As you know, digital photography mostly consists of additive color mixing.
The primary colors for digital processing are red, green and blue.
Historically, the red adjustment in color gelatin prints was made by layering together magenta and yellow filters.
Adjusting the magenta and yellow gels also affected the exposure values In digital curves adjustments, red has its own channel.
What most photographers don't know, and what you should really ponder, is that one should adjust the composite RGB curve layer to match the opposite of what one's red channel curve is.
REALISTIC COLOR IN FILM - INGREDIENTS Ingredient #1: The Right Film Description: Photographers had to load their camera with film rated for primary light source that was going to be used with their subject.
For example, a landscape project would require daylight color film Ingredient #2: Accurate Film Processing Description: Toxic color photography processing requires very precisely sustained temperature chemical baths.
There is little room for error because of this.
Every step in processing the film requires utmost accuracy and must be very well understood by the developer Ingredient #3: Expert Printmaking Description: Experts in printmaking use layers of color gels to adjust the lamp that will expose the color gelatin paper with the image on the film negative.
Adding or taking away the color red from the lamp also effects the amount of light, therefore requiring and adjustment to the exposure values.
Adjusting the blue or green colors does not affect exposure values in making color gelatin prints The process of color has evolved entirely into digital.
Aside from the actual exposure with a camera and lens, the steps of film are gone.
There are new steps now, and understanding the evolution can only benefit the picture-taker! Get a bird's eye view of the entire workflow for realistic color in digital photography.
Digital Color Management

1. Take a reading with a calibrated light meter in the associated lighting environment to calculate the most accurate exposure value
2. Shoot a RAW image of a color target in that lighting environment
3. Post-production: set the correct color temperature of the image and create a curves adjustment so that each swatch matches the Color Checker's corresponding theoretical values.
   This could be done on a calibrated monitor, but that is not necessary
4. Make a print using a raster image processor, making sure to set the profile to match the loaded paper.
   Also, the profile should ideally be one created specifically for the light source under which your print will be displayed

You should take note that it has historically been easier to produce realistic color in film than digital, but yet there is much more control and possibility for you to achieve greater realism with greater accuracy.
In the film days, there was no color target which could aid in the printmaking process.
With digital, we can be absolutely certain that a particular color in a photograph represents its theoretical value.
Educating yourself about the photography medium and its history will make you a more well-rounded picture-taker.
With more knowledge, you can help teach others that show interest in it.
Get motivated to embrace the digital medium and learn all that you can about how it works, having evolved from traditional film photography.
I excelled in art school by harnessing my passion for color and photography.
I studied and learned on my own outside of academia by applying new knowledge.
I consider myself an expert in color correction and look forward to sharing wisdom with you.