For the longest time, I edited my photos using the settings in Instagram, but I noticed my feed was starting to get inconsistent and bit messy. I quickly realized I needed to be better about editing my photos, especially as a designer. So I looked through some profiles I admired and found a little hidden secret. Lightroom presets.

Lightroom presets not only give life to your photos but also help you save time and energy editing photos. Using presets gives your images the same tone, contrast, and lighting so your feed feels more cohesive and consistent. You don’t have to be a Lightroom expert to use these presets. It only takes a few easy steps to begin using them on all your photos.

First, you need to find a preset that works with your Instagram aesthetic. I made my own but there are a ton of presets you can find on the web. I would recommend looking at Etsy or Creative Market. There are also a ton of free options throughout the internet. Make sure to look for the presets that work on your mobile device.

Once you have found your perfect preset you will need to download the Lightroom app on your phone and follow these steps to start using the presets on your images.

1. Once you’ve found your ideal presets, email yourself the DNG files or use a cloud sharing solution like Google Drive and download them to your phone.
2. Open the Lightroom mobile app and sign up if you don’t already have an account.
3. Create a new album for your presets.
4. Upload the DNG files from your device to the new Lightroom album (it should look like an image).
5. Click on the image with the presets you wish to copy. Expand the ellipsis menu in the upper right-hand corner and click ‘Copy Setting’.
6. Next, find the image you would like to edit. Expand the ellipsis menu and click ‘Paste Setting’. And voilá, you have yourself some beautifully edited photos.

It’s that easy! I know it takes a few steps to get the first one completed but now that you have your presets already in Lightroom all you have to do is copy and paste the next image you want to edit. It takes seconds to complete and now all your images will have that same look and style!