Top 3 Avant Lightroom Presets for Modern Photographers in 2025
Written by: Alexa Starr
Last updated: 11/30/24
You've mastered your camera, but are you making the most of your post-processing? As a modern photographer, staying ahead of the curve with innovative editing techniques is essential. The right Lightroom presets can transform your images from ordinary to extraordinary, setting your work apart in a crowded digital landscape. Whether you're aiming for bold color palettes, moody contrasts, or tactile textures, these top three avant-garde presets offer unique solutions to elevate your editing game. But before you jump in, it's important to understand how each preset can enhance your specific style and workflow.
Cutting-Edge Color Grading Presets
Frequently at the forefront of digital photography, cutting-edge color grading presets offer photographers powerful tools to elevate their images. These preset packs are designed to keep up with modern photography trends, giving your photos a fresh, vibrant look that'll make them stand out.
You'll find advanced techniques like split toning and graduated filters baked right in, allowing you to achieve dynamic results with just a few clicks. For those looking to enhance their wedding photography, Moody Wedding presets offer a unique and atmospheric style that can transform ordinary shots into extraordinary memories.
One of the best things about these presets is their customizable options. You can tweak settings to match specific lighting conditions or your personal style, making your workflow more efficient.
Popular collections like Flourish Presets, Archipelago, and DVLOP offer a smorgasbord of color grading styles to suit various photography genres. It's like having a buffet of professional-quality edits at your fingertips!
The creators of these presets are always on their toes, updating their products to keep up with evolving aesthetics. This means you'll always have access to the latest tools for creating stunning images.
Dramatic Contrast Enhancement Presets
One popular option, the "Moody Lightroom Preset - Boudoir Tones," incorporates deep blues and warm browns to enhance the overall mood of your images. It's perfect for portraits and boudoir photography!
These presets use advanced shadow and highlight management techniques, so you won't lose detail in those tricky bright or dark spots.
Analog film presets offer a wide range of aesthetic options, from bright and airy to dark and moody, allowing you to transform your photos effortlessly.
The best part? You can achieve professional-quality edits with minimal effort. Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned pro, these presets will elevate your work in no time.
And don't worry about being stuck with a one-size-fits-all look – many come with customization options. You can tweak intensity levels and tailor the effect to match your unique artistic vision.
Texture-Focused Artistic Presets
Texture-focused artistic presets offer photographers a powerful tool to transform ordinary images into enchanting works of art.
These presets are designed to enhance the tactile quality of your photos, adding depth and dimension that'll make your work stand out. With film-like effects and grain options, you can easily achieve a vintage look without spending hours on manual editing.
Beginner-friendly tutorials are often included with preset collections, making it easy for photographers of all skill levels to achieve professional-looking results quickly.
One of the best things about texture-focused presets is their versatility in various lighting conditions.
Whether you're shooting in bright sunlight or low light, these presets will help you maintain pronounced and vibrant textures. Plus, many presets come with clarity adjustment options, allowing you to fine-tune the level of texture enhancement to match your artistic vision.
As a modern photographer, you'll love how these presets can help you create a cohesive aesthetic across your portfolio.
By emphasizing unique textures, you'll develop a personal style that sets you apart from the crowd. It's like giving your photos a signature look that screams "you"!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Presets Do Professional Photographers Use for Lightroom?
You'll find pros using a variety of presets in Lightroom. They often turn to Flourish Presets, Mastin Labs for film-like looks, Visual Flow for lighting-specific edits, Embrace for moody styles, DVLOP for auto-adjustments, and Hive & Honey for warm tones.
What Is the Most Commonly Used Preset in Lightroom?
You'll find there's no single "most commonly used" preset in Lightroom. Your choice depends on your style and subject. Popular options often enhance colors and contrast, mimic film, or offer versatile edits for quick, professional-looking results.
Do Pros Use Lightroom Presets?
Yes, pros do use Lightroom presets. You'll find many professionals rely on them to streamline their workflow, maintain consistency, and save time. They'll often use presets as a starting point, then customize them to fit their unique style.
Which Lightroom Do Professional Photographers Use?
You'll find that most professional photographers use Lightroom Classic. It's their go-to for its advanced editing tools and organizational features. Some also use Lightroom CC for cloud-based functionality, often alongside Photoshop for complex edits.
Do pros use Lightroom presets?
Professional photographers commonly use Lightroom presets for several reasons:
- Time efficiency in batch editing
- Consistency across photo sets
- Creating signature styles
- Starting point for further customization
- Workflow optimization
Many pros create their own custom presets rather than using pre-made ones, allowing them to:
- Maintain unique artistic vision
- Apply brand-specific looks
- Adapt to different lighting conditions
- Save frequently used editing combinations
Some professionals also sell their presets to other photographers or include them in photography education packages.
How do I get premium Lightroom presets?
Premium Lightroom presets can be obtained through:
- Adobe's official marketplace
- Professional photographer websites
- Photography-focused online marketplaces like:
- Flourish Presets!
- Creative Market
- FilterGrade
- Etsy
- VSCO
Free alternatives:
- Preset sharing communities
- Photography forums
- Adobe's free preset collections
- Photography blogs offering free downloads
- Social media platforms where photographers share presets
Tips for finding quality presets:
- Read reviews and ratings
- Check before/after examples
- Verify compatibility with your Lightroom version
- Look for preset packs from established photographers
- Compare prices across different platforms
- Consider subscribing to preset services for regular updates
Do people still buy Lightroom presets?
Yes, people actively buy Lightroom presets in 2025. The market remains strong for several reasons:
- Time-saving benefits for photographers
- Consistent editing style across photo sets
- Professional-looking results for beginners
- Instagram influencers promoting preset packages
- Wedding and portrait photographers seeking efficiency
- Mobile photography enthusiasts using Lightroom mobile
- Growing demand from content creators
Popular preset marketplaces include:
- Flourish Presets!
- Creative Market
- Etsy
- FilterGrade
- Tribe Photo Co.
- Preset marketplace on Adobe Exchange
Prices typically range from $5-$200 depending on package size and creator reputation.
What is the most expensive Lightroom preset?
The Flourish All-Access Pack, priced at $199, is currently the most expensive collection of Lightroom mobile and desktop presets available commercially. This pack includes multiple preset collections designed to emulate various film stocks.
Conclusion
You've now got the scoop on the top three Avant Lightroom presets that'll take your photography to new heights. Whether you're into vibrant colors, moody contrasts, or artistic textures, there's a preset that'll make your photos pop. Don't be afraid to experiment and find your unique style. Remember, these presets are just the starting point – your creativity is the secret ingredient. So go ahead, give them a try, and watch your photos transform into stunning works of art!