How to Create a Lightroom Preset From a Photo

Learn how to create your own Lightroom presets by studying existing photos, extracting their settings, and customizing them to match your style.

Two Ways to Create Presets From Photos

There are two approaches to creating a Lightroom preset from a photo:

  1. Extract and import — If the photo has embedded Lightroom metadata, you can extract the exact settings and import them as a preset.

  2. Analyze and recreate — Study a photo’s editing approach and manually recreate similar settings in Lightroom, adding your own creative touches.

This guide focuses on both methods, helping you build a preset library that reflects your personal style.

Method 1: Extract Settings with PixelPeeper

If you have a JPEG file exported from Lightroom with metadata included, PixelPeeper can show you exactly what edits were applied:

Simply drag the file onto PixelPeeper, and you’ll see all the Lightroom adjustments — exposure, contrast, tone curves, color grading, and more. You can then download these settings as an XMP file and import it to Lightroom.

For a detailed walkthrough, see: How to Copy a Preset From a Photo.

Method 2: Learn From Photos and Create Your Own

Even if you can’t extract the exact settings, studying a photo’s edits can teach you techniques to apply in your own work.

Analyze the editing approach

When you view a photo in PixelPeeper, pay attention to:

  • Tone curve shape — Is it an S-curve for contrast? Lifted blacks for a faded look?
  • Color grading — What colors are in the shadows vs highlights?
  • HSL adjustments — Which colors are desaturated or shifted?
  • Split toning — What tint is applied to shadows and highlights?

Recreate in Lightroom

Once you understand the approach, open Lightroom and apply similar adjustments to your own photo:

  1. Start with a photo that has similar lighting conditions
  2. Apply the adjustments you observed, tweaking values to taste
  3. Fine-tune until you achieve the look you want
  4. Save as a preset (right-click in the Presets panel → Create Preset)

This method helps you understand why certain edits work, not just copy them blindly.

Customizing Extracted Presets

If you’ve extracted a preset from a photo, consider customizing it before adding to your library:

  1. Import the XMP to Lightroom
  2. Apply to a test photo and evaluate the results
  3. Adjust settings that don’t work well with your photos (exposure, white balance)
  4. Save as a new preset with your modifications

This gives you a starting point while making the preset truly yours.

Building Your Preset Library

As you create presets, organize them effectively:

  • Use descriptive names — “Warm Film Look” is better than “Preset 1”
  • Group by style — Create folders for different looks (moody, bright, film, etc.)
  • Include variations — Make light/medium/strong versions of the same look
  • Document your presets — Note which photos or styles inspired each one

Video Tutorial

Here’s a walkthrough on creating a preset from an existing photo: