In post-processing, how do color correction and color grading differ?

• A. Color correction neutralizes color casts to achieve as-true colors; color grading adds creative tones after correction.
• B. Color correction is the same as sharpening the image.
• C. Color correction adds creative mood colors before any basic color adjustments.
• D. Color correction is applied after color grading.

Answer: (C)

Color correction is about achieving accurate, neutral colors by removing color casts and adjusting white balance so that whites look white and skin tones read true. After you’ve established a faithful base, color grading adds a creative look by tweaking hue, saturation, and luminance to create a specific mood or style. The sequence matters: fix the colors first, then apply the mooded look.

For context, sharpening enhances detail and is not about color accuracy, so that’s not part of color correction. And applying mood colors before basic color adjustments would lock in inaccuracies instead of giving you a solid foundation to shape the final look. Similarly, applying correction after grading would undermine consistency across images.