How To Edit Backlit Portraits - FULL BREAKDOWN
A full Lightroom breakdown for photographers who want that warm, moody magic—without wrecking their highlights or skin tones.
This is one of those edits that just feels good.
We started with Sunset Blvd, one of my go-to presets from the Lightroom Preset Playground. It’s designed to enhance golden hour light, deepen shadows without making things muddy, and keep your subject glowing without over-saturating skin tones.
But like I always say:
Presets are a launchpad, not a landing zone.
Let’s walk through exactly what changed from RAW to final.
What this tutorial gives you:
🛠 The exact settings we used in Lightroom.
⚙️ A full breakdown—from exposure to tone curves to grain.
🎯 Plus all the refinements we made to turn the one-click preset into a finished masterpiece.
💡 Follow Along: Download the RAW file for free and edit alongside me to get these exact results—or take it in your own creative direction. If you do, tag me in your edits! I love seeing Your Version!
BEFORE
Straight out of camera, this image had:
Strong sunlight directly behind the subject
A slightly cool white balance
Flat contrast in the foreground
Distracting colors in the graffiti and concrete
Skin tones starting to disappear into shadow
BASE PRESET — SUNSET BLVD
Once Sunset Blvd was applied, we instantly got:
Warmth in the shadows
Softer falloff between highlight and midtone
More attention drawn to the subject's silhouette
Subtle film-like glow in the haze
But we didn’t stop there.
WANT THIS LOOK?
The Sunset Blvd preset is part of the Lightroom Preset Playground—my library of easy to use but-natural looks for photographers who love emotional, glowy edits that still feel real.
FINAL EDITING ADJUSTMENTS
These tweaks are what gave it that final polish—moody, rich, cinematic.
Basic Settings
Exposure: +0.00 (left unchanged)
Contrast: -10
Highlights: +22
Shadows: +15
Whites: 0
Blacks: -66
Texture: +3
Clarity: 0
Dehaze: -13
Vibrance: +19
Saturation: +4
White Balance
Temperature: 4669K
Tint: +8
Tone Curve (Custom - 4 Points)
Point 1: (0, 13)
Point 2: (77, 57)
Point 3: (148, 140)
Point 4: (255, 239)
Color Grading
Midtones Hue: 197
Midtones Saturation: 9
Color Grade Blending: 89
HSL Adjustments
Hue:
Red: -14
Orange: +2
Yellow: +1
Green: +10
Aqua: +14
Blue: +12
Purple: +2
Magenta: +5
Saturation:
Red: +6
Orange: +1
Yellow: -25
Green: -11
Aqua: -23
Blue: -29
Purple: -10
Magenta: -10
Luminance:
Red: -10
Orange: 0
Yellow: +10
Green: 0
Aqua: 0
Blue: +3
Purple: 0
Magenta: 0
Detail + Grain
Sharpening: 70
Sharpen Radius: 1.1
Sharpen Detail: 25
Sharpen Masking: 40
Luminance Noise Reduction: 32
LNR Detail: 50
LNR Contrast: 7
Color Noise Reduction: 12
CNR Detail: 50
CNR Smoothness: 50
Grain Amount: 30
Grain Size: 12
Grain Roughness: 57
Key Takeaways
This edit wasn’t about “fixing” the light.
The light was already working—the camera settings and the moment were spot on.
Instead, this was about shaping emotion through tone and color.
Let your shadows breathe
Let your highlights glow
And let your color grading tell the story
This tutorial wasn’t just about sliders.
It was about giving you permission to stop second-guessing, trust your creative gut, and build the confidence to shape light the way you see it in your mind.
See you next time!
Lightroom Preset Playground
Sunset Blvd is part of the Lightroom Preset Playground—designed for photographers who want that rich, cinematic look without the guesswork.
Perfect for:
• Golden hour portraits
• Editorial fashion
• Streetwear vibes
• Moody lifestyle sessions
🔥 One click = 90% there
🎯 Intuition = the final polish
This preset collection includes:
📷 4 Film-Inspired Looks – Kodak-style warmth & nostalgia.
🎥 3 Cinematic Styles – Inspired by real Hollywood color grading. (Including Sunset Blvd… The one we used for this edit!)
🌫 2 Moody, Desaturated Styles – Think Pacific Northwest & rich editorial tones.
3 Black & White Presets – Custom-built for different lighting conditions 🖤
7 Adjustment Presets – Edit Faster & Experiment More 🎛
AND it comes with a FREE, *30 PAGE* E-Book that fully breaks down every adjustment on every preset.
The only preset pack that helps you learn, experiment and grow your confidence in editing.
Learn more about the Lightroom Preset Playground.
Neewer Black Mist Filter (For blooming highlights)
CAMERA SETTINGS
Aperture: f/1.4
Shutter speed: 1/400
ISO: 200
All Natural, Non-GMO Light
