ChatGPT Colour Grading Prompts: 30 Free Copy-Paste for Lightroom & CapCut Looks (2026)
ChatGPT colour grading prompts are single-sentence (or multi-sentence) instructions you paste alongside a photo in ChatGPT — and the AI recolours the entire image in the style you describe, without any editing software. No Lightroom subscription. No CapCut export process. Just copy, paste, and download.
This post gives you 30 of the best, organised by aesthetic and use case. If you want a full library with 20+ additional styles, see the ChatGPT Colour Grading Prompt Generator.
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How ChatGPT colour grading works
ChatGPT's GPT Image 2 (available in ChatGPT Plus and Pro) accepts photo uploads. When you paste a colour grading description alongside a photo, it re-renders the image with the specified tones, contrast, and palette — producing a result that looks like a Lightroom preset, a CapCut filter, or a Hollywood colour grade.
The key difference from Lightroom: ChatGPT generates a new render of the image in the described style. Lightroom applies non-destructive adjustments to your original pixel data. For social media, content creation, and sharing, ChatGPT's output quality is excellent — fast, free (with Plus), and requires zero technical knowledge.
Works with:
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30 free ChatGPT colour grading prompts
Cinematic & Hollywood looks
1. Teal and orange (the most requested grade)
Apply a teal-and-orange cinematic colour grade — warm orange tones on skin and highlights, deep teal-green in the shadows and background. High contrast, slightly crushed blacks, lifted midtones. The colour split between skin tones and environment should look like a Hollywood blockbuster. Keep the subject's face naturally warm.
2. Dark cinematic thriller
Apply a dark cinematic colour grade: near-black shadows with a cool blue-teal cast, desaturated midtones except for skin tones which should stay warm, slightly reduced contrast in the highlights. The feel should be like a modern thriller or crime drama — moody, cool, and controlled. No bright or vivid colours except warm skin tones.
3. Epic action blockbuster
Apply a colour grade inspired by an epic action blockbuster — slightly desaturated blues and greens, boosted reds and oranges (especially on skin and warm objects), crushed blacks with a slight warm lift, and a subtle vignette darkening the corners. Dramatic, high-contrast, and punchy. The photo should feel larger-than-life.
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Lightroom preset looks
4. Lightroom golden hour preset
Apply a Lightroom golden hour preset look to this photo — push all highlights and midtones toward warm amber-gold, add a subtle peach glow to skin, lift the shadows slightly to give a soft, hazy look. The result should feel like the last 20 minutes before sunset: warm, soft, glowing, and flattering. Avoid making it too orange — keep the whites clean and airy.
5. Lightroom bright & airy portrait preset
Apply a bright and airy Lightroom portrait preset: lift the overall exposure slightly, push whites toward bright clean white, add a soft warm tone to skin without making it orange, reduce harsh shadow contrast for a soft lifted look, and slightly reduce mid-tone contrast. The result should feel like a Pinterest portrait or lifestyle blog photo — bright, inviting, and fresh.
6. Lightroom moody dark preset
Apply a moody Lightroom preset — reduce overall saturation by 30-40%, lift the blacks to create a faded cinematic look, add a slight cool-blue cast to the shadows, keep the highlights neutral or slightly warm. The photo should feel quiet, editorial, and atmospheric — like a fashion editorial or a Nordic drama. No bright or vivid colours.
7. Lightroom film emulation (Kodak Portra 400)
Apply a Kodak Portra 400 film emulation colour grade — warm, slightly faded tones, lifted shadows (never fully crushed blacks), a gentle halation glow in the highlights, soft natural skin tones that lean warm without being orange, and a subtle green-gold cast in the midtones. The result should look like a photo shot on genuine film: organic, slightly imperfect, and unmistakably analogue.
8. Lightroom matte faded preset
Apply a matte faded Lightroom preset: lift the blacks heavily so they read as a soft grey, reduce contrast across the board, add a slight warm colour cast to the midtones, and reduce saturation by 20%. The look should be faded and film-like — like a polaroid that has aged slightly. Smooth, low-contrast, and fashion-editorial.
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CapCut colour grades
9. CapCut viral soft colour grade
Apply the viral soft colour grade from CapCut — slightly lifted blacks for a faded base, skin tones pushed toward warm peach-pink, reduced green saturation, slightly boosted pink and lavender in the highlights. The look should be soft, feminine, and slightly dreamy — like the most popular CapCut portrait filters. Pastel and flattering, not washed out.
10. CapCut moody blue tone
Apply a CapCut-style moody blue tone — push the shadows and midtones toward a cold steel-blue, desaturate warm tones (reds and oranges) while keeping skin tones pale and slightly cool, reduce overall contrast for a hazy atmospheric feel. The result should feel moody and introspective — like a rainy day portrait through a window. Cold, calm, and cinematic.
11. CapCut warm vintage filter
Apply a warm vintage filter in the CapCut style — push tones toward warm amber and yellow-orange, fade the blacks to a warm brown, add a slight vignette, reduce the saturation of blues and greens. The result should feel nostalgic and retro — like a photo from the early 2000s shot on a cheap film camera. Warm, slightly overexposed, and cosy.
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Portrait & skin tone grades
12. Flattering soft peach for portraits
Apply a flattering soft peach colour grade for portraits — push highlights and skin tones toward soft peach-orange, lift the shadows to a warm tan rather than black, reduce contrast slightly for a glowing look. The photo should feel sun-kissed and summery — like a skincare or wellness brand campaign. Warm without being loud.
13. Cool editorial portrait (high fashion)
Apply a cool editorial colour grade for high fashion — deep rich shadows with a slight blue-grey cast, slightly desaturated skin tones that still read as natural, clean neutral-to-cool highlights, one accent colour preserved (a garment or accessory). The feel should be like a Vogue editorial — restrained, expensive-looking, and graphic.
14. Warm honeyed glow
Colour grade this photo with a warm honeyed glow — push all tones toward deep amber-honey, add richness and warmth to skin without oversaturating, slightly boost the contrast in the shadows, and add a golden shimmer to the highlights. The mood should feel like candlelight or firelight — warm, golden, and intimate.
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Aesthetic & mood grades
15. Dark academia muted browns
Apply a dark academia colour grade — muted warm tones with a sepia-brown cast in the midtones, deep rich shadows, slightly desaturated greens and blues, the overall palette should feel like old books, candlelight, and wood-paneled rooms. Pull the saturation on bright colours down and push the shadows toward warm brown-black.
16. Muted sage green aesthetic
Apply a muted sage green colour grade — push the greens and neutrals toward a soft dusty olive-sage tone, desaturate warm colours (reds and oranges), lift the shadows slightly for a faded film look, add a very subtle cool cast to the highlights. The palette should feel natural, earthy, and calm — like slow living or botanical aesthetic content.
17. Purple and mauve twilight
Colour grade this photo with a purple and mauve palette — push shadows toward deep violet-plum, midtones toward dusty mauve or rose-lilac, and keep highlights clean or slightly warm. Shift blues toward purple and pinks toward mauve. The mood should feel romantic and slightly surreal — like a twilight portrait or Y2K throwback aesthetic.
18. Soft pink pastel dream
Apply a soft pink pastel colour grade — lift the blacks to create a milky faded base, push highlights toward soft blush pink or lavender, add warmth to skin tones, lower overall contrast. Shadows should feel airy, not dark. Think dreamy Instagram portrait aesthetic: light, feminine, and flattering — like a flower shop or cafe editorial.
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Film & vintage looks
19. 70s retro Kodachrome
Apply a 70s retro Kodachrome colour grade — push all tones toward warm orange and yellow, add a slight green-gold cast in the shadows, lift the blacks to give a hazy faded print look, slightly oversaturate the warm tones while desaturating the blues and greens. The result should look like a Kodachrome slide from 1975 — warm, punchy, faded at the edges, unmistakably retro.
20. VHS 80s video look
Apply a VHS 80s colour grade — slightly washed-out colours, lifted blacks with a warm-grey cast, boosted reds and magentas (the VHS oversaturation effect), slightly reduced sharpness in the colour transitions, faint horizontal noise. The result should look like a photo taken from an 80s VHS recording — warm, grainy, slightly bleeding colours, and unmistakably retro.
21. Black and white film (high drama)
Convert this photo to a high-contrast black and white colour grade — deep rich blacks in the shadows, bright crisp whites in the highlights, emphasised skin texture and facial details, dramatic contrast between light and shadow. The style should look like classic portrait photography by Herb Ritts or Richard Avedon — powerful and graphic, not soft or grey.
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Season & weather grades
22. Winter cold blue morning
Apply a cold winter morning colour grade — push shadows and midtones toward cool blue or steel grey, desaturate warm tones, keep skin tones slightly cool and pale, add a subtle haze to the highlights. The mood should feel like a cold grey January morning — quiet, melancholic, and atmospheric. No warmth or golden tones at all.
23. Autumn russet and amber
Apply an autumn colour grade — push foliage and background tones toward deep russet-red, burnt orange, and golden amber. Warm the shadows toward brown-red, keep skin tones naturally warm, reduce blues and greens. The photo should feel like a walk through an autumn park at midday — rich, warm, and seasonal.
24. Summer tropical vibrant
Apply a vibrant tropical summer colour grade — push blues (sky and water) toward electric cyan and cobalt, warm the yellows and oranges, lift the greens toward vivid lime and emerald, add brightness and contrast. Skin should look sun-kissed and golden. The feel should be bold, saturated, and energetic — like a Caribbean beach campaign.
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Commercial & product grades
25. E-commerce clean white
Apply a clean, neutral e-commerce colour grade — push whites toward pure bright white, neutralise any colour cast in the background (make it pure white or very light grey), keep product colours accurate and saturated, add a slight brightness boost without overexposing any highlights. The result should look like a studio product photo against a perfect white seamless background.
26. Luxury dark product
Apply a luxury product colour grade — deep, rich, near-black background, slightly blue-tinted or neutral cool highlights on the product surface, velvety smooth midtones, very slightly desaturated colours except one accent detail. The feel should be like a high-end fragrance or watch advertisement — mysterious, expensive, and dramatic.
27. Food photography warm
Apply a warm food photography colour grade — push all tones toward warm amber-gold, make wooden surfaces and table backgrounds rich and warm, add a golden glow to the highlights on food surfaces, keep the food colours vibrant and appetising. The mood should feel like a cosy restaurant menu photo or food blog — warm, inviting, and making the food look delicious.
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Urban & street grades
28. Desaturated street (documentary)
Apply a desaturated street photography colour grade — reduce overall saturation by 25-40%, push shadows toward blue-grey, keep midtones neutral with a slight cool cast, add a slight cyan tint to the sky. The feel should be honest, quiet, and observational — like a photo essay from a grey city on an overcast day. Gritty but not harsh.
29. Neon night city
Apply a neon night city colour grade — intensify and saturate neon pinks, purples, and electric blues in background lights, keep shadows deep and nearly black, add a reflective glow to wet surfaces, push highlights toward cyan or magenta. The mood should feel like a Tokyo alley at 2am — hyper-saturated background, high-contrast subject.
30. Cinematic city golden hour
Apply a golden hour urban colour grade — push the sky toward deep amber and orange, warm the shadows to rich brown-orange, make buildings and concrete surfaces catch a warm golden glow, keep the foreground subject warm and softly backlit. The feel should be like a cinematic city establishing shot at the magic hour — warm, dramatic, and romantic.
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Tips for getting the best results
Be specific about the colour split: Instead of "make this warmer," specify where the warmth goes — "push highlights toward warm amber-gold, keep shadows cool blue-grey." ChatGPT responds to directional instructions, not vague mood words.
Name a reference aesthetic or film: "Kodak Portra 400," "teal-and-orange Hollywood," "dark academia" all trigger consistent, recognisable results. Vague instructions like "vintage" can produce anything.
Add "preserve accurate skin tones" when the subject's skin is important — this prevents ChatGPT from colour-shifting faces along with the background.
Specify contrast level: High contrast (crushed blacks, bright whites) vs. low contrast (lifted shadows, soft midtones) completely changes the look. Always include one or the other.
Use "describe the grade you applied" at the end — ChatGPT will explain what it did, giving you a description you can tweak and reuse for consistency across multiple photos.
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FAQ
Can I use these for CapCut? Not directly — CapCut doesn't accept text colour grading instructions the way ChatGPT does. Use these prompts in ChatGPT or Gemini to get a graded image, then import that result into CapCut for further editing or video work.
Do these work without a ChatGPT Plus subscription? The free tier of ChatGPT has limited access to GPT Image 2. For consistent colour grading results, ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) or Pro is recommended. Gemini's free tier (with Nano Banana 2) also works well with these prompts.
Can I describe my own Lightroom preset using this? Yes — look at your Lightroom preset settings (Temperature, Tint, Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Vibrance, Saturation, HSL panel) and translate the values into natural language. For example: "Temperature +25 (warm), Shadows +20 (lifted), Highlights -10, Vibrance +10, HSL: reduce Aqua by -30, boost Orange by +20" becomes a readable prompt ChatGPT can follow.
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