Get Professional-Quality Photos Fast: Unlock Your Editing Potential with Presets

Whether you're editing photos for your daily life, your social feed, or your clients, quality presets are the key to getting a consistent look you love in just a fraction of the time it would take without them. 

Pros armed with great presets can take 5,000 event images - which could be days of work editing on your computer - down to just a few hours of editing.

Social influencers can post attention-grabbing photos 10x faster so you can focus your time on content creation, engagement, and your business. 

And photographers from all walks of life can enjoy their art that much more with the ease and consistency of great presets, falling in love with their process and photos along the way. 

In this post, we're going to cover exactly what presets are, where to find the best ones, and how to use them to transform your photos in seconds rather than hours so you can share stunning photos in your style... faster.

What is a preset?

A preset is a pre-made collection of settings for your photo. 

It's like a little piece of software that you can apply to any image, and instantly make it look better or give it an effect that could take hours to recreate manually.

Presets are especially helpful if you're new to editing and want professional-quality results, without having to learn all the technical details behind each step in the process. 

Experienced photographers also use them to save time on repetitive tasks like adjusting exposure or adjusting white balance.

The bottom line? When you find the presets you love - that fit your style - you can instantly apply them for all of your photos today and in the future, giving you a consistent look and feel.

They're like filters -- but better.

Presets are a lot like “filters” you’ll find on Instagram. 

They can be applied to any photo, and they help you make the best possible image out of even an average shot.

But presets aren't just an improvement over filters -- they're more powerful and versatile than anything you'll find in your camera's app or on Instagram.

Here are some ways presets excel over traditional editing tools:

• Presets can be used with any type of photo. Whether you want to edit landscapes or portraits, food photos or selfies (or all of the above!), there's probably a preset designed specifically for what you're shooting at any given moment.

• Filters don’t allow you to customize individual settings, and users often find that they can’t achieve a consistent look across their photos (they can wind up looking kind of messy and inconsistent.)

• Presets give you more options, and if you love photography and enjoy getting that perfect look… then that’s what you need (whether you spend 1 minute or 20 minutes tinkering with it after applying your preset… this gives you the option and capability to get it just right)

For these reasons any more, any avid photographer will tell you that “filters” just don’t compare to “presets.”

Look over the shoulder of professional photographers

There are many free and paid presets out there, and like anything, you get what you pay for.

The best presets are designed by professional photographers…

Many of whom are highly educated and experienced, and have taken countless hours to perfect a certain look and feel… and then turned that beauty into a “preset” that others can use to achieve the same style in their photos.

They essentially allow you to “look over their shoulder” and apply the same professional style to your photos, so you don't have to figure out how to adjust everything yourself.

You can use presets made by other photographers or even create your own if there isn't one already available for what you want to achieve with a certain photo edit (or series of edits).

Should you make your own presets?

Why buy presets when you could make your own? 

While it may be tempting to save the cash and make your own presets (and certainly some people can and do), it may not be the best option for you.

Firstly, creating a high-quality and useful preset takes a considerable amount of time and effort. If your schedule is already packed or you would rather be out shooting than editing indoors, then creating your own presets may not be the best use of your time. 

Also, not everyone is a post-processing expert, and creating a solid preset requires a strong understanding of photography fundamentals such as light, tones, and color. 

If this is not your strong suit, it may be betterr to purchase presets from a reliable source. 

In fact, for many photographers, purchased presets are essential tools for a smooth photography workflow. 

Once you find a preset pack that works well for you, it can become an extension of your shooting arm, allowing you to work efficiently and with ease. 

How to decide on the best presets to buy

Yes, you will gain a serious edge by using great presets. But how do you find the right ones for you?

Between gear, software, and travel, photography can be an expensive hobby, so it's crucial to make an informed decision on what presets are worth investing in. 

By purchasing photography presets, you are supporting your photography community directly, and you have a few options when doing so. 

As we mentioned, there are plenty of free preset packs out there. Typically, these are going to be quickly thrown together - and potentially even stolen (unfortunately, like any art, there are shady characters who steal the work of others and try to give it away or sell it for less than the originals.)

There are also lots of great, affordable presets, collections, and bundles on the market. 

Obviously, we’re biased in that we believe our presets are some of the best on the market. With dozens of options under $70, we believe that you should be able to access high-quality presets at an affordable price.

There are also high-end photographers with large followings or famous work, where you might buy a bundle of 6 presets for several hundred dollars. 

Ultimately, it’s up to you to ensure that you choose presets that enhance your style of photography or the style you aspire to create rather than completely altering it.

Installing & using your presets

Once you find the right presets for you and make your purchase, you’ll need to download and install them. 

Unlike many other companies, we give all of our customers lifetime access to a private members area where they have step-by-step instructions and the ability to come back and download their presets anytime (in case you change devices or software.)

Installing and using presets has become much easier with advancements in photography software. It is no longer a complicated process that requires extensive knowledge of coding and programming. In fact, it is quite simple and straightforward.

Once you have the preset files, you can install them by following a few simple steps. The process varies depending on the software you are using, but it usually involves going to the presets tab, selecting "import presets," and then navigating to the downloaded file. Once you have selected the file, the presets will be installed, and you can start using them right away.

Using presets is also quite easy. After you have installed them, all you have to do is apply them to your photos. Depending on the software you are using, this can be done through a drop-down menu or by right-clicking on the image and selecting the preset from a list.

Once you have applied the preset, you can make any necessary adjustments, such as tweaking the exposure, contrast, or saturation, to get the desired result.

Transform your photos with the right presets for you

Presets are a great tool for saving time and achieving a consistent look across multiple photos. 

They can help you create your own “signature style” that will make your photos shine the way you want them to. 

And with the ease of installation and use, this is simply the best way to enhance your photography.

Thanks for reading, and if you’re in the market for a new preset collection, we invite you to check out ours…

Our individual collections start at $12, and you can get big savings when you bundle them together. 

So go ahead and give our presets a try… you might find that you save a ton of time, and enjoy your photos that much more.

The Team @ Hypenvibe