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LUTs tend to get associated with video editing, but they’re just as useful for still images. Importing LUTs in Affinity is refreshingly simple, and anyone who downloads a large LUT pack eventually ends up doing the same thing: clicking through file after file to see what works and what doesn’t.
Some LUTs can work on an image straight away. Others… not so much.
Affinity Photo keeps the process simple. Add a LUT adjustment layer, load the file, and decide whether the result is worth keeping. There is no need to permanently alter the original image while testing different looks.
For photographers, designers, and digital artists working with downloaded LUTs, the import process is usually the quickest part of the job. Whether the goal is to tweak a portrait, add atmosphere to a landscape, or simply see what a downloaded LUT actually does, we’ll take you through step by step on how to import LUTs in Affinity, along with a few tips for using LUTs in motion graphics and compositing projects.
TL;DR
LUTs aren’t just for video editors. Affinity Photo supports LUT adjustment layers, making it easy to experiment with different color styles on photos, artwork, and other still images. This tutorial covers the full process, along with how to download and use LUTs from Envato.
How do you import LUTs in Affinity Photo?
- Download a LUT and locate the
.cubefile. - Open your image in Affinity Photo.
- Add a LUT Adjustment Layer.
- Load the LUT file and preview the result.
- Adjust the layer opacity if needed and save your image.
What are LUTs in Affinity?
Downloaded a LUT pack and not sure where to start?
A single image can look surprisingly different depending on the LUT applied. One file might add warmth to a landscape shot. Another could introduce stronger contrast or shift colors in a completely different direction. Some changes are subtle enough to miss at first glance. Others are obvious immediately.
LUT Adjustment Layers in Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo applies LUTs through adjustment layers.
That means a LUT doesn’t become part of the original image. The layer can be hidden, deleted, swapped for a different LUT, or blended back using opacity controls. When testing several downloaded LUTs, being able to compare versions side by side is often more useful than committing to a look straight away.
Why Photographers Use LUTs
A wedding photographer editing 500 images doesn’t necessarily want every photo to become a completely different project.
The same applies to travel galleries, events, and commercial shoots. Once a color style starts to emerge, the goal is often to carry that feeling across the rest of the images rather than reinvent the edit from scratch each time.
That’s where LUTs often enter the workflow.
- A portrait session may need a softer, warmer look.
- A landscape gallery might benefit from cooler tones.
- A product shoot may require colors to remain consistent across dozens of images.
- A client project can involve testing several visual directions before choosing one.
Because Affinity Photo uses LUT adjustment layers, different options can be loaded, compared, and discarded without altering the original image.
Step 1: Download a LUT
Before opening Affinity Photo, you’ll need a LUT file to work with. Most LUTs are supplied as .cube files, a format supported by Affinity Photo and many other creative applications.
- Browse the available LUTs and choose a style that suits your image.
- Download the LUT and extract the files if they are packaged in a ZIP folder.
- Locate the
.cubefile and keep note of its location for the import step.
Tip: If you’re browsing multiple LUTs, preview them on Envato before downloading. This can save time later when testing different looks against your footage.
Once the LUT file is ready, open Affinity Photo and move on to the next step.
Step 2: Add a LUT Adjustment Layer
In Affinity Photo, a LUT is stored on its own adjustment layer. The color treatment can therefore be changed or removed later without altering the underlying image.
- Open the image you want to edit in Affinity Photo.
- Select Window > Pixel > Adjustments to open up the Adjustments Panel.
- Scroll down the list until you find LUT.
- Select from the default LUTs or click on the Cog Button on the top right to import a custom LUT.
At this stage, nothing will change on the image yet. The adjustment layer simply creates a place to apply LUTs in Affinity.
Step 3: Adjust the LUT Strength
A LUT doesn’t have to be used at full intensity. Reducing its strength can sometimes produce a more natural result, particularly when working with photographs.
Affinity Photo includes an Opacity setting for LUT Adjustment Layers, allowing the effect to be blended with the original image.
- Select the LUT Adjustment Layer in the Layers panel.
- Locate the Opacity control.
- Reduce the value to soften the effect.
- Increase or decrease the setting until the image looks the way you want.
Small adjustments are often enough. Even a strong LUT can produce a very different result when the opacity is lowered.
Step 4: Save the Look as a Preset
If a LUT produces a result worth reusing, consider saving it as a preset. This can be useful when editing a series of images that share similar lighting, colors, or subject matter.
- Select the LUT Adjustment Layer.
- Open the LUT adjustment settings.
- Click on the LUT you are using.
- Click “Add Preset” button on the top left.
- Enter a name that makes the preset easy to identify later.
Building a small collection of presets can help create a more consistent editing workflow. Instead of starting from scratch with every image, previously saved looks can be applied and refined as needed.
Common Issues
Not every LUT produces a winner. Sometimes the result is exactly what was hoped for. Other times it feels completely out of character for the image. When that happens, a few usual suspects are worth considering.
Flat Colors
A photo can occasionally lose some of its punch after a LUT is applied.
This is often easier to spot than to explain. The image simply feels less lively than it did a moment ago. When that happens, comparing a few alternatives usually reveals whether the LUT is helping or holding the image back.
Incorrect Color Profiles
A color profile mismatch can create some surprisingly odd results.
The image looks different, but not in a deliberate or creative way. Something just feels off. When that happens, the LUT is not always the first place worth investigating.
Overdone Effects
Some LUTs arrive with all subtlety left at the door.
That can work well for certain images, but not every photograph benefits from a dramatic treatment. A subtle grade often ages better than an aggressive one.
Pro Tips
LUTs tend to become more useful over time. At first, most of the fun comes from loading different looks and seeing what happens. Here are a few more tips that will help you on your Affinity Photo LUTs journey.
Combine LUTs With Local Adjustments
A LUT affects the whole frame in one go.
That sounds convenient until one area of the image responds differently from another. A sky might suddenly look fantastic while a portrait subject ends up looking a little tired. Local adjustments can help smooth out those rough edges.
Use LUTs for Batch Consistency
Many photographers eventually settle on a handful of favourite looks.
Those same LUTs often appear again and again across different projects. Scroll through a finished gallery and the photographs may not match exactly, but they usually feel as though they came from the same editor.
Test styles before download with Envato previews
A LUT that looks impressive on one image, might not work for another. That’s one reason many photographers enjoy testing several options on Envato’s new LUTs category before downloading anything. The obvious favourite doesn’t always win.
Conclusion
After working with a few LUTs, the process starts to feel less like color grading in Affinity Photo and more like trying on different creative directions. Some will look great immediately. Others that seemed promising in the preview may not suit the image at all.
One reason many people end up using LUTs regularly is the flexibility. A LUT adjustment layer can be switched off, swapped for another option, or reduced in strength without touching the original image. Comparing different looks takes only a few clicks.
Not every LUT earns a permanent place in the toolkit. Some look impressive in a preview and fall apart on real photographs. Others seem unremarkable at first and end up being used for years. Learning how to import LUTs in Affinity is really just the starting point, figuring out which looks suit your own work tends to take a little longer.
How to import LUTs in Affinity FAQs
Can Affinity Photo use .cube files?
Yes. If a LUT download includes .cube files, they can be loaded into Affinity Photo using a LUT adjustment layer.
In practical terms, that covers the vast majority of LUT packs. Open the adjustment layer, choose the file, and see how it affects the image. If the result isn’t right, try another LUT or lower the layer opacity.
Are LUTs good for photography?
They can be useful, but there is no guarantee a LUT will improve a photograph.
A cinematic LUT that looks fantastic on a city street at night might look completely out of place on a bright wedding portrait. The real advantage is speed. Instead of building a look from scratch every time, photographers can try a few options and decide whether any of them are worth keeping.
What’s the difference between presets and LUTs?
A preset changes editing controls. A LUT changes color relationships. Move an exposure slider and the image gets brighter. Increase contrast and the shadows deepen. A LUT works differently. It remaps colors and tones according to instructions stored inside the file.
That is why color grading in Affinity Photo often involves both. The LUT creates the overall mood, while normal editing tools handle the smaller refinements.
