1. Reset Settings:
* Start with a properly exposed and white-balanced image in Lightroom.
* Crucially, reset all settings to zero. This ensures you're starting from a clean slate and applying only the adjustments you want. To do this, go to: `Develop > Reset`.
2. Basic Adjustments:
* Exposure: Adjust to achieve a good overall brightness. Typically, you want a slightly brighter look for a soft portrait. Values will vary wildly depending on your original image.
* Contrast: Reduce slightly. This softens highlights and shadows. Try: `-10 to -20`. Too much reduction can make the image flat.
* Highlights: Lower slightly to recover detail in bright areas and contribute to the soft look. Try: `-15 to -30`.
* Shadows: Increase slightly to lift the shadows and reveal more detail in darker areas. Try: `+10 to +25`.
* Whites: Slightly increase or decrease to fine-tune the overall brightness. Be careful not to clip highlights. Try: `-5 to +5`.
* Blacks: Slightly increase to lift blacks and further soften contrast. Try: `+5 to +15`.
* Clarity: This is key to the soft look. Reduce Clarity significantly. This softens textures and makes the skin look smoother. Try: `-20 to -40`. Go too far and it looks unrealistic.
* Vibrance: Increase slightly to subtly boost the saturation of muted colors, especially skin tones. Try: `+5 to +15`.
* Saturation: Increase very subtly to enhance overall color. Avoid over-saturation, especially of reds. Try: `+0 to +5`.
3. Tone Curve:
* The tone curve is a powerful tool. A subtle S-curve can add depth, but for a softer look, try a gentler approach.
* Subtle S-Curve (optional): Create a slight bend in the tone curve. Pull down the highlights slightly and lift the shadows slightly. This adds a gentle contrast.
* Flatten the Curve (for very soft): Alternatively, create a point at the top right and drag it down a small amount, and another point at the bottom left and drag it up a small amount. This will flatten the overall contrast. A very small change is needed.
4. HSL/Color Adjustments:
* This is where you fine-tune skin tones and overall color balance.
* Hue:
* Orange: Adjust slightly towards yellow or red to improve skin tone. Experiment between -5 and +5. Very small adjustments are key.
* Red: Similar to Orange, adjust red towards orange or magenta.
* Saturation:
* Orange: Increase slightly to enhance skin tone. Try: `+5 to +15`.
* Red: Decrease slightly to prevent overly red skin. Try: `-5 to -10`.
* Luminance:
* Orange: Increase slightly to brighten skin. Try: `+5 to +10`.
5. Detail Adjustments (Important for Softness):
* Sharpening: This is crucial for a soft portrait. Reduce sharpening drastically.
* Amount: Reduce to `0 to 30`. The exact value depends on your lens and camera. You might even turn it completely off.
* Radius: Keep the radius small, usually around `0.5 to 0.8`.
* Detail: Reduce this slider to further soften the image. Try `0 to 20`.
* Masking: Increase the masking slider. This prevents sharpening on areas with flat color, like skin. Higher values are usually desired for portraits. Values between 50-80 are a good starting point. Hold down the ALT/Option key while dragging the slider to see which areas are being sharpened. White areas are sharpened, black areas are not.
* Noise Reduction: Increase Noise Reduction slightly, even if you don't see visible noise. This smooths skin further.
* Luminance: Try `+5 to +15`. Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look plastic-y.
6. Lens Corrections (Optional):
* If you're shooting with a lens that introduces distortion or vignetting, enabling lens corrections can improve the overall image quality.
* Check "Remove Chromatic Aberration" and "Enable Profile Corrections." This will use your lens's profile to fix common issues.
7. Effects (Subtle Vignette):
* A subtle vignette can draw the viewer's eye towards the subject.
* Amount: Add a very slight negative vignette. Try: `-5 to -15`.
* Midpoint: Adjust to control the size of the vignette.
* Roundness: Adjust to fine-tune the shape of the vignette.
8. Calibration:
* This is advanced, but can fine-tune the overall color look.
* Red Primary, Green Primary, Blue Primary: Subtle shifts in these sliders can alter the overall color cast of the image. Experiment with very small adjustments to achieve your desired look.
9. Save the Preset:
* Once you're happy with the adjustments, click the "+" button next to the "Presets" panel in the Develop module.
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait v1").
* Important: Make sure to select *all* the settings you've adjusted in the "Check" box. If you want the preset to apply specific lens corrections, chromatic aberration removal, etc., be sure to check those boxes too.
* Click "Create."
Tips and Considerations:
* Start with a good image: A well-exposed and properly white-balanced image will always give you better results.
* Subtlety is key: The best soft portrait presets are subtle. Avoid extreme adjustments that can make the image look unnatural.
* Experiment: The values suggested are just starting points. Experiment with different values to see what works best for your images and your personal style.
* Skin Tone Accuracy: Pay close attention to skin tones. Use the HSL/Color panel to fine-tune them to your liking.
* Black and White Option: This can also be applied to black and white photos for a smooth and artistic look.
* Image Dependent: Presets are a starting point. You will almost always need to tweak the settings slightly for each individual image.
* Practice: The more you experiment, the better you'll understand how the different sliders affect the image.
Key Takeaways for a Soft Portrait:
* Reduce Clarity: The most important step.
* Reduce Sharpening: Essential for softening textures.
* Increase Shadows: Helps to lift the image and soften contrast.
* Subtle Color Adjustments: Fine-tune skin tones.
* Subtle Noise Reduction: Further smooths skin.
By following these steps and experimenting with the values, you can create a beautiful "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that adds a dreamy and flattering touch to your photos. Remember to save your preset and adjust it as needed for different images. Good luck!