why I say no to presets

When I started my photography journey, manual mode and photoshop editing were like trying to learn a foreign language.  There were so many buttons, sliders, screens, and vocab words that I could barely stand it.  And the numbers.  Y'all, I hate numbers with a passion.  There are just so. many. numbers.  Slowly but surely, I somehow made my way through the muck and godforsaken numbers with most of my sanity and liver intact.

 I, thank God, have come a long way.

Before I continue, let me tell you a little bit about the equipment I use.  I shoot with a Canon 6D and use prime lenses (Canon 35mm 2.0 and Sigma 50mm 1.4) almost exclusively.  For editing, I have both photoshop lightroom and elements but try to use lightroom most of the time.  I find if I take a photo into elements, I have a tendency to let my creative juices get the best of me and photos end up taking me FOREVER to edit. I strive to have Clean+ edits.  I made that up.  But basically, I want my photos to look exactly like they did (clean) with an artsy appeal (that's the  "+";  For example, I'm really loving the matte look for fall sessions)

Now, onto my story.

I remember dreamily browsing through my Facebook feed and stopping on images that had the look I wanted.  Dreamy tones and light with an almost a magical appeal.  And, what's that?!?  This is all from a preset?! All I have to do is click a button and my photos will look like this?!? Sign me up!!

So, I clung to presets like it was my job.  And, you want to know what? My photos did NOT look like the photos on my feed.  My people had weird skin tones or it looked like I was doing sessions on mars or was taking photos of people only with jaundice..or zombies.  What the heck?!  Most people liked (for some bizarre reason) my photos that I delivered to them, but they didn't match the vision in my head.

Then, I went through a period of knowing that I obviously couldn't do this.  I should just quit.  Just take me out back and shoot me with the lame farm animals.  I have no talent.  I'm worthless.  How can I raise a child if this is all I have to offer? Blah, blah, blah.  Don't you just feel so bad for my husband at this point? He has to deal with this kind of drama on a regular basis.  Poor guy.

Anyway, fast forward a period of time and I'll tell you what happened.  First of all, I didn't quit.  Second of all, I learned two things:

1.  If you don't have an almost perfect image SOOC (straight out of the camera) there is no preset in the world that will give you the look you want.  Master manual.  Now.  Don't read, eat, or do anything else until you can.  Go.

2.  After studying all of my presets, I realized I didn't really like them.  That's a weird revelation after loving them at one point and continuing to buy them like some kind of serial preset purchaser.  So, I started a routine that has been so rewarding and a major streamlining process in my editing: I started making my own presets.  It has been AMAZING.  I choose one photo from a session, edit it until I achieve the look I want and then save the preset and apply it to the entire session.   Now, obviously some of the photos are going to have different lighting which are going to require some tweaking to the photos, but I have consistency with an entire set of photos and they look exactly like I imagine.  It also enables me to return to a style in later sessions in hopes to achieving the same look.  I know, I'm brilliant. (And directions on how to save a preset in lightroom are included at the end)

So that's it!  I know some people that LOVE presets, but honestly, I love my photos so much more now that I'm not using them.  You have to find the look that works for you..this isn't a one size fits all industry, y'all!

I also what to say thanks so much for stopping by and sending me so many messages asking about my style.  It's so flattering that people think I'm worth asking!  Of course, it could also mean that y'all don't like my style and want to avoid your work looking like mine, but I like to err on the side of awesome.

Be sure to head over to my Facebook page to see new sessions from my weekend! xoxo

PS, to save a preset in lightroom 5, click on 'develop' on the task bar (I have no idea if that's what it is called) then 'new preset'.  You will get a screen of all of the adjustments..I usually check them all except exposure, then I save as the family name.  Presto Preseto!