Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

I did a preset search on UHH. The posts are a few years old. Some of the links that were recommended have been delisted/removed.

I'm looking for more current info on this subject. Do you use presets and what are your favorites?

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I don’t use LR or presets but I’ve read that they’re commonly used where a batch of photos all have fairly uniform characteristics, like a portrait shoot.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I've developed my own presets that do the following:

1) apply NR for the ISO and Camera Combination
2) apply sharpening
3) apply defaults for Clarity, Luminance and Saturation
4) set the camera calibration to Camera Standard
5) Trigger AUTO-WB and AUTO-TONE
6) Dynamically apply the lens profile

A long time ago I bought one of the $20 downloads of 40 or 50 presets. I knew I'd wasted my money as soon as I saw them. I already knew more about LR editing than someone else's adjustments would ever apply to my images.

Here's a simplistic demo. I grabbed a nothing image of a issue was had in the summer with furniture dumped outside our dumpster. You can see the original import and my edit of the image (1 & 2). I then clicked through the various presets and applied and took screen prints. You can see how each preset applies itself via changes to the HSL, the Presence sliders, and the Basics. Some adjust the WB, others leave the WB along. All of them left the exposure alone, but all modified the Contrast. Open the attachment and you can zoom to the details to see each setting.

(Apologies, I had an example #5, but that was 7 examples and didn't layout nicely.)

LR includes a number of presets, installed with the software; just find and expand that list in the Develop module. If you need examples of how 'moving' the sliders around can impact the look of the image, just click through the LR presets. If you want to 'buy' some, here's some examples of how they work.

(Download)

bleirer

I do a lot of adjusting, but the ones that I apply on import including defaults are profile at adobe color, wb at as shot, contrast +10, texture dehaze and vibrance +10, clarity 0, saturation -2, curve at medium contrast, sharpening +25 radius 1 detail 25 but I dial in masking, luminance and color noise 25 detail and smoothness 50, lens correction enabled for both types.

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Paul, thank you for the samples. With my monitor colour calibration, I prefer #3.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I have an import preset that is applied to every raw image I bring into lightroom, to give me a headstart on editing. This is something I've created to bring my cameras raw images to a presentable starting place.

I use a few other LR presets that I've obtained from third party vendors and do certain things that I like (some by Two Lil Owls, Photomorphis and Hacking are the ones I use most). I have never bought any, but have acquired these as freebies or bonuses that came with something else. Most of what is done by presets, and by add on filters such as NIK, Topaz, etc can be done in LR and Photoshop if you learn the tools thoroughly. The value of them comes when a preset or plugin can do something faster/easier/more efficiently than you can do it yourself. Only you can figure that part out.

I use a variety of plugins with Photoshop, because even though I know how to do a lot of the effects myself, the plugin saves me time, gives a predictable result, and can be modified using layers and masks in PS.

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Thank you for your comment. I have used presets and sometimes they give me the look I wanted. I personally enjoy trying to get it right, with my own corrections.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

A pre set is a number of slider changes.....how many similar images do you produce that all need the same slider change?

If you shoot a variety of different shots why would you expect the same preset to improve them all?

I remember looking at 'Landscapes' improved (?) with Topaz at the camera club. Apparently it was a 'must have program'.....The images did nothing for me. They seemed overcooked. My taste is not yours and your taste is not the same as many others....why attempt to average out your post processing skills and decisions. Ease is not the same as reason.

Try by all means but prepare to be disappointed.

have fun

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

I do use the presets, especially for b&w. They are a starting point for me. I like that you can rollover them and see your image.

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Thank you for the comments.

Harold

crphoto8 Loc: Anaheim, California

I concur. I have gotten several preset packs, used them occasionally. Now I prefer my own adjustments, my workflow - crop, click on "auto" in the Develop module (this is a good starting point), adjust blacks and whites (or shadows and highlights) to eliminate clipping. Then, as needed, transform to straighten structures, dehaze to bring in blueness to sky, some vibrance/saturation, exposure, tine, etc.

deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN

Hey Harold,

I generally make my own presets but one that I found worthy of purchasing was the "Cole's Classroom Light and Airy" mostly for portrait and wedding. (he has other interesting ones I haven't tried) It really is more of a "step by step" preset rather than a one-takes-all so it really helped me learn Lightroom when I was first starting out. I still turn to it every now and then but most of the presets that are for sale, are easy enough to do on your own. You are good enough to make your own!

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Thank you for your comment and compliment, Fawn. I can't believe the prices that some people are asking, for their presets. I have a handful of free ones that I use once in awhile.

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

... and each time you do, save it as a preset.

Soon you will have your own set of presets.

Feiertag Loc: British Columbia, Canada

To date, I haven't saved my own. I will give it a whirl.