Creating Your Own Presets in Lightroom: A Step-by-Step Guide

Lightroom is one of the most popular photo editing applications in the market today, primarily because of its user-friendly interface and the numerous editing features it offers. One feature that has particularly caught the attention of many photographers is the presets feature. Presets allow photographers to save time and achieve consistency in their editing style. In this article, we will share a step-by-step guide on how to make a preset in Lightroom, even if you have no prior experience using presets.

Making a preset in Lightroom can be a simple and straightforward process, and it starts with selecting a photo you want to edit. Once you have chosen your photo, you can start developing it by adjusting various settings such as exposure, contrast, saturation, among other things. After you have made the necessary adjustments, you can save the settings as a preset so that you can easily apply the same look to other photos. With the right knowledge, you can make a preset in Lightroom within minutes and start saving time on your editing tasks. So, let’s get started!

The Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Own Lightroom Preset

So, you’ve been editing your images in Lightroom for a while now and have finally discovered the magic of presets. But this time, you want to take things a step further and create your own custom preset. Creating your own preset in Lightroom is a great way to streamline your editing process and create a signature style for your images. Here’s how to do it in ten easy steps:

Step 1: Choose an Image

The first step in creating your own preset is to select an image that will serve as your starting point. Choose a photo with good lighting and a subject that represents the type of images you typically edit.

Step 2: Adjust the Exposure

The next step is to adjust the exposure of your chosen image. Use the exposure slider in the basic panel to adjust the brightness and contrast of your image until you’re happy with it.

Step 3: Adjust the White Balance

After adjusting the exposure, the next step is to adjust the white balance of your image. The white balance determines the color temperature of your photo, and it’s important to get this right before moving on to other adjustments.

Step 4: Fine-Tune the Tone Curve

The tone curve allows you to adjust the brightness and contrast of your image in more detail. Make adjustments to the tone curve until you’re happy with the overall look of your image.

Step 5: Add Some Clarity and Vibrance

The clarity and vibrance sliders can add a nice pop to your images. Adjust these sliders to your liking, but be careful not to overdo it.

Step 6: Add Some Sharpening

The sharpening tool can enhance the details in your image. Adjust the sharpening until you’re happy with the level of detail.

Step 7: Add Some Noise Reduction

If your image has any noise (graininess), you can use the noise reduction slider to minimize it. Adjust the slider until the noise is reduced to your liking.

Step 8: Adjust the HSL Panel

The HSL panel allows you to adjust the Hue, Saturation, and Luminance of individual colors in your image. Use the HSL panel to fine-tune the colors in your image.

Step 9: Save Your Settings as a Preset

Once you’re happy with the adjustments you’ve made to your image, you can save your settings as a preset. To do this, simply click on the plus sign in the preset panel and give your preset a name.

Step 10: Test Your New Preset

Finally, test out your new preset on other images to make sure it works well across different types of images. If necessary, make adjustments to the preset until you’re happy with it.

Creating your own Lightroom preset may seem intimidating at first, but with a little practice, it can become an important tool in your editing workflow. Follow these steps, experiment with different adjustments, and soon you’ll have your own signature preset that you can use to take your images to the next level.

Creating a Preset in Lightroom: Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you know what a preset is and how it works, let’s dive deeper into the process of creating your very own preset in Lightroom. Here’s how:

1. Open Lightroom and Choose an Image

To create a preset, you need an image to work with. Open Lightroom and choose an image that you want to use as a base for your preset.

2. Make Necessary Adjustments

Before applying any preset, make sure that the image is properly adjusted according to your preference. Tweaking aspects like brightness, contrast, exposure, temperature, and tint will ensure that your preset is more refined to your taste.

3. Add Preset Settings

Now that you’ve adjusted the image, it’s time to add the preset settings that will be saved and applied later. Head over to the left panel in Lightroom and click on the “Presets” tab. Here, click on the “+” icon and select “Create Preset.”

4. Rename Your Preset

Assign a name to your preset. Make sure that it’s something descriptive that lets you know what the preset does.

5. Check the Boxes You Want to Save with Your Preset

In the Create Preset window, you’ll see a list of settings that you can adjust to create your preset. Check the boxes that correspond to the settings that you’ve adjusted and want to save with your preset.

6. Save Your Preset

Once you’re done selecting the settings, click the “Create” button at the bottom right corner. Lightroom will now save your preset with all the adjusted settings you have selected.

7. Test Your Preset

Now that you’ve saved your preset successfully, it’s time to test it on another image. Select another image and click on your preset name under the preset tab. You should see the image change according to the settings that you’ve saved with your preset.

8. Refine Your Preset Settings

If you notice anything off with the image after applying the preset, go back to the Create Preset window and adjust the settings you checked earlier. Try to refine the preset settings until you obtain the desired effect.

9. Modify and Fix Old Presets

You can always go back and modify old presets to refine or adjust their settings. To fix old presets, go to the Presets tab, right-click on the preset you want to modify, and click on “Update with current settings.” you can also remove the preset entirely by clicking “delete.”

10. Share and Save Your Preset

If you’re proud of your preset and think that others would benefit from it, you can always share your preset with the community. To share your preset, right-click on the Presets folder, click on “Export,” and save your preset as a “.zip” file. Alternatively, you can also save your preset to the cloud syncing service provided by Adobe.

Creating Your Lightroom Preset

Now that we have talked about what a Lightroom preset is and what are the benefits of using one, it’s time to dive into creating your own preset. This process is not as daunting as it sounds, so don’t worry about it. Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Choose Your Photo

The first step in creating a Lightroom preset is to choose a photo to edit. It’s best to pick a photo that represents the type of images you typically edit. This will help you to create a more consistent look for your future images.

Once you have selected your photo, you can start editing it using the develop module. This is where you will be making the changes that will form the basis of your preset.

Step 2: Adjust Your Settings

The next step is to adjust the settings in the develop module to achieve the look that you desire. You can make changes to the exposure, contrast, brightness, saturation, temperature, and tint, among other things.

During this process, you should take note of the specific changes that you made to the image. This will come in handy later when you are saving your preset.

Step 3: Save Your Preset

Once you have adjusted your settings and created the desired look, it’s time to save your preset. To save your preset, go to the left-hand pane in the develop module and scroll down to the “Presets” panel. Click on the “+” icon and choose “Create Preset”.

A pop-up window will appear, asking you to name your preset. Give it a name that describes the look and feel of your preset, such as “Vintage Warm” or “Crisp and Clean”. Make sure to also tick the settings that you want to include in your preset.

Step 4: Apply Your Preset to Other Photos

Now that you have saved your preset, you can easily apply it to other photos. Simply select the photo that you want to edit, go to the left-hand pane in the develop module, and click on your preset. Your preset will then be applied to your photo, and you can make further adjustments as necessary.

Step 5: Tweak Your Preset

While your preset should be able to apply a consistent look to your photos, it’s important to tweak it as necessary. You may find that certain photos require more or less of a certain setting, or that a particular preset doesn’t work well with a specific type of image.

By tweaking your preset, you can ensure that it works well across a variety of photos. If you find that a particular preset isn’t working well, try adjusting it or creating a new one to better suit your needs.

Creating your own Lightroom preset is a simple process that can save you time and effort. With a little bit of practice, you can create presets that will give your photos a consistent and professional look. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things to find the perfect look for your photos. Happy editing!

Happy Lightrooming!

That’s it! You have just learned how to create a preset in Lightroom and make your photo editing process more efficient. Remember that presets can be adjusted to your liking to create a unique look that matches your style. Thank you for reading and I hope you found this article helpful. Be sure to check back for more tips and tricks on how to improve your photography skills. Until then, have fun playing around with your new presets!