How to Make a Modern Noir Photo Effect in Lightroom

Lightroom Post Processing

The charm of noir photography is defined by its deep shadows, striking contrasts, and moody atmosphere. While classic film noir was shaped by black-and-white film and dramatic lighting, achieving a modern take on this iconic style is easier than ever with Lightroom. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a bold and cinematic noir photo effect by adjusting tones, enhancing contrast, and fine-tuning the details to give your images a dramatic and mysterious look—perfect for evoking the essence of classic noir with a contemporary twist.

But before we begin, and if you want to follow this tutorial exactly as described, please download the following free image from Pexels: Download

Step 1

Open your image in Lightroom.

Step 2

Go to the Develop tab.

Step 3

Expand the "Basic" tab and apply the following settings.

Step 4

Next, expand the "Tone Curve" tab, be sure to have the "Point Curve" selected and click 3 times anywhere on the curve to add 3 new control points.

Step 5

Set each control point to the following Input/Output values:

1. 0-15
2. 70-55
3. 135-115
4. 190-170
5. 255-240

Step 6

Expand the "Color Mixer" tab and apply the following settings.

Step 7

Now expand the "Effects" tab and apply the following settings.

Step 8

If you plan to use this effect on more images, a good idea is to save all of these settings as a new Preset. To do that, on the left panel, click on the "Add New Presets" icon and from the dropdown menu select "Create Preset".

Step 9

In the "New Develop Preset" window, give your preset a name and click the "Create" button. This will create a new preset that you can later use over any other image you want.

Conclusion:

Now that you’ve learned how to create a Modern Noir Photo Effect in Lightroom, you can apply this dramatic style to any image with ease. Experiment with different levels of contrast, shadows, and grain to refine the look and match your creative vision. If you’re going for a classic film noir aesthetic with a contemporary twist, these adjustments will help you create moody photos that capture the essence of cinematic storytelling.