Presets - the layer of magic
I often get asked what is the secret behind beautiful photos. It all comes down to the storytelling and how the subject is being photographed, which makes a stunning photo. However, we often forget one important thing. It´s the power of editing. Editing gives a final and important touch to a photo. It takes your work to the next level by emphasizing the details you wish to show and fading out unwanted elements. Also, editing offers the possibility to add a layer of magic. By editing colors and lights, you can turn something ordinary into a stunning capture.
Click the images in this post to see how the preset changed the original photo. The first image is always the edited one, and then the original pops up when you tap the photo.
When I look back, I see a clear turning point when I started to edit my photos. And not just editing all kinds of things but focusing on editing my photos in a similar way. This allowed me to create a collection of different photos that share the same tones, lights, and temperature. The cohesion in color and light made it possible to create a signature style. Together with my subjects and ways to capture them, my editing made a final touch in creating photos that can be recognized.
Every photo I take is different. I change the subject that I shoot, but also the location changes. This creates a challenge in the editing. How do I create cohesion when there are so many variables? The answer is preset. Instead of editing the same things every time, I saved my basic editing settings to create a preset. I can get the same edits to every photo I work on with one click. It saves so much time but also helps me to keep a similar look throughout my photos.
Nevertheless, preset is not a one-click wonder. It doesn´t free me from editing. I use a preset as a starting point before diving deeper into the world of finetuning the look of my photo. This finetuning part is what fascinates me deeply. Preset gives me the same basic edits that I would do to every single photo so that I can focus on adjusting the details.
After applying my preset, I always make some small edits. All the different variables in light, location, and colors are what makes it difficult to create one basic setting that would work every time. There are so many different combinations of colors and light in the images that it is simply impossible. That is why I have used years to adjust my presets to work in most cases. And still, some work needs to be done every time to make the preset look perfect.
The power of editing and creating cohesive photos has been a very rewarding journey. My photos slowly started to attract like-minded people to enjoy my work. I got asked about how I edit my photos and what kind of things need to be done to get the same look. It was time to take another step on this journey and sell my presets. This was years ago. And even today, my Nordic Mood Collection of presets inspires people to edit photos. Seeing how other creatives use my presets and make them theirs is an honor. That is why all my presets are customizable.
I sell presets because I want you to succeed and experience the same exciting feeling when you apply the preset. With the preset, the photo turns into something magical. Ordinary becomes extraordinary. That is why I keep on editing and using my presets: I want to be surprised.
Do you want to add a layer of magic to your photos? Take a look at my presets.
