Laptop displaying a website on a gray sofa against a green paneled wall.

What is A preset?

A camera preset allows you to create a set or value automatically assigned to a software application, computer program, etc. Preset (electronics), a variable component on a device only accessible to manufacturing or maintenance personnel.

To be very very clear, I can see a lot of presets on the market at the moment. But the first thing to consider when you buy a preset pack is would the preset fits the light situation. With time, I know what kind of light will be precise I have prepared a set of information for you to understand the way I take images using my digital cameras.

I have used Sony a9 for a few years and my lens is 35mm Zeiss f/1.4.

Over time, I have realized in spite of myself that I was almost always looking for the same lights. Like a guitar player who practices his scales, I too have worked my gaze to read the light. In my own experience, there are very few really versatile presets on the market. Many of this explains why your images will never look like the images you see on colleagues' websites.

Hence the importance of revealing to you what settings, and how I look at the light. Beyond the same, I created my presets to be the most versatile. I cover weddings all over the world, and it is essential to find a preset that is suitable for Scandinavian countries as well as Italy, Morocco, Mexico, or Thailand.

With the SMH presets you will find presets that can be adapted immediately to your lighting situation.

A couple embracing outdoors near a lake, dressed in wedding attire.
Couple embracing near waterfront with cityscape and bridge in background.
Bride and groom kissing in a narrow alleyway with bicycles and tall buildings
Bride and groom walking down the aisle outdoors, surrounded by guests clapping and throwing flower petals. The ceremony is set in a scenic, grassy area with floral decorations.

THE PROCESS

01. HOW TO CONFIGURE YOUR CAMERA SETTINGS IN MANUAL MODE

I always shoot in manual (M) mode.

  1. I shoot RAW and JPEG on my Sony a9

  2. I always shoot cloudy the entire day

  3. I Adjust the white balance in the magenta/red to customize the colors on my screen -4,-4

  4. I usually shoot at f/1.4 apart from the group shots and the dancefloor

  5. I never go under 1/250 sec or I will push the ISO

02. CAMERA EQUIPMENT

Sony a9 and Fuji GFX50r, Canon 5d MkII, I also use my mju ii, a lot of digicams, like my Sony RX100 iii, an Oktomat Gifs film camera, and my Fujifilm SQ10. I also have 2 Instax Mini Printers. I still can edit the files quite easily with my signature editing and style.

03. APERTURE

I shoot 99% of the time with my lens fully open at F/1.4. Of course, for the group shots or landscapes, I would close the aperture. Sometimes I do slow shutter speed blurry shots too. Then I would use f/8 or f/11 and decrease my shutter speed and ISO to the minimum TO ACHIEVE THIS SPECIFIC RENDER

04. SHUTTER SPEED

Super easy here, I try to underexpose my image from the camera but make a strong contrast on the camera, kind of 1-stop underexposed. I try not to go under the 1/250 per sec when I feel that I would rather shake my hand or my subject would also be a bit blurry.

05. ISO

As you know ISO is a great way to recover light but it is also very tricky to push the ISO to extreme limits because it would generate a lot of grain and deterioration. I will always try to limit myself to ISO as maximum as I can. When I push the ISO I will simply multiply the number by 2 until I find the right light. (50) - 100 - 200 - 400 - 800 - 1600 - 3200 - 6400. New technology allows us to push even more ISOs but I try not to push it too much.