Split-toning

Split-toning is pushing the shadows toward one hue and the highlights toward another — the classic example being cool, teal shadows against warm, orange highlights. It is a core ingredient of most film-like looks, and done well it respects middle gray, so the tint splits cleanly between the two ends of the tonal range instead of casting the whole image one color. You read it on the RGB parade — channels diverging at the top and bottom while meeting in the middle — and you shape it with curves.

First used in: 2.9 · Look development I — analysis