1. Start with a Test Image:
* Choose a portrait photo with decent lighting to work with. This will help you see the effects of your adjustments in real-time.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Exposure: Slightly increase the exposure to brighten the overall image. A small bump (e.g., +0.20 to +0.50) is usually enough. Avoid overexposing the highlights.
* Contrast: Reduce the contrast. This helps flatten the image and contributes to the soft look. A setting between -15 and -30 is a good starting point.
* Highlights: Lower the highlights to recover detail and prevent blown-out areas. Try -20 to -40.
* Shadows: Raise the shadows to brighten the darker areas and reduce harsh shadows. A setting of +10 to +30 often works well.
* Whites: Adjust the whites slider to add a subtle brightening effect, but be cautious to avoid clipping highlights. You might not need to adjust this much.
* Blacks: Adjust the blacks slider to set the darkest point in the image. Be careful not to crush the blacks too much, as this will lose detail.
3. Tone Curve:
* The Tone Curve is crucial for achieving the soft look. A subtle "S" curve is often used, but we'll modify it slightly for a softer effect.
* Click on the Point Curve panel (the one with the curve icon).
* Medium Contrast Curve: Instead of a sharp S-curve, create a gentler curve. Pull down gently on the highlights part of the curve (top right) and pull up gently on the shadows part (bottom left). The goal is to *flatten* the curve slightly compared to a standard S-curve. This will further reduce contrast.
* Alternative: Linear Curve: You could also flatten the curve to a nearly straight line for a very flat, low-contrast look. This is a more extreme version and may require more adjustments in other areas.
4. HSL/Color Panel:
* Luminance:
* Increase Luminance for Skin Tones: Slightly increase the luminance of the Orange and Yellow sliders. This will brighten skin tones and give them a healthy glow. Experiment with +5 to +15.
* Reduce Luminance for Certain Colors (Optional): If your portrait has vibrant colors (e.g., bright reds in lipstick), you might slightly reduce the luminance of those colors to prevent them from being too overpowering.
* Saturation:
* Reduce Overall Saturation (Optional): You can subtly reduce the overall saturation to enhance the vintage/soft feel. Try a setting of -5 to -10. Be very careful not to desaturate too much, as this can make the image look lifeless.
* Adjust Skin Tone Saturation: Fine-tune the saturation of Orange and Yellow to make skin tones look natural and healthy.
* Hue:
* Adjust Skin Tone Hue (Subtle): Slightly adjust the Hue of Orange and Yellow to fine-tune the skin tone color. A small adjustment in either direction can make a big difference. Experiment and see what looks best.
5. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: Reduce sharpening significantly. A soft portrait should not be overly sharp.
* Amount: Lower the sharpening amount to around 20-40.
* Radius: Keep the radius low, around 0.5 - 0.8.
* Detail: Reduce the detail slider to further soften the texture. Try 20-30.
* Masking: Increase the masking slider. This protects areas with fine details (like eyes) from being softened too much. Try a setting around 50-70.
* Noise Reduction:
* Luminance Noise Reduction: Increase luminance noise reduction slightly, especially if you notice grain in your image. Start with a setting of 5-15. Be careful not to overdo it, as this can make the image look blurry and plastic-like.
* Color Noise Reduction: Leave this at its default setting unless you see noticeable color noise.
6. Lens Corrections (Optional):
* Go to the Lens Corrections panel.
* Enable Profile Corrections: Check the "Enable Profile Corrections" box to automatically correct for lens distortion and vignetting. This can help improve the overall image quality. If your lens isn't recognized, you can manually select the make and model.
* Remove Chromatic Aberration: Check the "Remove Chromatic Aberration" box to fix any color fringing.
7. Effects Panel:
* Post-Crop Vignetting (Subtle):
* Amount: Add a very subtle vignette, often negative (lightening the corners). Start with a value around -5 to -15.
* Midpoint: Adjust the midpoint slider to control the size and shape of the vignette.
8. Calibration Panel (Advanced):
* This is an optional, more advanced step.
* Red, Green, and Blue Primary Hue and Saturation: Experiment with slight adjustments to the hue and saturation of the red, green, and blue primaries to fine-tune the overall color tone of the image. Subtle changes here can create unique looks. This is where you can add a more vintage or stylized look.
9. Save the Preset:
* Click the "+" button in the Presets panel on the left side of Lightroom.
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait," "Gentle Glow").
* Important: In the "Check All" dialog box, ensure you have the following settings selected:
* Exposure
* Contrast
* Highlights
* Shadows
* Whites
* Blacks
* Tone Curve
* HSL / Color
* Sharpening
* Noise Reduction
* Lens Corrections (if you used them)
* Effects
* Calibration (if you used it)
* Make sure you *uncheck* White Balance and Transform unless you *specifically* want your preset to change those settings every time. White balance is often specific to the lighting conditions of each photo.
* Click "Create."
Tips and Considerations:
* Iterative Process: Creating a good preset is an iterative process. Apply the preset to different photos and fine-tune the settings until you achieve the desired look.
* Subtlety is Key: Avoid making extreme adjustments. Small, incremental changes are usually best for a soft and natural look.
* Skin Tone Accuracy: Pay close attention to skin tones. The goal is to create a flattering look that doesn't make the skin look unnatural.
* Lighting Matters: The effectiveness of the preset will depend on the original lighting of the photo. You may need to make minor adjustments to the exposure or white balance after applying the preset.
* Different Looks: Experiment with different tone curves and color adjustments to create different styles of soft portraits. You can create presets for a "Vintage Soft Portrait," a "Bright and Airy Soft Portrait," etc.
* Customization: Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings and find what works best for your style and the types of photos you typically take.
By following these steps, you can create a versatile "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve a beautiful and flattering look for your portrait photography. Remember to experiment and fine-tune the settings to suit your individual preferences and the specific characteristics of each image. Good luck!