Media & ContentBeginnerPreview
Lightroom Preset Creation & Sales
Turn your editing style into a sellable preset pack. This course covers building consistent presets, packaging them across mobile and desktop, and marketing them to buyers.
For photographers and hobbyist editors with a recognizable style who want to package it as a digital product.
Course content
Workbook & downloads
Put the course into practice — a printable workbook plus editable templates you can fill in and reuse.
Preview the workbook
This workbook turns the course into a finished product. Work through it module by module and you will leave with a tested preset family, a packaged delivery folder, a priced storefront, and a launch plan. Keep your files, prices, and links in the templates so everything you build lives in one place.
Build Presets That Actually Sell
Build a base preset and a cohesive family, then stress-test them across varied photos so they hold up for real buyers.
Exercise: Define Your Signature Look
Before touching a slider, write down the aesthetic you want to sell. Be concrete, because these words become your product title and search terms later. Pick one dominant mood and the kind of photos it suits.
- In three words, what is the mood of your look (for example warm, moody, film)?
- Which use-case does it serve best (travel, portrait, lifestyle, food, wedding)?
- Name two existing preset packs or creators whose style is closest to yours, and one way yours differs.
Worksheet: Hero Edit Slider Log
Edit one well-exposed hero image fully, then record the final position of each setting. This log is your build record and makes it easy to recreate or tweak the preset later.
- Hero image file name
- Lighting condition of hero (soft daylight, indoor, etc.)
- Tone curve shape (lifted blacks, S-curve, etc.)
- HSL changes to orange and red (skin) channels
- Split tone / color grade in shadows
- Split tone / color grade in highlights
- Clarity / texture / dehaze values
- Exposure value (target near zero)
- White balance setting (target As Shot)
- Grain amount
Checklist: Save-Preset Checkbox Discipline
- Included Treatment and Profile in the saved preset
- Included Tone Curve, Color, HSL, Split Toning, and Calibration
- Left Exposure near zero so bright photos do not clip
- Set White Balance to As Shot rather than a fixed Kelvin value
- Excluded Crop, Spot Removal, and lens-specific corrections
- Excluded all local brushes and gradients placed for the hero photo
- Named the preset descriptively with a numbered prefix
Exercise: Stress-Test on Ten Varied Photos
Apply your preset to at least ten images that vary by light, exposure, and skin tone. For each failure, name the slider to soften. A preset is not sellable until it degrades gracefully across all ten.
- List your ten test photos and the condition each represents (indoor, beach, light skin, dark skin, landscape, food).
- On which photos did highlights blow out, shadows go muddy, or skin turn orange or green?
- For each failure, which single slider will you reduce to fix it (clarity, saturation, orange HSL)?
Package for Desktop and Mobile Delivery
Export clean .XMP and DNG files, then assemble a self-explanatory delivery folder and install guide that prevents refunds.
Checklist: Clean Export Verification
- Exported every preset in the pack as a .xmp file
- Exported any custom profile the presets depend on
- Imported the .xmp files into a fresh catalog on a second machine
- Confirmed each preset looks identical to the original version
- Resolved any missing-profile or missing-setting warnings
- Grouped presets under one named group with numbered prefixes
Worksheet: DNG Mobile File Inventory
For each preset, create a matching DNG so free-app mobile buyers can install it. Log the DNG file name and the sample image used. Use only images you own.
- Preset name
- Matching DNG file name
- Sample image used (must be yours)
- DNG exported and saved to mobile folder (yes/no)
- Verified copy-settings then paste-settings works on phone (yes/no)
Exercise: Draft the Installation Guide
Outline the PDF guide buyers will read. Cover all three install paths and the two most common problems. Writing this now prevents an inbox full of support tickets at launch.
- Write the three to five steps for desktop .xmp install (Presets panel, plus icon, Import Presets).
- Write the steps for mobile DNG install (save DNG, copy settings, paste settings).
- Write two troubleshooting answers: preset looks different from preview, and preset does not appear.
Checklist: Delivery ZIP Ready to Sell
- Created a Desktop folder with .xmp files and any profile
- Created a Mobile folder with the DNG files
- Added a Start Here PDF at the top level of the ZIP
- Added a text file with support email and refund policy
- Removed hidden and stray system files before zipping
- Added one honest line that presets are a starting point needing minor tweaks
Price the Product and Launch a Storefront
Set a price anchored to the market, choose the right storefront for your stage, and write a product page that converts.
Worksheet: Pricing and Bundle Plan
Decide your prices using the course ranges as anchors. Fill the price cells; leave any calculated discount or savings cells empty until you compute them yourself.
- Single preset price (5 to 9 dollars)
- Full pack price (10 to 35 dollars)
- Bundle price if offering multiple packs (40 to 60 dollars)
- Launch discount percentage (for example 30 percent)
- Launch discount window in hours (for example 72)
- Coupon code for launch
- Calculated discounted launch price (leave blank to compute)
- Calculated bundle savings versus buying separately (leave blank to compute)
Exercise: Choose Your Storefront
Compare Gumroad, Payhip, and Sellfy for your situation and stage. Run the simple breakeven math before committing. Start on a percentage model and switch to a subscription only when volume justifies it.
- What is your expected number of sales per month in the first 90 days?
- At your pack price, what would Gumroad (10 percent) and Payhip free (5 percent) take per month?
- At what monthly sales volume would a fixed subscription fee beat the percentage, and which platform wins for you now?
Worksheet: Product Page Builder
Draft each part of the product page in order. Lead with the look and the transformation, not the file format. Save compatibility and FAQ for further down.
- Product title naming the aesthetic and use-case
- Opening line describing the transformation and mood
- Exact contents (number of presets, DNG files, guide)
- Compatibility line (Lightroom Classic, desktop, mobile; min version 7.3)
- Three FAQ answers (refunds, mobile install, free app)
- Before/after gallery images chosen (portrait, landscape, indoor)
Checklist: Storefront Launch-Ready
- Delivery ZIP uploaded and download tested with a test purchase
- Price, sale price, and coupon code configured
- At least three honest before/after images across varied scenes in the gallery
- Description follows transformation, buyer, contents, compatibility, delivery order
- Refund policy and support email visible on the page
- Confirmed payout method works in your country
Market With Before/After and Launch the Pack
Produce before/after content, set up Pinterest as evergreen traffic, and run a structured launch that turns into lasting sales.
Exercise: Plan Your Before/After Content
Design the content that demonstrates your preset and drives traffic. Lead with the transformation in the first second and always include a clear path to buy.
- Which three before/after subjects will you show (must match what buyers actually shoot)?
- Which format will you lead with (slider-reveal reel, carousel, tap-through demo)?
- Where exactly will the buy link live on each platform (bio, caption, pinned comment, link sticker)?
Worksheet: Pinterest Pin and Keyword Plan
Set up Pinterest as evergreen traffic. Write keyword-rich titles and descriptions using the exact words buyers search, and link each pin to the product page.
- Pin 1 title using buyer search phrases
- Pin 1 keyword-rich description
- Pin 2 title (different image, same product)
- Mood keywords to reuse (warm, moody, bright and airy, film, matte)
- Use-case keywords to reuse (travel, portrait, lifestyle, food)
- Destination URL (product page link)
Checklist: Launch Week Execution
- Teased the pack for a week with before/after teasers and a launch date
- Set a time-limited launch discount with a coupon code
- Posted prepared slider-reveal reels and stories at launch
- Replied quickly to every comment and pre-purchase question
- Emailed early buyers a few days later asking for an honest review
- Pinned the best before/after content to keep the link visible
Exercise: Sustain Sales After Week One
Plan the repeatable promotions and evergreen traffic that keep income flowing after the launch spike fades. Treat this first pack as the start of a catalog.
- Which seasonal or holiday promotions will you run, and roughly when?
- How will you collect and repost customer results as free social proof?
- What is your next planned pack, and how will it create a bundle and a reason to email past buyers?
Your Action Plan
- Write down your signature look in three mood words and one use-case
- Edit a hero image and save it as a base preset with disciplined checkboxes
- Build a family of eight to twelve presets and stress-test them on ten varied photos
- Export clean .xmp files and create matching DNG files for mobile buyers
- Assemble the delivery ZIP with Desktop and Mobile folders plus an install-guide PDF
- Set your prices and pick a storefront using the breakeven math
- Build and publish the product page with honest before/after images
- Produce before/after reels and design Pinterest pins with buyer keywords
- Run a one-week tease then a 72-hour discounted launch and gather reviews
- Set up seasonal promotions and plan your next pack to grow the catalog
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