Order in which to Apply Presets to Photos

[Gretchen]

Hi there. This is my first post.

I edit my images exclusively in Lightroom. I shoot in RAW.

I took the Clean Processing class with Damien ages ago. When I process my images, the first thing I do, after import, is go through the images and adjust exposure and white balance. Then, I apply a preset (I have a set of about 5 presets that I created myself. They make minimal changes but it's easier than making the same adjustments by hand to every photo).

I was discussing processing with other photographers, they all said that they FIRST apply a preset THEN adjust exposure and white balance (I'm assuming the presets they use will adjust exposure & white balance, but the ones I use do not). This seemed  backwards to me, as I thought I remembered that Damien told our class to always adjust the basics first - the exposure and white balance - before making any creative edits.

I understand that in LR, it doesn't make the outcome different by choosing a different order (I also understand that in Photoshop it does matter but I don't use PS.)

Just wondering if I'm understanding it wrong, or if I should not worry about it and do what i like, or if someone has some insight as to why I might want to apply a preset FIRST then adjust the exposure/white balance SECOND?

[Damien Symonds]

2 hours ago, Gretchen said:

(I'm assuming the presets they use will adjust exposure & white balance, but the ones I use do not).

This is the crux of it.  This is why you're both doing it right.

If your presets don't adjust Exposure and White Balance, then yes, you need to do those things first.

But if their presets DO adjust Exposure and White Balance, then it would make no sense for them to do those things first, because the Preset would just override them afterwards.  So of course they must apply the presets first, then tweak the Exposure and WB afterwards.