Step-by-Step Guide to Earning from “Lightroom Presets Selling”
Introduction
In today’s digital world, beautiful photos are everywhere — Instagram, Pinterest, blogs, online stores, and more.
But not everyone knows how to edit photos perfectly — and that’s where Lightroom presets come in!
✅ Selling Lightroom presets is a powerful way to earn money by creating easy-to-use photo editing tools that help people achieve stunning images in just one click.
In this guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to start creating and selling Lightroom presets even if you are a complete beginner!
What Is a Lightroom Preset?
✅ A Lightroom preset is a pre-made editing setting that automatically changes a photo’s color, lighting, and style in Adobe Lightroom.
✅ Instead of editing manually, users can apply the preset with just one click to instantly transform their photos.
👉 Example:
You make a “Moody Forest” preset — when someone applies it, their normal forest photo looks cinematic and professional instantly!
✅ You create once — and sell again and again!
Why Selling Lightroom Presets Is a Great Idea?
✅ Huge demand (influencers, photographers, business owners, travelers)
✅ Easy to create once and sell multiple times
✅ No shipping, no stock management
✅ Great for passive income
✅ Worldwide market (sell to anyone, anywhere)
“Everyone wants beautiful photos. You can give them the magic — and get paid!”
Step-by-Step Guide to Earn from Lightroom Preset Selling
Step 1: Learn Basic Photo Editing 📚
✅ Start by understanding photo editing fundamentals:
- Exposure
- Contrast
- Saturation
- Highlights and shadows
- Color grading (warm/cool tones)
- Sharpness and clarity
✅ Practice editing photos manually inside Adobe Lightroom (desktop or mobile).
👉 Tip:
Spend at least 5-7 days practicing different looks: bright & airy, dark & moody, vintage, colorful, minimal.
Step 2: Pick Your Style 🎨
✅ Define what kind of preset style you want to create:
- Light and bright (wedding, lifestyle)
- Dark and moody (travel, adventure)
- Film/vintage look (retro lovers)
- Tropical vibe (beach, vacations)
- Minimal and clean (bloggers, brands)
✅ You can create multiple styles later, but start with 1–2 to build focus.
👉 Tip:
Your unique style will become your signature brand!
Step 3: Create Your First Presets ✨
✅ Open Adobe Lightroom.
✅ Edit a few photos manually until they have a consistent, attractive look.
✅ Save your settings as a preset:
- Go to ‘Presets’ section
- Click “Create Preset”
- Save settings like exposure, color mix, contrast, etc.
✅ Create a bundle (5–10 presets) for better value to customers.
👉 Tip:
Offer variations:
Example: “Tropical Vibes” — sunny, sunset, cloudy, beach party versions.
Step 4: Test Your Presets on Different Photos 📸
✅ Test your presets on:
- Portraits
- Landscapes
- Dark images
- Bright images
✅ Make sure your presets work well on various photo types — this gives users confidence that your presets are high-quality.
👉 Tip:
Slight tweaks (exposure, white balance) are normal after applying presets.
Step 5: Package Your Presets Professionally 📦
✅ Export presets in two formats:
- .XMP files for desktop Lightroom
- .DNG files for mobile Lightroom (very important for mobile users)
✅ Create an easy-to-understand PDF guide with:
- How to install
- How to use
- Quick troubleshooting
👉 Tip:
Make it simple and friendly — many buyers are beginners!
Step 6: Build a Portfolio 📂
✅ Create sample images showing before and after applying your presets.
✅ Create 10–15 samples to show the magic your presets bring to photos!
✅ If you don’t have enough of your own images, use free images from:
- Unsplash
- Pexels
- Pixabay
👉 Tip:
Use clear comparisons — dramatic transformations sell better.
Step 7: Choose a Platform to Sell 🛒
✅ Best platforms to sell Lightroom presets:
- Etsy (huge marketplace for creatives)
- Gumroad (simple, clean)
- Payhip (good for beginners)
- Creative Market (for professionals)
✅ Later, you can build your own website/shop using Shopify or WordPress.
👉 Tip:
Start with Etsy and Gumroad — low cost and high reach!
Step 8: Price Your Presets Smartly 💰
✅ Pricing examples:
- Single preset: ₹200–₹500 ($3–$7)
- Preset bundles (5–10 presets): ₹1000–₹2500 ($15–$30)
- Premium large bundles: ₹3000+ ($40+)
✅ Offer:
- Single purchases
- Bundle offers
- Holiday discounts
👉 Tip:
Bundles usually sell better because buyers feel they are getting more value!
Step 9: Design Beautiful Product Listings 🖼️
✅ Your listing should have:
- Before and after images
- Details of what the presets work best for (portraits, landscapes, etc.)
- Easy-to-understand description
- Installation guide preview
✅ Use tools like Canva to design clean graphics.
👉 Tip:
Good presentation = More Trust = More Sales
Step 10: Promote Your Presets 📢
✅ Where to promote:
- Instagram (carousel posts showing before/after)
- Pinterest (massive market for presets)
- TikTok (show quick transformations)
- YouTube Shorts (1-min preset demos)
- Facebook Groups (photography lovers)
✅ Content ideas:
- Quick edits
- How presets can save time
- Best presets for Instagram feed
👉 Tip:
Use hashtags like #LightroomPresets, #PresetSale, #PhotographyTips.
Step 11: Collect Reviews and Build Trust 🌟
✅ Ask early customers for reviews:
- How easy were the presets to use?
- How did their photos improve?
- Would they recommend it to others?
✅ Display reviews on your product page and social media.
👉 Tip:
More reviews = Higher trust = More conversions.
Different Ways to Earn from Lightroom Presets 💸
1. Direct Selling
✅ Sell single presets or bundles on platforms like Etsy and Gumroad.
2. Subscription Model
✅ Offer new preset packs monthly through membership.
Example:
- ₹500/month for 3 new exclusive preset packs.
3. Custom Preset Services
✅ Offer to create personalized presets for influencers, photographers, or brands.
Custom pricing: ₹2500–₹10000+ per custom pack.
4. Free Presets + Upselling
✅ Offer 1–2 free presets to grow your email list. ✅ Later upsell your premium bundles.
5. Brand Collaborations
✅ Collaborate with photography influencers to create branded presets and split profits.
Mistakes to Avoid ❌
✅ Don’t oversaturate or over-edit photos — users want flexibility
✅ Don’t sell presets that don’t work on various photos
✅ Don’t copy others’ presets — create your unique touch
✅ Don’t forget mobile users — mobile presets are very popular!
👉 Tip:
Always keep improving based on customer feedback and trends.
Real-Life Success Example 🌟
Elena, a travel enthusiast, created tropical and vintage preset packs.
✅ Listed them on Etsy + promoted via Instagram.
✅ In 8 months:
- Sold over 400+ bundles
- Earned ₹7,50,000+
- Built a community of loyal photo editing fans
👉 Lesson:
Consistency + Creativity = Amazing results!
Essential Tools to Help You 🛠️
✅ Adobe Lightroom (mobile and desktop)
✅ Canva (for product images)
✅ Gumroad or Etsy (to sell)
✅ Pinterest + Instagram (for marketing)
Final Words ✨
✅ Selling Lightroom presets is an amazing creative business opportunity.
✅ You don’t need heavy investments or fancy degrees — just:
- Photo editing skills
- Creativity
- Smart marketing
✅ Your presets can help thousands create stunning photos — and you can earn a full-time or side income doing something you love.
“Turn your creativity into cash — one preset at a time.”
👉 Start today — create your first set of presets, list them online, and watch your creative business grow! 🚀
Quick Recap Table
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Learn Editing Basics |
| 2 | Pick a Style |
| 3 | Create Presets |
| 4 | Test on Different Photos |
| 5 | Package Professionally |
| 6 | Build Portfolio |
| 7 | Sell on Platforms |
| 8 | Price Smartly |
| 9 | Promote Online |
| 10 | Collect Reviews |