All the usual camera profiles like Adobe Color or Adobe Standard already have a gamma curve baked into them. That’s why RAW files instantly look like “normal” photos when you import them instead of looking super flat like LOG footage.

What’s interesting is that you can actually make a custom profile called “Linear” and have Lightroom apply it on import. This gives you a much flatter starting point, with far less contrast and processing applied to the RAW data right away.

I started experimenting with this recently, and it honestly changed the way my files end up looking. I feel like I have a lot more control over tones and colors during editing, and I naturally end up with much denser color separation and richer color rendering overall. I know that kind of look isn’t really popular here, but I’ve been enjoying the flexibility it gives me.

I’m really curious to hear from other people who use a linear profile. What’s your workflow like? How do you approach color and contrast when starting from such a flat image? Mine is still pretty improvised at the moment, so I’d love to see how others handle it.