1. Basic Correction (Lumetri → Basic)
White Balance
- Temp: +5 to +15 (warmer)
- Tint: +2 to +5 (tiny magenta boost)
Exposure
- Exposure: 0 (as needed)
- Contrast: +10 to +25
- Highlights: -20
- Shadows: +10
- Whites: 0 to -10
- Blacks: -5 to -15 (slightly deeper blacks)
This gives you the soft-film contrast base.
2. Creative Tab → Add Teal Shadows + Warm Highlights
Look
You don’t need a LUT, but you can add “SL Blue Steel” or “Cinematic 2” at 10–20% intensity.
Creative Adjustments
- Faded Film: 5–10
- Sharpen: 0 or -5 (keep soft)
- Vibrance: +10
- Saturation: +5
3. Curves → RGB Curves
S-Curve
Add a soft S-curve:
- Lift shadows slightly
- Add a subtle highlight boost
- Keep midtones soft (don’t overcontrast)
This recreates the cinematic soft contrast.
4. Color Wheels (MOST IMPORTANT for this look)
Lift (Shadows):
Add teal / cyan
- Move color wheel point a little toward cyan
- Shadows Saturation: +10 to +20
Gamma (Midtones):
Neutral or slightly warm
- Tiny push to orange
- Gamma Saturation: +5
Gain (Highlights):
Warm / sunset tones
- Move point toward warm orange/yellow
- Gain Saturation: +10
This creates the beautiful complementary palette:
teal shadows + warm highlights.
5. HSL Secondary → Target Skin Tone
This image has warm skin tones; preserve them:
- Pick the skin with the eyedropper
- Soften mask
- Adjust:
- Hue: +3 (warmer)
- Sat: +5
- Luma: +5
This gives nice glowing sunset skin.
6. HSL Secondary → Desaturate Greens
The forest green is muted & slightly teal.
Select greens:
- Hue: target green range
- Sat: low-mid
- Luma: slightly boosted
Then adjust:
- Saturation: -10 to -25
- Tint: push slightly to cyan/teal
- Luma: +5
Now your greens match the aesthetic in the image.
7. Vignette
- Amount: -0.2 to -0.4
- Midpoint: 50
- Roundness: 20
- Feather: 60
SUPER subtle — just a soft focus.
🎥 OPTIONAL: Add Film Grain (VERY GOOD FOR THIS LOOK)
If you have plugin (FilmConvert/Nitrate/Dehancer):
- Grain 35mm Fine
- Size: 20–30
- Amount: 5–10
If not:
Use Adjustment Layer → Noise (monochromatic, 2–4%)
🎛 Summary of the Recipe
Shadows → teal
Highlights → warm
Greens → desaturated + teal
Skin → warm & vibrant
Contrast → soft but cinematic
S-curve → moderate
Balance → warm overall
This will get you extremely close to the look.