What the Heck is a Mobile Preset?

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Since having my twins, I’ve been trying to take my photography up another notch. I purchased a fancy DSLR camera, special lens, and all of the accessories. I taught myself how to use said fancy camera by watching YouTube videos and through trial and error. I even upgraded to an iPhone 8 to snap higher quality photos on the go, as well as utilize its portrait mode.

All things considered, my photos have improved! It’s something that I’ve discovered recently, however, that’s made the biggest impact on my photos…Lightroom Mobile Presets.

I had seen Instagramers tout presets on social media, but always figured it was too complicated for me to grasp. Editing my photos was the one step that intimidated me! I thought I’d have to spend a ton of money on a Photoshop or Lightroom desktop subscription and wasn’t ready to make that commitment. When I realized that a mobile preset was something that I could use right on my phone, I was intrigued! I was already editing a bit through mobile aps like Facetune, Snapseed & Lightroom (all free by the way) and decided if it could be done on my phone I’d give it a try.

Well let me tell you, using a mobile preset on your FREE Lightroom ap is the quickest and easiest way to produce magazine quality photos! You’ll be feeling like an Instagram Influencer with all of your beautiful images and I can tell you how!

The Basics

Let me back up a bit for anyone who is thinking, “What the heck is she talking about!?” Lightroom is a program for editing photos that you can either subscribe to for your desktop (paid) or download as a mobile ap to your phone (free!). In the simplest of terms, Lightroom has lots of dials and levers that let you tweak your image. For example, you can bump up the exposure to make the image brighter or turn up the vibrancy to make the colors really pop. A mobile preset is like one stop shopping. It is a filter developed by a professional photographer, ready for you to use. You hit one button to apply a preset to your image and it will transform it instantly.

Selecting What Preset to Buy

The Lightroom Mobile ap is free for your phone, however you do have to pay a fee to download a preset. Basically, think of it as paying a professional photographer for their skills. They’ve done the work so you don’t have to. Prices range from more expensive, like this set from photographer Mandi Nelson, to more affordable, like some of the ones you can find on Etsy. It all depends on what type of edits you are drawn towards. Some are better than others, so it makes sense to shop around and look for sales. It’s also helpful to follow your favorite Instagram Influencers to see which ones they’d recommend. If you love someone’s images on IG, you can usually figure out what presets they use, or simply DM them to ask!

Downloading the Presets

This is the part that intimidates most people, but I found installing the presets to be pretty self-explanatory. Any preset you buy will come with an instruction sheet, detailing how to install. It typically involves 3-4 steps including clicking a link which shows up in your inbox and downloading a file right to your phone. You then open and save the file to Lightroom. If you have any issues you can message the photographer directly!

Instructional Videos:

Note that these are simply examples. Make sure to follow the specific instruction sheet for whichever preset you purchase.

Moxie Mobile Presets Instructional Video

Victoria Bee Photography Instructional Video

The Wow Factor

Once you’ve downloaded your presets, now comes the fun part! I love playing around with everyday images on my phone and seeing how a mobile preset can take them to the next level! I find presets especially helpful in transforming my low light photos to make them brighter and more vibrant!

Here are some examples from my camera roll…..

Mandi Nelson “Everyday” Preset

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Victoria Bee Photography “Nesting With Grace” Preset 

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Victoria Bee Photography “Gingerbread Coffee” Preset

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My discovery of mobile presets has made me reach for my fancy camera less and less. It’s easy to elevate the quality of your iPhone images with the application of a preset! I still use my DSLR camera for special occasions, but now I have a tool in my tool-belt to upgrade my photos on the go!

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katemoncayo
Kate is a working mom who is constantly trying to balance the chaos of a full-time advertising career with caring for her twins. She is a New York transplant who’s fallen in love with the CT shoreline she now calls home. Kate lives by the beach in Fairfield with her husband and boy/girl twins. When not working or chasing her kids you can find Kate sweating it out at a Bar Method Class or watching reality TV with wine in hand! Having it all may be a myth but Kate is trying her damnedest to live a balanced life. She hopes you can relate as you follow along on her crazy journey through motherhood!

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