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How to Make the Most of Lightroom Presets | Tips for Better Photo Editing

Lightroom presets can be a bit misunderstood. Some photographers absolutely love them, some dismiss them as a shortcut, and others download a preset pack, try it once, then never really use it again. In my opinion, all of those approaches miss the point slightly.

 
A computer showing Adobe Lightroom and Preset packs

Lightroom presets can be a bit misunderstood.

Some photographers absolutely love them, some dismiss them as a shortcut, and others download a preset pack, try it once, then never really use it again. In my opinion, all of those approaches miss the point slightly.

A street image without a Lightroom preset
A street image with a Lightroom preset

Edited with my Midnight Cinematic preset

Used properly, Lightroom presets can be a genuinely useful part of your editing workflow. They can save you time, help you create a more consistent style across your images and even teach you a lot about editing along the way. They are not magic, and they certainly will not turn a poor photo into a great one, but they can make strong images look even better and make the editing process far more efficient.

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Whether you are new to Lightroom or have been editing for years, it is well worth understanding how to use presets properly. In this post, I want to look at how to get the best out of Lightroom presets, where people often go wrong with them and why a good preset pack can be such a useful tool for both beginner and experienced photographers.

What is a Lightroom preset?

At its simplest, a Lightroom preset is a saved group of editing settings.

So rather than manually adjusting exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, colour, sharpening and tone every single time, a preset lets you apply a look or starting point instantly.

A list of Lightroom presets

That is the key thing here though: a preset is a starting point.

It is not there to do all of the work for you. A preset helps you get closer to the final look more quickly, but most images will still need a few tweaks afterwards. The light will be different, the colours in the scene will be different and your camera settings will be different too.

That is why the best way to use Lightroom presets is as part of your workflow, not as a one-click fix.

Why Lightroom presets are so useful

The biggest benefit is speed.

If you are editing a full set of photos from a portrait session, an event, a trip or even just a day out shooting, it can take a long time to start every image from scratch. Presets can massively reduce that editing time by giving you a solid base to work from.

They are also very useful for consistency.

If you want your Instagram feed, portfolio, blog or client galleries to feel cohesive, presets can help create that visual consistency. Not every image needs to look exactly the same, but it does help when your work feels like it belongs together.

Street scene with a Lightroom preset
Street scene with a Lightroom preset

Edited with my Modern Nostalgia preset

Another big benefit is that presets can help you learn.

This is especially useful if you are still getting comfortable with Lightroom. When you apply a preset and then look through the settings, you can start to understand what has actually changed. You begin to notice how contrast is being shaped, how colour is being handled and how different tones affect the mood of the image.

So while presets are often seen as a shortcut, they can actually be one of the most useful ways to improve your editing knowledge.

The biggest mistake people make with presets

The most common mistake is expecting a preset to rescue a weak photo.

A preset will not fix bad composition. It will not correct missed focus. It will not suddenly turn poor light into beautiful light. If the image is not very strong in the first place, the preset can only do so much.

That is why presets work best when they are applied to solid images with good exposure, decent light and a strong starting point.

Photo editing desk setup showing Lightroom preset packs

The second big mistake is applying the same preset to every image and leaving it at that.

A preset that looks brilliant on a warm outdoor portrait might look completely wrong on an overcast urban scene. That does not mean the preset is bad. It just means it is not suited to every situation.

The photographers who get the most from presets are usually the ones who know when to use them, when to tweak them and when to choose a different one altogether.

A desk setup showing a laptop and a TourBox

Some tools make editing even easier, check out my TourBox review

Start with the best file possible

If you want presets to work well, it helps to give them a strong image to work with.

That means paying attention while shooting. Try to get your exposure right in camera, be mindful of your white balance and, wherever possible, shoot in RAW rather than JPEG.

RAW files give you much more flexibility in Lightroom and tend to respond far better to presets than JPEGs do. You have more room to recover highlights, lift shadows and refine colour without the file falling apart.

It sounds obvious, but it is worth saying: the better your original image is, the better your preset will look.

Lightroom photo editor on a screen

Use presets to create a more consistent style

One of the most valuable things about using Lightroom presets is the consistency they can bring to your work.

If you like warmer tones, softer contrast, muted greens, rich shadows or a cleaner editorial look, presets can help you apply that style more consistently across different shoots.

That matters more than people think.

A consistent edit makes your work feel more polished and intentional. It helps your website, social media and portfolio feel more cohesive. It can also make your work more recognisable, which is useful if you are trying to build a stronger visual identity as a photographer.

That does not mean every image should be edited in exactly the same way. In fact, that can make your work feel a little flat. But having a set of presets that reflect your taste can be a really good way to tie your images together.

An old video of mine but still relevant in 2026!

Don’t just apply a preset and leave it there

For me, this is where presets become genuinely useful rather than just convenient.

Once a preset is applied, there are usually a few adjustments worth checking straight away.

Exposure is usually the first one. White balance is often the second. These are the areas most likely to vary from image to image, regardless of how good the preset is.

After that, it is worth checking:

  • Highlights and shadows

  • Whites and blacks

  • Overall colour balance

  • Skin tones

  • Cropping and straightening

  • Any local adjustments that might improve the image further

Most of the time, these are only small tweaks. But those small tweaks are what make the image feel properly finished.

A good preset should save you time, not remove you from the editing process completely.

Photographer using Adobe Lightroom presets

Learn which presets work best for different situations

Not every preset works for every subject or every lighting condition.

A cleaner, more natural preset might work well for portraits, family photos or commercial jobs where accurate colour matters. A moodier preset may suit street photography, travel photography or more atmospheric scenes. A punchier black and white preset might work brilliantly for one image and feel far too strong on another.

Image without Lightroom presets
Image with Lightroom presets

Edited with my Midnight Cinematic preset

Part of getting good with presets is learning which ones suit different types of images.

Once you start recognising that, presets stop feeling like random filters and start becoming much more useful creative tools.

Use presets to improve your workflow

One of the best ways to use presets is to make them part of a repeatable editing workflow.

A simple workflow might look like this:

  1. Import your images

  2. Cull the set down to your favourites

  3. Apply a preset that suits the shoot

  4. Adjust exposure and white balance

  5. Sync edits across similar images

  6. Fine-tune individual photos where needed

  7. Export

This sort of process can save a huge amount of time, especially if you are editing larger sets of images.

It also helps reduce decision fatigue. Rather than rebuilding your edit from scratch every time, you can begin with a look you already trust and then refine from there.

Another old video from when I had more hair! But still has some useful info…

Lightroom presets can also help you learn

If you are newer to editing, this is one of the most overlooked benefits of presets.

When you find a preset you like, go through the settings panel by panel and see what it is doing. Look at the tone curve. Look at the HSL sliders. Look at the colour calibration. Notice how the shadows are being handled or how the colour temperature has shifted.

Doing that regularly can teach you a lot.

You start to understand why some images feel warm and natural while others feel cinematic or moody. You also start to recognise the sort of edits you are personally drawn to, which is useful if you eventually want to develop your own style further.

So no, presets are not cheating. In many cases, they are actually a very good way to learn how editing works.

Desk with MX 4 Master mouse

Good peripherals can make the edit process more enjoyable, check out my MX 4 Master review

Try not to overdo it

Because presets can make dramatic changes quickly, it is easy to push an image too far.

Too much contrast, too much saturation, strange skin tones, crushed blacks or overly faded edits can all make an image feel a bit forced. In my opinion, the best preset edits still let the photo breathe.

A before image of a photo without a Lightroom preset
A photo show after a Lightroom preset has been added

Edited with my Modern Nostalgia preset

This is particularly important with portraits. Skin tones can go wrong very quickly, and once they do, the whole image feels off. Always take a close look at faces after applying a preset, even if the rest of the image looks great.

Generally speaking, subtle editing tends to age better than heavy-handed editing.

Build a smaller set of favourites

A lot of photographers end up collecting too many presets.

They download huge packs, use two or three favourites regularly and ignore the rest. There is nothing wrong with variety, but in practical terms, you are usually better off having a smaller set of presets that you know really well.

For example, you might have:

  • one preset for bright outdoor work

  • one for moodier images

  • one for black and white

  • one for a cleaner, more natural finish

That is often far more useful than scrolling through dozens of options every time you edit.

The more familiar you become with your go-to presets, the faster and more effective your editing will be.

A photographers desk setup showing editing in process

It’s useful to build an environment you ‘want’ to edit in - check out my desk setup for 2026

Why presets are useful for both beginners and experienced photographers

Beginners often benefit from presets because they make Lightroom feel less overwhelming.

Instead of starting with every slider at zero and not knowing where to begin, presets provide a useful starting point and help you see what is possible.

More experienced photographers often benefit for a different reason: efficiency.

Once you know the kind of look you like, presets can help you apply that style quickly and consistently. That means less time repeating the same technical adjustments and more time focusing on the images themselves.

That is why presets are not just for beginners. They can be a very practical tool for photographers at every level.

Final thoughts

Lightroom presets are not a gimmick, and they are not a replacement for good photography.

They are simply a tool, and like any tool, they are only as useful as the way you use them.

Used properly, presets can help you edit more quickly, keep your work consistent, understand editing more clearly and build a stronger visual style across your photography. Used badly, they can lead to lazy edits and unrealistic expectations.

For me, the best way to think about presets is this: they should support your photography, not dominate it.

Photograph without a Lightroom preset
Photograph with a Lightroom preset

Edited with my Midnight Cinematic preset

Start with strong images. Choose presets that suit the scene. Make a few adjustments afterwards. Learn why they work. And do not be afraid to settle on a smaller number of presets that genuinely fit the way you like your work to look.

If you do that, presets can become a really useful part of your editing process rather than just another thing sitting unused in Lightroom.

And if you are currently experimenting with your own editing style or want to speed up your workflow without losing control over the final result, it is well worth trying a well-built preset pack. If you would like to see the sort of looks I personally use and prefer, you can also take a look at my Lightroom Presets.

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About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.


Disclaimer: All links to Amazon UK/US are affiliated links - you will still pay the same price but I will receive a small commission. All information provided in this blog is intended either for educational or entertainment purposes and is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, further research/professional advice should be sort before making purchases/implementing any advice given and no responsibility is taken by the author or parties mentioned here within.

 
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How To Create Cinematic Looking Photographs

Over the past few years, there has been a real shift towards photographers wanting their images to look more cinematic. It’s not necessarily something you will see in commercial photography but on social media, there are countless accounts dedicated to the cinematic aesthetic, and they are incredibly popular! So how do you make your images look cinematic? I took an evening stroll to see what I could create. 

 
 

Over the past few years, there has been a real shift towards photographers wanting their images to look more cinematic. It’s not necessarily something you will see in commercial photography but on social media, there are countless accounts dedicated to the cinematic aesthetic, and they are incredibly popular! So how do you make your images look cinematic? I took an evening stroll to see what I could create. 

It’s important to understand that this look isn’t for everyone and it will not make a bad photograph look better, it’s very much just a matter of taste. The good news is that the look is very desirable and even better, it can make very mundane scenes seem, well like a still from a gritty Hollywood movie, what’s not to like!

At this point, I’m sure many photographers will be rolling their eyes and thinking ‘it’s all been done before’ and I’ve certainly been guilty of wishing an early demise of the ‘Social Media’ fad of basically, trying to make images look like something they are not! However, maybe it’s my old age or my general love for any type of photography, but I’ve actually come around to quite like the cinematic look. So with my camera, a warm coat and a healthy dose of optimism - I set out around the dark streets of Birmingham to get some film-like photographs.

In all honesty, I’ve received compliments on my photos in the past, ‘Looks like something from a film’! Which is always nice to hear, but I really wanted to be more intentional and delve even deeper into the cinematic feel. I knew that there are certain elements that give an image a more ‘film scene’ feel. As I roamed the streets, looking for the perfect subject matter, those elements were running around my mind!

🌅 Getting the right Colour Grade

It is impossible to talk about cinematic feeling images without speaking about the most predominant element that gives an image a cinematic feel, the colour grade. Many photographers, both amateur and professional alike, will be very aware of the importance of colour and the potential that editing software can give us to manipulate those colours. Before anyone attacks me, yes black and white photography is by its nature, the absence of colour - but even black and white can look very cinematic!

However, we will be focussing on colour photography here and referring to the art of adjusting those colours as colour grading. The term itself can be applied to still or moving images, but more commonly used in the world of cinematography. Grading simply means the ‘feel’ that is given to a video or image in post production by using certain colours to elicit certain emotions. OK, so that’s a lot to wrap our heads around, let’s be a bit more specific.

Basic colour theory can tell us how certain colours may affect our emotions and perceptions of a scene. For instance, it’s pretty common to depict a warm scene using oranges and yellows, to imply heat and a cold scene - you guessed it, blues. Colours such as red can imply danger and greens can be calming and relaxing. We can also use multiple colours together to add interest to a scene, splashes of red in a blue scene will draw the viewer's interest to that point. The same red accents may be lost in an orange scene or lose impact. 

The art of grading is, in its most simple essence, the choice the creator makes to convey the overall feeling of the narrative for that image or video. But why is grading our images so popular these days? Surely we want to create a true representation of the scene in front of us? Well, my very unscientific take on this is ‘blame social media’. Many of us can list our inspirations not just in the photography world, but that of the world of cinema and social media is awash with people claiming inspiration from the likes of Wes Anderson, Roger Deakins and countless other directors and cinematographers.

Possibly the most enduring ‘grade’ of modern times is the Teal & Orange look - no prizes for guessing the primary colour scheme there and a quick Google search will show thousands of examples of it! This particular look creates depth and can draw the viewer's attention to important aspects of a scene. However, it’s important to remember that just because this is the most popular, doesn’t make it the only scheme we can use and neither does it imply that we need to use such extreme grades, as with everything, less is often more.

So we have established the importance of colour and its impactfulness of setting a mood for our image. But there is more to creating a cinematic feel than simply ramping up certain colours and hoping for the best! Next we will look at choosing the right subject matter in the first place and making the seemingly mundane, well, look magnificent!

🎥 Choosing Cinematic Feeling Subjects

As I continue my walk around Birmingham, I find my eyes are constantly drawn to construction yards, car parks, street lights and any pools of light in the otherwise dreary night. This is where personal taste and opinion play a huge part in choosing the right subject (and where my particular love of the Sci-Fi and moodier feeling films comes into play!) but the mix of metal, flood lights and concrete give me very ‘Blade Runner’ like feels! It’s a stretch, but I did say I was venturing out with a healthy dose of optimism!

Finding scenes that feel cinematic is no easy feat. For a start, one person’s cinematic scene is, well, another’s ‘picture of a crane in rainy Birmingham on a cold, wet Tuesday night’. If cinema has taught us anything, it’s that almost any scene can look cinematic, it is all in the vision of the person creating it. I’m certainly not adverse to photographing on warm sunny days, but I do find I lean towards darker, moodier settings on a regular basis so choosing what time of day and in what weather conditions, is equally as important.

Unless we are heading out with the intent to create one single image, we usually will have a series of images in mind. This can again have an impact on choosing what and where we shoot. Thinking in even broader terms, we will normally be trying to add images to a portfolio and will want to keep a consistent look and feel across those images, this again will influence the kind of subject that we choose to shoot on a regular basis.

🚦 Seeing the light

As I loop around the dark streets and start to head home, I find I’m drawn even more towards the dark corners, single points of light and the soft puddles of illumination glowing on the wet streets. This is no accident, with cinematic feeling images, it’s often what we choose to leave in the shadows that help create mystery and can give the viewer a slightly uneasy feeling of what might be lurking there. 

After years of shooting with film cameras and having a particular love of Cinestill 800T (a derivative of a film stock used in motion pictures) I’ve learnt to seek out artificial lighting and to try to replicate the subtle glow or halation created by such film stocks. This certainly was my intent as I walked around, crown to the lamppost and lights from buildings like a crazed photography moth! 

Light is the most fundamental part of any photograph but using light to create a cinematic feel is often about the subtraction of that light. I’ll have a friendly bet with you that if you Google the word ‘cinematic’ the kinds of images you find will lean towards the darker, rather than bright sunny days. Again, it’s not to say that bright and light can’t be cinematic, that’s simply not true. But there is definitely a skew towards the notion of a cinematic image having a darker, moodier overall feel.

📸 Bringing the elements together

As I get home, make myself a drink and sit down to edit the images, I feel engrossed in how all of the elements actually come together to create a look, feel and emotion. I frantically move sliders in Lightroom, a little here, a lot there and slowly concoct my interpretation of something I feel has a cinematic feel. Though it won’t be to everyone's taste, for a brief stroll around the streets of the second city, I feel quite happy with the overall impact of the images. 

The choice of subject matter, the light and most importantly, the colour grade all come together to give the images a certain feel. Now I am not saying they are anything special, they’re no ‘In the Mood for Love’ - Wong Kar-Wai’s masterpiece! But they have very distinct stylisation that helps the viewer imagine that they could be a still from a film, and I think that is the goal here.

Yes, there are certain aspects that don’t fit so simply into a ‘cinematic’ feel - for instance, I've still stuck with my love of the 4:5 aspect ratio, where a more widescreen ratio would have helped sell the cinematic look. However, photography is all about compromises and I’m afraid I am a little too stuck in my ways!

✅ Final Thoughts

I hope you found some aspects of this useful - there are no groundbreaking techniques here and nothing that hasn’t been done a thousand times before. However, even for someone as stubborn as I am, it’s still nice just to spend an evening trying something a little different and broadening our photographic horizons!

🔴 FAQ: How to Create Cinematic-Looking Photographs (10 Common Questions + Top Tips)


About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.


Disclaimer: All links to Amazon UK/US are affiliated links - you will still pay the same price but I will receive a small commission for providing the link. All information provided in this blog is intended either for educational or entertainment purposes and is accurate to the best knowledge of the author. However, further research/professional advice should be sought before making purchases/implementing any advice given and no responsibility is taken by the author or parties mentioned here within.

 
 
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