Although modern-day cameras are advanced pieces of equipment, it might still prove difficult to express your messages and emotions by using them alone. Cameras don't always see the same things we do, which is why the results might not be what you were hoping for when uploading them onto a computer.

Luckily, photo editing software exists. But there's a catch; image editing can take hours. This is where presets come in.

In this article, we're going to discuss the best Adobe Lightroom presets that every photographer needs.

What Is a Lightroom Preset?

A Lightroom Preset is a filter you can add to your pictures in either Classic or Creative Cloud. They're like tools that predetermine the settings of one or several effects, and by using them, it will tweak the sliders and settings automatically. You can make further manual adjustments if needed.

When choosing a preset for Lightroom, it’s essential to take the genre of the image into consideration. For example, a filter designed for night skies in the Arctic won’t look great if you’re editing a picture of a sunny forest.

You can create Lightroom presets yourself. However, if you’re new to using the software, you might want to start out with a ready-made preset first. They can be used on desktop, or you can add them as Lightroom mobile presets.

Let's get to discussing the best Lightroom presets for professional photographers and amateurs alike.

1. Chris Hau’s Free Sample Pack

Screenshot showing a preset made by Chris Hau

Chris Hau is a Canadian photographer and YouTuber with over 500,000 subscribers. A lot of the content he shares relates to improving workflow and ranges from gear reviews to reducing screen time. And he also shows people the behind-the-scenes of his photoshoots.

While Hau sells a lot of presets on his website, you can download this sample pack for free. You’ll get a selection of filters that work with several different genres and aesthetics—though they’re particularly useful if you enjoy outdoor photography.

To download the sample pack, you’ll need to subscribe to Hau’s newsletter. Once you’ve done this, you’ll receive an email from where you can commence the download. These are just a couple of examples of Lightroom presets you can download for any occasion.

2. Vintage Presets by That Icelandic Guy

Screenshot showing TIG preset

That Icelandic Guy on YouTube goes by his real, first name Arnúlfur, and he is—as you might have guessed—from Iceland. Though now living in Sweden, he’s clearly inspired by the dramatic and moody landscapes of his homeland—and you can see that in the work he produces.

Like Chris Hau, he sells a lot of Lightroom presets, and lucky for us, there's a selection available for free download. One bundle worth checking out is his Vintage Preset Pack, which helps create a feeling of nostalgia in your photos.

After confirming your order (you’ll need to put $0 in the total amount), you’ll receive seven free filters to try out. You’ll find these filters particularly useful for outdoor photography on cloudy days, and they’re also great if you want to try portrait photography.

3. Architecture Presets by Kohki Yamaguchi

Lightroom preset made and implemented

Kohki Yamaguchi is a photographer and filmmaker with an impressive portfolio. He’s based in Tokyo, which is arguably the most architecturally-interesting city on the planet. As such, we're not surprised that he has delved into the world of architectural photography.

Yamaguchi has a selection of free Lightroom presets that he created in collaboration with Adobe and are available for download on the Adobe Creative Cloud website. These cover a range of scenarios, including when you want to overhaul the colors in your pictures and—on the flip side—only want to make minor tweaks.

After downloading, you’ll gain access to eight filters.

4. Scenic Presets by Creative Tacos

Screenshot showing Scenic preset in LR

Creative Tacos is a huge online resource base for creators in several fields, including photography and graphic design. And if you’re looking for good Lightroom presets, you’ll find more options here than you’ll know what to do with.

One of our favorite preset packages from Creative Tacos is Scenic. Whereas many of our choices on the list so far have focused on creating moodier images, these Lightroom presets will help you create vibrant and happy images.

They work particularly well if you’ve underexposed your images. However, if you’ve overexposed them, you might want to pick one of the aforementioned options instead.

5. Clean Face by Preset Love

Screenshot showing Clean Face preset

Have you ever done a photoshoot with a model who you thought was photogenic, only for the camera to make it seem like that was not the case? Before you throw those images away, don’t worry; you can still do something about it.

Clean Face is an easy-to-add preset that brings out the beauty of the people in your images and brings their expressions to the forefront. The filter will increase the vibrancy of the colors in your photo—in addition to brightening it up.

To download the Clean Face preset, you’ll need to enter your email address and subscribe to the Preset Love newsletter. After that, you’ll receive an email containing the filter.

How to Use Presets in Lightroom

Once you’ve downloaded a Lightroom preset, you’ll need to import it into the platform yourself in order to use it. If you’re worried that this is a complicated step, don’t be; it’s surprisingly straightforward.

First, you’ll need to open Lightroom and go to File at the top. Then, select Import Develop Profiles and Presets.

Screenshot showing LR import prompt

A small window will then open up, and you can use this to find your downloaded files. Select the presets you want to add to Lightroom, and then click on the Import button.

Import preset into Lightroom

Lightroom Preset Filters Can Help You Edit Your Photos Quicker

Using editing software such as Lightroom is common among professional photographers, and many of the best pictures you see online have some degree of retouching. Good Lightroom presets are an excellent way to reduce your workload and improve how your photos look.

The filters mentioned in this article are well worth trying if you want to get to grips with the basics of Lightroom. At the very least, you can use them as a base for any further adjustments you make.