How to Make a LUT from a Reference Image

The short answer

To make a LUT from a reference image, you also need a source photo. The source shows where the color starts; the reference shows where you want it to go. Luma Dune compares the two, creates a matched result, and lets you export that color relationship as an sRGB-to-sRGB .cube LUT.

Use a source and reference with reasonably similar lighting. You will get a more useful LUT from two daylight portraits than from a daylight portrait and a nearly black concert photo.

What a LUT can and cannot do

A 3D LUT remaps color and tone. It can carry cooler shadows, warmer highlights, quieter greens, or a different contrast curve into a compatible editor. That makes it useful when you want a related look across several photos or in another editing workflow.

A LUT cannot understand the subject or relight the scene. It does not recover clipped highlights, fix a badly exposed photo, or make mixed lighting consistent by itself. Think of it as a reusable color starting point, not a finished edit for every image.

If you are still choosing a reference or judging the first match, read our guide to matching a photo's color grade to a reference image.

Make your LUT in five steps

1. Prepare the source photo. Correct obvious exposure and white-balance problems first. Keep highlight and shadow detail where possible. The source should be a clean example of the material you plan to edit later.
2. Choose a practical reference. Pick an image with the palette and contrast you want, but also look at its light. Similar subjects and lighting usually produce a LUT that travels better to other photos.
3. Upload both images. Open Luma Dune Color Match, upload your source photo, then add the reference image. Common image formats and supported RAW camera files can be used as inputs.
4. Run the match and inspect it. Compare the original and matched result. Look closely at skin, neutral objects, highlights, and deep shadows. If important colors feel unnatural, try a reference with more compatible lighting rather than forcing the look.
5. Download a 3D LUT. Open the LUT download menu after processing and choose the profile that fits your editor or device. The exported .cube file records the match as a reusable color transformation.

Choose the right LUT export

Universal Standard is a 33×33×33 LUT and the best first choice for most people. It is designed for compatible tools such as DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and other desktop editors.

Mobile & Camera is a smaller 17×17×17 LUT. Choose it for compatible mobile editors, cameras, and field monitors where faster loading and a smaller LUT are useful.

High Precision is available as 64×64×64 and 65×65×65 LUTs. The denser grid can produce smoother gradients in compatible professional grading software. Use it only when your software supports the selected size; a larger LUT is not automatically better for every workflow.

Test the LUT on another photo

Apply the LUT to a second image made under similar light. Start at full strength, then reduce the mix in your editor if the effect is too strong. Check skin and neutral areas before looking at the overall mood; they reveal unwanted color casts quickly.

Exposure and white balance should be adjusted before or around the LUT. If the second photo was taken under different light, make those basic corrections first. A good LUT keeps a family resemblance between images without making every frame identical.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a LUT from only one finished image?

Not accurately with this workflow. A finished reference shows the desired color, but it does not reveal the original colors that were transformed. Luma Dune uses a source and reference pair to estimate that relationship.

Which LUT should a beginner choose?

Start with Universal Standard. Its 33×33×33 .cube format is the most practical option for common compatible desktop editing software.

Will one LUT work on every photo?

No. It works best on images with related lighting, exposure, and subject color. Treat it as a consistent starting point, then make small corrections for each photo.

Does exporting a LUT change my downloaded photo?

No. The matched image and LUT are separate downloads. Use the image as the finished result, or use the LUT when you want to bring the look into another compatible workflow.