Creating and Saving a Custom Tone Curve in Lightroom
The Tone Curve in Lightroom offers powerful control over an image’s contrast, highlights, shadows, and midtones. Here’s how to create a custom tone curve and save it as a preset for future use:
1. Open the Tone Curve Panel:
In the Develop module, locate the Tone Curve panel. You’ll see a graph representing your image’s tonal range from dark (left) to bright (right).
2. Adjust the Curve:
• Click on the curve to add control points. Drag these points to adjust the highlights, midtones, and shadows.
• You can adjust the RGB channels individually for color grading effects by selecting the red, green, or blue channels from the dropdown.
3. Save Your Custom Tone Curve:
• After making your adjustments, click on the dropdown icon in the Tone Curve panel (next to where it says Point Curve).
• Select Save from the dropdown
• Name your custom curve and click Save.
Streamlining Your Workflow with Custom Tone Curves
Once you create and save a custom tone curve, it’s stored in the Point Curve menu, where you can quickly apply it to other images with a single click. This not only saves time but also ensures consistency across your photos. Custom tone curves are especially useful for maintaining a specific style or aesthetic, whether you’re going for a soft, muted look or a high-contrast, dramatic effect.
By creating custom Tone Curve presets, you’re building a personalized toolkit that simplifies your editing process, making it faster and more efficient to achieve the look you want.