What is an LUT? How Do I Use One?

After a couple of weeks of white portraiture and ginger updates I wanted to explore something a bit different. Raise your paw if you know what an LUT is? Do you know how one could help your cat photography? At least let me introduce a bit more about LUT’s to you?

What is an LUT?

The letters are an acronym that stand for ‘Look Up Table’. As you can see from the Aftershoot definition here, this might seem a bit of a mission to get your head around but stick with me…

LUT stands for Look-Up Table, a mathematical formula that transforms colors in your images. It takes an original color value, looks it up in a table, and returns a new value. A LUT operates in a three-dimensional space, assigning specific values for red, green, and blue channels to each pixel.

Aftershoot

At its most basic it is a really strong preset that mathematically maps every colour in your cat photo and gives it a precise new value. Yes, it’s similar to presets but more powerful!

A LUT changes the contrast, brightness and the colours in your photo and you can see some of the examples you can get here in this cat capture of Delilah (adopted by a lucky family from Neko Ngeru Cat Cafe!)

What Does an LUT Do?

There are three different kinds of Look Up Table.

Two are for professional people who work wonders in the movie industry where it is sometimes known as ‘colour grading’; these are ‘Conversion’ and ‘Collaboration’ apps. The third LUT is the one you and I will love to use. It’s called the ‘Creative‘ LUT.

Why Would I Use an LUT?

If you are exploring your cat photography beyond snapshots knowing how to use this tool can make a difference. Your images can look more polished or feel more ‘finished’, and so you feel more confident. They allow a modest amateur like you (and me) to create a set or series without being an ‘expert’ with a level of colour consistency they might lack otherwise.

Experts use the because they are quick and consistent (and the user is in control without using a lot of AI). If you value your cat photos you will find that LUTs help you retain your integrity and honesty as a photographer, once you step beyond beginner basics.

YES, YOU CAN EXPLORE. JUST TAKE YOUR TIME.

LUT Compatibility

LUT’s are fun and exciting but take a moment to check if your software is compatible. There are four formats currently is use. File formats seems scary but most don’t apply to you and me. It’s just useful to know them OK?

LUT Top Beginner Tips

For those of us learning the tricks of the trade:-

On a computer or tablet or smartphone you will need compatible software.

Either video editor like DaVinci Resolve/Premiere Pro, or image editors like (paid) Photoshop and Photoshop Elements or Affinity Photo (Mac/PC). Affinity can be accessed through a free Canva account.

• If you have an earlier version of Affinity Photo that you purchased, LUT’s work on that. (Because that’s what I have!)

The effects you can create just by clicking an LUT make your eyes pop but remember to use this as your starting point.

Ask yourself what is the intention behind your photograph? Soft and dreamy, dramatic, or punchy? Then adjust the LUT to fit your vision. You control it, it does not control you or your vision.

Don’t overdo it. Like our previous advice with Dodge and Burn, a light touch to start with allows you to build your idea and change your mind too. Check these two images ouy to see what I mean.

On Your Smartphone?

You can use the free Adobe Lightroom App. Companies like Luxe Lens have specific LUT’s you can buy that work with the app, and they are popular with Instagram users who want to add an extra touch to their images, I am eyeing them up for cat photo potential! If your smartphone uses LUT’s in an pp let me know so I can update this post!

I am currently trialing the Adobe free Lightroom app and will report on it.

It is expensive for the paid ‘premium’ app but for those on a budget I want to see if the free version is worth your time. The free app comes with 30 presets (a step down from LUT’s but still fun) but I will let you know soon as I can.

I hope, even if you are not able to try LUT’s, that you now know a little bit more about what they are and how they can be used to change the images you see.

• Finally! Here is an image that is not a cat to show you how much difference a LUT can make. A touch more warmth to a fascinating image. I hope you now know more about them and how an editor can subtly adjust an image to add warmth, or coolness.