1. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Exposure: +0.2 to +0.5 Stops (Adjust to Taste): Soft portraits often benefit from a slight brightening. Start subtle and increase until the image feels lighter and more airy. Don't overexpose, or you'll lose details.
* Contrast: -10 to -30 (Adjust to Taste): Reducing contrast helps to smooth out harsh shadows and highlights, creating a more even skin tone and a softer overall look.
* Highlights: -20 to -50 (Adjust to Taste): Pulling back the highlights prevents them from becoming blown out and helps to retain detail, particularly in bright areas of the face or clothing.
* Shadows: +10 to +30 (Adjust to Taste): Opening up the shadows adds detail to darker areas and further softens the image by reducing the contrast between light and dark.
* Whites: +5 to +15 (Adjust to Taste): Slightly boosting the whites can add a touch of brightness and airiness, but be careful not to clip them (lose detail).
* Blacks: -5 to -15 (Adjust to Taste): Subtly reducing the blacks can prevent the image from looking too flat while still maintaining the soft aesthetic.
* Clarity: -15 to -30 (Adjust to Taste): *This is a key ingredient for the soft portrait look.* Reducing clarity softens edges and reduces fine detail, creating a smoother skin appearance. Go too far, and the image will look blurry, so be cautious.
* Vibrance: +5 to +15 (Adjust to Taste): Vibrance subtly enhances the more muted colors, bringing life back into the image without over-saturating the skin tones.
* Saturation: +2 to +8 (Adjust to Taste): A very slight increase in saturation can enhance the overall color without making skin tones look unnatural. Omit if not needed.
2. Tone Curve Panel Adjustments:
* Slight S-Curve (Subtle): A very gentle S-curve adds a small amount of contrast back in while maintaining the softness.
* Pull down slightly on the upper part of the curve (highlights).
* Pull up slightly on the lower part of the curve (shadows).
* This curve should be very subtle – aim for a gentle bend, not a sharp angle.
3. HSL/Color Panel Adjustments:
* Luminance:
* Orange: +5 to +15 (Adjust to Taste): Lightens skin tones. This is often the most crucial adjustment in this panel.
* Yellow: +5 to +10 (Adjust to Taste): Yellow can affect skin tone, so a subtle boost can add a nice glow.
* Red: +2 to +7 (Adjust to Taste): Red can subtly enhance lip color and warmth in the skin.
* Saturation:
* Orange: -5 to -10 (Adjust to Taste): Can help to desaturate the orange tones in skin, especially if you want a less "tan" look.
* Other Colors (Optional): Adjust other colors based on the specific image. If the background is distracting, you might desaturate greens or blues.
* Hue:
* Orange: -2 to +2 (Adjust to Taste): Very subtle tweaks to the orange hue can warm or cool the skin tone.
4. Split Toning Panel Adjustments (Optional):
* Highlights:
* Hue: Around 35 (warm, golden tone)
* Saturation: 2-5 (very subtle)
* Shadows:
* Hue: Around 220 (cool, blueish tone)
* Saturation: 2-5 (very subtle)
* Balance: -10 to -20: This shifts the overall color tone towards the shadows (cooler).
* *Note:* Split toning is optional but can add a subtle, sophisticated color cast to your portrait. The key is to use very low saturation values.
5. Detail Panel Adjustments:
* Sharpening: Reduce Amount (20-40): Reduce the sharpening amount significantly to further soften the image. You may want to increase the masking slider to prevent sharpening in the background.
* Noise Reduction: Luminance Noise Reduction (5-15): Adding a small amount of luminance noise reduction can help smooth out skin and reduce grain. Don't overdo it, or you'll lose detail.
6. Lens Corrections Panel (Important):
* Enable Profile Corrections: *Highly Recommended.* This automatically corrects for lens distortion and vignetting, improving the overall image quality. Select the correct lens profile if it isn't automatically detected.
* Remove Chromatic Aberration: Also highly recommended.
7. Camera Calibration Panel (Optional):
* Profile: Experiment with different camera profiles (e.g., Camera Portrait, Camera Standard). Some profiles can enhance skin tones. This is very subjective.
Creating the Preset:
1. Open an Image in Lightroom's Develop Module: Choose a portrait image that's representative of the type of photos you'll be applying the preset to.
2. Apply the Above Settings: Adjust each setting in the panels as described above. Remember to adjust the values to suit the specific image. The ranges provided are starting points.
3. Click the "+" Icon in the Presets Panel: This will open the "New Develop Preset" dialog.
4. Name Your Preset: Give it a descriptive name, such as "Soft Portrait," "Dreamy Portrait," or something similar.
5. Select the Settings to Include: *This is crucial.* Check the boxes next to the settings you want to save in the preset. It's usually best to include:
* Basic Tone
* Tone Curve
* HSL/Color/B&W
* Split Toning
* Detail
* Lens Corrections
* Camera Calibration (Optional - if you find a profile you like)
* *Ensure the Process Version is set to the correct one (Likely 2012 for Lightroom 4)*
6. Click "Create": Your preset is now saved in the Presets panel.
Tips and Considerations:
* Start Subtle: It's better to start with subtle adjustments and then fine-tune the preset for each image.
* Image-Specific Adjustments: Remember that presets are a starting point. You'll likely need to make further adjustments to each individual photo to achieve the best results. Factors like lighting conditions and skin tone will affect how the preset looks.
* Experiment: Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings to find what works best for your style.
* Skin Tone: Pay close attention to skin tone when making adjustments. The goal is to soften the skin and create a pleasing look, not to make it look unnatural.
* Local Adjustments: For more precise control, use the adjustment brush or graduated filter to make localized adjustments to specific areas of the image, such as smoothing skin or dodging and burning.
* Process Version: Make sure you are using the latest process version supported by Lightroom 4. If your image was imported with a newer process version, you may need to update it (Develop Module > Settings > Process Version).
* Calibration: Remember that every monitor is calibrated differently. Adjust your settings using a calibrated monitor for the best results.
* Backup: Back up your presets!
By following these steps and experimenting with different settings, you can create a beautiful and effective soft portrait preset in Lightroom 4. Remember to save your preset once you are satisfied. Good luck!