Signature

The questions I get asked

Are these one click edits?

No, and claiming otherwise would be a lie. On some frames it is enough and the image is simply there. But every photograph arrives with its own light and asks for its own treatment. A preset does not replace editing, it comes after it. What it gives you is a direction, a colour, an atmosphere that ends up being yours. That is exactly how I use them on my own images.

Why are three of them called Grade?

Because those three come second, not first. The order is: you do your basic edit, exposure, blacks, whites, highlights, until the image is correctly exposed. Then you apply the Grade. It leaves the whole light panel alone, on purpose, so nothing you just did gets undone. It only works on the colour. Applied to a raw file straight out of the camera you will barely see it, and that is not a fault.

What are they good for?

Fashion, portrait, street and night. They were built on those. On landscape or on food they will need real work on top.

Which camera were they built on?

On my own files. Colour science differs from one brand to another, so expect small shifts on a different sensor. The direction carries over, the exact numbers do not.

Can I dose the effect?

Yes, and you should. Every preset arrives at 100%, but Lightroom lets you set the amount from 0 to 200%. In the example on this page, Subject Lift is at 150% because the frame needed it. Treat 100% as a starting point, not as a rule.

How do I install them?

Unzip the folder first, Lightroom cannot read a zip. In Lightroom Classic or Camera Raw, open the Presets panel, click the three dots and choose Import Profiles and Presets, then pick the XMP files. In Lightroom desktop it is the plus sign at the top of the Presets panel. On mobile, install on the desktop first and they sync on their own.

Where do they show up?

In a folder of their own, under User Presets. The Signature pack lands in SM_Signature, the Adaptive pack in SM_Adaptive. They never mix with your own presets, and removing them is as simple as deleting that folder.

What file type do I get?

XMP presets, plus a PDF guide covering installation in Lightroom Classic, Lightroom desktop, Lightroom mobile and Camera Raw.

Do I get the updates?

Yes, by email, for free. My editing changes, and when it does you get the new version. You keep the old one too, in case you preferred it.

Can I use these commercially?

Yes, on personal and commercial work, with no limit. What you may not do is resell, share or redistribute the files, modified or not.

Can I modify them?

Please do. Take them apart, see how they are built, change what does not suit you. That is the fastest way to find your own way of editing.

Refunds?

Digital files are delivered instantly, so no refunds as a rule. But if something does not work, write to me and we will sort it out.