Before you do any skin smoothing be sure to remove any unsightly blemishes from your client’s face. This also includes softening or remove wrinkles around the eyes, lips and forehead. A quick way to remove blemishes is to use the Spot Healing Brush Tool.

Use the right and left bracket keys to change the brush size so that it’s just slightly bigger than the blemishes you will be removing. Now quickly move around the image in a systematic manner clicking on each blemish your brush. To remove or reduce wrinkles, adjust the brush size to match the width of the wrinkle then click and drag in the direction of the wrinkle.

The Spot Healing Brush Tool references the pixels around the blemishes you’re working on. This is effective most of the time; however it may not work well near eye brows or a hairline. If you run into a stubborn area that you just can seem to fix with the Spot Healing Brush Tool, switch to the Healing Brush Tool. The Healing Brush Tool works similarly to the Spot Healing Brush Tool; however you can choose the source pixels that are used from a unblemished patch of skin. Start by switching to the Healing Brush Tool (Shift +J). Next Alt or Option click on a healthy patch of skin (to select an area of skin to use as the source) and then paint over the blemish.

Once you’ve removed all of the blemishes, you’re ready to soften and smooth the skin.

(1) Skin Smoothing with the Median Filter
The benefit of this technique is that it can be performed very quickly making it ideal if you have numerous images that need work. Start by duplicating the main background layer by going to Layer -> Duplicate Layer (Windows: Ctrl + J | Mac: Cmd + J). If your working with multiple layers, merge them together or create a merged copy. To merge everything together, select all the layers and go to Layers -> Merge Down (Windows: Ctrl + E | Mac: Cmd + E). Be sure to duplicate the merged layer by going to Layer -> Duplicate Layer (Windows: Ctrl + J | Mac: Cmd + J).

Note: Make sure that the layer you’re working on is at the very top of the layer stack and that it’s unlocked. A small padlock on the image layer indicates that it’s locked. Double click the layer itself to unlock it.

Next select the top-most layer and go to Filter -> Noise -> Median and select 10 for the Radius. Now create a black layer mask by going to Layer -> Layer Mask -> Hide All. You can also Alt/Option click the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the layers panel.

Note: A Radius of 10 is usually a good starting point for most high resolution images; however feel free to experiment with this setting.

Now select the Paint Brush Tool (B) and turn the Hardness all the way down. With the black layer mask selected, paint with white on areas of the skin that you wish to soften carefully avoiding the eyes, eye lashes, nostrils and lips. If you accidentally paint in one of these areas, just switch to black (X) and mask it out. Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac) on the layer mask to examine your work. Fill in any areas you missed.

The final step is to reduce the opacity of the top image layer (where the filter was applied) to around 20-40%. This will fade and blend the effects of the Median filter with the original image. Here’s a side-by-side comparison:

(2) Skin Smoothing with the High Pass Filter
This technique effectively smooths the skin while producing a subtle glow wherever it’s applied. The High Pass filter is typically used for sharpening. We’re going to invert the filter and use it for skin smoothing.

As before duplicate the main image layer by going to Layer -> Duplicate Layer (Windows: Ctrl + J | Mac: Cmd + J). With the duplicate layer selected, go to Filters -> Other -> High Pass. Adjust the Radius slider so that just the skin begins to show through and click Ok. For high resolution images this tends to be right around 10-20. Next remove all of the color from the image layer by going to Image -> Adjustments -> Hue/Saturation (Windows: Ctrl + U | Mac: Cmd + U) and moving the Saturation slider all the way to the left (-100).

Now change the Blending Mode above the Layers Panel to Soft Light (you can also try Hard Light) and invert the image layer by going to Image -> Adjustments -> Invert (Windows: Ctrl + I | Mac: Cmd + I). The final step is to create a black layer mask (as we did before) and paint in the areas on the face and skin that you want the adjustment to affect. The smoothing can be adjusted by reducing the opacity. Here’s a before and after:

(3) Skin Smoothing with the Surface Blur Filter
This is another technique that produces professional results. Duplicate the main image layer by going to Layer -> Duplicate Layer (Windows: Ctrl + J | Mac: Cmd + J). With the duplicate layer selected, go to Filters -> Blur -> Surface Blur. Adjust the Radius slider to 5 and the Threshold to 15. Feel free to experiment with these setting on your own images. Create a black layer mask and paint in the areas of the skin that you want the filter to affect. Finally, reduce the opacity to suit your taste – usually a setting between 30-50% is just about right. Here’s the before and after:

Final Words
Which technique is the best? All three produce professional results and are worth trying. You may find that one technique produces more natural results than another depending on the skin type you’re working on. You can automate you’re skin smoothing workflow by turning each technique into a Photoshop action that can be played step-by-step whenever you wish.

As with any portrait retouching, be very careful not to overdo skin smoothing. It doesn’t take much to turn skin into Barbie doll like plastic. Professional quality retouching always looks natural is usually hard to spot.

About the Author
Steve Paxton lives with his wife and two children in the Seattle area. Steve has been a photographer for nearly 20 years. His experience ranges from wedding and portrait work to landscape photography.

Steve owns and manages the F/Stop Spot; a website dedicated to supporting photographers of all skill levels. You can find more of Steve’s work at Paxton Prints and Paxton Portraits.

The post Three Professional Skin Smoothing Techniques You Should Know appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

Think about it for a moment. How many times have you released images from a portrait session that you were proud of just to have your client pick them apart. If your fortunate your client will tell you why they’re unhappy; but if they’re like most people, they’ll avoid confronting you and you’ll never never know that there was a problem. Thoughtful and effective communication is essential to avoiding stressful situations like this and ensuring that your clients are thrilled with your work.

Here are five strategies to ensure successful communication with your clients:

(1) Set Realistic Expectations From the Beginning
Virtually every portrait photographer has presented a series of images to a client just to find out later that they didn’t like them. Your photographs could be technically perfect, but your client just isn’t happy. It happens more often than you might think. Oftentimes it isn’t necessarily that the pictures weren’t great, it more likely that the client expected something else. Managing client expectation is a critical element of successful portrait photography.

Of course, before you can manage a client’s expectations you have to know what they are! Start by asking lots of questions. Here are questions I typically when I am talking to a client for the first time (usually well before the session):

• Why did they choose you as the photographer?
• How did they find you (online, via a referral, etc.)?
• Who will you be photographing?
• How are the images going to be used?
• Are they interested in environmental portraits or a studio setting?
• When was the last time they had pictures taken? How did that session go?
• Do they prefer color or black and white photographs?
• After browsing your website, which images did they like the most/least?

These are just a few starter questions to ask. Once you get the ball rolling, most people offer up all kinds of information that will help you plan the session. I’ve had a fair number of clients tell me about bad experiences with other photographers or chat about images they’ve seen somewhere else that they liked. Either way when this happens, your clients are telling you directly what they like and don’t like. Be sure to pay attention.

The next critical stage of communication occurs right before the session. Even before your camera comes out, spend some time talking to your clients. Their needs and expectations may have changed since the last time you spoke. Depending on the type of portrait session, I may spend ten minutes or much longer chatting. I am still asking lots of questions and listening.

At this point it’s important to manage your client’s expectations and establish the tone for the portrait session. Not only do I confirm that we are on the same page about how the final images should look, but I also dispel any unrealistic expectations.

For example, a high school senior portrait mom might think her daughter can change into 10 or more outfits during a 2 hour portrait session. It’s happened! If I know this from the start, I delicately explain why it’s not possible and suggest compromises (e.g. there will be time for 4 or 5 outfits). At the end of the session, I don’t want my client leaving feeling upset that her daughter wasn’t photographed in all 10 outfits. This unrealistic expectation must be managed from the very beginning otherwise you’ll wind up taking pictures all day or have an unhappy customer!

(2) Explain What Your Doing (Throughout the Session)
Whether your working with a corporate executive or a high school senior, it’s natural for people to be nervous when they arrive to have pictures taken. A simple way to help ease the tension is to explain what you’re doing as you go along. It sounds so obvious, but it’s easy to assume that your clients just know what’s going on. Knowing what to expect helps reduce tension and pulls your client in as a partner in the portrait session.

Another tension reducer is to ask your clients questions about themselves. Start with easy ones and see where it takes you. Here are some topic starters:

• Where are you from?
• Where do you work?
• What school do you go to?
• What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
• What’s your favorite TV show?

The questions you ask are going to vary depending on type of client and their age. For example, I might chat with a high school senior guy about a new X-Box game that was just released. With an older adult, we may talk about his job or family. You have to shape the conversation in a direction that is appropriate. People love talking about themselves. If you ask enough questions, you’re bound to find something in common to talk about. Off topic chit-chat takes the focus off the portrait session and can help your client relax.

(3) Motivate Your Clients with Encouragement
Oftentimes the best pictures of the day are captured near the end of the session. Why is this? Obviously quite a few factors come into play, but a big one has to do with our clients feeling more comfortable with us. Remember that you’re meeting most clients for the first time and having pictures taken can be stressful. You can help your customers relax by encouraging them with positive reinforcement. Don’t hesitate to tell your clients what’s working. They’re looking to you for feedback. Build their confidence with honest encouragement and positive reinforcement.

You can take this a step further by periodically showing off a few of the pictures (displayed on the back of your camera) throughout the session. Point out how awesome they look and how well everything is coming together.

(4) Listen for Suggestions and Feedback
Remember that great pictures are usually created in collaboration with your client. Listen to any ideas they have. Always be open to posing and composition suggestions. Obviously not all of them are going to be great, but your client may have a sense for what works best for them and their body type.

(5) Brag About Your Clients After the Session
You’re finished with the session and the images turned out beautifully. Now it’s time to share your favorite shots on your blog and social networking pages. I post a handful of shots from just about every session on my website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I introduce the images with a descriptive paragraph about my client including a little information about their hobbies and interests (here’s an example). Then I email my clients and tell this how amazing they look and point them to the pictures online. It’s quite a bit of work, but it’s worth the effort.

Several positive things happen when you do this. First, people love seeing pictures of themselves online. It’s flattering. Chances are your clients will share the online images with friends and family. This leads to referrals and more business.

The second reason relates to a client’s self image. Sadly some people don’t see themselves as beautiful or even photogenic. Even if you encouraged and offered positive reinforcement to your client throughout the portrait session, she may still view the images negatively. Not necessarily because your images were poorly done, but because of the “flaws” she sees in herself. Following up online with kind words reinforces that you truly enjoyed spending time with your client and that you think she looks beautiful. Encouraging words are healing and help reinforce the value of your work.

About the Author
Steve Paxton lives with his wife and two children in the Seattle area. Steve has been a photographer for nearly 20 years. His experience ranges from wedding and portrait work to landscape photography.

Steve owns and manages the F/Stop Spot; a website dedicated to supporting photographers of all skill levels. You can find more of Steve’s work at Paxton Prints and Paxton Portraits.

The post Five Strategies for Effective Communication in Portrait Photography appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a dyed-in-the-wool Kentuckian; born, schooled and employed here my whole life, in the central part of the state. I have been a graphic artist/designer geek for the past 28 years. Which sounds like a long time when I say it but it’s true.

How did you get into photography?
I got a Pentax ME Super for Christmas around 1983. I never really stopped shooting although I have never really done it as a profession on a real level. I bought a Holga after seeing some images that Nancy Rexroth had taken with a Diana. Must have been late 80s. I took a few rolls with it but was not impressed with my images and put the thing away for about a decade before digging it back out…within a year I had probably ran through 100 rolls of film with it and had purchased a half dozen old Dianas and Diana clones and a couple more Holgas. I haven’t stopped shooting with tired old plastic cameras since.

You work primarily with film and analog cameras that some might regard as old or junk. Why do you prefer film?
Well, as a working graphic artist I spend 8-9 hours a day in front of computer, manipulating words, photos and drawings with a mouse. Over the years my profession has gotten less and less hands-on and much more perfect and precise. As much as I like my job, it lacks a lot of reward artistically, I mean, I basically try and sell my part of the world healthcare services. It’s a conservative market, so I still feel I need an artistic release beyond what I get professionally. Photography gives me that.

I have given much thought to why I use cheap, archaic equipment because I have been asked interviews and have taught toy camera workshops and the best answer is that I enjoy the limitations the cameras afford. So much is just out of my control that I have more time to think about the moment, to study the motivation of that “click.” With my digital camera, I have knobs and nice lenses and so much control that I rarely “make” a good photo. But with my old Mark L (a Diana clone) I look at what I am shooting a whole lot more, and I don’t mean I look through the viewfinder longer, I mean I just look. Sometimes I miss the photo because I am just looking and thinking about the photo I want to make and it never happens. But it is all part of the process and to some extent that Is what makes photography art and not just science.

I have been vocal in the past about film vs. digital but I have softened a bit. Digital is here, digital has increased the interest in picture taking again, digital has been responsible for great imagery. I will continue to shoot film because it’s what I enjoy and if ultimately it’s viewed in a vacuum only by other film users I’m fine with that but I don’t want film use to ultimately just end up a gimmick, which to some extent, because of Lomography and Urban Outfitters and some of their hipstercentric marketing out there, toy cameras have been reduced to.

Do you post process any of your images?
I have been using Photoshop literally since it’s inception. It’s a tool for photographers. I scan and have to clean up all my photos. I try to stay fairly true to the image that the camera captured but I am of the mindset that it’s the image that matters not some line in the sand I have to draw for or against post-processing. So if the images needs something to appeal to me more I will do it, it might be increasing contrast or sharpening or something. Basically the same tricks you have performed 25 years ago in your home darkroom, I just do it at the desk now.

Your images document seemingly mundane aspects of everyday life in a unique way. How do you describe your work?
I am a huge fan of all of the work of Ralph Eugene Meatyard’s work. He is from right here in Lexington, where I work. He photographed his family, his friends, and things in this area. I used to fantasize about heading out west and shooting images like Robert Weston or down South and become William Eggleston and one day it hit me, “do more of what YOU know.” So I turned the camera on my two kids. I shot things I see everyday and I tried to make art out of the things that had a space somewhere in my life. Sometimes it works, but I don’t pretend to know how other people view any of my work. I would imagine that they may dislike as much of it as I do, and maybe now and again like something in some of it, again, as I do.

You use the word “ephemera” when referring to your image galleries online. Can you tell us what this means and how it relates to your work?
If you just kinda go by the definition of Ephemera is any transitory written or printed matter not meant to be retained or preserved. I think it derives from a word meaning things lasting no more than a day. So it’s easy for me to explain why some of my images fall into that description.

My images are merely thoughts, that moment, not meant to be retained or preserved with their original meaning. The viewer can choose to place whatever meaning they wish on the image, or for that matter, no meaning whatsoever to them if they choose. That sounds sort of lofty but it isn’t, just think of my work as “temporary stuff.” Doesn’t mean it isn’t permanently captured just means that the meaning can be fleeting or in constant transition. Much like the images of my sons, in transition, always as they change to men. My most widely “known” images are of them and the best of those are the ones that give a glimpse of the transition.

A lot of new photographers have never worked with film. Do you have any advice for someone interested in experimenting with traditional film?
My best advice: buy a Holga, just a cheap, plain black Holga. Put 400 ASA film in it. Put some duct tape on the camera to guard against like leaks. Grab your best friend, your mom or a stranger and on a clear day go outside and stand 5-6 feet from them and click, advance the film, and click again. And do variations of this same thing until the film is all exposed.

Find you a film processor or drop it in the mail and wait. If you aren’t happy when you get the film back, figure out why, was it the subject, did you do something wrong or is it just not thing. Don’t give up on it though, keep trying, keep thinking about what you want to say with your photography, the beauty of using film is there is little instant gratification beyond the click. So you must learn to feel gratified by the action of picture making, not digital screen checking. It may not be for everyone but it is for some who are looking to tell different stories with their imagery.

Are there any other projects that you would like to tell us about?
Forever ongoing as a project is 9700 days or the amount of time some say it takes a boy to become a man, it’s just documenting moments of my boys existence and beyond that I have a project that will actually include them more in the image making. I don’t have a name or anything for the project but involves both them being photographed and them photographing…and of course, the loose thread of images that constitute ephemera in my life.

Terms of Use
The text and photographs on this page belong to Larry Treadway (www.GoTreadGo.com) are subject to United States and International copyright laws. The text and digital images files may not be reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated or used (whole or in part) as part of a derivative work without written permission.

Get Featured on the F/Stop Spot
Are you a photographer or artist? We would love to shine a light onto your talent and hard work. Check out you can be the next artist featured on the F/Stop Spot.

The post Featured Artist: Larry Treadway appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

The Product
Photo Recovery is available for $39.00. The program recovers lost, deleted or corrupt files from a disc or external media (flash drive, memory card, portable hard drive, etc.) up to 2TB. Photo Recovery can find BMP, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, Mamiya (MOS, MEF), Paint Shop Pro Image File (PSP) and Picture File (PCT) files. It also supports RAW image recovery from Sony, Nikon, Canon, Samsung, Pentax, Minolta, Kodak, Sigma, Fuji, Olympus, Epson, Mamiya and Panasonic cameras.

Test Media
I formatted a 32GB SD card in my camera and then captured five RAW and eight JPEG images (saving them onto the SD card). Next I deleted one RAW and one JPEG within the camera. I kept a copy of the test images on my computer for comparison after the recovery.

Installation
I tested Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery (V6.1.7601 SP1) using Window 7. The software was easy to download and install.

Interface
I was disappointed to find that the interface provided very little feedback during the recovery process. It wasn’t always clear what was happening or what I needed to do. I found myself reading through the manual for directions and repeating steps just to get the recovery process started.

The Recovery
The preliminary scan on my SD card took approximately 25 minutes and recovered 1322 images! Nearly all of these images were ones that I had delete over the last few weeks and months prior to this test. The program also successfully recovered all of the original test images I deleted on the SD card. The recovered images were saved into two folders sorted by file type. Ten images were not successfully recovered and eight were only partially recovered.

Detailed Findings

(1) The interface is not complicated; however it’s also not very intuitive.

(2) There’s an option to create an image of the drive or media your scanning with bad sectors showing up in red when the scan is complete. This could be a preliminary tool for a data recovery expert; however some people may find this confusing not knowing what to do when they find bad sectors.

(3) There’s not an option to select a folder to scan prior to recovery. You must scan the entire card or drive prior to recovery and this can take a while, especially if you are only looking for a few images.

(4) Once the scan has completed, you can preview the findings prior to recovery. This is where you select what you want to recover.

(5) The program is centered on file types so if you do not know the name of the image or file, you can search by file type.

(6) The recovery process can be interrupted and saved to be completed at a later time.

(7) When I opened the recovered images in metadata viewer I noticed that most of the original EXIF information was missing. This is common in many data recovery programs.

Comparison
I compared Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery to Bad Copy Pro ($39.50) primarily because they’re similarly priced. Photo Recovery discovered more images than Bad Copy Pro. I also compared Photo Recovery to Recuva and Undelete Plus (free portable programs). Neither were able to recover more than two images.

Overall Thoughts
For photographers looking for an inexpensive photo recovery program, Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery is worth considering. Keep in mind that no tool will ever be 100% effective so it’s wise to have a couple of recovery programs on hand. Photo Recovery doesn’t provide you with many options (such as folder/file selection and scanning); however in my test it did an above average job recovering RAW and JPEG images.

For additional information on safeguarding and preserving your digital photographs, check out this guide on Safe Handling Practices for Flash Media. You can find more information about Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery here.

About the Author
Traci Youmans owns Guardian Data Recovery and has been working in the forensics community as a Data Recovery Expert since 2008.

The post Review of Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself (where do you live, are you going to school or working, etc.)?
I live in NYC and I work for the ad agency Ogilvy and Mather.

How did you get into photography?
In high school, I had a clothing company and we sponsored bands. I borrowed my dads camera and would shoot bands wearing the clothing before and during shows. I realized I liked shooting more than running the clothing company so I started shooting more and more bands. After shooting lots of bands at their shows and doing their publicity photos, I made the move into commercial and fine art photography which is my current focus.

How did the Bagel Project start and what do you plan to do with it?
I have always been a curious human being. And I’ve always liked to talk to people and hear their stories. So I wanted to figure out a way to do that with homeless people but still give them something in return. Originally I was thinking of giving away ramen because it was cheap and filling but I realized there would be no way to give them hot water on the streets. So I chose bagels since I think they are universally liked, cheap, and easy to consume. I didn’t really have any plan with what I wanted to do with it. It started out just me one afternoon with a friend and some free time and it grew from there.

Where do you make most of your contacts for the Bagel Project?
I would just approach people on the street and start up conversations. I’m notorious amongst my friends for talking to strangers so it wasn’t hard for me. I shot all the photos in the series in California.

What is the general reaction by the people you contact?
I think at first most of the subjects were confused with why an affluent upper middle class person is interested in hearing what they have to say. So often these people are just ignored and people walk by them as if they don’t exist. I think after they get over the confusion and start to understand that I’m genuinely interested in their story, the subjects were excited to have someone to share their stories with.

Do you have any advice for anyone interested in trying this type of street photography?
Gain the trust of your subjects. Most of the time I wouldn’t ask about taking the subject’s picture until an hour into conversation. You have to show them respect and gain their trust if you’re going to want a strong image. I think too many photographers think street photography is sneaking in a picture of someone when they aren’t looking and I don’t think that works for strong images.

Are there any other projects that you’re working that you would like to tell us about?
My most recent body of work is my Dark Series. These sets are much more produced with heavy lighting and staged stories.

Terms of Use
The text and photographs on this page belong to Justin Bettman are subject to United States and International copyright laws. The text and digital images files may not be reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated or used (whole or in part) as part of a derivative work without written permission.

Get Featured on the F/Stop Spot
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To bring all of the design ingredients together to create a layout, you need photo editing software. Of all the programs available for pixel editing and design, Photoshop stands out for it versatility. Photoshop is an incredibly powerful tool and all of the bells and whistles can be intimidating for new users. But don’t let Photoshop scare you!

In this 60 minute lecture, Elias Sarantopoulos describes how he created this beautiful vintage layout of a soldier’s letter home in Photoshop. Using a gentle teaching style, Elias carefully explains each step of the process he used to build this design. Sit back and watch Elias work or follow along using all of the same exercise files.

Follow Along with the Exercise Files
Download the textures and exercise files used in the video here.

Watch the Video Lecture

About the Author
Elias Sarantopoulos has a Master of Arts from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Elias works and teaches at Yeditepe University in Istanbul at the Visual Communication Design Department. You can learn more about Elias and watch his other tutorials on photography and web design at www.3rdElement.com.

The post Digital Scrapbooking for Beginners appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

Su Ferguson specializes in creating beautiful template and design products for portrait and wedding photographers. Check out her amazing work at Savant Design Templates. Su’s designs add just the right amount of pizzazz to portrait photographs giving them a finished look and feel. Su has graciously donated the “Cheeky in Blue” accordion template set just for F/Stop Spot visitors!

This collection includes four separate high resolution Photoshop templates. These babies are perfect for kids, maternity sessions and high school seniors. Print them for your clients or use them on the web. They’re totally free!

Download the “Cheeky In Blue” 4×8 Accordion Templates
Free “Cheeky In Blue” 4×8 Accordion Templates (2.3 Mb Zip File)

Save 15% on Savant Design Templates
Head over to Savant Design Templates and enter discount code “fstop2013″ during checkout to save 15% on any of Su’s totally awesome templates!

About Su Ferguson and Savant Design Templates
Savant Design Templates offers designs that are fresh, unique and smart. I’m a dreamer and have always loved creating unique designs and product for our photography clients, I can’t even really call it a job simply because it’s so much fun. Using templates in your product offerings is a great way to help get your work noticed.

As a photographer I know that if your clients love your product they will show it to everyone they know and we all know that word of mouth marketing is the best marketing avenue you can ask for. Senior, birth announcement and save-the-date cards are a great way for your work to be shown around by your clients.

Designed with Photoshop CS4 and compatible with Elements (version 6+), simply change colors, turn element layers on or off to change up the look and pop your images into the template and voila! – you’ve got a product your clients will love. Then just send them off to print at your favorite pro lab. Visit us at Savant Design Templates, Etsy and Facebook.

The post Wow Your Clients with These Beautiful Accordion Style Templates! appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

Previously, I listed a lot of terms that cause confusion when shopping for a camera. There was one that I left out: speed. Speed as it relates to cameras depends on the context as it means different things depending on what you are discussing at the time. Here are some ways you will hear “speed” referred to:

• The time that it takes a camera to turn on or boot up after you press the power switch;
• The time between when you press the shutter release button and when the camera actually takes the photograph;
• The time between consecutive photographs;
• How quickly the camera or lens can focus;
• How quickly the camera clears it’s memory buffer when shooting continuously;
• The camera’s range of ISO sensitivity;
• A lens is said to be a “fast lens” if it has a very wide maximum aperture such as f/1.4, or f/1.8. Conversely, a lens is considered “slow” if it’s maximum aperture is f/5.6 or smaller;

As you can see, speed can refer to general handling characteristics of the camera as well as to particular specifications. In general, “fast” is a positive feature while “slow” is a negative consideration. Perhaps a better term would be “responsiveness” or “responsive”.

Speed (responsiveness) is one of the three main aspects that you will consider when shopping for a camera. The others are image quality and size (aka convenience). You will never get all three, so you are going to have to compromise somewhere. Since you likely want good image quality, you might find yourself deciding between size and speed. But, sacrificing a little bit on image quality can result in significant gains in speed and size.

Types of Cameras
Today there are several types of cameras we have to choose from that range from convenient but so-so image quality to large cameras with the best image. Here are the different types of cameras you have to choose from and some of their advantages and disadvantages.

Smartphones
I know that you are probably thinking that a smartphone isn’t a camera. However, you might be surprised at how good some of the cameras in smartphones can be at times. The smartphone camera’s biggest advantage is convenience. If you have a smartphone, then you will probably have it on you all the time. As professional commercial photographer Chase Jarvis said, “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” He even published a book of iPhone images by that title and trademarked the phrase. Another advantage to smartphones is that there are a large variety of photography apps that allows just about anyone to make adjustments, add filters, and do some interesting post processing to their images. Finally, a smartphone is constantly connected to the internet which means that you can share your images fairly easily and quickly.

Image Courtesy of Samsung

Smartphones’ primary disadvantage lies in their sensors. A smartphone will have a very small sensor which can limit the image quality in certain ways. They are typically not as good for low light situations, are frequently slow to respond, and some produce a lot of image noise. However, there are exceptions. The iPhone and some of the Nokia smartphones are generally regarded quite favorably. One of the latest Nokia smartphones has also added a simple optical, stabilization system for the first time in a smartphone. Thus, if you have a smartphone don’t discount it right away. It might be all that you need if you have one of the really good smartphone cameras. Learn to work within its limitations and you could find your photographs getting a lot better. Try to force it to do something it can’t do well, and you will get frustrated with it.

• Pros: Small, convenient, internet connection for sharing



• Cons: Very small sensors



• Notable Models: Apple iPhone, Nokia Lumia 920, Samsung Galaxy SIII

Compact Cameras
Many of us got started with a compact digital camera. Before smartphones, they were the small, convenient camera that we could carry with us most of the time. With the explosion in smartphone popularity, they are starting to be less common as smartphones trump them for convenience in today’s always connected world. However, there are quite a large range of these so-called compact cameras. You can get a very basic camera that fits in a pocket quite inexpensively. You can also get larger, more expensive cameras with large zoom ranges in small, DSLR-styled form factors, aka the”superzoom” compact cameras.

Advantages to compact cameras are generally that they are convenient to carry around. Many compact cameras have larger sensors than most smartphones, although the difference might not be as noticeable as you would think they should be. There are also such a large range of compact cameras available that most people should be able to find something with features that they like in an agreeable price range. There are entry level compact cameras with few of those “complicated” controls that automate everything for you as well as compact cameras targeted to photographers looking for a compact camera with lots of direct controls. Compact cameras can be great “beginning” cameras for children as they are less expensive to replace will you judge if the child actually has an interest in photography. If they keep using it and take care of it, then they might like a nicer camera later. If they never pick it up, always loose it, or break it all the time, then you haven’t lost a lot of investment in expensive equipment.

The disadvantages to compact cameras basically comes down to having a small sensor size and response time (i.e. speed). The majority of compact cameras are built from commodity electronic parts. They are inexpensive because they can be manufactured in vast quantities very inexpensively. The more that a model gets away from those commodity parts, the more expensive it is going to get. Compact cameras are generally thought of as being “slow”. They have a reputation of being slow to turn on and boot up, taking a photograph well after the shutter is released, not being able to capture many shots in close succession, slow to zoom in or out, and slow lens apertures. Their lack of speedy response is a major factor in causing people to want to move up to a DSLR camera.

Copyright Craig A. Lee

Additionally, the menu systems that most cameras have these days can be frustrating for some users. This is not limited to compact cameras, but it seems to be a larger factor in dissatisfaction with compact cameras as at times the menus are the only way to change most camera controls on compacts. Another disadvantage is that there are so many similar cameras and the model-line change-over is so frequent that it very easy to get confused shopping.

However, not all compact cameras are cheap mass produced knock-offs. There are some gems in the category as well. Sony’s new RX100 has been getting a lot of attention lately. This particular camera has a larger sensor than other compact cameras. In part 1 of this series, I said it was a full-frame sensor. Well, I was wrong. It is a 1″ sensor which is about the same size as in the Nikon 1 mirrorless camera line. This is still quite large for a compact camera those. Fujifilm has also had some recent successes with some retro-styled compacts like the XF1 and the X10.

• Pros: Small, convenient, inexpensive options are available. More advanced cameras are also being sold now that appeal to experienced photographers wanting something more pocketable. A large selection of features, sizes, and quality in a wide range of prices.



• Cons: Smaller sensor usually means image quality can suffer, especially in low light situations. Many compact cameras are not very responsive with boot-up lag, shutter lag, and re-shooting lag causing frequently frustrations. Lack of dedicated controls and complicated UIs are fairly common complaints.



• Notable Models: Canon PowerShot S110 & G1 X, Sony RX100, Fujifilm XF1 & X10, Olympus XZ-2 iHS,

Mirrorless
Mirrorless cameras are the new camera category on the block. The category was essentially invented because other manufacturers were having a difficult time breaking open the Canon / Nikon duopoly in the DSLR segment. Olympus and Panasonic had created a joint sensor and lens mount platform that they called 4/3, or four thirds, in order to be able to share certain design and engineering specifications. The system was named this because it uses a 4:3 aspect ratio rather than the 3:2 aspect ratio of the typical DSLR. Thus, the 4/3 sensors were a little more square than other DSLR sensor designs. The 4/3 sensors were also a little smaller than the APS-C based sensors of Canon, Nikon and Sony. The thought to this was that the smaller sensor would allow Olympus and Panasonic to build smaller DSLR cameras that would appeal to more people. However, the system never really caught on with enthusiast and professional photographers who are a primary driver of the DSLR market. The system’s limitations in lens and accessory selection generally kept the higher end market from accepting the 4/3 system even though there were some interesting and innovative products created for it.

As a response to the lack of adoption of 4/3 DSLR cameras, Olympus and Panasonic created the micro-4/3 system specification. Micro-4/3 uses the same sensor design as the 4/3 DSLR specification. However, it combined elements of compact cameras to further reduce size and weight. They removed the large moving mirror assembly (hence the mirrorless term we have today for the category) from the camera and designed them with electronic viewfinders / LCDs taken from compact cameras. This allowed them to make a smaller interchangeable lens camera system that neither Nikon nor Canon could directly compete with at the time. They also realized that there was a certain amount of nostalgia for older camera designs and built some models to capitalize on that trend.

Copyright Craig A. Lee

By combining small size, a large DSLR sensor, and smaller lenses with some truly innovative features and mirrorless cameras have become a market segment that gets a lot of interest. At the time of writing, all of the major camera makers now have mirrorless models in the market. Olympus and Panasonic have been in the segment long enough now that they are several generations in and are starting to show some fairly mature products. Conversely, Canon has just entered the segment with one model and Nikon has only just introduced the second generation of its’ mirrorless cameras. Sony also has a moderately well-developed mirrorless camera line that is based on an APS-C sensor.

Currently, the Micro-4/3 system has the largest selection of lenses and accessories available to it simply because they have been on the market longer. Since these are “system” cameras, the availability of lenses and accessories are an important consideration. The next largest systems in the Sony NEX line. The Nikon 1 line has a few lenses available with more announced to be in development. They probably enough for the general consumer right now, but not near enough for the enthusiast. The Canon EOS M camera is the newest of the mirrorless cameras and thus has the fewest lenses available. All of the systems have adapters that will allow you to mount the respective manufacturer’s DSLR lenses to the cameras. Thus, if you have a lot of Canon lenses, then you might consider the EOS M with the lens adapter if the EOS M meets your other requirements.

One of the confusing things about the mirrorless segment, is that each manufacturer has their own take on it. This has caused there to be a variety of sensor sizes. The Nikon 1 cameras use a 1-inch sized sensor that is similar to the sensor used in the Sony RX100 compact camera. Then you have micro-4/3 sensor all the way up to the APS-C sensors used in the Sony NEX and Canon EOS M lines. There is also a wide range of camera types available from entry level cameras to models that rival DSLRs in features and price.

Copyright Craig A. Lee

Each of the lines have strengths and weaknesses. The Nikon 1 line reportedly has excellent focus capabilities and is small and very portable. However, its image quality can suffer due to the sensor’s small size. The micro-4/3 system has quite a lot of lenses available to it now that can satisfy most enthusiasts’ needs. The Sony NEX system has the larger APS-C sensor, a more modern design ethic and some exceptional video capabilities.

Another consideration related to mirrorless cameras is that because Olympus and Panasonic iterate so quickly that they seem to always have new models entering the market. What happens because of this is that they seem to offload excess inventory of older models on a regular basis. It is not uncommon to find a micro-4/3 camera available at Amazon, B&H Photo, or Adorama at steep discounts. I have seen some models being sold with a kit lens for not much more than a mid-range compact camera. They can be very tempting at that price and might be a good opportunity to try the system out with little total investment.

So, what are the disadvantages to mirrorless cameras? Well, generally they are bigger than smartphones and compacts. Interchangeable lenses automatically make them a bit more complicated while giving you more stuff to carry around. Conversely, response can lag behind DSLR cameras in most areas that you might consider. Higher end models can be just as expensive as equivalent DSLRs. You are paying for the smaller size and better portability at the high end. Some mirrorless cameras don’t have eye level electronic viewfinders causing you to have to frame shots solely via the back LCD which can be hard to see in sunlight. Another reason is that some manufacturers, notably Panasonic, seem to prioritize the Asian market for their new model introductions. It can sometimes be difficult to get items like spare batteries in the US for some mirrorless camera models.

• Pros: Some models have excellent image quality approaching or equally those of similar DSLR cameras. Smaller. Lighter. More convenient. Wide range of styles with features for all skill ranges. Some great deals available when older models have excess inventory.



• Cons: Compact camera based components can cause response lag of various kinds. Smaller sensors can have quality issues in low light situations. Difficultly getting some models and accessories in the US market.



• Notable models: Canon EOS M, Sony NEX-5n & NEX-7, Nikon 1 V2, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1, Olympus PEN E-PL5 and OM-D E-M5.

DSLR Cameras
Now we are down to “the big guns” of the camera world. At least they are the largest cameras that most consumers would be interested in purchasing. There are larger digital cameras than DSLRs, but those are medium format cameras that are entirely meant for the commercial photographer and are fairly specialized and quite expensive. So, unless you are a doctor, lawyer, venture capitalist, or other high-income earner, DSLRs are the largest cameras you will probably be considering.

DSLR itself is an acronym for Digital, Single Lens, Reflex camera. They are derived from the older film SLR cameras, or Single Lens, Reflex cameras. The “reflex” term refers to the movement of the mirror mechanism that reflects the light coming through the lens up into the viewfinder. The mirror sits in front of the film or sensor to facilitate framing, and then moves out of the way when the shutter release button is pressed. The mirror however, is not the shutter. The shutter is another mechanism that gets activated at the same time as the mirror moves out of the optical path. Both mechanisms, moving in sync, are necessary to expose the film or sensor in an SLR based camera.

Because the mirror has to move out of the optical path, it needs somewhere to go. Thus, the film / sensor, shutter, and mirror all are situated inside a large box. This box and the associated viewfinder prism/mirror are contributing factors to the size of DSLRs. This box is also what mirrorless cameras have reduced in size, as well as removing the optical viewfinder entirely, in order to make smaller, interchangeable lens cameras. Without the moving mirror, a mirrorless camera can be made smaller and use a smaller lens mount which allows the lenses to be smaller. However, when you remove the reflex mirror you lose the framing advantage via a bright, direct optical viewfinder. Some recent Sony DSLRs have replaced the moving mirror with a partially transparent mirror which allows for a slightly smaller DSLR camera. However, both Nikon and Canon still use the moving reflex mirror and both companies account for the majority of DSLR camera sales.

While DSLRs are usually considered large cameras, they actually come in quite a wide range of sizes. Entry level DSLRs like the Nikon 3100 / 3200 are actually quite small. Professional cameras with integrated vertical grips are very large by most people’s measurements. Where all DSLRs share in their bulk is in the lenses that they use. Due to the engineering requirements of the reflex mirror mechanism, the lens mounts need to be large in order to properly cover the film/sensor plane with light. These larger lens mounts necessitate larger lenses. However, all DSLR manufacturers also have a wide array of lenses available. Most consumer DSLRs will come with a “kit lens” in the 18-55 mm zoom range with a variable aperture that will range between f/3.5 to f/5.6.

You will also find a wide range of consumer oriented lenses that are designed to be smaller, lighter, and / or more convenient. There are super-zoom lenses available that zoom from 18mm to 200mm or even to 300mm, again with variable aperture ranges. The lenses themselves are large compared to the kit lens, but having one lens with that wide of a zoom range is all that most people will need for the majority of their photography. If you add in a small, light, and wide aperture prime lens like a 35mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.8 for low light situations, then the typical consumer’s needs will be covered with just two lenses. There are also consumer wide-angle zoom lenses, macro lenses, and prime lenses.

Of course, having a DSLR gives you the flexibility of adding other lenses or accessories as your photographic needs change and your experience grows. You can usually use even the high-end professional lenses on most entry level and mid-range DSLRs. If one day you find that you need a particular lens for a special event, you can easily rent one that fits your camera for that event, and then return it after the event is over. You don’t have to own every lens that you use. Even professionals will rent equipment that they need only occasionally. The point here is that a DSLR provides the maximum amount of flexibility in the equipment available to you. Note though, that most of the entry level models cannot use older film-era SLR lenses. Many of the mid-range and professional models can use older lenses.

Entry level DSLRs are actually quite small in and of themselves. They may actually be too small for someone with large hands. What they lack when compared to the high-end DSLRs are some physical controls, and some “high end” features like remote flash control, a second memory card slot, slower focus system, lower buffer size, slower frame rate, etc. However, even entry level DSLRs generally have more features, physical controls, and respond faster than other camera types.

Mid-range DSLRs are usually the next size up from the entry level. Most do not have integrated vertical grips, but generally have those as an accessory option from the manufacturer. A vertical grip replicates the shutter-release, aperture and shutter speed control dials, focus lock button, and selector switches so that when you hold the camera in a vertical (portrait) position that the controls are where you expect them to be. With a vertical grip, you can hold a camera normally when using the portrait orientation without having your wrists at awkward angles. Some vertical grip accessories provide for a second battery. Some will also increase the frame rate of the camera. Vertical grips do add bulk to the camera though. Their advantage in the mid-range cameras is that you can use them when you need the flexibility for orientation or extended battery life, and then remove them when you want to reduce weight and bulk.

Mid-range DSLRs also start adding in more professional features for experienced and enthusiast photographers. They may support remote flash control with the manufacturer’s flash accessories. They usually have similar focus systems to the some of the professional cameras. They will be larger cameras than the entry level models which give them more room for more physical controls. Additionally, they usually have a better processing capability which allows them to photograph more frames in succession as well have a larger buffer sizes than the entry level cameras. In general, they will be more responsive than the entry level cameras. Due to the way that the manufacturers release new camera models, the mid-range DSLRs do not seem to get updated quite as frequently as the entry level models. So, the entry level models sometimes have newer sensors than the mid-range. But this is not always true.

The professional DSLR cameras are the true “big guns” of the DSLR models. They are large cameras due to having full frame sensors, integrated vertical grips, powerful internal computers, large batteries, weather-sealing, heavy-duty frames, heavy-duty mirror and shutter mechanisms, and large optical viewfinder systems. Basically, they are built like tanks in order to take the abuse that professionals will subject them to. Think “war photographer” and you will immediately get an idea what these cameras are built to withstand. These cameras are also the type that NASA has been sending up to the International Space Station the past few years.

If you need a camera that is the fastest, most rugged, and most flexible system that will handle all of the abuse that can be thrown at it and bulk is a non-issue, then the professional DSLRs are the camera for you. If you are just starting out or just need to photograph family events and your livelihood does not depend on the camera, then you really do not need a professional camera. You can get very similar image quality in less expensive cameras. Don’t get caught up in thinking that all of that money will give you better photographs. What you get for the price of professional DSLRs is a heavy-duty tool intended for specific kinds of photographers. After a certain point, you start paying a lot more for very small incremental upgrades. The mid-range cameras really are as much camera as most people will ever need.

Prices on DSLR cameras have a very wide range. Entry level cameras with a kit lens can start around $500 to $600 USD. Mid-range DSLRS run between $800 to $1200 USD. Top of the line professional DSLRs can cost $6000+ USD. You will find that Canon and Nikon do not produce cameras that are exact mirror copies of each other. Instead, they tend to bracket there cameras around each other. This causes the camera buyer to choose between cameras with slight changes in feature set. Research the sorts of features that you want, then find the cameras with those features. Don’t do the reverse because you will end up chasing features up the price scale exactly as the camera makers want you to do.

Lenses have similar price variability. Consumer lenses top off around $1000-$1200 USD with most around $300-$600 USD. Meanwhile, high-end professional telephoto lenses can cost $10,000+ USD.

As you look at DSLRs and compare them to mirrorless cameras, you will start to notice that there is a lot of pricing overlap. High-end mirrorless cameras can cost nearly the same as a mid-range DSLR. The primary differences between them are the size of the camera and lenses, and the relative responsiveness of the cameras. Image quality can be fairly similar for most people’s purposes. Thus, again we come down to having to decide between a smaller, less bulky system (mirrorless), or a slightly larger, but more responsive system (DSLRs). Only you can determine which fits you better.

• Pros: Responsive. Excellent to the best image quality. Wide range of models at a variety of price ranges and skill levels. Flexible, mature systems that can usually use older, pre-digital era lenses. Several model styles are weather sealed and built for durability. People may assume you work for a newspaper and are a”real” photographer.
  
  Cons: The largest and bulkiest camera systems. Intimidating to inexperienced photographers. Intimating to potential subjects. Conspicuous. People may assume that you are a shady paparazzi or have other nefarious motives.



• Notable Entry Level DSLRs: Canon T4i / T3i, Nikon D3100/D3200, Nikon D5100/D5200;



• Notable Mid-Range DSLRS: Canon 6D, Canon 7D, Canon 5D III, Nikon 7000, Nikon D300s, Nikon D600;



• Notable Professional DSLRs: Canon 1D series, Nikon D4, Nikon D800.

Conclusion
Photography can be a fun and rewarding hobby. It can even become a profession if you have a true passion and drive for it. Just be realistic with your goals, read some good books on the subject, and pick the right camera for your needs and abilities. Most importantly – keep making photographs!

About the Author
Craig Lee lives with his wife and son in the upstate of South Carolina. Craig has been an enthusiast photographer since 2007 when he got his first DSLR for Father’s Day. His photographic interests range from landscapes, to sports, to cityscapes , to abstracts with a tendency to integrate architecture found in natural surroundings. He has also been the official photographer for the Greenville Scottish Games since 2010.

Craig’s website is www.CaleeImages.com where you can find more of his work and a blog he needs to spend more time on.

The post Part 3: New Camera Buyer’s Guide appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

We’ve created four free Polaroid Instant Film presets for Lightroom 4 that imitate the faded color and contrast often seen in instant pictures. Combine these presets with our Polaroid borders and your images will look like they were taken 20 years ago!

Using the Polaroid Presets
These presets were designed in Lightroom 4; each one mimics a different color shift typical of Polaroid images 20 years ago. There are four basic presets to choose from: (1) Classic Polaroid, (3) Fluorescent, (3) Fluorescent Washed and (4) Incandescent.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the Develop settings. As with any Lightroom preset, you may have to fine tune the initial settings so that they match the look and feel your’re after. Pay close attention to the Exposure, Highlights and Blacks settings in the Basic Panel and the Lights/Darks settings in Tone Curve Panel.

Download the Presets
Download the Lightroom 4 Polaroid Presets
Download the Polaroid borders

How to Install the Polaroid Presets (it’s easy!)
The Polaroid Presets are available as a downloadable zip file. Download the file onto your desktop (or someplace convenient). You should now have a folder named “F-Stop Spot LR4 Polaroid.zip” on your desktop. Unzip the zip file onto your desktop. Open the folder you just unzipped and look for a sub-folder named “F-Stop Spot LR4 Polaroid”.

To install the presets, open Lightroom and navigate to either the Library or Develop Module. Next click Edit -> Preferences from the top menu to open the preferences dialog window. Click on the Presets tab (at the top) and then Show Lightroom Presets Folder. Your computer’s file explorer window should pop open. Open the Lightroom folder and then open the Develop Presets folder.

Save the sub-folder named “F-Stop Spot LR4 Urban” (that is within the main folder you just unzipped) inside the Develop Presets folder. Now you must close and re-open Lightroom for the presets to show up. You will find the presets in the left panel under the Develop Module.

Save Your Money for Photography Gear!
It doesn’t make any sense to pay for Lightroom presets when there are so many high quality ones available online for free. We carefully construct and test our Lightroom presets on a variety of images before releasing them. The best part is that they’re always free! Check out the rest of our Lightroom presets here.

About the Author
Steve Paxton lives with his wife and two children in the Seattle area. Steve has been a photographer for nearly 20 years. His experience ranges from wedding and portrait work to landscape photography.

Steve owns and manages the F/Stop Spot; a website dedicated to supporting photographers of all skill levels. You can find more of Steve’s work at Paxton Prints and Paxton Portraits.

The post Free Polaroid Film Presets for Lightroom appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.

One of the things that makes Lightroom so special is the ability to create develop recipes or presets that you can use over and over again. We’ve sorted through the bazillion websites (ok, not quite that many!) that offer presets so that you don’t have to. Below is a comprehensive list of free Lightroom 3 and 4 presets for portrait and landscape photography with no strings attached. There’s no junk on this list!

Presets Designed for Lightroom 4
• Workflow Presets for Portrait Photographers
• Long Exposure Landscape Presets by Flixel Pixel
• Landscape Presets by 27 Shutter Clicks
• Landscape Presets by Landscape 101
• Landscape Presets by Colour Them Pretty
• Portrait Mini Quick Clicks and Mini Enlighten Presets by MCP Actions
• Food Photography Preset by Nicolesy
• Aged Black and White Portrait Preset by Nicolesy
• Polaroid Film Presets by Paxton Portraits
• Cross Processing Preset by Nicolesy
• Lightroom Essentials Presets by Camera Dojo
• Vintage Lightroom Presets for Portraits and Weddings
• Vintage Presets by Roman Peregontsev
• Toning Black and White Presets by Julieanne Kost (midway down the page)
• Portrait and Landscape Presets by Somethings Brewing
• Ultra Black & White for Portraits by Randy McKown
• Sports Photography Presets by Matt Kloskowski
• Variety of Presets by MCG Studios (lower portion of the page)
• Variety of Creative Presets by OnOne Software
  
• Print Module Templates for Collages, Scrapbooking and Social Media

Note: Many of the Lightroom 4 presets are also compatible with older versions of Lightroom.

Presets Designed for Lightroom 3 and Older
• Workflow Presets for Portrait Photographers
• Street Photography Presets by Eric Kim
• Landscape Presets by Studio OMG
• Vintage and Landscape Presets by Laconic
• Portrait and Landscape Presets by The Monkey’s Paw
• Polaroid Film Presets by Paxton Portraits
• Vintage Preset by Lady Tori Photography (first one in the list)
• Vintage, Black and White and Film-like Presets by The Darkroom
• Creative Portrait Presets by Vivian Chung
• Black and White to Very Colorful Cross Process Presets by LRPAD
• Vintage Lightroom Presets for Portraits and Weddings
• Split Tone and Sepia Lightroom Presets by Digital Photo Buzz
• Black and White and Landscape Presets by Rule of Thirds Photography
• Black and White Presets by 640 Pixels
• Black and White and Infrared Presets by Gantico
• Black and White Landscape Presets by Bryan Wheeler

Websites Devoted to Providing Free Lightroom Presets
• Preset Heaven
• Lightroom Killer Tips
• Adobe Lightroom Exchange

Of course, be sure to check out our free presets for Lightroom including our extremely popular workflow presets.

How to Install Lightroom Presets
Download and extract your presets onto your desktop (or someplace convenient). Next open Lightroom and navigate to either the Library or Develop Module. Click Edit -> Preferences from the top menu to open the preferences dialog window. Click on the Presets tab (at the top) and then Show Lightroom Presets Folder. Your computer’s file explorer window should pop open. Open the Lightroom folder and then open the Develop Presets folder.

Copy the presets within Develop Presets folder. Now you must close and re-open Lightroom for the presets to show up. You will find the presets in the left panel under the Develop Module.

Interested in Sharing Your Own Lightroom Presets?
Have you created a few wiz-bang Lightroom presets that you wish to share? Send us an email or leave a comment below and we will gladly add you to the list. The only caveat is that your presets have to be totally free with no strings attached.

The post List of Free High Quality Lightroom Presets appeared first on The F/Stop Spot.