Understanding the "Soft Portrait" Look
The goal of a soft portrait is to create a flattering image with:
* Reduced Sharpness: Softer skin textures and less harsh lines.
* Gentle Tones: Muted highlights and shadow details are important.
* Subtle Colors: Reduced saturation for a less intense color palette.
* Slightly Dreamy/Glowing Effect: Not always, but often associated with soft portraits.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating the Preset in Lightroom 4
1. Select a Test Image:
* Choose a portrait image that is well-lit and representative of the types of portraits you typically edit. It should have decent skin tones and highlight/shadow information.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Exposure: Adjust slightly (usually +0.1 to +0.3) if the image is underexposed. Be careful not to blow out highlights.
* Contrast: Reduce contrast (e.g., -15 to -30). This helps flatten the tonal range and contribute to the soft look.
* Highlights: Reduce highlights (e.g., -20 to -40). This recovers detail in bright areas and softens the overall image.
* Shadows: Increase shadows (e.g., +10 to +30). This brightens the darker areas and reveals more detail.
* Whites: Adjust slightly. Increasing slightly can add a subtle glow, but be careful not to clip.
* Blacks: Adjust slightly. Reducing can help define the image.
* Clarity: *Crucially important*. Reduce clarity significantly (e.g., -20 to -50). This softens textures and reduces sharpness. This is a key component of the soft portrait look.
* Vibrance: Increase the vibrance (+5 to +15) to enhance the natural colours in the photo
* Saturation: Slightly reduce the saturation (-5 to -10)
3. Tone Curve Panel:
* Subtle S-Curve (Optional): A very subtle S-curve can add some depth and gentle contrast. Click on the "Point Curve" tab (the default)
* Gently lift the blacks on the curve (left-hand side) to soften the shadows
* Slightly lower the highlights on the curve (right-hand side) to protect detail
4. HSL/Color Panel:
* Skin Tones: Focus on skin tones (orange, red, and yellow hues).
* Hue: Slightly adjust the hue of orange and red to achieve a more pleasing skin tone. Small changes are best.
* Saturation: Reduce the saturation of orange and red slightly (e.g., -5 to -15). This helps to desaturate any redness in the skin.
* Luminance: Increase the luminance of orange and yellow slightly (e.g., +5 to +15). This can brighten skin tones.
5. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: Reduce sharpening amount to zero or a very low value (e.g., 0-20). We're going for softness, so avoid over-sharpening.
* Noise Reduction: Slightly increase luminance noise reduction (e.g., +5 to +20). This smooths out noise and further softens the image. Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look unnatural.
6. Effects Panel:
* Vignetting: Consider adding a subtle vignette (e.g., Amount -5 to -15, Midpoint 20 to 40). A slight vignette can help draw the viewer's eye to the subject. Experiment with settings.
* Grain: Grain adds texture and can enhance a vintage or film-like feel, but it's not strictly necessary for a soft portrait. Adjust to taste if you like it, otherwise leave it at zero.
7. Calibration (Camera Calibration) Panel:
* This panel can be a little more advanced. Experimenting with the Red, Green, and Blue primary hues can impact skin tones and overall color rendering. Subtle shifts here can improve the overall look, but it's best to experiment and see what works for your images.
8. Save the Preset:
* Go to the "Presets" panel on the left-hand side.
* Click the "+" button.
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait Lr4").
* Crucially, make sure to select the settings you want to include in the preset. Generally, you want to select all the settings you've adjusted, but you might exclude things like "Lens Corrections" (if you want the preset to work across different lenses). Also make sure to deselect "Process Version" to ensure compatibility across different camera models.
* Click "Create."
Important Considerations:
* Every Image is Different: This is a starting point. You'll need to adjust the preset for each individual image based on its lighting, skin tones, and overall composition. Think of it as a base that you tweak.
* Subtlety is Key: Avoid extreme settings. The goal is to enhance the image, not drastically alter it.
* Skin Tone Accuracy: Pay close attention to skin tones. They should look natural and healthy. The HSL panel is your friend here.
* Experimentation: Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings and combinations. The best way to learn is to try things out and see what works.
* Don't Rely Solely on Presets: Learn the fundamentals of photo editing. Understanding how each adjustment affects the image is essential for achieving consistently good results.
Troubleshooting:
* Harsh Highlights: If the image is too bright or has blown-out highlights, reduce the "Highlights" slider further and possibly adjust the "Exposure" slider.
* Muddy Shadows: If the shadows are too dark and lack detail, increase the "Shadows" slider.
* Unnatural Skin Tones: Adjust the "Hue," "Saturation," and "Luminance" sliders in the HSL/Color panel, focusing on the orange, red, and yellow channels.
* Too Soft: If the image is too blurry, slightly increase the "Sharpening" amount in the "Detail" panel, but be careful not to overdo it.
By following these steps and experimenting, you can create a soft portrait preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve a beautiful and flattering look for your portrait photography. Good luck!