What are Lightroom Presets & Why Should You Care?
What are Lightroom Presets & Why Should You Care?
A guide to understanding, using, and buying Lightroom presets for mobile and desktop.
What is a Lightroom Preset?
If you’re interested in the photography, blogging, or the creative world, chances are you’ve heard the term Lightroom Presets thrown around before. But what actually is a Lightroom preset?
Let’s start with the basics: Lightroom is a powerful photo editing program from Adobe, & comes in the same package as Photoshop. However, Lightroom is very user friendly, & easy to use once you know your way around.
Lightroom also offers a 100% free mobile app which you can download for both Android and iOS. When you open the app, you can import & organize your photos from your phone, edit them, & then export them back to your photos to upload wherever you wish.
Here’s the problem that presets solve: editing your photos can take HOURS. It’s easy to get lost in all the different editing options in Lightroom while trying to create a certain aesthetic for your photo. This is especially true for those who are new to Lightroom.
Most of us don’t have time to spend several hours editing our images to be just right. This is where presets come in. A preset is a set of adjustments made on a photo in Lightroom, which are then saved so the same adjustments can be added to other photos. This is what creates a consistent & aesthetic looking Instagram feed, or branding for your business’s website & content.
What’s the Difference Between a Preset & a Filter?
If you’re thinking, ‘Oh, so a preset is basically just like an Instagram filter?’, the answer is yes, and no. Yes, both filters and presets change the way your photo looks with adjustments to light and color. However, filters in any kind of creative app are limited, usually only changing basic exposure and tones, while Lightroom Presets offer advanced levels of control & customization for each unique photo.
How Do I Use Presets in Lightroom?
When you purchase a preset pack, you’ll get a link to download the files, which should include .DNG files for use on mobile, and .XMP files if you have a paid subscription to Lightroom and are using it on your desktop computer. Once you’ve downloaded the files, you can import them into your Lightroom app. Then you can easily select any image, apply the preset of your choice with one tap, and customize it however you want!
Are Presets Worth Buying?
There are a ton of preset packs available to buy, and not all of them are created equal. These are my tips if you’re looking to buy your first preset pack.
1. Make sure you know what you’re getting. There are a broad range of sizes and prices out there when it comes to presets. I’ve seen 100s of presets being sold for $50 & I’ve seen 5 presets being sold for $50. Stay away from companies selling 100s of presets in a 1 collection. Chances are they’re not good quality, & you’ll waste time importing them all.
2. Check for examples. Preset brands should show you multiple example photos of what their presets will look like on several different photos. If all the photos look exactly the same, stay away. I’ve seen many brands that use stock photography to make their collections seem SUPER aesthetic; this isn’t real, & isn’t an accurate depiction of what the presets will look like on your photos.
3. Read the How-To Guide. Importing presets on iPhone takes a little bit of time. As long as you read the How-To guide, it will be easy, but it should take about 20 minutes, depending on how many presets you’re importing. (If you have an Android phone, it’s very quick & easy.)
4. Look for credentials. Anyone can google ‘How To Sell Presets’, but I recommend buying Lightroom presets from someone with years of experience in photography & digital editing. Creating quality presets is a nuanced craft. Presets need to be tested across a wide variety of images and adjusted accordingly so that each preset will look great on ANY kind of photo. Check the ‘About’ page for the creators credentials & experience so you know your presets will be professional & high quality.
Do you use Lightroom? Ever thought about buying presets? If this post was helpful, feel free to leave a comment and share it with your friends. Don’t forget to sign up for 15% off your first In Colour Presets purchase + get 1 free preset every month!
