Creating your own Lightroom presets is one of the highest-leverage skills in photography — a single well-built preset can save you 10 minutes per image across thousands of images over your career. More importantly, a cohesive preset that reflects your personal vision makes your portfolio immediately recognizable. Here is exactly how to build presets that work, with actual slider values for common looks.
How Lightroom Presets Work
A Lightroom preset is a saved set of Develop module adjustments stored as an .xmp file (Lightroom Classic) or synced to the cloud (Lightroom CC). When applied, the preset sets all included sliders to their saved values. Sliders not included in the preset remain at whatever value they currently hold.
This distinction matters: a preset should only include the adjustments it is designed to change. A portrait preset should not include lens corrections (which vary by camera+lens combination); a black and white preset should not include specific white balance values (which should remain scene-dependent). Build your presets to be focused and additive rather than comprehensive.
Step 1: Develop Your Edit to a Point You Love
Start with a well-exposed, correctly white-balanced RAW file. The best preset-building images are technically neutral — they let you add your creative adjustments without fighting a bad base exposure. Edit the image to your target look. Here are starting slider values for three common looks:
Warm Film Portrait Preset — Slider Values
| Panel | Slider | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Exposure | +0.15 | Slightly bright/airy look |
| Light | Contrast | -10 | Reduce harshness, film-like compression |
| Light | Highlights | -25 | Preserve skin highlight detail |
| Light | Shadows | +20 | Lift shadow blacks, film look |
| Light | Whites | +15 | Extend highlight range |
| Light | Blacks | +10 | Lift black point (the “fade” look) |
| Color | Temp | +150 (approx 6200K) | Warm, golden look |
| Color | Vibrance | -5 | Slightly desaturate for film feel |
| Color | Saturation | -5 | Reduce overall saturation mildly |
| Detail | Sharpening Amount | 40 | Moderate sharpness |
| Detail | Sharpening Radius | 1.0 | Fine detail sharpening |
| Detail | Noise Reduction Luminance | 10 | Light noise reduction |
| Effects | Grain Amount | 20 | Film grain texture |
| Effects | Grain Size | 25 | Coarse grain character |
| Effects | Grain Roughness | 50 | Organic grain variation |
| Color Grading | Highlights Hue | 45 (yellow-orange) | Warm highlights |
| Color Grading | Highlights Saturation | 10 | Subtle warm cast in highlights |
| Color Grading | Shadows Hue | 220 (blue-purple) | Cool shadows for contrast |
| Color Grading | Shadows Saturation | 8 | Subtle cool cast in shadows |
Clean Landscape Preset — Slider Values
| Slider | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure | 0 | Scene dependent — leave at 0 |
| Contrast | +15 | More punch in outdoor scenes |
| Highlights | -40 | Sky detail recovery |
| Shadows | +30 | Lift shadow foreground detail |
| Whites | +20 | Brighter overall feel |
| Blacks | -15 | Deeper shadows, anchored blacks |
| Texture | +30 | Rock texture, tree bark detail |
| Clarity | +10 | Atmospheric clarity, midtone contrast |
| Dehaze | +15 | Cut atmospheric haze |
| Vibrance | +20 | Boost greens and blues |
| Saturation | +10 | Overall saturation boost |
Step 2: Save Your Preset
In Lightroom Classic:
- With your edited image selected in the Develop module, click the + button in the Presets panel (left side)
- Name your preset descriptively: “SYA Warm Film Portrait v1” or “SYA Landscape Vivid”
- Select which panels to include — untick panels that should remain scene-dependent (Exposure for landscapes since every scene is different; Lens Corrections as these vary by camera)
- Choose a folder (create a new folder named after your brand or style)
- Click Create
The preset is now stored as an .xmp file in your Lightroom presets folder. Default location on Mac: /Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Develop Presets/. On Windows: C:Users[username]AppDataRoamingAdobeLightroomDevelop Presets.
Step 3: Test on Diverse Images
A preset that looks great on one image may look terrible on another. Test your new preset across at least 20 images covering:
- Different times of day (golden hour, midday, overcast, blue hour)
- Different skin tones (if it is a portrait preset)
- Both horizontal and vertical compositions
- Different cameras (if you use multiple bodies)
- Images at different ISO levels (ISO 100 vs ISO 3200 — noise reduction settings may need adjusting)
After testing, refine your slider values until the preset performs acceptably across the full range without requiring major additional adjustments. The target is a preset that gets you to 80–90% of final output in one click, requiring only fine-tuning of exposure and white balance per image.
Step 4: Export and Package
To share or sell your presets:
- Right-click your preset folder in the Presets panel → Export Presets
- Lightroom exports .xmp files (Lightroom Classic) that work in both Classic and the cloud version
- For Lightroom mobile (iOS/Android), presets are exported as DNG files — edit the image with your preset applied, export as DNG, and share the DNG
- Package your .xmp files with a PDF installation guide into a .zip file for sale or distribution
For the full guide to selling your presets online, see our article on selling Lightroom presets online. For a comparison of free vs paid presets, see our free vs paid Lightroom presets comparison.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I save a preset in Lightroom Classic?
In the Develop module, click the + in the Presets panel. Name your preset, select which panels to include, choose a folder, and click Create. It is saved as an .xmp file.
What is the difference between a Lightroom preset and a Lightroom profile?
A preset adjusts Develop module sliders to saved values. A profile applies a base tone rendering before sliders take effect — like choosing a film stock. Many professional packs include both to use together.
Can I use Lightroom Classic presets in Lightroom mobile?
Yes — presets sync via Adobe Creative Cloud. Alternatively, apply the preset to an image, export as DNG, and import the DNG into Lightroom mobile to use as a preset there.
Should I include exposure in my Lightroom presets?
Generally no — exposure is scene-dependent and will overexpose or underexpose images that don’t match your preset’s calibration image. Only include exposure if you understand you will adjust it per image.
What slider values create a film look in Lightroom?
Lift Blacks (+5 to +15), reduce Contrast (-10 to -15), add Grain (Amount 20–30, Size 25, Roughness 50), split tone with warm orange highlights and cool blue shadows, reduce Saturation and Vibrance by -5 to -10 each.
