How AI Helped Me Create Stunning Lightroom Presets
Movies and photography share a common goal: to tell a story and evoke emotion through visuals. This collection of Lightroom presets is inspired by some of the most iconic cinematic color grades and creative photography styles. Whether it’s the fiery contrasts of Mad Max: Fury Road, the gritty realism of Saving Private Ryan, or the haunting tones of The Joker, these presets bring the magic of the big screen to your images. With options like Foggy Dread for eerie landscapes and Abandoned Ruins for urban decay, these presets are crafted to help you achieve stunning, atmospheric edits with ease.
As a photographer, one of the most exciting parts of the creative process is finding the perfect mood for my images. Whether I’m capturing eerie forests, moody landscapes, or surreal scenes, creating presets that bring out the emotional essence of a photo is both challenging and rewarding. Recently, I took an unconventional approach by leveraging AI to help generate unique Lightroom presets designed to enhance specific atmospheres.
Using AI, I provided detailed descriptions of the visual mood I wanted to achieve—whether it was the haunting gloom of a misty forest, the fiery drama of a blood moon, or the ethereal glow of ghostly scenes. From there, AI helped translate those ideas into actionable settings that I could apply directly in Lightroom. Each preset reflects a distinct aesthetic, carefully tuned to evoke the desired emotion while saving countless hours of manual editing.
This process showed me how technology and creativity can work together to achieve something truly remarkable. Below, you’ll find a collection of Lightroom presets that emerged from this experiment. From "Foggy Dread" to "Nightmare Vision," each preset is crafted to transform your photos into captivating works of art. Whether you're a professional photographer or an enthusiast looking to explore new styles, I hope these presets inspire you as much as they’ve inspired me.
Let’s dive in!
Recommendations for Using AI to Create the Best Lightroom Presets
If you're new to the idea of using AI to generate Lightroom presets, here are some tips and prompts to help you achieve the best results. Whether you're trying to replicate a cinematic color grade, enhance a specific mood, or create a signature look, these guidelines will ensure your AI-assisted presets turn out stunningly effective.
1. Be Clear and Specific with Your Vision
The more detailed your description, the better the AI can interpret your intentions. Think about the mood, colors, and lighting you want your preset to achieve. Use descriptive words that capture the essence of the style you're aiming for.
Example Prompts:
“Create a preset inspired by the moody, desaturated tones of a rainy forest. I want soft highlights, deep shadows, and muted greens with a hint of blue.”
“Design a preset that mimics the vibrant teal and orange color grading seen in action movies like Mad Max: Fury Road. Focus on high contrast and sharp details.”
“I want a preset for nighttime city photography, emphasizing neon blues and pinks with a slightly dark and cinematic vibe.”
2. Consider the Subject and Scene
Different presets work best for specific types of photography. Tailor your request to the scene or subject you’re working with. Landscapes, portraits, urban environments, and conceptual art may all require different tonal adjustments.
Example Prompts:
“Design a preset for golden hour portraits. Enhance warm tones, add soft highlights, and preserve skin tones while keeping shadows slightly muted.”
“Create a preset for abandoned industrial sites, with a gritty and dramatic aesthetic. Include high clarity, desaturated colors, and cool tones in the shadows.”
“I need a preset for snowy mountain landscapes with soft, natural tones. Keep whites bright but not overexposed, and enhance the blues in the sky and shadows.”
3. Experiment with Emotion and Storytelling
Think about the story or emotion you want your image to convey. Is it eerie and unsettling, or warm and nostalgic? AI can help create presets that evoke these emotions with subtle adjustments to color, tone, and texture.
Example Prompts:
“Create a haunting preset for an eerie forest scene, emphasizing deep greens, muted blacks, and soft highlights for a ghostly vibe.”
“I want a nostalgic preset that mimics the sepia tones of old photographs, with warm shadows and slightly faded highlights.”
“Design a cinematic preset for dramatic sunset shots, with vibrant oranges and pinks, enhanced contrast, and slightly lifted shadows.”
4. Incorporate Film Styles
Many photographers are inspired by the aesthetics of film photography. Use AI to create presets based on classic film stocks or cinematic looks.
Example Prompts:
“Create a preset inspired by Kodak Portra 400 for portraits. Enhance skin tones, add soft contrast, and preserve natural colors.”
“Mimic the look of Fuji Velvia for vibrant landscapes. Emphasize saturated greens and blues with crisp details.”
“Design a preset inspired by classic black-and-white film, focusing on deep contrasts and fine textures.”
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Tweak the Results
AI-generated presets are a great starting point, but every photo is unique. After applying a preset, adjust exposure, contrast, and other settings to match your specific image.
Tips for Tweaking:
Adjust exposure to ensure the photo isn’t too dark or bright.
Use highlights and shadows to balance light and preserve details.
Fine-tune temperature and tint for accurate color rendering.
Add or reduce clarity for the desired level of sharpness and texture.
6. Build Upon Your AI Creations
Once you have an AI-generated preset, use it as a foundation to create your own signature styles. Customize and save new versions to expand your collection and refine your editing process.
Prompt Example for Refinement:
“Refine the preset to add a soft vignette and subtle grain for a vintage feel.”
“Increase the clarity and sharpening in the original preset to emphasize textures in urban landscapes.”
