Picture Profiles vs Presets
In Lightroom Classic, Picture Profiles and Presets are tools for editing photos, but they serve different purposes. Picture Profiles determine the overall color rendering and tonality of your image, acting as a baseline. They don’t affect the sliders in the Develop module and are applied globally. Examples include Adobe profiles (like Adobe Color) and Camera Matching profiles that mimic your camera’s in-camera settings.
Presets, on the other hand, are saved adjustments that modify specific settings in the Develop module, such as Exposure, Contrast, or White Balance. They allow you to quickly apply a predefined style or look and can be customized for consistent editing across multiple photos.
In short, Picture Profiles define the starting look of your photo without altering sliders, while Presets apply specific edits by changing slider values. Both can be used together for efficient and creative photo editing.
Applying a default Picture Profile
To apply a default Picture Profile to your images in Lightroom Classic without using a preset, follow these steps:
Steps to Apply a Default Picture Profile:
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Open Preferences:
- Go to Edit (Windows) or Lightroom Classic (Mac) > Preferences.
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Navigate to the Presets Tab:
- In the Preferences window, click on the Presets tab.
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Override Default Settings:
- Under the Default Develop Settings section, check Use Defaults Specific to Camera Model or Use Defaults Specific to Camera Serial Number (if you want different profiles for specific cameras).
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Set the Default Profile:
- Open an image taken with the relevant camera.
- Go to the Develop module.
- In the Basic panel, choose the desired Picture Profile from the Profile Browser (e.g., Adobe Color, Adobe Landscape, or a Camera Matching profile).
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Update the Default Settings:
- After selecting your profile, go to Develop > Set Default Settings.
- Click Update to Current Settings to save the profile as the default for that camera model or serial number.
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Test the Default:
- Import a new photo taken with the same camera to confirm the profile is automatically applied.
By following these steps, your chosen Picture Profile will be applied to all new images from that camera when imported, without the need for a preset.
Creating a custom Picture Profile
Creating and saving a custom Picture Profile for Lightroom Classic requires Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) and a tool like Adobe Profile Editor or third-party software, as Lightroom itself doesn’t offer direct tools to create custom profiles. Here’s how you can do it:
Steps to Create and Save a Custom Picture Profile:
1. Prepare the Base Profile
- Open an image in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) through Photoshop or Lightroom Classic.
- Make the desired adjustments (e.g., color grading, tone curves) in ACR.
- Save these settings as a baseline for your profile.
2. Use Adobe DNG Profile Editor (or an Alternative)
- Download and install Adobe DNG Profile Editor (if available) or use a third-party tool like ColorChecker Camera Calibration.
- Open a raw file or DNG in the editor.
- Apply your adjustments, such as:
- Tone curves
- HSL adjustments
- LUTs (Lookup Tables) for advanced grading
- Test and tweak the adjustments to your liking.
3. Save and Export the Profile
- Save your custom settings as a .dcp file (Digital Camera Profile) in the DNG Profile Editor or other software.
- Export the profile to the following directory, depending on your OS:
- Windows:
C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings - Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings
- Windows:
4. Apply the Custom Profile in Lightroom
- Restart Lightroom Classic.
- Open the Profile Browser in the Basic panel of the Develop module.
- Your custom profile will now appear under "User Profiles" or a similar category.
5. Optional: Share the Profile
- Share the .dcp file with others or use it across devices by copying it to the same directory on another computer.
