Color Ranges
Color Ranges in Lightroom Classic refers to the targeted adjustment of specific color ranges within an image using HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) controls. Rather than applying adjustments uniformly across an entire image, this approach isolates individual color ranges—such as reds, oranges, yellows, greens, cyans, blues, and magentas—for independent modification. This selective control enables precise color grading without affecting other colors in the photograph.
How It Works
The HSL panel in Lightroom Classic’s Develop module divides colors into eight discrete ranges. Users can adjust the Hue slider to shift the color itself, the Saturation slider to increase or decrease color intensity, and the Lightness slider to make a color range brighter or darker. Each adjustment applies only to pixels within the selected color range, leaving other colors unaffected. This allows photographers to enhance specific colors while maintaining the integrity of the rest of the image.
Practical Applications
Color Range adjustments are commonly used to recover blown-out skies by targeting blues and cyans, to enhance skin tones by adjusting reds and magentas, or to correct color casts in specific areas. The technique is particularly valuable in post-processing workflows where different parts of an image may benefit from different color treatments, or where certain colors need to be desaturated while others remain vibrant.
Source Notes
- 2026-04-09: Photoshop
- 2026-04-10: Photoshops Blend If Pixel Perfect Transparency via Brightness and Colo · ▶ source
- 2026-04-22: Lightroom Classic · ▶ source