How to Use Scopes to Color Correct Videos with Adobe Premiere Pro

There are multiple scope options available. However, these steps focus on how to make color corrections using the Vectorscope YUV and Waveform (Luma).

To open the scopes:

1. Click on the Windows option in the Menu Bar, hover over Workspace and select Color. Or
   • Select Window from the panel. 
   • Scroll down and select Lumetri Color and Lumetri Scopes. 
2. Right click inside the Lumetri Scopes panel and hover over Waveform Type from the drop-down menu. 
3. Click Luma. 

There are multiple reasons to use Lumetri scopes. One primary reason is that your display may not be calibrated accurately. In other words, it may not represent the true colors of your video. A second reason is that you cannot trust your eyes alone when making color corrections due to the lighting in your workspace. The light influences how you see color so it is essential to refer back to the scopes during this process. When color correcting, find a nice balance between common sense and using your scopes. Always refer back to your video and your scopes.

Use this information to help you read the Vectorscope YUV:

• The Vectorscope YUV shows all the colors in the video. 
• The circle graph is a gradient of all the colors on the spectrum.
• The location and size of the white mass in the graph represent the amount of color and what colors are in the video.
• If you increase the saturation, making the video more colorful, the white mass spreads out. If you lower the saturation to zero, making the video black and white, the white mass disappears to the middle, which is the black, white and gray point.

Use this information to help you read the Waveform (Luma):

• The Luma version shows the exposure of the video. You can use the histogram or the Waveform because they show the same information.
• The Waveform has a scale on the graph ranging from zero to 100. Zero represents the blacks (the darkest parts of the video) and 100 represents the whites (the lightest parts of the video).
• Information should be spread out. Ideally, you do not want anything to be pressed to the 100 or the zero line. If there is a lot of information below the line, for example, this means the video is underexposed and you need to increase the exposure. 
• Balance out the white information in the middle of the video. Remain cognizant, however, of the video settings. Filming in a park, for example, will show a lot of green and your Vectorscope will show that, too. 
• Pressed or crushed waves in the graph signify that you have lost some detail in your video. You want to avoid this because usually, you cannot fully recover the details.

To make color corrections, move over to the Lumetri Color Panel. The basic correction tab is divided into two sections: Color and Light. 

Under Color, you will see White Balance and Saturation. The white balance consists of two sliders: Temperature and Tint. Temperature ranges from cold (blue) to warm (orange). The Tint slider slides from green to magenta. For Saturation, move the slider to the left to make it black and white. Move the slider to the right to intensify colors.  

To adjust White Balance:

1. Use the sliders to adjust the white balance in the color section. 
2. Adjust the exposure slider to spread out the information evenly. 

Tips for balancing: 

• Center the white mass in the middle of the Vectorscope YUV graph. You can adjust the white balance automatically or manually. 
• Select the eyedropper tool, click on the white in the video and Premiere Pro will adjust the white balance if you have something white in your video. 
• Ensure the white information is in the middle of your Vectorscope to avoid overcorrection. 
• Double click on the slider to reset the balance to zero. 
• Look at the video and the Waveform to avoid over- or under-correction of an object. 

In the Light section, correct the overall Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks with the sliders. The Waveform represents the exposure and all the tones in the frame. The Highlights, Shadows, Blacks and Whites all work together. You will see their effect on each other in the Waveform.

To adjust Light:

• Use the sliders to adjust each of the light sliders.
• Refer to the Waveform (Luma) to see how adjusting each slider impacts the graph.

Tips for adjusting light: 

• Ensure the white information is spread out evenly in the Waveform. 
• Look at the Waveform and what is shown onscreen to avoid over and under-correction of objects. 
• Double click on the slider to reset the light settings.
• Compare the completed color correction to the original. To switch between the before and after, uncheck Basic Correction.