + shifting based on tonal ranges in your image (shadows, midtones, etc) and with HSL you’re targeting specific colors. Curves is how I make my main adjustments and overall color grading. Then HSL sliders allow me to dial things in even more, targeting specific colors in my image. Going a tad deeper - Color toning your images in curves works in terms of opposites on the color spectrum (Red-Cyan, Green-Magenta, Blue-Yellow) allowing you to shift color up or down along the tone curve. Then with HSL the Hue slider targets a specific color allowing you to do a subtle shift along the color wheel, shifting that color across the entire image. HSL adjustments also make it easier to tweak the Saturation (strength) and Luminance (brightness) of a specific color. I might do another video on this in the future to explain HSL a bit more (with graphics to help illustrate) and how to edit with it, but hope the helps a bit! Curves and HSL can do similar things but are very different tools, so I definitely recommend learning both. :)

@ocgirltw 6 жыл бұрын

thank you so much on the explanation! i'll definitely play with both!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome girl! :) XO

@thejaysehansen 6 жыл бұрын

Answered in latest vid! :-D Rad!!

@Dragonovus 6 жыл бұрын

I like how you showed us the opposite colors of the tone curves. I just wonder if we use a tone curve, do we still need to complement that with the split toning, seems to be an overkill 😐

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dragonovus! Many of the controls in Lightroom/Photoshop do the same or similar things, so you could definitely just stick with Curves if you wanted to simplify. It's my personal favorite since it gives the most control. But I do still use split toning on sometimes depending on the image, just to pop a little of a specific color into the shadows. I share this in my video on editing for a light and airy look (which shows more of a full lightroom edit): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a8eVnM9-rL2loI0.html The way I use it is super subtle though, and you could definitely achieve a similar effect in curves if you wanted to keep everything to one tool.

@smedz28 5 жыл бұрын

Really like your editing videos but what I would really like to see is a video tutorial of how you shoot your images. Covering camera setting and lenses (aperture, metering mode which is often overlooked), how to pose your brides and grooms (hand placement, getting natural smiles, angles to shoot from), what you look for in a background or location to shoot. Maybe this could be a new series?

@carlcute432 3 жыл бұрын

This page couldn’t be found, so let’s get you turned around! i cant see the free preset or are u selling it now? :(

@priyadiaz5600 2 жыл бұрын

Only thing i won to know are u metered for shadow or highlights

@dhanushgauthaman601 2 жыл бұрын

You have best results but just make the video fast ⏩

@crollinsphoto 6 жыл бұрын

Looks good EXCEPT it is all greek to me. Still makes no sense, maybe if you took it slower - I just don't get it. Others have tried to train me on curves but to no avail. My brain just can't make sense of the technical aspects or something.

@xeler8r 6 жыл бұрын

Charles Rollins it can be totally confusing! But just watch a few more times and try it! For me this started to make more sense after doing it with a few images and keeping those opposite colors in mind. I screen shot that part in the video to keep as a reference. This totally helped!

@ChelseaNicole 6 жыл бұрын

Hey Charles, aww.. darn! I tried to break it down in a simple way, but curves can definitely be hard to fully understand. I think xeler8r’s suggestion of opening one of your own images in Photoshop or Lightroom and doing the same adjustments would definitely help if you haven’t tried this already. Are there specific areas where you feel like you’re getting stuck?

@crollinsphoto 6 жыл бұрын

No reflection on you, you are very good at what you do and how you explain it - it is me, I'm technical minded but not when it comes to things like this. I don't even use the histogram - too much to try to learn on that for each image. I've tried, what may look good on the graph doesn't necessarily make it look good in print or on screen so I just don't use it no more. I get stuck right where you start moving the curves around. I mean your images look good but I'm stuck, too much technicalities (is that even a word?) to move around and adjust each thing until you get it right.