The image on the right side of this article is one of Harry’s most celebrated photos on social media, with over 100,000 likes. To help you understand the success of this photo, Harry has provided a step-by-step guide to the image and its color grading, including presets for you to easily follow and try!
I captured this series en route to Vancouver Island for a hiking trip with friends. While most passengers on the early morning ferry were tired and half-asleep, I seized the opportunity to capture the stunning light and take as many shots as possible.
In this series, you can find some of my favorite shots from that sunrise and the editing breakdown I followed to give them my style, taking as an example the first image of this series:
Step 1) Camera settings
The camera settings I used were 1/125 seconds, f/2.8, and ISO 100.
Step 2) Understand the unedited colors
The RAW file already had an atmospheric palette with a dark brown/black (120E0E), a dark brown (3E3026), a muted blue/grey (7D8894), a muted brown (665447), and a light beige (C6B8A8).
My vision was to create a color palette that enhanced the essence of the sunrise. I looked for a harmonious blend of warm and cool tones to add vibrancy and contrast. To do so, using Lightroom, I adjusted the image as follows:
Step 3) Basic adjustments
3.1) White Balance
Temperature 4,523
Tint +1
3.2) Tone
Contrast -46
Highlights -64
Shadows +46
Whites +37
3.3) Presence
Texture -10
Clarity -10
Dehaze -10
Step 4) Tone Curve
Below I demonstrate how I worked on the RGB channels for precise control over tonal values. This approach helps correct color casts and enhance specific colors more naturally.
Step 5) Color Mixer
5.1) Hue
Red +10
Orange +10
Green +10
5.2) Saturation
Red -19
Yellow -10
Green -46
Aqua -10
Blue +10
Purple -10
Magenta -10
5.3) Luminance
Red -28
Orange -10
Yellow -10
Green -19
Blue -19
Magenta -19
Step 6) Calibration
Red Primary
Hue +19
Saturation -10
Green Primary
Hue +19
Saturation -28
Blue Primary
Hue -10
Saturation +19
Step 7) Color theory
As a result, I obtained a split-complementary color palette with an accent – the yellow provides a striking focal point. The deep green (10130D) and the earthy brown (573725) add significant depth and contrast, grounding the overall composition. The muted blue-gray (676D90) and the soft pale blue (C2CCDF) add tranquility, balance, and a touch of vibrancy compared to the original. The bright golden yellow (F5C871) serves as an accent color, adding contrast to the otherwise analogous palette.
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