Lightroom PresetsLightroom Tips

The 5 Places I use Lightroom Presets The Most (And the least)

If you’ve ever looked into Lightroom’s Presets folder (Lightroom Preferences > Presets area) you’ll see there are actually a lot of different areas in Lightroom that have presets. So which ones do I use the most?

1. Import – This one is pretty much on autopilot for me. Whenever I import, I have a Metadata template defined (bottom section of the import dialog) with all of my contact and copyright information. It’s something I rarely ever change or tweak.

2. Develop – Of course, this is probably the biggest area of presets for me. If you’ve followed this site for any amount of time you know I have way too many 🙂

3. Export – I use these pretty often as well. When you go to File > Export to save out JPEGs of your photos you can create presets. I often find myself always saving a small web/email sized file so I create a preset for it (just click the little plus icon at the bottom of the dialog). And I often find myself saving larger print sized files so I create a preset for this as well.

4. Adjustment Brush – I use these ALL THE TIME. A while back I created Adjustment Brush presets here on the Lightroom Killer Tips site. I still use those same exact presets nearly every day. I love ’em!

5. I have a lot of Print module presets. I use them, just not as often. I have a few that I use all the time and I have a bunch that just look way cool. However the way cool ones, are a bit more specialized (4 across, pano layout, etc…) and I just don’t have the need for them as much. Now, if I were a portrait or wedding pro shooting several times a week, I think I’d find myself using them more. But for what I do, they make the list – just not the top of the list.

What Presets I Don’t Use

1. Slideshow – I just don’t use the Slideshow module that much. And when I do, I find I stick with the same simple layout (which I do have a preset for) all the time.

2. Web – Again, just not something I use a ton. I have my own website that is not Lightroom based so I don’t find myself in this module all that often.

3. Keyword Sets – I released a set of presets for keyword sets at one point. I really honestly tried to use them more often too. But lately I’ve found I’ve nearly abandoned keywording at this point. I do it to a small extent, but I know my photos are in descriptively-named collections and I usually know right where to go to get to the ones I need. (Please don’t use this as a springboard into launching a keyword-convincing war at me) 🙂

OK, now it’s your turn. Which ones are your favorites.

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