Split Toning

Term from Photography Editing industry explained for recruiters

Split toning is a photo editing technique where photographers add different colors to the light and dark areas of a photo. Think of it like giving a special mood or feeling to pictures - like making shadows bluish while keeping highlights warm and golden. It's commonly used in professional photography to create distinctive looks for wedding photos, fashion shoots, or brand campaigns. This technique has become especially popular with the rise of Instagram and social media, where it helps create consistent visual styles for professional photographers and content creators.

Examples in Resumes

Created consistent brand imagery using Split Toning techniques across client photo collections

Developed custom Split-Toning presets for wedding photography portfolio

Applied Split Tone effects to enhance mood in commercial fashion photographs

Typical job title: "Photo Editors"

Also try searching for:

Digital Photo Editor Photography Post-Production Specialist Photo Retoucher Image Editor Photography Color Specialist Commercial Photo Editor

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you approach creating a consistent split toning style across a large batch of photos for a brand campaign?

Expected Answer: A senior editor should discuss workflow efficiency, creating and testing presets, ensuring consistency across different lighting conditions, and maintaining brand color guidelines while applying split toning.

Q: How do you train junior editors to maintain consistency in split toning across team projects?

Expected Answer: Should explain creating style guides, documenting processes, developing standardized presets, quality control methods, and mentoring techniques to ensure team-wide consistency.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What factors do you consider when choosing split toning colors for different types of photography?

Expected Answer: Should discuss how different genres (wedding, fashion, landscape) require different approaches, understanding color theory, and how to enhance the mood of images appropriately.

Q: How do you handle client feedback regarding split toning adjustments?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of client communication, ability to make precise adjustments based on feedback, and explaining technical choices in client-friendly language.

Junior Level Questions

Q: Can you explain the basic concept of split toning and when you might use it?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain that split toning involves adding different colors to highlights and shadows, and give basic examples like making warm highlights and cool shadows for portraits.

Q: What software do you use for split toning and what are the basic steps?

Expected Answer: Should be familiar with common editing software like Lightroom or Photoshop and be able to describe the basic process of applying split toning to an image.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic understanding of color theory
  • Familiarity with main editing software
  • Can apply basic split toning presets
  • Understanding of basic photo editing workflows

Mid (2-4 years)

  • Create custom split toning presets
  • Maintain consistency across photo sets
  • Advanced color theory application
  • Efficient batch editing workflows

Senior (4+ years)

  • Develop signature editing styles
  • Train and mentor junior editors
  • Create complex color grading workflows
  • Handle high-profile client projects

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No understanding of basic color theory
  • Unable to maintain consistency across multiple photos
  • No experience with professional editing software
  • Poor attention to detail in edited samples
  • Lack of experience with client feedback incorporation