Lightroom is unquestionably a powerful image processing application; even if you were to make use of only its built-in tools, you (and your photos) would be in pretty good shape. But, as with anything, there’s always room for improvement. Fortunately, Lightroom makes it easy for users to fill in gaps left by the software. One of the most common ways of extending Lightroom’s usability and expanding its power is via the use of presets. Lightroom presets, in short, allow you to enhance your photos in a simple, streamlined fashion. Two questions frequently asked relating to Lightroom presets include: “Where do I find them?” and “How do I install them?”

The answer to the first question is easy. Head on over to the Dreams & Spark homepage and you’ll surely find something that suits your needs.

As far as how to install the presets, this isn’t particularly difficult but it also isn’t as straightforward as some users might think. So here’s a little help for those who need it.

1.  Go into Lightroom and click on Edit at the top (next to File) on a PC or Lightroom then Preferences on a Mac.

2.  Go down to Preferences (Ctrl + ,) and click on it.

3.  There will be a new screen that pops up.  You'll see five tabs at the top of the popup window, click on Presets (second tab).

4.  Click on the box titled, Show Lightroom Presets Folder.

5.  Double click on Lightroom.

6.  Next double click on Develop Presets Folder.

7.  Copy the contents of the D&S Presets folder, found in your download (or wherever you saved your downloaded files), into the “Develop Presets” folder.

8.  Now, you are all ready to go!  If Lightroom was open when you copied the D&S Presets, you will have to close it and restart it.