MintGradeColor Grading vs White Balance is easier when you separate correction from the creative look instead of moving several sliders at once.
A color cast is usually a light-source problem before it is a creative grading problem. Temperature handles the blue-to-yellow axis, while Tint handles the green-to-magenta axis.
A practical workflow
- 1. Find an area that should be neutral or use a known reference.
- 2. Correct Temperature first if the image is broadly too warm or cool.
- 3. Use Tint for green or magenta contamination.
- 4. Check the RGB channels in neutral highlights or midtones.
- 5. Use HSL only for leftover local color problems, not as a substitute for white balance.
Treat numerical settings as starting points, not universal recipes. The source image and viewing destination should decide the final values.
Use the photo, not a fixed recipe
Two photographs can share the same problem and still need different values. Light source, exposure, camera rendering, subject color and output display all change the correct amount. Make one controlled adjustment, compare, and stop when the problem is solved.
How to check the result
Switch between the original and graded image at normal viewing size. Then inspect the relevant scope: histogram for tonal distribution, waveform for where brightness sits in the frame, RGB parade for channel balance, or vectorscope for hue and saturation. If the edit only looks better while zoomed in or only on one display, it is not finished yet.
For strong looks, lower the strength temporarily. If the correction underneath still works, the grade is structurally sound. If everything falls apart when the look is reduced, go back to exposure, white balance and targeted color controls.
Common mistakes
- Judging only while zoomed in. Color balance and contrast need a normal viewing-size check.
- Ignoring clipping until export, especially after adding contrast or a strong look.
- Pushing a preset or LUT to 100% simply because that is its default strength.
Try the workflow in MintGrade
MintGrade includes browser-local exposure controls, HSL, curves, color wheels, .cube LUT support, scopes, range masks, reference matching and tiled full-resolution export for browser-decodable images. The editor is designed so you can keep the image visible while adjusting it.
Questions people ask
What should I adjust first for color grading vs white balance?
Start with Temperature and Tint before moving into neutral reference. This keeps correction separate from the creative look.
Can I use a preset for color grading vs white balance?
You can use a preset or LUT as a starting point, but reduce its strength and correct the image-specific exposure, white balance and color issues afterward.
How do I know when the edit is finished?
Compare against the original, check clipping and color balance with scopes, then view the image at the size and on the type of screen where it will actually be used.