1. Start with a Neutral Image:
* Find a portrait photo with good lighting and minimal distractions. This will be your baseline for developing the preset.
2. Basic Adjustments (Tone & Exposure):
* Exposure: Slightly increase exposure (0.10 - 0.30 stops) to brighten the image. This will add to the softness. Be careful not to overexpose and lose detail.
* Contrast: Reduce contrast (-15 to -30). Lowering contrast is a key ingredient for a softer look.
* Highlights: Decrease Highlights (-20 to -50). This helps to recover details in bright areas, especially skin.
* Shadows: Increase Shadows (+15 to +30). Opening up the shadows softens the overall look and evens out skin tones.
* Whites: Adjust Whites subtly (-10 to +10) depending on your image. Generally, bringing them down slightly helps prevent overexposure.
* Blacks: Adjust Blacks subtly (-10 to +10) depending on your image. Bringing them up slightly can further soften the look, but be careful not to make the image muddy.
3. Tone Curve:
* Point Curve (Optional, but Recommended):
* In the Tone Curve panel, switch to the "Point Curve" mode.
* Create a gentle "S" curve. Pull down slightly in the highlights (upper right) and lift up slightly in the shadows (lower left). This adds subtle contrast and depth while maintaining softness. A very subtle curve is key.
* Another option is a Linear curve with a lifted black point. Grab the bottom left corner of the curve and lift it up slightly. This creates a faded, dreamy look. Experiment with this carefully, as too much can flatten the image too much.
4. HSL/Color Adjustments:
* Hue:
* Orange: Slightly shift the orange hue towards red (+3 to +8). This can help warm up skin tones.
* Saturation:
* Orange: Slightly decrease the saturation of orange (-5 to -15). This helps to even out skin tones and prevent them from looking too harsh.
* Other Colors: Evaluate other colors and adjust subtly as needed to complement skin tones and the overall mood. For example, desaturating reds and yellows slightly can sometimes enhance the overall softness.
* Luminance:
* Orange: Increase the luminance of orange (+5 to +15). This brightens skin tones, contributing to the soft effect.
* Yellow: Increase the luminance of yellow (+5 to +15). This can add a subtle glow.
* Red: Increase the luminance of red (+5 to +15) to brighten lip color and bring warmth to the face.
5. Detail (Sharpening & Noise Reduction):
* Sharpening: Reduce Sharpening significantly.
* Amount: Lower it (e.g., 20-40) from the default (25).
* Radius: Keep it low (0.5-0.7) to avoid harshness.
* Detail: Lower it (e.g., 10-25) to further soften the look and avoid over-sharpening textures.
* Masking: Increase the Masking value (e.g., 50-80). This protects areas with smoother tones (like skin) from over-sharpening.
* Noise Reduction:
* Luminance: Increase Luminance Noise Reduction (e.g., 5-15). This smooths out grain and contributes to the soft look. Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look artificial.
* Color: Leave Color Noise Reduction at its default or increase it slightly (e.g., 25-30) if you see color noise.
6. Lens Corrections & Effects:
* Lens Corrections (Optional): Check "Enable Profile Corrections" under Lens Corrections to automatically correct for lens distortion and vignetting. Whether or not to enable this is a stylistic choice.
* Effects (Optional):
* Vignetting: Consider adding a slight negative vignetting (Amount -5 to -15) in the Effects panel to draw attention to the subject. Set the Midpoint to a lower value (e.g. 20-40) to concentrate the vignetting towards the corners.
* Grain: Adding a tiny amount of grain can sometimes enhance the film-like feel of the preset. But if your goal is a very smooth look, skip this.
7. Calibration (Optional):
* Red/Green/Blue Primary Hue/Saturation Adjustments: Slightly tweaking the color calibration settings can further refine skin tones. This is an advanced step and requires experimentation.
8. Saving the Preset:
* In the left panel, click the "+" icon next to "Presets" and choose "Create Preset."
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait - My Style").
* Important: Check only the boxes for the settings you want the preset to affect. At a minimum, you should check the boxes for:
* Basic Tone (Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks)
* Tone Curve
* HSL/Color/B&W
* Detail (Sharpening & Noise Reduction)
* Lens Corrections (if you used them)
* Effects (if you used them)
* Camera Calibration (if you used them)
* Click "Create."
Tips for Refining Your Preset:
* Apply the preset to different images: Test the preset on a variety of portraits with different lighting and skin tones.
* Make adjustments: Fine-tune the preset based on the results on different images. The same settings won't work perfectly for every photo.
* Consider skin tones: Pay close attention to skin tones. Adjust the HSL/Color settings to ensure they look natural and flattering.
* Subtlety is key: Aim for subtle adjustments. Overly aggressive settings can make the image look unnatural.
* Experiment! The best way to learn is to experiment with different settings and see how they affect your images.
Troubleshooting:
* Orange skin tones: If skin tones look too orange, reduce the saturation of orange in the HSL/Color panel. You can also shift the orange hue slightly towards yellow.
* Loss of detail: If the image looks too soft, reduce the Luminance Noise Reduction and increase the Sharpening (but keep it subtle).
* Muddy colors: If the colors look muddy, increase the contrast slightly or adjust the saturation of individual colors in the HSL/Color panel.
* Harshness: Reduce contrast, highlights, and sharpening if the image looks too harsh.
This comprehensive guide should help you create a beautiful "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4! Remember to experiment and tailor the settings to your own style and the specific needs of your photographs. Good luck!