Lightroom Presets: When to Use Them (And When Not To)

Presets are one of the most misunderstood tools in modern photography. For beginners, they often serve as a magic button — a one-click solution to fix a mediocre image. For professionals, they are a starting point — a way to establish a consistent look across a series of images before beginning detailed, customized editing.

The problem with treating a preset as a finished edit is that no two images have the exact same lighting, exposure, or white balance. A preset that looks beautiful on a backlit sunset portrait will look terrible on a flatly lit studio headshot. Presets apply absolute values, not relative ones.

The right way to use a preset is as a foundation. Apply the preset, then immediately adjust your exposure and white balance to suit the specific image. Then, go into the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) panel and adjust skin tones, which are often adversely affected by heavy color grading presets.

Ultimately, the goal should be to develop your own presets. By saving your own consistent editing adjustments, you build a unique visual signature. This is what clients hire you for — not just your ability to press a shutter, but your unique way of seeing and presenting the world.