📸 How to apply your presets & fine-tune your photos for the best results!

 

Yes! You’ve installed your presets and you’re ready to give your photos that professional look. But then it hits you — one photo looks amazing, while another… just doesn’t quite work. Don’t worry — that’s completely normal.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through how to get the most out of your presets and how to easily fine-tune your photos for that perfect, polished result.

 

Step 1: Choose the right preset for each photo 

Every photo is different — in terms of lighting, color, and mood.
That’s why not every preset works perfectly on every image. Choose a preset that best matches the vibe of your photo.

 

Here’s an example I’ll use:

Step 2: Fine-tune in 3 Simple Adjustments

Chosen a preset, but your photo still isn’t quite there yet? No worries — with just a few quick tweaks in the free Lightroom app, you can make a big difference:

✔️ Adjust the light
Go to Light → Increase or decrease the exposure if your photo is too dark or too bright.

✔️ Tweak the colors
Go to Color → Is the tone too yellow or too blue? Use the temperature slider to correct it.

✔️ Refine the effects
Use the Detail or Effects tab to make your photo either sharper or softer, depending on your style.

For this photo, I chose Filter 2 from the Azure Escape Preset. 

Next, I tapped on the Light tab. I slightly increased the exposure from 0.00 to +0.10 to brighten the image.
I also adjusted the contrast, bringing it up from 0 to +4 to give the photo more depth.

Under the Color tab, I increased the temperature from 0 to +4 to give the photo a slightly warmer tone.
I didn’t make any changes to the tint.

Then, I made a few adjustments under the Effects tab.
I reduced the Amount from 0 to -10 to soften the overall look.
I left Midpoint and Feather unchanged, as they were already well-balanced.

That’s how easy it can be ✨
Apply your filter, make a few small tweaks and your photo is ready to shine. No hassle — just effortlessly beautiful results.

👉 Explore all presets here: View Presets

 

Pro Tip: Save your favorite settings
Did you perfectly fine-tune a filter for a specific shoot? Save those adjustments as your own custom preset — it’ll save you even more time next time. 😉 

 

Happy editing! 💛
Love,
Marije