Technical LUT vs. Creative LUT

If you’ve spent any time in a color session you’ve heard the term LUT tossed around. LUT is short for Look Up Table and is a small file used to alter the color of an image. While all LUTs manipulate color values, not all LUTs serve the same purpose. There are two types of LUTs, technical and creative. Technical LUTs exist to correct or standardize footage. Usually converting footage from a LOG camera space to some other usable colorspace like Rec709 or ACEs. These LUTs aren’t about style. They’re about translation. Whether you’re matching multiple cameras or ensuring your footage lands in the proper color space, technical LUTs are the first step toward a predictable, accurate grade.

The other kind of LUT available is a creative LUT. These LUTs are designed to add mood or artistic character to your footage. They might emulate film stocks, push warm highlights, cool the shadows, or introduce a cinematic contrast curve.

Creative LUTs don’t aim to be color-accurate—they aim to be expressive. They help you quickly explore stylistic directions, speed up grading, and achieve a cohesive aesthetic.

In most professional workflows the sequence would be as follows:

1.) Apply a technical LUT to standardize your footage

2.) Apply a creative LUT to apply a look or mood to your footage

3.) You may need to apply a third technical LUT to transform to your viewing color space

Now that you know the difference between LUTs and the order of operations you can professionally standardize your footage and apply a look to unify your piece!