A man and a woman dressed in orange with a hippie vibe

Warm Retro


Warm Retro is one of our top vintage Lightroom presets because of its warm but complex hues. It so elegantly simulates the style of vintage photos. Images always appear brighter, slightly muted, but clearly defined. It is a simple and versatile look that can be useful in various types of photography. You can use it for portraits, landscapes, and outdoor scenes. 

Collection: Film Presets, Soft Matte Presets, Warm Presets, Vintage Presets
Best for: Diffused Lighting
Style: Soft Matte, Retro

We love how the preset produces a soft look without compromising much depth and detail. This is actually one of the reasons why Warm Retro is one of our favorites! Its settings are optimized so well that you can apply it on most photos. Its warm tones especially look amazing on images with diffused lighting, especially outdoors. You can see more of this effect in our examples below.

Accentuates Details for a Crisp Vintage Look

Warm and enhanced portrait of a photographer shooting with his camera

Crisp and detailed. Shadows and details are boosted for a crisp and compelling result. You can notice how the man’s hair appear more textured in the After photo, even with the preset’s slightly washed-out effect. The camera also appears more textured now, and the lens is more reflective. What sets this preset apart is the mood that it gives in addition to enhancing an image’s sharpness.

Recreates the Soft Matte Look of Retro Films

A woman wearing a white printed shirt and holding up her left hand

Soft and muted tones. To achieve this flat retro look, highlights, whites and blacks are decreased. There are slightly muted shadows and blacks to give the image a softer look. See the After photo above: the warmer color temperature is apparent in the background and the woman’s white shirt. Notice, too, how the increase in exposure helps reveal more of her face. The skin tone is enhanced as well.

We recommend that you also check out our vintage architecture preset. It has a similar warm aesthetic, but with settings that optimize details. We especially love using it when exploring new cities while travelling.

Gives a Charming Retro Look and Feel

A woman lounging at a blue vintage car, with the sea in the background

Vintage mood. This free Warm Retro preset is most ideal if you are going for a specifically retro look in digital photography. The image above now seems like it was taken decades ago, like an authentic aged photograph. The added vignetting frames the scene and completes the timeless mood. It is reminiscent of 70s or 80s ads that you can find in vintage print publications.

Applies a Cross-Processing Film Effect

A cross-processed photo of a woman wearing a black leather jacket and ripped jeans

Cross-processed effect. Warm Retro can also be used to achieve a cross-processed effect. Although looking quite faded, textures are distinct because of a significant increase in clarity and sharpening. A boost in contrast, too, contributes to this style. See how this preset has dramatically changed the mood of the example photo above. Blacks are made less harsh, and the flatter look adds a timeless charm to the photograph.

Creates a Versatile Look for Your Everyday Shots

A couple dancing at the rooftop

Versatile. This preset does not artificially transform the photograph as this filter retains much of its color integrity. It retains the natural look and only adds a layer of warmth and elegance. It works well even in an already bright shot, tweaking it only for improvements in sharpness and temperature. In the After photo above for example, the man’s shirt is now more detailed, and you can now notice the strands of the woman’s hair. You may try using this Warm Retro preset to add a layer of classic warmth even to everyday captures and to unify the images that you post in social media like Instagram and Facebook.

Warm Retro is for Lightroom Mobile, Desktop and…

Like all our Lightroom Presets, you can absolutely use Warm Retro as is, right out of the box. With any preset, you might need to make adjustments to accommodate your specific camera, settings, lighting, and subject matter.

  • Entirely Adjustable
  • Designed for Adobe Lightroom for PC, Mac, and Mobile
  • Includes Lrtemplate and XMP preset formats for Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic desktop apps
  • Includes DNG preset format for the free Lightroom mobile app
  • Applicable to both RAW and JPG images
  • 100% Free Preset Download

Need help with the presets? You can visit our guide to learn how to install Lightroom presets.


Free Lightroom Preset by Forrest Lane

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