TL;DR: The five best Lightroom Mobile presets for golden hour portraits are Warm Glow, Sunflare Fade, Honey Amber, Soft Peach Skin, and Cinematic Dusk. Each preset adjusts temperature, tint, highlights, and tone curves to enhance the warm, low-angle light characteristic of the golden hour.
1. Warm Glow
Open your portrait in Lightroom Mobile and tap Presets. Under Color, set Temp to +15 and Tint to +5. In Light, raise Exposure +0.20, lower Highlights -25, and lift Shadows +20. Add a slight S-curve in Tone Curve. This preset works best for backlit subjects with visible sun flare.
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2. Sunflare Fade
Create a new preset by tapping the three-dot menu and selecting Create Preset. Set Temp +10, Tint +12. In Effects, add Dehaze +10 and Clarity -5. Lower Contrast -15 for a matte look. Apply this to images shot directly into the sun—the fade mimics lens flare without overexposing skin.
3. Honey Amber
Adjust Temp +25, Tint -8. In HSL, increase Orange Saturation +15 and Luminance +10 for glowing skin. Reduce Blue Saturation -20 to calm shadows. Add a Radial Gradient over the face with Exposure +0.30. Use this preset for subjects in open shade during golden hour.
4. Soft Peach Skin
Set Temp +8, Tint +15. In Color Grading, add a soft peach tone to Midtones (Hue 25, Sat 20). Lower Texture -10 and Clarity -8 for smooth skin. Increase Vibrance +12 but keep Saturation -5. Best for close-up portraits where skin tones must remain natural.
5. Cinematic Dusk
Apply Temp -5, Tint +20. In Tone Curve, lift the black point slightly. Add Split Toning: Highlights Hue 45, Sat 15; Shadows Hue 220, Sat 10. Increase Contrast +20. This preset suits wide shots with the sun low on the horizon, giving a teal-and-orange cinematic feel.
Tips for All Presets
Always shoot in RAW for maximum editing flexibility. Adjust preset intensity with the Amount slider (found under Presets > Amount) to avoid over-processing. Sync your edits across multiple portraits by long-pressing a preset and selecting Copy Edit Settings. Test each preset at 50% strength first, then fine-tune White Balance manually—golden hour light shifts quickly.
FAQ
Q: Can I use these presets on non-golden-hour photos?
A: Yes, but reduce Temp and Tint values by half, as cooler light will otherwise look unnatural.
Q: Do these presets work on iPhone and Android?
A: Yes, Lightroom Mobile presets are cross-platform and sync via your Adobe account.
Q: How do I save a preset I created?
A: Tap the three-dot menu next to Presets, choose Create Preset, name it, and select which settings to include.
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