Photo Filters vs Presets: Understanding Digital Photo Enhancement

Photo filters and presets both transform images, but they work differently and serve different purposes.

Filters

Filters apply CSS-like transformations to images:

Brightness/Contrast: Control exposure and dynamic range

Saturation: Adjust color intensity

Hue rotation: Shift all colors on the color wheel

Blur: Soften the image

Sepia/Grayscale: Apply tonal effects

Presets

Presets are pre-configured combinations of filter settings that create specific looks:

Vivid: Enhanced saturation and contrast for vibrant photos

Warm: Sepia tones with elevated saturation for cozy feel

Cool: Blue-shifted, slightly desaturated for modern look

Vintage: Reduced contrast and saturation for film-like feel

Tips for Natural-Looking Edits

1. Start with a preset, then fine-tune individual settings

2. Keep adjustments subtle (±10-20% from baseline)

3. Match the mood to the content

4. Be consistent across a photo series

Apply filters and presets with our Photo Filters tool.

Building your own preset from scratch? Use our Color Palette Extractor to lift the exact tones you want to match.

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Photo filters and presets both transform images, but they work differently and serve different purposes.

Filters

Filters apply CSS-like transformations to images:

Brightness/Contrast: Control exposure and dynamic range

Saturation: Adjust color intensity

Hue rotation: Shift all colors on the color wheel

Blur: Soften the image

Sepia/Grayscale: Apply tonal effects

Presets

Presets are pre-configured combinations of filter settings that create specific looks:

Vivid: Enhanced saturation and contrast for vibrant photos

Warm: Sepia tones with elevated saturation for cozy feel

Cool: Blue-shifted, slightly desaturated for modern look

Vintage: Reduced contrast and saturation for film-like feel

Tips for Natural-Looking Edits

1. Start with a preset, then fine-tune individual settings

2. Keep adjustments subtle (±10-20% from baseline)

3. Match the mood to the content

4. Be consistent across a photo series

Apply filters and presets with our Photo Filters tool.

Building your own preset from scratch? Use our Color Palette Extractor to lift the exact tones you want to match.

Photo Filters vs Presets: Understanding Digital Photo Enhancement

Filters

Presets

Tips for Natural-Looking Edits

All 102 Tools

Photo Filters vs Presets: Understanding Digital Photo Enhancement

Filters

Presets

Tips for Natural-Looking Edits

All 102 Tools