Editing is where listing photos are won or lost — and where most photographers bleed hours. After eight years I've distilled my starting points into preset groups I reach for on every gallery. Here are the free ones worth your download, organized the way I actually work.
Start with balance, not style
The presets that save the most time aren't the moody ones — they're the boring ones. Lens correction, upright verticals, a neutral white balance anchor, and gentle highlight recovery should be one click. Style comes after the room reads correctly.
My free-preset shortlist
- Interior balance presets that tame mixed tungsten and daylight without turning whites gray.
- Window-pull helpers that lift exterior views one stop while holding interior exposure.
- Sky and lawn finishers that add depth without the neon-blue giveaway of overcooked HDR.
- Export sharpening presets tuned separately for MLS compression and retina brochures.
When free stops being enough
Free presets get you 80% there. The last 20% — consistent wood tones, skies that hold print, batch-safe whites — is why I built the Realty Tones pack in the store. Twelve presets, one install guide, and a year of updates for less than a single rush edit.