1. Basic Panel:
* Exposure: Adjust to taste, slightly brighter than the original if necessary, but be careful not to blow out highlights. A good starting point is +0.10 to +0.30.
* Contrast: Reduce the contrast. This is a key element for softness. Try -10 to -25.
* Highlights: Decrease the highlights. This helps recover detail in bright areas like skin and prevent them from looking harsh. Try -15 to -30.
* Shadows: Increase the shadows. This will lift the darker areas, softening the image overall. Try +10 to +25.
* Whites: Slightly decrease or leave as is. Monitor for clipping.
* Blacks: Slightly increase. This helps to lift the blacks and create a flatter, more dreamy look. Try +5 to +15.
2. Tone Curve Panel:
* Experiment with a slight S-Curve: A very subtle S-curve can add a touch of depth while still maintaining softness. However, for a truly soft effect, consider a more gentle or even flat curve.
* Alternatively: Linear Curve: Sometimes setting the tone curve to "Linear" (the straight line) can work well to reduce contrast.
* Point Curve: A more precise way to control the curve is using the Point Curve. Click the icon to switch to this mode.
* *Raise the Blacks:* Slightly lift the bottom left point to raise the black levels. This will reduce contrast in the shadows.
3. HSL/Color Panel:
* Luminance:
* Orange and Yellow: Increase the luminance of orange and yellow to brighten skin tones. Start with +5 to +15 each and adjust as needed.
* Reds: Consider increasing slightly to enhance lip color. +5 to +10
* Saturation:
* Orange: Slightly reduce the saturation of the orange to soften the skin tones. -5 to -10
* Other Colors: Adjust other color saturations subtly as needed to match your desired look.
* Hue: Generally, leave these untouched unless you need specific color correction.
4. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening:
* Amount: Reduce the sharpening amount. This is *crucial* for a soft portrait. Start low (e.g., 20-30) and adjust depending on the image.
* Radius: Keep this relatively small (e.g., 0.7 - 1.0) to avoid halos.
* Detail: Lower this slightly to further soften the texture. (e.g., 20-30)
* Masking: Increase the masking slightly (e.g., 50-70) to avoid sharpening in areas like backgrounds, further isolating the sharpness to the subject. Hold down the Alt/Option key while adjusting the masking slider to see which areas are being masked.
* Noise Reduction (Luminance): Add a small amount of luminance noise reduction. This will smooth out skin and reduce grain. Be careful not to overdo it, or you'll lose detail. Start with a low value (e.g., 5-15) and increase gradually. Color Noise Reduction is less crucial but can be increased to 10-20.
5. Effects Panel:
* Vignette: A subtle vignette can draw the viewer's eye to the subject. Experiment with a slight darkening vignette, but use it sparingly. Amount: -5 to -15. Midpoint: adjust to taste, generally larger for portraits.
* Grain: Some people like to add a very subtle grain to give a film-like look and to prevent the skin from looking too plastic. If so, use a very small amount (e.g., 5-10) with small size.
6. Calibration Panel:
* While not essential, you can adjust the Red, Green, and Blue Primary Hue and Saturation slightly to fine-tune the overall color tone of your portraits. This is where you can personalize the preset based on your preferred style. For example, you might slightly shift the Blue Primary towards Cyan for a cooler tone or increase the Red Primary saturation for warmer skin tones. Subtle adjustments are key.
Saving the Preset:
1. On the left panel, click the "+" button next to "Presets".
2. Name your preset (e.g., "Soft Portrait").
3. In the "Create Preset" dialog box, check the boxes next to all the settings you adjusted. Generally, you want to include everything except the "Process Version" and potentially "White Balance" (unless you want the preset to always apply a specific white balance). You might also exclude "Transform" if you don't want lens corrections or perspective adjustments to be included.
4. Click "Create".
Tips for Use:
* Apply the preset to an image.
* Adjust individually: Presets are just a starting point. Each image is different, so you'll need to fine-tune the settings after applying the preset to get the best results. Pay particular attention to exposure, white balance, and noise reduction.
* Experiment with different images: See how the preset works on various images with different lighting conditions and skin tones.
* Refine your preset: As you use the preset, you may find things you want to change. Adjust the settings on an image, then right-click on the preset in the Presets panel and choose "Update with Current Settings".
* Use adjustment brushes: For even more control, use the Adjustment Brush to selectively soften skin or dodge and burn specific areas.
Key Considerations:
* Skin Tones: Monitor skin tones carefully. Avoid making skin look too orange, yellow, or plastic.
* Over-Smoothing: Be careful not to over-smooth skin, as this can make it look unnatural.
* Lighting: The effectiveness of the preset will depend on the original lighting of the image. Images shot in soft, even light will generally benefit more from this type of preset than images shot in harsh, direct sunlight.
* Subject: Consider the subject's age and skin texture. What might work well for a child might not work for an older adult with more wrinkles.
This detailed guide should provide a solid foundation for creating your own personalized "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4. Remember that practice and experimentation are key to achieving the perfect look for your photography! Good luck!