California 09 Dark Warm | Moody Golden Hour Preset for Lightroom Mobile & Desktop

C9 is for travel and outdoor photographers who want the California Archive's warm color philosophy applied in a darker, more atmospheric direction.

For photographers who shoot at golden hour and blue hour — the transitional light moments where warmth and depth coexist — and want a preset calibrated for that specific quality.

For photographers who find the rest of the California Archive too bright for their aesthetic but want warm color rather than the moody neutral quality of a Moody Film Archive preset.

Warmth and depth together. Most warm presets sacrifice shadow depth for brightness. C9 keeps the warm golden color while bringing the shadows down to an atmospheric level — the combination is rare and specifically suited to golden hour photography.

It makes moody content feel warm rather than cold. Dark editing usually reads as cool or neutral. C9's warm midtones give dark photography a quality of warmth and intimacy rather than the cold, dramatic quality of standard moody presets.

It is the bridge preset. If you use warm presets for lifestyle and Moody Film presets for atmospheric work, C9 sits between them — warm enough for the first context, dark enough for the second.

1 × California 09 Dark Warm DNG file — for Lightroom Mobile
1 × California 09 Dark Warm XMP file — for Lightroom Classic
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This preset captures the calm, moody aesthetic and sophisticated deep tones similar to the iconic C9 filters. It’s the perfect professional alternative for those wanting a refined, atmospheric film look that adds a touch of mystery and elegance to every shot. By pulling the viewer into the shadows while keeping the colors rich, the C9 creates a cinematic experience that is both bold and beautifully understated.

C9 works best on photos with inherent warmth and strong ambient light — golden hour, late afternoon, warm interior scenes. On flat or cool-ambient photos, the darkness of C9 without the warmth of the ambient light can read as muddy rather than atmospheric.

Exposure: C9 is calibrated slightly darker than the other California Archive presets — start at 0 or -0.1 rather than the +0.1 to +0.2 used for the brighter presets.

Shadow Color Grading: C9 has more Shadow Color Grading saturation than the rest of the collection. This is what creates the warm-in-dark quality. Do not reduce it unless skin tones specifically require it.

Portrait photography with C9: C9 works for dramatic, moody portrait photography in warm light. For close-up portraits, check Orange Luminance is sufficient (add +5 to +8 if skin reads too dark in the shadow range).

On phone photos: 78-82% strength.

What is the difference between C9 and the Moody Film Archive presets? The Moody Film Archive (M1-M6) is primarily moody with warmth as a secondary quality. C9 is primarily warm with depth as a secondary quality. C9 for warm photography that needs atmospheric depth, Moody Film Archive for dark photography that needs warmth.

Does C9 work for golden hour landscape photography? Yes — C9 is specifically calibrated for golden hour conditions. The warm midtones and deeper shadows produce the dimensional quality of low-angle golden light better than the brighter California Archive presets.

Can I upgrade to the full California Archive after purchasing C9? Yes — contact us and we will credit your C9 purchase toward the full California Archive.