Apply a profile to a photo in Adobe Lightroom as a starting point for your edits or to create a stylistic effect.
What you'll need
What you learned: How to browse and apply photo profiles in Lightroom
What is a profile?
A raw profile determines how the data in a raw photo is shown on screen. A creative profile is a quick way to add a stylistic effect to any photo.
Applying a profile
- When you add a new raw photo to Lightroom, the default Adobe Color profile is automatically applied. Adobe Color is designed to be a good starting point for most raw photos regardless of the subject matter.
- To look for a different profile that may be better suited to your specific image, click the Browse button in the Profile panel to open the Profile browser.
- Hover over any profile in the Profile browser to see a live preview of that profile on your photo. Click a profile in the Profile browser to apply it to your photo.
- You can switch a photo to a different profile at any time by clicking another profile in the Profile browser. Applying a profile will not change any edit controls you have already set.
Profiles for raw photos
The best profile for your photo depends on both the subject matter and the final look that you are going for. For raw photos of landscapes, consider Adobe Landscape, which makes blues and earth tones vibrant. For portraits, consider Adobe Portrait, which reduces contrast and saturation in skin tones.
To display a raw photo in black and white, use the Adobe Monochrome raw profile, or try one of the creative profiles in the B&W group.
Creative profiles for raw and non-raw photos
Creative profiles can be used on both raw photos and on non-raw photos like JPEGs or TIFFs. Creative profiles are grouped into Artistic, B&W, Modern, and Vintage categories in the Profile browser.
- When you select a creative profile, you will see an Amount slider directly under it. Use the Amount slider to reduce or increase the intensity of the effect.
