New Preset! Modern/Mellow for Lightroom, analysis and walk-through
Hey guys, I made a new preset!
I wanted to create a faded analogue look with a modern feel that is flattering on skin tones. I've been playing with these edits for a variety of images and found that they work well for editorial portraits, still life, landscapes and architectural shots. It gives moody landscapes added drama and mystery.
I'm calling it Modern/Mellow, because *lack of imagination*, and abbreviated to M/Mellow *because laziness*. It has faded shadows with crushed blacks; faded highlights with a smoothness in the brighter tones (e.g. skin) from a reduction in highlight detail; there are colour shifts and selective desaturation.
I've created 2 extra versions of the Modern/Mellow preset to allow you to achieve a range of looks: a M/Mellow- (decreased) version, for a subtle edit; and a M/Mellow+ (increased) version, for a more dramatic edit.
Let's walk through the edits!
Canberra. Unedited RAW (left) M/Mellow Preset (right)
Edited with M/Mellow preset
There is a very very subtle warm caramel colour cast, with the highlights neutralised with cool toning in the split toning panel. This is important in keeping the overall look clean, and modern. I wanted an analogue film look, but not the old sepia photograph type of look!
Natives. Unedited RAW (left) M/Mellow Preset (right)
In this edit, greens are desaturated, and darkened in the HSL panel- giving us that moody look with landscapes and foliage.
Purples and Magentas are relatively saturated and ever so slightly darkened in the HSL panel- this makes florals pop, especially against green foliage.
Islands in Krabi. Unedited RAW (left) M/Mellow + Preset (right)
Islands in Krabi. Unedited RAW (top) M/Mellow Preset (bottom)
As with most of my presets I try to make the edit kind to skin tones where appropriate. M/Mellow flatters medium to pale skin tones with an increase in luminance of yellows and oranges, and a selective desaturation of those colours.
Portrait of Emily. Unedited RAW (top left) M/Mellow Preset- (top right), M/Mellow (bottom left), M/Mellow + (bottom right)
Unedited RAW (left) M/Mellow + Preset (right)
Afternoons in Santiago, Chile. Unedited RAW (left) M/Mellow Preset + (right)
Edited with M/Mellow preset
Food photography. Unedited RAW (left) M/Mellow- Preset (right)
The preset has an aesthetic that is similar to the VSCO Cam and VSCO Film style- something that resonates well with my photography.
Find it at my Etsy Store.