jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I get similar emails offering presets for sale. I sometimes accept the free ones, but even then I tend not to use them. I may do batch processing to change name, but not for processing.

GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

I loved my Veg O Matic for the three minutes it held together. ha!

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

Google 'Lightroom Presets' and you will find thousands of legal ones for free, many are from reputable companies and well known individuals.
With presets it is easy to scrap any you do not favour and end up with a few favourites which will be easy to manage.

rstrick2 Loc: Beverly Hills, FL

I create my own presets as it is easy to do. I bought some once, but found they are not as good as the ones you can make. When I have series of shot in the same light I usually make a preset so I can process the other like photos.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

You'll spend more time fishing around for a preset that you will just learning how to make your own basic set that will work for what you mainly shoot.

Save your $49.

texaseve Loc: TX, NC and NH

I think they just take up space. The ones in that deal are not the best. There are some great ones out there and usually cost a bit more; you get what you pay for.

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

:thumbup: :thumbup: I agree!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Or just don't use presets at all.

There are infinite possible adjustments to images.... so to have a "correct preset" for every possible setting, you'd need to have infinite number of presets! That sort of defeats the whole purpose of presets, doesn't it?

I never use presets. Instead, what I often do with the first image is use the "Auto" button.... See how that looks (easy to "undo" if I don't like it) then tweak the various settings as needed, more to my liking. Once I have that first image looking the way I want, if the next image needs similar adjustments I can use a single click on the "Previous" button to apply the same settings to it too (though crop/straighten or some other individual factor might need to be changed a little), or even can use the "Sync" button to tweak a bunch of images that all need essentially the same adjustment. Fast and easy... and a lot more precise than sorting through presets (1000?!?) to find one that more or less does the adjustments I want.

Instead of spending money buying presets, if you aren't already doing so I'd suggest put the same $ toward buying a monitor calibration device such as Datacolor Spyder, Pantone Huey or X-Rite ColorMunki. Calibrating your monitor regularly would do a whole lot more for your images, than a bunch of LR presets will!

Trentc Loc: Denver, CO

Each photo is going to react differently to a preset. A preset that works with one photo is not going to necessarily work with another, even if the photos are similar. I don't think I would ever apply a preset to a batch, as you would have to review and tweak each one individually, anyway.

Also, I have purchased presets and downloaded free ones, and, I have to say, I rarely use them. In fact, I have so many now that I have no idea what they all do, and don't have the time to click through them all to see how they work with a photo. I have a couple of favorites, but, like you, I enjoy playing with each photo and applying my own settings. They have largely been a waste of money and time.

Trentc Loc: Denver, CO

Instead of spending money buying presets, if you aren't already doing so I'd suggest put the same $ toward buying a monitor calibration device such as Datacolor Spyder, Pantone Huey or X-Rite ColorMunki. Calibrating your monitor regularly would do a whole lot more for your images, than a bunch of LR presets will![/quote]

Damn, why didn't I think of that? Good advice!

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Thombar Loc: Hominy, OK

When I was new to digital photography and post processing I was overwhelmed with all the "presets" out there and thought I had to have them to do good pp. So I have purchased perhaps 2500 over time and doubt that I have used 50 of them. I have wasted several 100's of dollars on them and now realize I could make my own with a bit of effort on my part. Recommend you do the same.
:roll:

Kuzano

Perhaps not a veg o matic, but smacks of being similar to Ron Popiels Bald Spot Reducer, sold so many years ago on late nite television.

Did a great job of hiding your bald spot, but it was just a can of dark aerosol spray paint applied to your scalp in the bald or receding area.

Guaranteed to do what it did!!! :lol:

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

Get it right in camera and you will need little or no processing at all. Even if you are off a bit, only a few adjustments will be needed.

And the real problem with presets is that they may not be supported by a LR/PS update or conflict with the application. Presets are problematic. You're just buying trouble.

JTann Loc: North East, MD

Sadly, many people using the program aren't savvy to how to make presets or even use the ones that come with the program - as in click on one and if they don't like have no idea they can alter it in the develop module to their liking. Therefore there are people who have made a lot of their own and will set them as sets. Thing is, let's say you're a Nikon shooter and the maker uses Canon. They will not look the same applied to your files. It's soooo easy to make your own and keep them in User Presets that I don't think it's worth buying them. Just my opinion.

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

Just for the fun of it i took some raw photographs and made two edited versions of each. One version was made using presets/auto settings vailable in PSE 14. The second version was made with me making all the PP settings. To the extent possible i made the edits using the same settings as PSE 14 used in auto mode. I then showed the photos to my wife and others asking them to select which they liked best. To my sorrow 95% of the time they selected the photos made using the auto settings. As a result have been using the auto settings more often but will then tweak them as desired.