I. Basic Adjustments (Foundation of the Soft Look)
1. Exposure: Generally, you'll want to start with a slightly brighter exposure. Aim for a value that brightens the skin without blowing out highlights. Adjust based on your specific photo. Start with a +0.2 to +0.5 adjustment.
2. Contrast: Reduce the contrast significantly. This helps flatten the image and reduce harsh shadows, contributing to the softness. Try a setting between -20 and -40.
3. Highlights: Pull down the highlights to recover detail and further soften the image. A value between -20 and -50 often works well. Watch for blown highlights and adjust accordingly.
4. Shadows: Lift the shadows to brighten the darker areas of the image and reduce contrast. Experiment with values from +20 to +50.
5. Whites: Subtly adjust the Whites slider. A slight decrease (-5 to -15) can help prevent clipping in bright areas.
6. Blacks: A subtle lift in the Blacks slider (+5 to +15) can further lighten the shadows and contribute to the overall soft effect.
II. Tone Curve (Gentle Softness)
1. Select the Tone Curve Panel.
2. Point Curve (Recommended): Switch to the Point Curve (the graph with the dot).
3. Create an "S-Curve," but very, very gently. The goal is to flatten the curve, not introduce significant contrast.
* Midtones: Add a point roughly in the middle of the curve and *slightly* raise it. This brightens the midtones without harshness. A very small adjustment here is key.
* Highlights and Shadows: Add points in the upper and lower quadrants and *slightly* flatten the ends of the curve. This prevents the highlights from becoming too bright and the shadows from becoming too dark.
* Alternative (If Point Curve is intimidating): You can use the Preset Curve options (Medium Contrast, Strong Contrast, Linear). If you use these, immediately *reduce* the contrast slider afterward.
III. HSL / Color (Subtle Color Adjustments)
1. Saturation: Reduce the overall saturation slightly. Overly saturated colors can detract from the soft, dreamy feel. A reduction of -5 to -15 can be effective.
2. Luminance: Adjust the luminance of specific colors, particularly skin tones (Orange, Red). *Slightly* increase the luminance of orange and red to brighten the skin. A value between +5 and +15 is a good starting point.
3. Hue: Make small adjustments to the Hue of skin tones (Orange, Red). Experiment to find what looks best. Slightly shifting Orange towards Red can sometimes create a warmer, more pleasing skin tone. Be very subtle.
IV. Detail (Sharpening and Noise Reduction)
1. Sharpening: Reduce the sharpening amount. Soft portraits generally don't benefit from aggressive sharpening. A value of 0-20 is usually appropriate. Consider masking the sharpening to avoid sharpening skin details. Hold ALT/Option while dragging the Masking slider. This reveals what areas are being sharpened, and you can isolate sharpening to edges rather than skin.
2. Noise Reduction: Increase luminance noise reduction. This helps to smooth out skin and remove any unwanted texture or grain. Start with a value between 10 and 30, and adjust based on the level of noise in your image. Be careful not to overdo it, as this can make the skin look artificial.
3. Color Noise Reduction: Increase the color noise reduction to remove unwanted color artifacts. A value between 10 and 25 is often appropriate.
V. Camera Calibration (Optional, but often beneficial)
1. Profile: Experiment with different camera profiles. Some profiles, like "Camera Portrait" or "Camera Standard," may provide a better starting point for soft portraits than the default Adobe Standard profile. This is highly subjective and depends on your camera model.
2. Red, Green, and Blue Primaries: Experiment with very subtle adjustments to the hue and saturation of the Red, Green, and Blue primaries. This can help you fine-tune the colors in your image and achieve a specific look. Small adjustments go a long way here.
VI. Creating the Preset
1. Click the "+" button in the Presets panel.
2. Name Your Preset: Give your preset a descriptive name, like "Soft Portrait - Version 1" or "Dreamy Portrait."
3. Select Settings to Include: Carefully choose which settings to include in your preset. Generally, you'll want to include:
* Basic Tone Adjustments (Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks)
* Tone Curve
* HSL / Color
* Detail (Sharpening, Noise Reduction)
* Camera Calibration (if you made significant adjustments)
* DO NOT include settings that are specific to the image, such as Lens Corrections or Transform adjustments.
4. Click Create.
Important Considerations:
* Experimentation is key: The specific settings that work best will vary depending on the image, lighting, and your personal preferences. Don't be afraid to experiment and adjust the settings until you achieve the desired look.
* Subtlety is crucial: The key to a good soft portrait preset is subtlety. Avoid making drastic adjustments that can make the image look unnatural.
* Skin Tone is paramount: Pay close attention to skin tones. Use the HSL/Color panel to fine-tune the colors and luminance of skin tones to achieve a natural and pleasing look.
* Iterate: Create a base preset and then iterate on it for different lighting scenarios (indoor vs. outdoor, natural light vs. artificial light).
Troubleshooting:
* Orange Skin: If skin tones look too orange, reduce the saturation of the orange color or shift the hue of the orange color towards yellow.
* Overly Soft: If the image looks too soft and lacks detail, increase the sharpening amount slightly or reduce the luminance noise reduction.
* Muddy Colors: If the colors look dull or muddy, increase the overall saturation or adjust the individual color channels in the HSL/Color panel.
By following these steps and experimenting with different settings, you can create a beautiful and effective soft portrait preset in Lightroom 4. Remember to always adapt your preset to the specific needs of each image. Good luck!