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 Color Mixer panel in Lightroom Classic provides eight color range sliders corresponding to the primary and secondary colors. Each slider controls three properties: Hue (shifting the color itself), Saturation (adjusting color intensity), and Lightness (modifying brightness). When you adjust a slider, only pixels within that color range are affected, leaving other colors untouched. This allows photographers to, for example, enhance the saturation of blues in the sky while keeping skin tones unaffected, or shift the hue of foliage without altering other elements.
Common Applications
Photographers use Color Ranges to solve specific color problems and achieve creative effects. Common uses include correcting skin tone colors, adjusting the vibrancy of specific elements like flowers or water, and creating consistent color palettes across images. The tool is particularly valuable in post-processing workflows where selective color correction is necessary without resorting to more complex masking techniques.
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