Favorite (free!) Presets

I've mentioned this before, but I am all about things that are free. (But really who isn't? No way, I have values and insist on paying full price for everything! Said no one ever.) And in the world of photography where camera equipment and other toys can become a very expensive passion, I am all about the free stuff. 

I edit all of my photographs with Lightroom 4 (someday 5...), and I love the impact and beauty it helps bring out of my photographs. When I started out learning Lightroom, I thought that using presets was like cheating off of someone's homework. Luckily, I got over this snobbery and went on the search for presets that would help me edit quicker and with more variety.

Over the last year, I have downloaded ten bundles with various presets included. As a thank you for offering these excellent presets, I thought I would share the love and introduce you to a few of my favorites.

MCP Actions offers a lot of great products to buy while also offering free presets to convince you of their excellent quality. They have a page dedicated to free Lightroom presets and I have downloaded and LOVE all of them.

Mini Quick Clicks includes 17 presets, my favorite being True Colors.

Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC)

True Color- MCP

Mini Enlighten includes 15 presets, my favorites being Grunge B&W and Overlay: Urban Bliss. If some of my pictures seem tinted a blue/purple color, that would be my addiction to Urban Bliss.

Grunge B&W- MCP

And finally, my favorite (and most recent) download from Photography Concentrate. To be able to download their free presets and much more you first need to join the Explorer's Club. I've been a member for a while and I've never received anything besides awesomeness from them!

The new Nautical Preset Pack has become my absolute favorite for both black and white and color images. These presets create beautiful soft and dramatic tones. If you've been wondering how to give your images a matte finish, this will do it.

Anchor- Photography Concentrate

A big and enthusiastic thanks to MCP Actions and Photography Concentrate for helping me fall in love with presets (and save hours of editing time)! If you use Lightroom I hope you download and try some of these out. 

And if you have questions or want to share your images enhanced by these presets, send me an email, thepieperlife [at] gmail [dot] com.

PS: If you think the above fellow is handsome, come back next week for his senior session!