Seim Studios

What Seim Studios does

Seim Studios, operating under the brand Seim Effects, is a privately held creator-economy business founded in 2006 by PPA Master Photographer Gavin Seim. The company develops and sells digital photography editing tools — Lightroom preset packs, Capture One Styles, Photoshop action packs, and LUTs — targeting professional wedding, portrait, and street photographers, as well as serious enthusiasts and fine-art photographers. Its proprietary technical differentiators include Speed-Masks (a one-click combo masking system for Lightroom and Capture One) and Lumist zone-based luminosity masking for Photoshop, both described as invented by the founder.

The product portfolio spans roughly 40 preset packs (including Filmist 2, Silver 6, PowerFlow 8, Natural HDR 5, Elegance 4, Belladonna 2), 8 Photoshop action packs (Alchemist 3, Lumist 3, Emulsion 4, BlackRoom, Naked Darkroom, Nitty Gritty, Sharpist, Pictorialist), and 6+ video workshops (Exposed, Photo Perfect, Photoshop FAST, Retouching Magic, Super Workflow, Sliders). Several preset packs include LUTs compatible with DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Affinity Photo, Luminar, and DXO PhotoLab, extending reach into video editing. Products are sold individually or in pre-configured bundles priced up to $899, all as one-time purchases with perpetual access and free updates.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer digital-download model through its own storefront (seim.dpdcart.com) without subscription, supported by a content-led go-to-market motion. Free preset samplers, a YouTube channel, the Pro Photography Podcast, a blog, multi-platform social presence, an affiliate program, and the Shadow Hackers LIVE workshop serve as top-of-funnel acquisition channels. The founder has been based in Mexico since 2017 while maintaining US operations and an Ephrata, Washington domicile. The company has no outside funding, no disclosed enterprise contracts, and operates with 1-10 employees.

Name

Seim Studios

Legal name

Seim Studios

Website

https://seimeffects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Seim Studios (Seim Effects) is a privately held creator business founded in 2006 by PPA Master Photographer Gavin Seim, selling one-time-license Lightroom presets, Capture One Styles, Photoshop actions, and photography workshops directly to professional and enthusiast photographers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ephrata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Revenue model

1. Lightroom/Capture One Preset Packs: One-time purchase digital downloads of preset packs for Lightroom (Classic, CC, Mobile, LR6) and Capture One styles. Individual packs range from $99-$159. Includes free version updates.
2. Photoshop Action Packs: One-time purchase action sets for Photoshop CS6 and later. Individual packs range from $99-$129. Actions include complex retouching and effect systems.
3. Photography Workshops/Courses: One-time purchase video workshops teaching photography techniques (Exposed for lighting, Photo Perfect for composition, Photoshop Fast, Super Workflow, Sliders, Retouching Magic, Shadow-Hacker Field Cards). Full download access included - no subscription or loss of access.
4. Bundle Packages: Pre-configured bundles combining multiple preset/action/workshop packs at discounted prices. Examples: Masters Preset Bundle ($499 vs $1040), Everything Bundle ($899 vs $2258).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Seim Studios (Seim Effects) designs and sells digital photography editing tools for Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, and Capture One, including preset packs, action packs, film-emulation Looks, and Speed-Mask systems. The company also sells on-demand photography workshops and one-on-one mentoring taught by founder Gavin Seim. Products are sold as one-time digital downloads through the company's own e-commerce storefront, with no subscription required.

Product overview

Seim Studios (Seim Effects) offers a portfolio of photography editing tools created by PPA Master Photographer Gavin Seim since 2006. The product line consists of three main categories: Preset Packs (Lightroom presets and Capture One Styles) including Filmist 2, Silver 6, PowerFlow 8, Natural HDR 5, Elegance 4, Belladonna 2, Street'ist, Gold-Chrome, Autumn and Amber, and Muse; Photoshop Action Packs including Alchemist 3, Lumist 3, Emulsion 4, BlackRoom, Naked Darkroom, Nitty Gritty, Sharpist, and Pictorialist; and Photography Workshops including Exposed (award-winning light master-class), Photo Perfect (composition), Photoshop FAST, Retouching Magic, Super Workflow, Sliders, Shadow-Hacker Field Cards, and 1/1 Mentoring. Several preset packs also include LUTs for video editing in DaVinci Resolve, Affinity Photo, Luminar, and Premiere Pro. Products are sold individually or in bundles (Pro Preset Bundle, Preset Darkroom Bundle, BLACK Pack, Masters Preset Bundle, Masters PS Action Bundle, Masters Workshop Bundle, and the Master Bundle combining everything). Mod-Kit universal mod presets are included with all preset packs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Filmist 2 True-film presets and Capture One Styles plus LUTs for video editors, covering classic color films (Portra, Ektar, Kodachrome, Fuji Pro 400H, Fuji Natura, Agfa) and black and white emulsions (Delta 3200, HP5), with ChemKit2 mods for adjustment.
• Silver 6 Black and white presets and Capture One Styles offering fast rich B&W conversions from bold and contrasty to filmic looks, with shadow tools for tonal control and isolation.
• PowerFlow 8 Workflow and speed presets for editing sessions such as weddings, combining creative styles with fast batch editing capabilities and including LUTs for video.
• Natural HDR 5 Presets to create natural HDR beauty from single files without stacking or HDR artifacts. A dynamic range pack for any kind of photography.
• Elegance 4 Speed-Masks Original Speed-Masks that make Lightroom and Capture One masking instant, applying deep combo masks with one click for portraits, skies, and details.
• Belladonna 2 Portrait and color presets that deliver rich color for portraits and street photography, inspired by film with filmic toning.
• Street'ist Presets Preset pack for street photography with color and soul, including film-style looks tailored for urban and documentary photography.
• Gold-Chrome Presets Color presets bringing a golden nirvana effect for photos. Warm, rich color finishing for various photography styles.
• Autumn and Amber Presets Preset pack channeling the magic of Fall in every edit. Warm autumnal tones and amber color grading.
• Muse Preset Pack Bonus Focus Pack included in the Masters Preset Bundle. Portrait-focused preset pack for Lightroom and Capture One.
• Alchemist 3 All-in-one retouching action system for Photoshop with skin surface tools, glamour effects, color painters, and sharpening tools that makes advanced retouching easy.
• Lumist 3

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• FilterGrade: Marketplace for digital photography assets including presets, LUTs, actions, and overlays. Not a direct product competitor but operates as a distribution channel and competitor in the broader 'preset creator economy'.
• FStoppers: Photography education, community, and gear-review platform that also sells presets and learning materials. Comparable as a content-led photography education brand targeting working professionals, though their product line is narrower.

Broad incumbents

• VSCO: Larger mobile-first photo editing platform offering presets, filters, and editing tools to enthusiast and professional photographers. Overlaps with Seim's preset category but serves a much broader consumer market and offers subscription pricing.
• Nik Collection by DxO: Established photo editing plugin suite (now owned by DxO) that complements Photoshop/Lightroom workflows with film emulation, color, and black-and-white tools. Comparable in addressing professional photographer editing workflows but as a broader software suite.
• On1 Photo: Established photo editing software company offering Photo RAW and a suite of effects, presets, and AI-powered editing tools. Competes with Seim at the editing-tool layer and serves the same professional/advanced enthusiast segment with broader platform ambitions.

Direct peers

• RNI Films: Direct competitor producing film-emulation presets and profiles for Lightroom, Capture One, and mobile editing apps. Comparable film-still aesthetic focus and professional photographer target customer.
• Sleeklens: Direct competitor offering Lightroom presets, Photoshop actions, and photography workflow tools. Overlaps significantly with Seim's wedding/portrait photography use case and bundle pricing model.
• Pretty Presets: Direct competitor selling Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions to wedding, portrait, and family photographers at similar price points. Highly comparable in product category, target persona, and bundle-based pricing.
• Mastin Labs: Direct competitor selling film-emulation presets for Lightroom, Capture One, and Photoshop. Closely comparable product line and target customer (professional photographers seeking film looks) and overlapping price points.

Emerging players

• Tribe Archipelago: Preset and education brand selling Lightroom presets and photography courses to enthusiast and professional photographers. Comparable in combining presets with educational content and targeting the same horizontal photography audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gavinseim
• YouTubeyoutube.com/seimstudios
• Facebookfacebook.com/seimeffects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seim-effects
• Instagraminstagram.com/gavinseim
• TikToktiktok.com/@gavinseim

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seim Studios