What Are Lightroom Presets? A Comprehensive Explanation

Lightroom presets are a set of predefined editing adjustments saved into a single, clickable action in Adobe Lightroom. They are similar to "filters" you might find on other photo editing apps, but are more comprehensive and fully customizable.

When you apply a preset, Lightroom instantly adjusts your photo according to the preset's settings. These settings can affect a wide variety of parameters, such as exposure, contrast, color temperature, saturation, highlights, shadows, tone curve, and more. This makes presets a powerful tool for achieving consistent, professional-looking edits across multiple photos.

Presets can either be created by users to streamline their personal workflow or downloaded from various sources. There are countless presets available online—both free and paid—that cater to different photography styles and genres. Some presets are designed to create dramatic transformations, while others may simply enhance certain elements of a photo in a subtle way.

It's also important to note that presets are not one-size-fits-all solutions. While a preset might work perfectly on one photo, it might not produce the same results on another due to differences in lighting, color, exposure, or other factors. Thus, even after applying a preset, additional adjustments might be necessary to achieve the desired look.

In short, Lightroom presets are a way to save time during the photo editing process, ensure consistency across a collection of images, and provide a starting point for creative editing.