Using LUTs in Photo/Video Editing: A Guide to Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve

Understanding LUTs

Before diving into how to apply Look-Up Tables (LUTs) in different software, it’s essential to understand what they are. A LUT is a mathematical formula that alters the colors in an image. They’re often used in photo and video editing to achieve consistent color grading, especially useful when dealing with raw footage or images.

Adobe Photoshop

To use a LUT in Adobe Photoshop, follow these steps:

 1. Open your image in Photoshop.
 2. Navigate to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Color Lookup.
 3. In the Properties panel, under 3D LUT File, click Load 3D LUT.
 4. Browse to the location of your LUT file (.CUBE or .3DL), select it and click Open.
 5. Adjust the opacity of the adjustment layer if necessary to modify the intensity of the effect.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Applying LUTs in Premiere Pro is similarly straightforward:

 1. Open your project in Premiere Pro and select the clip you want to apply the LUT to.
 2. Go to Window > Lumetri Color to open the Lumetri Color panel.
 3. In the Basic Correction section, click on the Input LUT dropdown menu. If your LUT doesn’t appear in the list, select Browse... to locate your LUT file, then click Open.
 4. Adjust the intensity of the effect under the Creative section if desired.

DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is another popular software for using LUTs:

 1. Import your footage into the media pool, drag it into your timeline, then switch to the Color workspace.
 2. In the Nodes panel, right-click and select Add Node > Corrector.
 3. Right-click on the new node, select 3D LUT, and then Browse....
 4. Navigate to your LUT file, select it and click Open.
 5. Adjust the Key Output in the node to modify the intensity of the LUT.

Applying LUTs in popular photo and video editing software is a simple process. LUTs can significantly enhance your workflow by providing a consistent starting point for color grading. Remember that while LUTs are powerful tools, they should be used as a starting point for grading and not a final solution.