1. Start with a Good Foundation Image:
* Choose a portrait that's already well-exposed and reasonably sharp. Softening can't fix fundamental problems like blur or extreme exposure issues.
* Open your selected image in Lightroom 4's Develop module.
2. Basic Adjustments (Important Prep Work):
* White Balance: Adjust the white balance to get a natural skin tone. Slightly warmer tones usually work well for portraits.
* Exposure: Get the overall exposure right. Aim for a slightly brighter exposure than you might typically use. You'll be softening the image, so a bit of extra light can help.
3. Key Softening & Tone Adjustments:
* Highlights: Increase the Highlights slider slightly. This helps create a softer, more ethereal feel. Don't overdo it; you want to avoid blown-out areas. A good starting point is +10 to +25.
* Shadows: Increase the Shadows slider moderately. This lifts the shadows and reduces harsh contrasts. Try +20 to +40.
* Whites: Slightly increase the Whites slider, being careful not to clip highlights. +5 to +15 can be a good range.
* Blacks: Slightly decrease the Blacks slider to add a touch of depth, but don't go too far, as you want to avoid a heavy, contrasted look. -5 to -15 might be appropriate.
* Clarity: This is crucial for softness. Reduce the Clarity slider significantly. This is your primary softening tool. Try a value between -20 and -50. Experiment to find what looks best.
* Contrast: Reduce Contrast slightly. This will even out the tones and contribute to the soft look. -5 to -15 is a good starting range.
* Vibrance: Increase the Vibrance slider a little. This adds subtle color richness without making the skin tones overly saturated. Try +10 to +20.
* Saturation: Be cautious with saturation. If skin tones are becoming too strong after adjusting Vibrance, reduce Saturation slightly.
4. Detail Panel (Noise Reduction & Sharpening):
* Sharpening: Here's the tricky part. Since you're softening the image, you'll need to adjust sharpening carefully.
* Amount: Reduce the Amount to somewhere between 0 and 30. You're aiming to counteract the softening just enough to maintain some detail without bringing back harshness.
* Radius: Keep the Radius relatively low (around 0.5 to 0.8).
* Detail: Increase the Detail slider slightly (20-40) to help preserve some fine details.
* Masking: This is *very* important. Increase the Masking slider significantly (60-90). Hold the Alt/Option key while dragging the slider. The white areas show where sharpening is being applied. You want to mask away sharpening from smooth areas like skin, focusing it on edges and details like eyes and hair.
* Noise Reduction (Luminance): Add a small amount of luminance noise reduction to smooth out skin textures further. Start with 5-15 and increase as needed. Be careful not to overdo it, or you'll get a plastic, unnatural look.
5. Tone Curve:
* A subtle S-curve in the Tone Curve can add depth and visual interest. Create a very shallow S-curve by adding a point in the highlights (slightly above the center) and pulling it up a little, and another point in the shadows (slightly below the center) and pulling it down a little. Be extremely gentle.
* Alternatively, you can use the Point Curve and select the "Medium Contrast" preset to add a subtle contrast boost.
6. HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance):
* Luminance: Adjust the Luminance of the Orange and Yellow channels to fine-tune skin brightness. Slightly increase the luminance of these colors for brighter skin.
* Saturation: You can subtly adjust the Saturation of skin tones (Orange and Red) to refine their richness. Avoid excessive saturation.
* Hue: Minor adjustments to the Hue of Orange and Red might be needed to fine-tune skin color.
7. Effects Panel (Optional):
* Grain: Adding a very small amount of grain (around 5-10) can sometimes give a film-like quality and break up overly smooth skin.
* Vignetting: A subtle vignette (Amount around -10 to -20) can draw the viewer's eye to the subject.
8. Experiment and Iterate:
* The exact settings will depend on your image. The values provided are just starting points.
* Zoom in to 1:1 (100%) to accurately assess the effects of sharpening and noise reduction on the skin.
* Adjust the settings until you achieve the desired level of softness and detail.
9. Save the Preset:
* Once you're happy with the results, click the "+" button in the Presets panel on the left side of the Develop module.
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait," "Dreamy Skin").
* In the "New Develop Preset" dialog box, carefully select the settings you want to include in the preset. Make sure to include all the adjustments you made. It's generally a good idea to include everything you adjusted to ensure consistency.
* Click "Create."
Important Considerations:
* Skin Tone: Always pay close attention to skin tones. Over-softening can make skin look waxy or unnatural.
* Eyes: Ensure the eyes remain sharp and well-defined. This is critical for a compelling portrait. The Masking slider in the Sharpening panel is key to this.
* Image Resolution: High-resolution images can handle more sharpening than low-resolution images.
* Lightroom Version: While these instructions are geared toward Lightroom 4, the general principles apply to other versions. The location of panels and specific slider names may vary slightly.
Troubleshooting:
* Muddy Colors: If your colors look muted, increase Vibrance or Saturation slightly. Also, double-check your White Balance.
* Plastic Skin: Too much noise reduction or extreme Clarity reduction can result in a plastic, unnatural look. Back off on these settings.
* Harsh Edges: Adjust the Sharpening Masking slider to protect smooth areas.
* Overall Blurriness: Increase sharpening slightly, but focus on using the Masking slider to target specific details.
By following these steps and experimenting with the settings, you can create a custom "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that produces beautiful, flattering results for your portrait photography. Remember to adapt the settings to suit each individual image. Good luck!