Saving A Photoshop Look Up Table

If you use adjustment layers to create a look in Photoshop and want to be able to replicate it then Look Up Tables, or LUTs, are the answer;

For this example I’m using an image from Fotolia. Using three adjustment layers I’ve created a ‘cross processed / high contrast’ type of look. So how do i save this for future?

Saving A Look Up Table

From the File Menu choose Export > Color Look Up Tables;

When you choose this a new dialogue box appears;

Choose a name, copyright name and format and then adjust the quality. Click OK. You’ll then be given the chance to save it where you’ll easily find it later. If you’d like it in the default folder navigate to;

applications/photoshop CC 2015/Presets/3DLUTs on a Mac

or

c:Program Files\adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2015\Presets\3DLUTs on a PC

Loading LUTs

Open the Adjustments panel, if it’s not on screen open it from the Window Menu;

Click the LUTs icon and then the Load 3D LUT drop down menu;

From the top of the list choose Load 3D LUT and locate your LUT, and click Open.

Your LUT now appears at the top of the list and is applied to the image as a single LUT Adjustment Layer. As this is a single layer you can adjust it’s Blending mode and Opacity to taste.

You can load the LUT at any time and use it on different images;