Tender

Herman de Coninck wrote about ordinary people on ordinary days, and how that is sometimes the most fragile thing there is. This preset tries to hold onto something of that atmosphere. Not dramatic, not showy. Tender. It is a look that works when you photograph people you know, in moments you did not arrange.

Technically, the preset lifts the shadows slightly, so the dark areas in your photo fade softly rather than cutting off hard. The midtones take on a warm cast, moving toward amber and soft orange, without looking filtered. The contrast is more subdued than what you might expect from contemporary editing, closer to analogue film. A light grain reinforces that feeling. The overall tone is pale, warm, and a little melancholic, without tipping into sadness.

The preset works best for portrait photography in natural light. Think kitchen tables on a weekday morning, people sharing coffee, children who are not looking at you, ageing parents, a friend laughing at something you just said. Outdoor scenes in overcast or golden light also respond well. Strong midday sun does not suit it as well, it works against the soft character of the preset.

You reach for this preset when you have a photograph that already has something in it, but looks too clinical or too flat in your editing. The Herman de Coninck preset gives that photo a sense of warmth and time. Not as a stylistic gesture, but as something that was already there and is now more visible. It also works well across documentary series about families or relationships, where consistency across the set matters more than any single strong image standing alone.

A practical tip: if your photo is on the bright side, lower the exposure slightly before applying the preset. The preset draws from the shadows, and if there is not enough shadow to work with, the fading loses its effect. A photograph that is just a touch underexposed often responds better to this treatment than one that was already perfectly exposed.