How to Use a Qualifier and Power Window in Grading

Secondary colour correction on a landscape: add a secondary layer, key the sky with a qualifier, check the selection in Highlight view, limit it with a soft gradient window, then deepen the blue while the land keeps its original colour.

Color grading tutorial · chapter 6 Secondary Color Correction: Qualifiers and Power Windows Isolate one colour or one area of the frame with a qualifier or a power window, check the matte, and grade that part alone. Read the chapter →

Key moments

1. 1 Add a secondary layer , starts at 0:00
2. 2 Key the sky , starts at 0:05
3. 3 Limit with a window , starts at 0:19
4. 4 Correct and compare , starts at 0:27
5. 5 Try it yourself , starts at 0:42

Transcript

Add a secondary layer 0:00

1. 0:02 In Pro mode the Secondary panel adds a layer of its own, so the sky fix stays separate from the primary correction.

Key the sky 0:05

1. 0:05 Use qualifier with the Sky preset selects pixels by hue, saturation and luminance.
2. 0:09 Highlight view shows exactly what is selected: the sky in colour, everything else grey.
3. 0:12 A wider hue range and a little Clean black fill the gaps and remove speckle, so the key holds as the clip plays.

Limit with a window 0:19

1. 0:19 A soft Gradient window keeps the key above the horizon, so nothing blue lower in the frame is caught.

Correct and compare 0:27

1. 0:27 Back in the normal view, more saturation and a cooler temperature deepen the sky, and the vectorscope trace reaches further towards blue.
2. 0:35 Split compare: the sky is richer while the trees and hills keep their original colour.