Today we have one of my best friends ( since we were 12! ), Erica Stolman of Fashionlush, GUEST POSTING on what she does best: INSTAGRAM.

ERICA is a top influencer ( FASHIONLUSH! ) & she also happens to be my partner in blog-doo ( a blogger resource & design company !! ). One thing I will tell you guys about Erica: she KNOWS HER SHIT WHEN IT COMES TO BLOGGING & INSTAGRAM.

She’s here today to talk about PHOTO EDITING. Let’s get right to it:

HEY GUYS! It’s Erica ( aka Fashionlush ) & Lauryn invited me on the blog today to talk a little about how bloggers edit. A subject I LOVE talking about.

Editing photos is one of my favorite parts of the job & when I say editing- I mean the colors, the sharpness, the grain, the VIBE of it all.

A lot of the time I see people asking all sorts of people on Instagram “what filter is this?!” & they get no response. Total crickets. Yes, it’s annoying, but as a blogger I can see why they don’t respond sometimes- it’s not a filter.

It’s probably a preset… on Lightroom.

Before I continue, let’s talk about the difference between presets & filters:

Filters are what you find in the VSCO app- they filter a photo slightly, change the hues a little, alter the saturation, contrast/highlights, etc. & this is definitely how SOME bloggers edit.

Presets, on the other hand, is how the majority of bloggers edit. Presets are a feature in Lightroom ( a blogger ESSENTIAL imo ) & they are basically filters on steroids.

With presets, & one of the reasons many bloggers prefer them, is you just have more control. It starts like a filter but you have the ability to change EVERYTHING. A little too dark? Up the brightness. A little too dull, add some clarity. Want some grain? You can add that too. Skin too pale? Darken the orange hue.

Also, they don’t mess with the quality of your photos. Apps like VSCO really compress & mess up my images. I want my images crisp & perfectly edited to my liking- SO that’s why Lightroom is my jam.

SO- a while back I started sharing my ‘TAP TO EDITS’ on my Instagram– which really spurred this whole idea ( check story highlights for some fun tap to edits- oddly satisfying! ). I started getting so many messages asking what filter I was using & I felt guilty. There is nothing I dislike more than a blogger who doesn’t share their editing secrets. I understand wanting to keep your aesthetic to yourself, but as an influencer, it’s all about sharing & INFLUENCING.

Unfortunately, explaining I edited with Lightroom sounds like a total cop out to prevent me from having to spill my secrets, & that’s just not my style… so THE FASHIONLUSH PRESETS were born. There are 9 different amazing presets for all types of photos & honestly- it is super easy to achieve the ultimate #feedgoals.

Below are some of the most common PRESET FAQ’S & if you want to learn more about how presets work you can check out this editing tutorial.

FASHIONLUSH PRESETS | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW DO WE USE THE PRESETS?

To use the Fashionlush presets you will need to have Lightroom Classic for desktop.
This is THE photo editing program I think all bloggers need. It gives you ultimate control over your photos, & you can download presets (like these!).

I suggest getting the Lightroom Creative Cloud photography bundle ($9.99/month!) as it includes Lightroom Classic, Lightroom CC desktop app, & Photoshop.

When you purchase any Fashionlush Preset, you will get a PDF walking you through how to upload & use your presets. SUPER EASY.

CAN I USE THE FASHIONLUSH PRESETS ON MY PHONE?

YES!! This is so exciting because Lightroom just did an amazing update that allows you to EASILY sync your presets with your phone.

When you purchase any of the Fashionlush presets you will also receive a comprehensive guide walking you through how to sync your presets to your phone.

You will need Lightroom Classic on desktop, the Lightroom CC desktop app (different from the above), & the free Lightroom CC mobile app.

Again, I recommend getting the Lightroom Creative Cloud photography bundle ($9.99/month) as it includes all of the desktop programs you need.

WHAT TYPE OF FILES DO MY PHOTOS NEED TO BE?

RAW photo files always work best with Lightroom as it can access more of the photo’s data. So if you’re shooting with a DSLR or high-quality point & shoot, you should switch your setting to RAW.

If you are editing phone photos, all of the presets are made to work well with JPEG photos & iPhone photos ( doesn’t need to be high res! ).

SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL READERS GET 20% OFF THE FASHIONLUSH PRESETS WITH PROMO CODE SKINNY20!

The Skinny Confidential readers get 20% off with promo code SKINNY20.

THANK YOU Erica! Creating a cohesive feed is essential for your branding. These presets make is super easy. No excuses.

How do you edit pictures? Share below!

x, lauryn

+ WANT MORE:  why consistent social media matters & how I edit my Instagram 

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