The best presets for portrait photography

Portrait photography calls for restraint in editing. The goal is to show the person, not the editing style. Good portrait presets work subtly: they correct skin tones, add gentle warmth, and lift shadows slightly without making the photo look artificial.

What to watch for in portrait presets: the HSL slider for red and orange tones determines how skin looks. Too much saturation in red gives a sunburn effect. Too little makes skin look ashen. A good portrait preset sits between the two.

Our Portrait Soft pack is built around this principle. The presets have been tested on various skin tones, from light to dark, and in different lighting conditions. They work in both natural light and studio settings.

Tip: apply the preset then reduce the intensity (Opacity or Amount, depending on your software) to 70-80% for an even more natural result. Small adjustments in Lightroom afterwards complete the look.