Buying Photoshop Actions and Lightroom Presets Online: Good or Bad? Purchasing Photoshop actions
and Lightroom presets online can be a quick and effective way to enhance your editing process.
However, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons
before making a decision, as buying pre-made tools might not always align with your specific needs.
Here’s a breakdown of the good and bad sides of buying actions and presets online:
The Good
1. Time-Saving
Automates repetitive tasks: Actions and presets can save you significant time by automating
processes like color grading, retouching, and special effects.
Batch processing: Many Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets allow for batch processing, which
means you can apply the same look or adjustments to multiple photos with a single click. This is
particularly useful for wedding, event, or portrait photographers who deal with large numbers of
images.
2. Consistency in Editing
Maintains a uniform style: Using the same presets or actions across multiple images helps maintain
a consistent look, which is important for building a cohesive portfolio,
social media presence, or brand identity.
Professional quality: Many actions and presets are designed by industry professionals, allowing you
to achieve a polished, professional look without having to manually tweak every setting.
3. Easy to Learn
Accessible for beginners: If you’re new to Photoshop or Lightroom, pre-made actions and presets are
a great way to achieve professional results without mastering every tool
yourself. You can learn how they work by seeing the steps used, which can be

educational.
Minimal effort for complex effects: Some complex edits, like cinematic color grading or frequency
separation, can be hard to master. Pre-made actions let you achieve these effects quickly without
diving into advanced techniques.
4. Creative Inspiration
Experimentation with new styles: Buying different actions or presets allows you to experiment with
styles and techniques you might not have considered. This can inspire new creative directions and
fresh looks for your photography.
Great for themed projects: If you have a particular theme or aesthetic in mind (like a vintage
feel, a moody atmosphere, or vibrant colors), presets and actions tailored for that style make it
easier to achieve the look consistently.
5. Affordable Pricing
Relatively inexpensive: Actions and presets are often sold at a low price or in bundles, making
them affordable tools to elevate your editing process. Some online marketplaces like Creative
Market, Etsy, or GraphicRiver offer individual downloads starting at just a few dollars.
The Bad
1. Limited Customization
One-size-fits-all: Pre-made actions and presets are designed for general use, meaning they may not
always work perfectly with every image, especially if the lighting, colors, or tones differ
drastically from the preset’s intended use.
Over-reliance: Relying solely on presets or actions can limit your ability to develop your own
editing style. You may find yourself applying the same look to every photo, which
can make your work feel less personalized or original.
2. Inconsistent Results
Not always universal: A preset that works beautifully on one image might look terrible on another.
Depending on the exposure, lighting, or color balance of your image, a preset might need additional
tweaks to achieve the desired result.
Editing still required: Even after applying an action or preset, you’ll often need to make manual
adjustments. If you’re not comfortable with basic editing skills, this can become frustrating.
3. Quality Varies
Not all are well-made: The quality of actions and presets available online can vary dramatically.
Some sellers provide high-quality, professionally tested tools, while others might offer poorly
constructed products that don’t work as expected.
Over-editing risk: Some presets or actions may apply heavy-handed adjustments, leading to unnatural
results (e.g., overly saturated colors, extreme contrasts, or loss of details in
highlights/shadows). Subtlety in editing is often key to a professional look, and not all products
strike that balance.

4. Lack of Learning
Can stunt growth: If you rely too heavily on purchased presets and actions, you may not learn the
editing techniques yourself. Understanding how to use the individual sliders and tools in Lightroom
or Photoshop is key to mastering editing. Pre-made solutions can sometimes act as a crutch.
Limits creativity: While presets and actions can serve as a foundation, overusing them without
learning to tweak and customize can limit your creativity. They should be seen as starting points
rather than final solutions.
5. Compatibility Issues
Software and version limitations: Some actions and presets may not work with older versions of
Photoshop or Lightroom. Always double-check the compatibility with your software before purchasing.
Different camera profiles: Presets are often designed with specific camera profiles in mind. They
may not produce the same results if used with different camera brands, models, or file formats (RAW
vs. JPEG).
How to Make the Most of Purchased Actions and Presets
Customize to Your Style: After applying an action or preset, tweak the settings to fit your
personal style. This ensures the final look reflects your creative vision.
Learn from Them: Pay attention to how the actions and presets are built. You can often
reverse-engineer them to understand how professional photographers use certain tools. This is a
great way to learn new techniques and shortcuts.
Use Sparingly: Don’t rely solely on pre-made solutions. They should complement your editing
workflow, not define it. Make sure to keep practicing manual adjustments to grow your skills.
Test Before Applying: Always test actions and presets on a few images first to see how they
interact with different lighting, tones, and compositions. This helps you avoid applying unsuitable
effects across a batch of photos.
Conclusion: Is Buying Actions and Presets Good or Bad?
Good: If you’re looking to speed up your workflow, achieve professional results quickly, or
experiment with new styles, buying actions and presets can be a huge advantage. They are excellent
tools, particularly for those who want to maintain consistency across large numbers of images or
explore creative directions.
Bad: On the flip side, over-relying on them can stunt your growth as an editor and limit your
creative potential. Additionally, the quality of the product can vary, so you’ll need to research
thoroughly before purchasing.
Verdict: Purchasing Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets is a great option for photographers who
want to enhance their editing process, but they should be seen as tools to complement your skills,
not replace them. Always test them, customize as needed, and
continue learning the craft of editing to develop your unique style.