FREE PRESETS

This is the NEW FREE extended 2022 version of the original fine art DxO Preset Series Dark City, created by Julia Anna Gospodarou.

Some of you may be familiar with the images featured here and with the first edition of my Dark City DxO presets. Others may be familiar with the subsequent versions of these presets.

Thousands of photographers have been using the previous versions of these presets to create outstanding fine art photography. I am using them myself extensively in my work.

Because they became so popular and after numerous requests, I decided to update the presets and add some new ones. The last version also comprises the preset version for DxO PhotoLab in addition to those for DxO FilmPack, and you can use these presets in Lightroom and Photoshop too via the DxO FilmPack plugin. You will find indications on how to do that in the documentation that comes with the presets. Be sure to read that carefully

I am now making available the extended version of this preset collection and I hope they will inspire you to create great work.

To be sure that you receive all the future updates and additions make sure you subscribe to my website here and you will receive everything in your inbox.

FREE DARK CITY FINE ART PRESETS – WHY AND HOW

To receive them subscribe to the website below and activate your subscription afterward in the confirmation email. Once you activate it you will receive the presets download details. Even if you are already a subscriber, please introduce again your email below so you can receive the material at that specific email. Please type your email address carefully, the download link, info, and documentation are ONLY sent to valid email addresses.

The presets are FREE and you can use them for as long as you like, while also receiving free updates whenever I add new presets to the collection.

Since the creation of free resources requires a large amount of time and effort, creative and practical effort, it would be much appreciated if you considered making a donation to our website so we can keep this pro bono work going. I’m more than happy to bring resources and inspiration to everyone who loves photography and I want to keep doing it more and more in the future. By making a donation, you will be part of this generous effort and you can be proud of being a supporter of art and artists, like the famous Maecenas of the past. Art and artists need your support as always in the history of art and photography. Thank you for your generosity! You can make your donation by clicking on the button below.

The intention behind creating these presets was to make a series of fine art black and white and color presets that can be used as a quick way of creating fine art photography using the DxO software, alone or combined with Lightroom or Photoshop.

These presets can be a tool giving the photographers using them a simple modality of exploring different looks and moods for their image without needing to invest a large amount of time in this process.

The presets are not necessarily meant to be used as final images. You can keep exploring and experimenting with them and you can see them as a starting point in your post-processing workflow, giving you ideas about how to work on your image to create a result that is as close as possible to your vision. You can increase or decrease the intensity of the preset, or even change it completely through a creative approach.
The presets are fully adjustable and you can change the intensity of all the effects applied. They are not LUT style (a certain color grading style that is applied as is) but are fully editable.

Do not be afraid to play with different looks, as this can release your creativity and make you find original solutions.

The presets in their simple version (the original series of 5 presets) were launched in 2014 and included in the Elite version of DxO FilmPack plug-in. The new extended version of the series adds 9 new presets to the existing 5, so now the series has 14 presets. The original 5 presets were updated and enhanced to cover a wider range of images and to create a more expressive image of the specific concept. If you work with the presets in DxO FilmPack you also have available the description of every preset. These descriptions have also been updated and enriched in the latest version.

You cannot find the presets in the out-of-the-box version of the DxO software, so the only way to use them in your work is to import them yourselves into the software after downloading them on your hard drive from the provided link.

DxO PRESET SERIES DARK CITY

The series contains the following presets. You have an extensive description of the presets in the material you will download.

1. Dark City
2. Dark City Strong Contrast
3. Dark City Stronger Contrast
4. Dark City Selenium
5. Dark City Contrast Selenium
6. Dark City Soft
7. Dark City Soft Blur
8. Dark City Intense Black Infrared
9. Dark City Blue
10. Dark City Color
11. Dark City Soft Color
12. Dark City Color Dream
13. Bright City
14. Bright City Soft Blur

EXAMPLES – IMAGES CREATED EXCLUSIVELY WITH THE DARK CITY PRESETS

(more examples in the downloaded material)

Above you have an example of what you can create using exclusively the preset “Dark City Soft Blur” and below you can see more examples of work created using only the Dark City presets, without the help of other software.

You can get even more creative than this by tweaking the preset or even combining the looks. Also, refining the image further in DxO FilmPack, DxO PhotoLab, Lightroom or Photoshop can give a higher level of subtlety to your image and create an even more original look.

Houston Texas – Chevron Ring – Preset Examples

Frankfurt – Germany – Preset Examples

Bay Bridge – San Francisco – Preset Examples

You can find more examples of images I created with the DxO Dark City preset series in the documentation material you will receive when you download the presets. You will also find a detailed description of each preset and how they were created step-by-step so you can understand what each effect does and how you can use it also individually.

Understanding the creation of a preset is a great learning experience that always adds to the refinement of the technique of a photographer. This way you can be in control of your own photography and get creative with these presets and your software in general.

I hope you will enjoy working with these presets and they will give you the inspiration to take your photography to the next level. If you enjoy them, share your impressions in the comments and spread the word, so others can be inspired too.

And, of course, I’d be happy if you considered making a small donation that will help us create even more free content in the future. Subscribe if you want to find out when I have more free tools or tutorials available.