Tennis – Roland Garros

Terracotta, dust and the warm afternoon sun over Paris. The Roland Garros preset captures the atmosphere of the most recognizable clay tournament in the world in a single look. The colors are warm without being overdone, the shadows hold their depth, and the overall feel carries that specific Mediterranean summer quality the court in the sixteenth arrondissement is known for.

Technically, the preset pulls the whites back slightly to control overexposure in bright sunlight. The midtones shift toward orange and yellow, reinforcing the terracotta clay color without flattening skin tones. The shadows gain a subtle warmth, so the contrast feels soft rather than harsh. Clarity is slightly reduced, which brings out texture in the dust and the clay surface itself. The result is a photo that looks as if the sun was always sitting exactly like that.

The preset works best on images shot in warm or direct daylight. Think sports photography on a clay court, but also outdoor portrait work on a sunny day in the city, travel photography in Southern Europe or North Africa, and documentary shots on terracotta or ochre backgrounds. Wherever warm earth tones and strong light play a role, this preset fits well.

You reach for this preset when you want a photo that radiates warmth and movement without looking artificial. It is not the right choice for cool or overcast light, and it works less well on images that are already heavily underexposed. But with the right source material, it does little work for a lot of effect.

One practical tip: after applying the preset, make a quick exposure adjustment per photo. The preset is calibrated for averagely exposed material. If you are a third stop low or high, a single slider move will get the most out of the color grading. From there, use the HSL panel to bring the orange hue in skin tones down slightly if needed.