5 Steps to Create Light and Airy Lightroom Presets

Creating light and airy Lightroom presets can transform your photos, giving them a dreamy, ethereal quality that's both enchanting and on-trend. You've probably seen these soft, luminous images flooding your social media feeds and wondered how to achieve that look yourself. While it might seem intimidating at first, crafting your own light and airy presets isn't as complicated as you might think. With just five simple steps, you can elevate your photography and develop a signature style that'll make your images stand out. So, are you ready to reveal the secrets of creating those sought-after light and airy presets?

Selecting the Right Base Image

The foundation of any great Lightroom preset lies in selecting the right base image. When you're aiming for light and airy images, you'll want to choose a photo that already embodies that aesthetic. Look for soft colors, natural light, and minimal contrast to give your preset a head start. Inspired by mothers and natural beauty, these presets enhance photos with high exposure, low contrast, and warm, inviting vibes, making them ideal for mom bloggers, influencers, and various photoshoots.

Your base image should have a well-balanced exposure. This makes it easier to achieve the brightness and softness you're after without having to make extensive corrections. Consider using portraits or lifestyle shots with light backgrounds and pastel tones. These elements will help emphasize that airy feel you're going for.

Don't forget about skin tones and clean lines! These factors play a big role in how well your preset will work across different images. Try to find a subject that interacts with light in interesting ways, like backlit scenes or softly lit environments. This creates a natural, inviting atmosphere that you can enhance with your preset adjustments.

Adjusting White Balance and Exposure

Adjusting white balance and exposure forms the cornerstone of creating light and airy presets in Lightroom.

You'll want to start by using the eyedropper tool to select white areas in your image, ensuring accurate white balance corrections. This step is essential for achieving that dreamy, bright and airy look you're after.

Bright & Creamy presets offer 16 options to help you achieve this aesthetic with just one click, saving you time and effort in the editing process.

Next, it's time to tackle exposure. Bump up the overall exposure by at least 3 stops to really brighten things up. But don't go overboard - you don't want to lose those precious details!

Keep an eye on your highlights, especially when it comes to skin tones. You want them to look natural and flattering, not washed out like a ghost at a beach party.

Here are some key points to remember when adjusting white balance and exposure for your light and airy Lightroom presets:

Use the eyedropper tool for accurate white balance
Increase exposure by at least 3 stops
Monitor highlights to maintain natural skin tones

Enhancing Colors and Tones

Numerous aspects come into play when enhancing colors and tones for light and airy presets.

Let's explore the magical world of color adjustments! With Bright & Clean presets, you can achieve professional-looking edits in just one click, making the process even more accessible for beginners.

First, you'll want to befriend the HSL panel. It's your secret weapon for fine-tuning hues, saturation, and luminance.

Focus on taming those wild greens by reducing their saturation, and give oranges a gentle nudge to create a softer palette. It's like giving your colors a soothing spa day!

Next, bump up the vibrance a smidge while keeping saturation in check. This trick helps maintain natural skin tones without turning your subjects into colorful cartoon characters.

Remember, we're going for light and airy editing, not a psychedelic experience!

Split toning is your next stop. Warm up those highlights and cool down the shadows for a dreamy, ethereal look.

Try 434 for highlights and 2114 for shadows – it's like adding a pinch of magic dust to your image.

Now, let's talk clarity. Slide it down to about -4 to soften the overall image.

This helps colors blend harmoniously, giving skin tones that creamy, smooth look we all love.

Refining Clarity and Texture

Refining clarity and texture is a delicate balancing act in creating light and airy presets. You'll want to adjust these settings carefully to achieve that dreamy, soft appearance without sacrificing image quality.

Start by reducing the clarity slider to around -4 in Lightroom. This softens the overall image while maintaining those beautiful skin tones you've worked so hard to perfect.

Next, let's tackle texture. Keep it minimal, folks! A slight bump to +5 should do the trick. This preserves the smooth look you're after without venturing into harsh territory. Remember, you're aiming for light and airy, not gritty and grainy!

As you navigate through your editing process, keep these tips in mind:

Use the "Before and After" view to assess your changes
Monitor how clarity and texture affect details, especially in skin areas
Regularly review your edits to verify they're enhancing, not detracting

Don't forget to check how your clarity and texture adjustments play with those vibrant colors, highlights, and shadows you've already fine-tuned.

It's all about finding that sweet spot where everything comes together in a soft, dreamy harmony. Happy editing!

Saving and Applying Your Preset

After perfecting your light and airy edits, it's time to save your masterpiece as a preset.

Head over to the Develop module in Lightroom and look for the "+" icon next to the Presets panel. Click it and select "Create Preset" to open a dialog box where the magic happens.

Now, you'll want to carefully choose which adjustments to include in your preset. Check the boxes for key elements like exposure, white balance, and contrast to capture that dreamy, light and airy look you've worked so hard to achieve.

Don't forget to give your preset a descriptive name – something like "Dreamy Summer Glow" might do the trick!

Once you've saved your preset, applying it to new images is a breeze. Simply select a photo, navigate to the Presets panel, and click on your newly created preset.

Voila! Your light and airy editing style is instantly applied.

But wait, there's more! If you want to tweak your preset later, you can make additional adjustments and save those changes back to the original preset.

It's like giving your preset a little makeover – keeping your editing style fresh and fabulous!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Make Photos Bright and Airy in Lightroom?

To make photos bright and airy in Lightroom, you'll want to increase exposure, adjust white balance, lower clarity, and tweak vibrance and saturation. Use the brush tool to lighten dark areas and apply a subtle dehaze effect.

How to Achieve Light and Airy?

To achieve a light and airy look, you'll want to increase exposure, use a wide aperture, lower clarity, adjust white balance for warmth, and fine-tune HSL settings. Don't forget to shoot in soft light for best results.

How Do I Make My Own Lightroom Presets?

To make your own Lightroom presets, you'll start by editing a photo to your liking. Once you're satisfied, click the "+" icon in the Presets panel, select "Create Preset," choose your settings, and name it descriptively.

How Do You Make a Light Effect in Lightroom?

To create a light effect in Lightroom, you'll want to increase exposure, lower clarity, warm up white balance, adjust HSL settings, and apply subtle dehaze. These steps will give your image a bright, airy, and dreamy quality.

Conclusion

You've now got the tools to create your own light and airy Lightroom presets! Remember, practice makes perfect. Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings and images. As you fine-tune your presets, you'll develop your unique style. Soon, you'll be transforming your photos with just a click. So go ahead, give it a try! Who knows? You might discover a whole new way to showcase your photography. Happy editing!