Start with a balanced image
Correct exposure and white balance before adding a creative look. Confirm source interpretation when footage uses a camera transfer curve or gamut. A LUT designed for one input can give an unexpected result when fed a different one.
Build the correction stack
In Color, add the appropriate correction or import a LUT through the correction controls. Read the top-to-bottom order: a correction changes the image received by operations after it.
Use the correction’s mix control to blend its contribution. A reduced mix can preserve the direction of a look without overpowering faces, highlights, or a carefully balanced shot. Compare with the operation bypassed when evaluating the change.
Match the whole scene
Play across neighboring clips and check that a look remains coherent as lighting changes. Refine individual shots instead of assuming one setting fits everything. Inspect bright colors and gradients for undesirable clipping or banding.
Glow, grain, and vignette affect the finish too. Keep their role deliberate and check them at delivery resolution. Save a named version before a large look revision.