SMAL Presets

SOULMATE Presets - Weekly Inspiration #2

SOULMATE Presets – Weekly Inspiration #2

It´s time again to showcase our amazingly talented Facebook Community. We want to give everyone the chance to get featured. All you have to do is be active in our community. It doesn´t matter how many likes you get, cause likes don´t mean anything and shouldn´t impact your worth as an artist. As soon as our team sees a beautiful picture or a beautiful set of pictures we will notify you in the comments. Let´s raise the curtain for our weekly inspiration number two!

SOULMATE Presets

Angela Wilson – Instagram | Facebook | Website – SOULMATE06

SMAL Presets

Antonella Nadelson – Facebook – SMAL01

WILD Presets

Brittany Eitsert – Instagram | Facebook | Website – WILD08

SMAL Presets

Emma Dahl – Instagram | Facebook – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Fernanda Kenfield – Instagram | Facebook | Website – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Julissa Davies – Instagram – SMAL01

ROSE Presets

Lindsey Prosperie – Instagram – ROSE01

SOULMATE Presets

Mary Ann Vanicek – Instagram | Facebook | Website – SOULMATE01

SMAL Presets

Matt Ritscher – Instagram | Facebook | Website – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

McKinna Harbeson – Facebook – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Melanie Napier – Instagram | Facebook | Website – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Rebecca Lei – Instagram | Facebook | Website – SMAL01

WILD Presets

Samantha Rudolph – Instagram | Facebook | Website – WILD09

WILD Presets

Sarah Hill – Instagram | Facebook | Website – WILD07

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SOULMATE PRESETS FEATURED BADGE

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Join our FREE Facebook Community full of kind and uplifting Creatives.

In our Community you´ll get free Education, Tips and Tricks around the use of our Presets. You can see Live Edits and attend Q&As. We also share the newest Releases and Informations in there. We talk about all things Photography and everyone is welcome. From beginners to professionals we all root for each other and help each other wherever we can!

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SMAL Presets

SOULMATE Presets - Weekly Inspiration #1

SOULMATE Presets – Weekly Inspiration #1

Every week thousands of beautiful photos get posted in our amazing Facebook Community and hundreds get lost or don´t get any recognition. We want to change that. We want to give everyone the chance to get featured. All you have to do is be active in our community. It doesn´t matter how many likes you get, cause likes don´t mean anything and shouldn´t impact your worth as an artist. As soon as our team sees a beautiful picture or a beautiful set of pictures we will notify you in the comments. Here is our first ever weekly inspiration!

SMAL Presets

Amanda Middleton – Facebook | Instagram – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Ashley Mae Fitz – Facebook | Instagram | WebsiteSMAL01

SMAL Presets

Celia Bell – Facebook | Instagram | Website – SMAL01

SMAL ROSE Presets

Danielle Unger – Facebook | Instagram | Website – ROSE01

SMAL Presets

Elisa Costa – Instagram – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Iliana Ingram – Facebook | Instagram | Website – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Jessica Reeves – Facebook | Instagram | Website – SMAL01

SOULMATE Presets

Jocelyn Taitingfong-Camarillo – Facebook | InstagramSOULMATE01

SMAL Presets

Jurgita Jasinska – Facebook | Instagram – SMAL01

SMAL Presets

Katie Metka –  Instagram – SMAL01

ROSE Presets

Kim Harrigan – Facebook | InstagramROSE05

SMAL Presets

Morgan Vermylen – Facebook | Instagram | Website – SMAL01 + Nature Love

SMAL Presets

Rachel Lund – Facebook | Instagram | Website – SMAL01 + WILD Tone06

ROSE Presets

Sarah Dean – Facebook | Instagram | Website – ROSE06

SMAL Presets

Tina Brikland – Facebook | InstagramSMAL01

SOULMATE PRESETS FEATURED BADGE

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Join our FREE Facebook Community full of kind and uplifting Creatives.

In our Community you´ll get free Education, Tips and Tricks around the use of our Presets. You can see Live Edits and attend Q&As. We also share the newest Releases and Informations in there. We talk about all things Photography and everyone is welcome. From beginners to professionals we all root for each other and help each other wherever we can!

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How To Edit Bright And Airy With SMAL & SOULMATE Lightroom Presets

How to successfully achieve that “light and airy” aesthetic

My approach to photography has always been inspired by simplicity and minimalism. In every session, I set out to create an environment that maximizes natural light to give you clean, airy looking photos that are refreshing to the eyes. Interestingly enough, when I first started my career, I gravitated more towards darker, moodier images. It has only been in the last year that I have completely fallen in love with this bright, light and airy aesthetic.

I’m always getting asked how I achieve this look, so I’ve created a guide to help you bring the beauty of natural light into your photos.

 

Choose the right setting

My number one rule: look for light and look for a lot of it. The location of your session – and every single detail that makes the image – lays the groundwork for each image that comes out of your lens. Simply said, you cannot achieve a light and airy aesthetic in a pitch-black room without some intervention and manipulation.

 

Use natural lighting only

I am a natural-light-only kinda gal – no flashes whatsoever. I don’t even own flashes.

The best way to determine the level of natural light in any space is to turn off the lights and notice what’s left. That’s natural light.

With that said, I am a lover of windows. North face windows are my favourite because the light is not direct and provides a much softer, more diffused light in photos. As well, I often use backlighting in my photos for added effect. This is when I have my subject in front of a window and/or light source to incorporate more natural light. It creates depth and adds almost a glow-like effect to the subject, which I just love.

 

Declutter your surroundings

Being aware of your surroundings is key. While we are not striving for perfection, it’s important to declutter your session setting. If you’re getting photos taken at home, make sure your end tables are tidy, beds are made and mirrors are cleaned. These simple steps can make a world of difference in your photos. The lack of clutter also prevents any distraction and zeroes in on the subject(s) and the connection they exhibit.

How to edit Bright and Airy with SMAL Lightroom Presets

Style your clients accordingly

Helping your clients with wardrobe and accessories is one more step you can take as a photographer to bring those images to life. Neutrals are always our friend – creams, beiges, greys, pale blushes are just a few color palettes that can significantly enhance photos and achieve this bright and airy aesthetic.

I always advise clients to stay away from blacks and dark denim. Too much black creates more contrast in photos, which inhibits the light and airy aesthetic we’re going for. Brighter, more neutral-colored clothing on the other hand ALWAYS does the trick. Staying neutral in a bedroom or studio setting keeps the photos simple and soft with more focus on the connection between the subjects.

How to edit Bright and Airy with SMAL Lightroom Presets

Get it right in the camera

It’s important to get as spot on with your camera as possible. This makes the entire editing process that much easier and preserves the authenticity in every shot. Just like you can’t turn a blurry photo into a sharp photo, you can’t transform a dark, super underexposed image into something light and airy. In simple terms, you can’t
shoot a session in a dark room with bad lighting and expect the editing process to achieve a white and airy look.

With my camera, I keep my aperture anywhere from f/1.4 to f/2.2. Keep in mind that this can be risky, especially when the subjects are moving children. This aperture also invites the most light into your camera. I often get asked whether I underexpose or overexpose when I’m shooting. The truth is, I don’t do either! Instead, I try to get that exposure spot-on in the camera. 

I am one for auto white balance. While I’ve played with Kelvin a little, I find it much easier to use auto and adjust in post-production. Getting it right in the camera will save you loads of stress during the editing process.

How to edit Bright and Airy with SMAL Lightroom Presets

Post-processing adjustments to consider

I edit all my images in Lightroom. It provides everything I need to get the photos exactly how I want. I always start out by using SMAL presets. They are my go-to and give the consistency and gorgeous tones for a clean and timeless feel. These presets are created by Sven Malojlo.

Once I apply these presets, I go in and tweak. White balance is always first. When the white balance off, everything gets thrown off. After white balance is adjusted, I’ll make any other exposure adjustments as needed. For instance, increasing shadows and lifting the blacks ever so slightly always helps to enhance that light and airy feel.

Nicole Lewis | Nicole Lewis Photography

How to edit Bright and Airy with SMAL Lightroom Presets

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In our Community you´ll get free Education, Tips and Tricks around the use of our Presets. You can see Live Edits and attend Q&As. We also share the newest Releases and Informations in there. We talk about all things Photography and everyone is welcome. From beginners to professionals we all root for each other and help each other wherever we can!

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SOULMATE Presets and Wedding Photography

SOULMATE Presets and Wedding Photography

5 years. That is how long I have been photographing weddings for a living. 4 of those years were spent contemplating whether I would give in to the trends or find a unique style to the way I shoot and process the images I create.

Every January 1st, I rip up a piece of paper from my beat up idea notebook and jot down 2 career goals I’d like to achieve. On January 1st, 2017, I wrote down the following:

    • 1. Find a style and stick to it
    • 2. Network

 

During the beginning of this wedding season, I went through many shooting and editing styles. Overall, I was satisfied with my work but, I always felt like my work was missing something. This is when the combination of creative off camera flash techniques and SMAL presets came into play. 

 In the 4 years as a wedding photographer, I never felt fully satisfied with the way my vision transitioned from my head to the back of my camera, to the final edited image. 

OCF + SMAL did this for me…

 

Being able to utilize flash as a creative tool and applying SMAL presets as a finishing touch, gave me the confidence I needed to start being as creative as possible. Not having to worry about spending countless hours in front of a computer struggling with a style, made me love what I do more than ever.

With Smal presets, I am now able to apply my favorite presets on import, only change white balance and exposure and be 95% done with an image. Not having to worry about post processing is the absolute best feeling ever. By using these presets, I’ve significantly cut down my editing time. To the point where I can focus on many more aspects of my business instead of being in the Lightroom develop module for hours per day.

 

Not only has Sven created what is, in my opinion, the most versatile preset I’ve ever used. He also created an even BETTER version called SOULMATE. I have been fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to test these presets out for a few months. I can say, without a doubt, that these are the best presets I have ever used. Beautiful, vibrant colors with no extra work. One click and I get results that completely blow my mind. You really have to see it to believe it.

Overall, I can not thank Sven enough for making these presets and allowing me to unlock my creativity and helping me find the style I’ve searched for many years.

Esteban Gil | Egil Photo

 



Checkout Esteban Gils Work!

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SMAL ans SOULMATE Lightroom Presets

Finding Confidence Through Consistency

Finding Confidence Through Consistency

As long as I can remember, I have found myself drawn to photos with rich colors, deep blacks and beautiful skin tones. Before I ever picked up a camera, I would see images like these posted on my Facebook newsfeed. Friends posted their engagement, wedding and annual family photos. When I finally started my own photography business I had no idea what a preset was. I didn´t know how it could help me achieve that beautiful which had always stopped me in my tracks. Eventually, I found the world of presets. I was left constantly disappointed by purchasing presets which required an exhausting amount of tweaking. They didn’t look anything like what was advertised. I was frustrated. With both my work and the time consuming editing process and overall lacking confidence in my final photos.

 

I’m not sure who originally told me about SMAL presets. Somehow I joined the Facebook group and was blown away by the gorgeous images that flooded the page daily. THIS was the exact style I had been yearning to achieve in my own photography. I knew I had to buy these presets. The first session I edited with the WILD presets got me more attention on social media than any images I had posted previously. Finally my photos had the tones and bold colors that I’d been looking for!

 

Over time, I found consistency through using the SMAL original pack and felt like my images had a special edge. I still get excited when I apply SMAL presets and watch my images come to life on my computer screen. I like to describe my style as “true to real life, but maybe just a little better than you remember”. Thanks to these wonderful presets which help my photos feel more rich in color and dimension than ever before. My business has soared since purchasing these presets but the true gift is the confidence I’ve gained since finding SMAL presets. 

Laurie Larson | Laurie Ashley Photography

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In our Community you´ll get free Education, Tips and Tricks around the use of our Presets. You can see Live Edits and attend Q&As. We also share the newest Releases and Informations in there. We talk about all things Photography and everyone is welcome. From beginners to professionals we all root for each other and help each other wherever we can!

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The Importance Of Client Styling

The Importance Of Client Styling

There are four things I say can make or break a photo session: lighting, connection/emotion, outfits and editing. Of course, there are a multitude of things that can derail a session. But, the key components are incredible lighting, emotion captured, clothing options and impeccable editing. 

 

Styling outfits and encouraging clients to wear things that match your brand and your business vision is a very important. You want your clients showing up looking and feeling fabulous, right? Most clients don’t know what styles of dresses/tops are not ideal for photos and most of them appreciate help with outfits.

 

I was spending a lot of time styling each family, scouring clothing websites, sending links and putting together photoshop “style boards”, just to have them show up wearing jeans, different shades of solid blue tops and whatever shoes were by the front door. Mom would say, “Oh, I just got too stressed trying to figure out what would match and what colors would look good together”. Or they just simply ran out of time and didn’t get a chance to shop around like they had hoped. I get it, life is busy and walking into numerous stores can be overwhelming. But that is where Style & Select came in for my clients.

No More PDF Style Guides!

My business partner Holly and I created an interactive styling website that does all the legwork for photographers and their clients. Just fill out the questionnaire and your clients are shown a handful of items, that would all coordinate and links to shop directly from the retailers. Say what?! It’s 100% better than sending your client a 40-page PDF style guide because chances are – they won’t read it. Nor does it help them pick outfits specifically for their family. Consider it an on-staff stylist for your business that is 5% of the cost of having an actual personal stylist! It is a great addition to those photographers who have client closets as well.

 

Ok, so you have lighting, connection and, now, outfits down. Last, but not least, is editing. 

Editing is what brings everything to life! Processing your photos is the fun part. I literally *rush* home after a session, cull and starting adding ROSE presets to my photos because I cannot wait to see how glorious they will look. I become giddy when I see how the ROSE presets bring stunning color and detail back into my photos. The contrast, the punches of colors and the highlighting/shadowing gives my photos 3D looking feel that I can’t turn away from.

Consistency

People around my town know my work because of two things: the way I photograph my subjects and my editing. Which means my work is consistent. My editing is becoming part of my brand and how people recognize me and my work. THAT is a fantastic feeling, to know that people can tell it’s your work just because of the way it’s edited. Which is also what I love about these presets. They are so versatile. We all tweak a few things here and there for our personal preferences. Sven is pure genius, I don’t know what he did to create these presets (and I have bought a ton of presets over the past 5 years), but these are the real deal. They have saved my time and created a look for my brand that sets me apart from others in my area. 

Melissa Jane Photography

 

Checkout Style & Select Here!

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How the Rose Presets changed my business for the better.

How the Rose Presets changed my business for the better.

Before finding these presets by Sven Malojlo, I struggled in trying to perfect my editing style. I always strived for a nice work flow and consistency in my editing but felt I kept coming up short. I remember the day I finally found the group and and fell in love with everyone’s work, and I also remember the day I purchased the bundle of the SMAL, ROSE and WILD presets.

From the beginning I loved all three sets of presets, but over time I found myself most drawn to the Rose set. was able to make these presets my own as they required such minimal tweaks and I really felt that the vibrant yet muted tones were exactly what I’d been looking for.

 

Since purchasing the presets over a year ago, my business has blossomed. I now work full time as a photographer and I am always told how beautiful and unique my photos are. If it wasn’t for Sven and his presets, I truly wouldn’t be where I am today.

Shannon Melek Meredith | Shannon Melek Photography

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When are you an Artist?

When does one call themselves an artist?

” You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” – Ansel Adams

An assignment from a workshop just over a year ago “Describe yourself as an artist”

Me an artist? I was immobilised by imposter syndrome at the concept of calling myself an artist. Funny thing is, I tell my 7 year old who loves to sketch, that he is creating art, therefore he is an artist. But I really struggled to apply the same logic to myself.

The turning point for me was finding SMAL. For me editing has always been my downfall, I was really struggling to find my editing voice.Once I had the confidence to pursue my vision on my terms, I could create the art I always wanted with the help of SMAL.

The art of storytelling, with real connection and depth. These images were my first realisation that with my vision I can create art. Reliving my own childhood with my little ones, remembering the regular treasure hunts my Dad brought us on. To this day they are still my favourite images. Edited with Smal 01 and Rose 10.

If you love art,love creating art, if your artwork somehow brings a smile to just only one person. You are an artist.

Do you struggle to call yourself an artist? I would love to hear your thoughts. Write it in the comments.

Cathy Murphy | Cathy Murphy Photography

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