Back

Chalkbright · Sport and action

Chalkbright makes one kind of light.

Chalk Hold is 18 presets for sport and action photography. Every one of them is below, on real photographs, before you pay for any of it.

Chalk Hold, 18 Lightroom presets

$79.99

Instant download.

The same man portrait with the Chalkbright preset appliedman portrait, photographed without the Chalkbright preset
Chalkbright applied to man portrait

What this light does

one frame, 4 presets

Chalk Hold, a route up the gym wall

4 of them, on one photograph. Drag any seam.

  1. Man portrait with the Crimp Edge preset appliedMan portrait photographed without a preset
    Crimp Edge applied to Man portrait

    No. 01

    Crimp Edge

    Fingers on a small edge, contrast eased so the wall stays soft while the holds keep their colour.

  2. Man portrait with the Overhang Reach preset appliedMan portrait photographed without a preset
    Overhang Reach applied to Man portrait

    No. 07

    Overhang Reach

    A long move under the roof, warmed slightly and lifted so the underside of the wall does not go dead.

  3. Man portrait with the Sloper Pinch preset appliedMan portrait photographed without a preset
    Sloper Pinch applied to Man portrait

    No. 12

    Sloper Pinch

    Open-handed on a rounded hold, gentle in the shadows so forearm detail survives the gym's low light.

  4. Man portrait with the Warm Up Lap preset appliedMan portrait photographed without a preset
    Warm Up Lap applied to Man portrait

    No. 18

    Warm Up Lap

    Easy laps early in the session, bright and low in contrast with the highlights rolled off the ceiling lamps.

See the light change

drag the line

The same frame, one tap apart. Drag any handle and the scene goes back to the way it looked before Chalkbright touched it.

The same Kitchen cook with the Chalkbright preset appliedKitchen cook, photographed without the Chalkbright preset
Chalkbright applied to Kitchen cook
Kitchen cook
The same Mirror fit with the Chalkbright preset appliedMirror fit, photographed without the Chalkbright preset
Chalkbright applied to Mirror fit
Mirror fit

The Route

3 groups

Every preset on the same dim rooms, so you can see the wall come up and the colours stay put.

  • On the WallThe climbing. Holds and grit kept sharp inside a soft grade, the roof warmed, the whole wall in the frame.
  • The RoomThe light itself. Tape pushed true, plywood kept off cold, chalk haze allowed to hang.
  • On the GroundThe floor. Belayer, mats, rope, harness, faces still readable.

The specimen index

18 presets · 4 scenes

Every preset in the pack is here, on the same four photographs. Nothing below is a sample. Open one and drag.

  1. No. 01Crimp EdgeFingers on a small edge, contrast eased so the wall stays soft while the holds keep their colour.
    Crimp Edge applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Crimp Edge applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Crimp Edge applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Crimp Edge applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Crimp Edge. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  2. No. 02Jug HaulA big friendly hold in an open room, exposure lifted and blacks lifted for a bright indoor feel.
    Jug Haul applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Jug Haul applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Jug Haul applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Jug Haul applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Jug Haul. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  3. No. 03Belay StanceThe person on the ground, shadows opened so a dim floor still shows rope, harness and face.
    Belay Stance applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Belay Stance applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Belay Stance applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Belay Stance applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Belay Stance. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  4. No. 04Chalk DustThe haze that hangs after a fall, dehaze taken negative on purpose so the air keeps its bloom.
    Chalk Dust applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Chalk Dust applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Chalk Dust applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Chalk Dust applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Chalk Dust. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  5. No. 05Route TapeColoured tape and grade markers pushed through the red, blue and magenta bands so a route reads at a glance.
    Route Tape applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Route Tape applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Route Tape applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Route Tape applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Route Tape. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  6. No. 06Volume SlabBig plywood volumes under flat gym light, softened in the midtone with the panel edges still legible.
    Volume Slab applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Volume Slab applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Volume Slab applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Volume Slab applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Volume Slab. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  7. No. 07Overhang ReachA long move under the roof, warmed slightly and lifted so the underside of the wall does not go dead.
    Overhang Reach applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Overhang Reach applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Overhang Reach applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Overhang Reach applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Overhang Reach. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  8. No. 08Auto BelayA solo lap on the auto belay, corners opened rather than darkened so the frame feels like an airy hall.
    Auto Belay applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Auto Belay applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Auto Belay applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Auto Belay applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Auto Belay. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  9. No. 09Top OutThe last pull at the lip, whites pushed up so chalk and ceiling light stay bright without hardening.
    Top Out applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Top Out applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Top Out applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Top Out applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Top Out. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  10. No. 10Bouldering MatThe mats below, colour handled by band so vinyl blue and red carry while skin stays natural.
    Bouldering Mat applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Bouldering Mat applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Bouldering Mat applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Bouldering Mat applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Bouldering Mat. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  11. No. 11Heel HookA heel over the hold, texture raised on rubber and wall grit inside an otherwise soft grade.
    Heel Hook applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Heel Hook applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Heel Hook applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Heel Hook applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Heel Hook. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  12. No. 12Sloper PinchOpen-handed on a rounded hold, gentle in the shadows so forearm detail survives the gym's low light.
    Sloper Pinch applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Sloper Pinch applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Sloper Pinch applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Sloper Pinch applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Sloper Pinch. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  13. No. 13Rope BagRope on the floor in a quiet corner, vibrance carried up so nylon colour reads in dull light.
    Rope Bag applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Rope Bag applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Rope Bag applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Rope Bag applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Rope Bag. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  14. No. 14Harness LoopWebbing and buckles close in, contrast eased and grain kept low for a clean detail frame.
    Harness Loop applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Harness Loop applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Harness Loop applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Harness Loop applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Harness Loop. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  15. No. 15Wall PanelPlywood and resin under strip lights, blue hue moved so the wall stops going cold and plastic.
    Wall Panel applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Wall Panel applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Wall Panel applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Wall Panel applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Wall Panel. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  16. No. 16Send AttemptThe try that counts, shadows opened across the whole wall so nothing important sits in the dark.
    Send Attempt applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Send Attempt applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Send Attempt applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Send Attempt applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Send Attempt. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  17. No. 17Foot SmearA shoe on a blank slab, softened overall with the toe kept up for a matte, chalky finish.
    Foot Smear applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Foot Smear applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Foot Smear applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Foot Smear applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Foot Smear. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

  18. No. 18Warm Up LapEasy laps early in the session, bright and low in contrast with the highlights rolled off the ceiling lamps.
    Warm Up Lap applied to Man portrait Before: Man portrait
    Man portrait
    Warm Up Lap applied to Mirror fit Before: Mirror fit
    Mirror fit
    Warm Up Lap applied to Kitchen cook Before: Kitchen cook
    Kitchen cook
    Warm Up Lap applied to Coffee hand Before: Coffee hand
    Coffee hand

    Drag the handle. Left is the original, right is Warm Up Lap. Rendered from the preset's own settings, not a Lightroom export, so the real thing carries a little more bite.

Gym light is bad. Strip lights go green, the wall under the roof goes dead, the floor is dark and the tape colours turn to mud. Every preset here fixes one of those and keeps the contrast low so the wall stays soft.

On the Wall is the climbing. Jug Haul lifts the room. Crimp Edge, Sloper Pinch and Heel Hook keep the hold and the grit sharp inside a soft grade. Overhang Reach warms the underside of the roof. Top Out pushes the whites so chalk and ceiling light stay bright. Send Attempt opens the shadows across the whole wall so the try that counts is all in the frame.

The Room is the light itself. Route Tape pushes red, blue and magenta so a line reads at a glance. Wall Panel moves the blue hue so plywood stops looking cold and plastic. Chalk Dust takes dehaze negative on purpose so the air after a fall keeps its bloom. On the Ground is the floor: belay stance, mats, rope bag, harness, faces still readable.

Tap, check the tape, go again.

Yours in two minutes

how it works

the four steps

  • Buy the setCheckout takes a card; you get a receipt by email.
  • Download instantlyThe preset files download right after payment. Re-download any time from your account.
  • Import to LightroomOpen the files in the free Lightroom app (iOS or Android) or Lightroom Classic. Lightroom saves them as presets automatically.
  • Tap a presetOne tap applies the full look. Every setting stays editable after.

what you may do with them

  • Single-user license.Yours to use in personal and client work.
  • No redistribution.Don't resell or share the preset files themselves.
  • Free app is enough.No Adobe subscription needed for Lightroom mobile.
  • Keep it forever.Files live in your account for re-download.
Netzah Elad Topaz, the photographer who makes these presets

the maker

Why I Make These

I am Netzah Elad Topaz. I take photographs and I build software, and the two keep leading me back to the same problem. You were there. The light was doing something you will not see again. Then the photo comes back flat, and it is not what you were looking at.

Closing that gap is the whole job. Every preset here is built from Adobe defaults by hand, with a written note for what it should do to a picture, and it is judged on real photographs before it ships. Nothing is a filter dropped on top of your work.

What I want is simple. You open a photo you almost gave up on, you tap once, and there it is: the day you remember, not the file your camera handed you. That is worth doing properly.

Netzah Elad Topaz, photographer and software builder

Get Chalk Hold

instant download

Chalk Hold

18 presets for sport and action photography

  • Every preset on this page, as .xmp files in one ZIP.
  • The free Lightroom app on iPhone and Android, and Lightroom Classic.
  • Yours to keep, and to download again from your account.
  • Personal and client work, under the single-user license.

$79.99

Instant download.

The download starts the moment you pay, the link is emailed to you as well, and the pack stays in your account to download again.

every pack, in detail

Questions, answered

Why is the contrast so low?

On purpose. Gym walls are flat and lit from above. Harden them and every bolt hole becomes a black dot. The presets keep the wall soft and put the sharpness on the holds and the rubber instead.

Do these work in the free Lightroom app?

Yes. Import the .xmp files in the free Lightroom app on iPhone or Android, no subscription needed. They also work in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom on desktop.

What exactly do I get?

All 18 presets from Chalk Hold as .xmp files in an instant ZIP download. The link also lands in your email, and the purchase stays in your account so you can re-download any time.

How do I install them?

Two minutes: unzip, then import inside Lightroom. The step-by-step guide covers iPhone, Android, and desktop.

Can I use them for client work?

Yes. The single-user license covers personal and commercial photography. The one thing you can't do is share or resell the preset files themselves.

Can I tweak a preset after applying it?

Always. A preset is a starting point; every slider stays yours to adjust.