Top 7 Aesthetic Presets for Dreamy Photo Edits

Want to create ethereal, dreamy photos with just a click? Here are 7 must-have presets to transform your images:

1. Soft Pastel Dreams: Muted colors and soft tones
2. Golden Hour Glow: Warm sunset-like effects
3. Ethereal White Balance: Bright, airy aesthetics
4. Creamy Skin Tones: Smooth, natural-looking portraits
5. Dreamy Bokeh Background: Blurred backgrounds
6. Vintage Film Look: Retro film-inspired edits
7. Light Highlights and Shadows: Subtle exposure balancing

These presets work best as starting points - tweak them to fit your style and photo needs. For quick dreamy edits:

• Lower Clarity
• Increase Contrast slightly
• Reduce Vibrance

Remember: Subtle adjustments often look best. Experiment to find your signature dreamy look.

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Quick Comparison

What are Aesthetic Presets?

Aesthetic presets are like magic wands for photo editing. They're pre-made settings in software like Adobe Lightroom that transform your images with one click.

Think of them as digital recipes for your photos. They adjust things like:

• White balance
• Exposure
• Contrast
• Color grading
• Tonal curves

Why do photographers love them? Simple:

1. They're fast

Most users save over 90 seconds per image. That adds up when you're editing hundreds of photos!

2. They keep things consistent

Want all your photos to have the same vibe? Presets make it easy.

3. They're efficient

You can apply presets to a whole batch of photos at once. No more editing each image one by one.

But here's the kicker: presets aren't just for pros. They're great for beginners too. As one photographer puts it:

"Make your own. Seriously."

You can buy presets, sure. But creating your own? That's where the magic happens.

Using presets is easy:

1. Apply the preset
2. Tweak as needed
3. Save your changes

Remember: presets are just starting points. You'll often need to adjust them for each photo.

Want that dreamy, soft look? Try this:

• Lower the Clarity (softens midtones)
• Bump up the Contrast (adds depth)
• Reduce Vibrance (tones down colors)

Experiment and have fun. That's what presets are all about!

How We Chose These Presets

We didn't just pick presets that look good. We used a careful process to find ones that work for different photos and styles. Here's what we did:

1. Style Matching

We checked out what's hot on Instagram and Pinterest. This helped us find presets that match current trends.

2. Color Compatibility

We chose presets that work well with:

• Light, airy photos (think weddings)
• Warm, golden tones (great for outdoor shots)
• Cool, moody vibes (perfect for cloudy days)

3. Versatility

The best presets can handle different lighting. We picked ones that work well in:

• Bright sun
• Soft, natural light
• Indoor settings

4. Skin Tone Enhancement

For portraits and weddings, natural skin tones are key. We chose presets that enhance, not distort, skin colors.

5. Before and After Testing

We tried each preset on lots of photos. This showed us how they perform in real life.

6. User Feedback

We listened to what other photographers say. Real-world use tells us a lot.

7. Customization Options

Our chosen presets let you fine-tune. You can adjust them to fit your style or photo needs.

Here's a quick look at our top picks:

Soft Pastel Dreams Preset

The Soft Pastel Dreams preset gives your photos a dreamy, light, and airy look. It's great for portraits, weddings, and outdoor shots.

Here's how it works:

• Softens the image
• Adds pastel tones
• Enhances light and shadows

The preset tweaks these settings:

This combo softens the image but keeps depth.

It's versatile:

• Portraits: Adds romance
• Weddings: Creates dreaminess
• Outdoor shots: Softens harsh shadows

Want to tweak it? Try these:

1. Tone curve: Pull up blacks to soften more.

2. HSL panel: Adjust specific colors. Boost pinks for romance.

3. Iris Blur: Add a slight blur for extra dreaminess.

2. Golden Hour Glow Collection

The Golden Hour Glow Collection brings sunset and sunrise magic to your photos. It's packed with 20 color presets, 18 sun effect presets, and a toolkit for light adjustments and retouching.

Creating the Dream

This collection works its magic by warming up your images, boosting colors, and tweaking highlights and shadows. It uses radial gradients to place light just right, mimicking that soft, warm golden hour glow.

Versatile Across Photo Types

The collection shines on:

• Portraits: Giving skin a warm, flattering glow
• Landscapes: Bringing out nature's golden hues
• Architecture: Softening harsh lines with warm light

Tweaking the Presets

Want to fine-tune your golden hour effect? Here's how:

1. Bump up the temperature for extra warmth

2. Play with color grading: warm up highlights, cool down shadows

3. Use masking to control where the "light" falls

4. Boost oranges and yellows in the HSL panel

"The light is so even and golden, it's tough to mess up exposure - even on faces." - Jenn Byrne, Photographer

3. Ethereal White Balance Preset

The Ethereal White Balance Preset is a must-have for photographers who want dreamy, airy images. It tweaks white balance to create a clean, bright look that's perfect for ethereal shots.

How It Works Its Magic

This preset:

• Adjusts color temperature for a soft, warm glow
• Fine-tunes tint to zap unwanted color casts
• Boosts brightness and clarity

The result? Photos that look like they're bathed in heavenly light.

Versatile Across Photo Types

This preset isn't a one-trick pony. It shines in:

• Portraits: Gives skin a flattering glow
• Landscapes: Enhances natural light for dreamy vibes
• Product shots: Creates a clean, pro look

Tweaking for Better Results

While it's great out of the box, you can fine-tune it:

1. Play with temperature and tint

Use Lightroom's Basic panel sliders. Higher temps add golden hues, lower ones go blue.

2. Adjust exposure and contrast

Bump up exposure for airier feels. Then tweak contrast to keep depth.

3. Use a gray card

For spot-on balance, shoot with a gray card. In post, use the White Balance Selector tool on it.

"RAW lets you adjust white balance effectively in post." - Waltz

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4. Creamy Skin Tones Enhancer

This preset is a must-have for portrait photographers who want smooth, glowing skin in their edits.

How It Works

The Creamy Skin Tones Enhancer:

• Tweaks white balance for natural, warm skin
• Softens texture without losing detail
• Boosts luminance for a subtle glow

The result? Soft, radiant skin that doesn't look over-edited.

Beyond Portraits

This preset isn't just for headshots:

• Weddings: Gives brides an ethereal look
• Fashion: Creates high-end magazine vibes
• Lifestyle: Adds a dreamy touch to everyday shots

Tweaking the Preset

For best results:

1. Fine-tune white balance

Play with the Temperature slider to nail the perfect skin warmth.

2. Adjust exposure

Bump up exposure slightly to brighten skin without washing it out.

3. Use the Adjustment Brush

Smooth out specific areas without affecting the whole image.

"Open shade is your best friend for creamy skin tones. It's way more forgiving than other light", says a pro portrait photographer.

5. Dreamy Bokeh Background Blur

This preset adds a soft blur to your photos, making subjects stand out against a blurred background.

How It Works

The Dreamy Bokeh Background Blur preset:

• Mimics a wide aperture effect
• Enhances out-of-focus lights for circular bokeh
• Softens the image for an ethereal look

Versatile Applications

It's great for:

• Portraits: Focuses on the subject
• Weddings: Adds romance
• Landscapes: Creates depth

Customizing the Preset

Fine-tune your dreamy bokeh:

1. Blur intensity

Start subtle, increase as needed.

2. Light source enhancement

Adjust brightness and size of bokeh circles.

3. Color temperature

Warm up or cool down to set the mood.

"Bokeh can transport subjects, craft interesting light, and add intrigue with a single click", says a creator of a popular Lightroom bokeh preset package.

For best results, shoot with:

• A fast lens (f/2 or lower)
• Longer focal length (e.g., 135mm)
• Subject close to camera, far from background

6. Vintage Film Look Pack

Want to give your digital photos that old-school film vibe? The Vintage Film Look Pack has you covered.

This collection of 30 presets transforms your images with a dreamy, nostalgic feel. Here's how it works:

• Softens contrast
• Adds warm color tones
• Sprinkles in film grain
• Applies a subtle vignette

The result? Photos that look like they came straight out of a vintage camera.

Versatile Across Photo Types

Tweak It Your Way

Like the look but want to make it your own? No problem. You can easily adjust:

• Grain intensity
• Color temperature
• Fade level
• Vignette strength

"For that soft, dreamy look, shoot with a wide aperture between 1.4-2.8", says a pro who loves film-inspired presets.

Pro tip: Shoot in RAW and play around with golden hour lighting for that classic film glow.

7. Light Highlights and Shadows Preset

This preset is a game-changer for dreamy photo edits. It balances bright and dark areas in your images.

How It Works

The preset:

• Softens harsh highlights
• Lifts dark shadows
• Adds a gentle glow to midtones

The result? Photos with a soft, ethereal quality.

Photo Types It Works With

Adjusting the Preset

You can fine-tune the preset:

• Tweak highlight recovery for bright area details
• Adjust shadow lifting for dark spot details
• Play with clarity for overall softness
• Use local adjustments for specific areas

"Understanding your image's range before editing is key to a balanced result", says a Lightroom expert from Pretty Presets.

Pro tip: Shoot in RAW for more flexibility with highlights and shadows.

For an extra dreamy look:

1. Reduce Clarity slightly
2. Boost Contrast a bit
3. Lower Vibrance to tone down colors

Preset Comparison

Let's break down the main features of each preset to help you pick the right one for your dreamy edits:

Each preset has its own flavor:

Soft Pastel Dreams? It's your go-to for a gentle, dreamy look across different photos.

Golden Hour Glow? It's like bottling sunset warmth for your outdoor shots.

Ethereal White Balance? It's all about that soft, airy feel.

Creamy Skin Tones? It's your secret weapon for smooth, natural-looking portraits.

Dreamy Bokeh Background? It's the pro move for making your subject pop.

Vintage Film Look? It's like time-traveling your photos to the good old days.

Light Highlights and Shadows? It's the balancing act for a soft, even look.

Picking a preset? Think about your photo and what you want. Editing portraits? Creamy Skin Tones or Dreamy Bokeh Background might be your best bet.

"Know your image's range before you edit. It's the key to a balanced result", says a Lightroom pro from Pretty Presets.

Remember, presets are just the start. Here's how to make them your own:

1. Pick a preset that fits your photo.
2. Tweak settings like exposure, contrast, and clarity.
3. Use local adjustments if you need to fine-tune specific areas.

How to Use These Presets Well

Using presets can speed up your editing, but it's not just "click and forget." Here's how to make the most of these dreamy presets:

1. Start clean

Apply presets to unedited photos. Existing edits can mess with preset adjustments.

2. Know your tools

Explore each preset's effects. In Lightroom's Preset tab, hover over presets to preview their impact.

3. Tweak for your photo

Every photo's different. After applying a preset:

• Check exposure and contrast
• Adjust white balance
• Fine-tune highlights and shadows

4. Light matters

Presets work best with good light. Shoot in early morning or late evening for best results.

5. Compare looks

Make a virtual copy before trying a new preset. This lets you compare different looks without losing your original edit.

6. Portrait tips

For portraits:

7. Don't overdo it

Subtle adjustments often look best.

8. Learn from presets

Study what each preset changes. Look at the Tone Curve, Color panel, and Split Tone adjustments. This helps you learn how to achieve certain looks manually.

9. Batch edit

To apply a preset to multiple photos in Lightroom Classic:

1. Select the images
2. Apply the preset to one image
3. Use "Sync..." to apply to all selected photos

10. Local adjustments

Use Lightroom's local adjustment tools (Brush, Graduated Filter, Radial Filter) to refine specific areas after applying a preset.

"Know your image's range before you edit. It's the key to a balanced result", says a Lightroom pro from Pretty Presets.

Remember: Presets are starting points. The key? Adapt them to your style and each photo's needs.

Wrap-up

Here's a quick rundown of the 7 top aesthetic presets we've covered:

These presets are great starting points, but they're not one-size-fits-all. The magic happens when you tweak them to fit your style.

Want a quick dreamy edit? Try this: dial down Clarity, bump up Contrast, and ease off on Vibrance. But remember: less is often more.

Pressed for time? Preset packs like the Clean Edit Portrait Workflow Collection by Pretty Presets can be a lifesaver. With 35 layerable presets and 25 portrait brushes, you've got plenty of dreamy options at your fingertips.

Don't be shy about mixing it up. Different photos might need different presets. The end game? Finding a look that screams "you" and makes your photos pop.