Understanding the Goal:
A soft portrait preset aims to:
* Soften Skin: Reduce blemishes and texture.
* Highlight Subject: Draw focus to the eyes and face.
* Diffuse Light: Minimize harsh shadows and highlights.
* Create a Dreamy Feel: Introduce a slight blur or glow.
* Retain Detail: Avoid completely flattening the image.
Step-by-Step Settings:
1. Basic Panel:
* Exposure: Adjust to taste. Aim for a slightly brighter exposure than you might normally use for a standard portrait. Don't overexpose, but let the light feel a bit airier. Start with +0.30 to +0.70 and adjust from there.
* Contrast: Lower it! High contrast emphasizes harsh lines. Go for -20 to -40. This is a *critical* step.
* Highlights: Reduce them. Bringing down highlights helps create a softer light and minimize blown-out areas. Try -40 to -70.
* Shadows: Increase them to open up the shadows and add more detail. +20 to +40 is a good starting point.
* Whites: Slightly increase to brighten the image. +5 to +15.
* Blacks: Slightly decrease to add a little depth. -5 to -15.
* Clarity: *Crucial* adjustment. Reduce Clarity significantly! This softens the overall image and skin. Go for -20 to -40, sometimes even lower. This is a key element of the soft portrait look.
* Vibrance: Increase slightly for subtle color enhancement. +5 to +15.
* Saturation: Adjust carefully. Too much saturation can look unnatural. Try -5 to +5, or leave it as is.
2. Tone Curve:
* Point Curve: A subtle "S" curve is common for portraits. This brightens highlights and deepens shadows a little, but keep it *very* gentle. Click the point curve icon and try these:
* Slightly lift the bottom left point upwards (darker tones).
* Slightly lower the top right point downwards (brighter tones).
* Optionally, add a slight dip in the shadows (creating a more matte feel).
Alternatives to the Point Curve: You can also try the "Channel Curve" (Red, Green, Blue) to subtly adjust color tones, but this is more advanced and requires experimentation.
3. HSL / Color Panel:
* Luminance:
* Orange: Increase to brighten skin tones (e.g., +5 to +20). Be careful not to overdo it.
* Red: Increase slightly to brighten lips. (+5 to +10)
* Saturation:
* Orange: Slightly desaturate orange to reduce redness in the skin (e.g., -5 to -15).
* Red: Increase to make the lips pop just a bit (+5 to +10).
* Hue:
* These are more subtle, but you can adjust the hues of Orange/Yellow/Red to fine-tune skin tones. A tiny shift can sometimes improve the overall look, but be cautious.
4. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: *Reduce* sharpening to further soften the image. Lower the amount to around 20-30.
* Radius: Keep it relatively low, around 0.7 - 1.0.
* Detail: Keep it low, around 20-30.
* Masking: A higher masking value (e.g., 60-80) protects fine details like eyes and hair from being over-softened. Hold down the 'Alt' (Windows) or 'Option' (Mac) key while adjusting the masking slider to see what areas are being masked.
* Noise Reduction:
* Luminance: Increase *slightly* to smooth out skin. Start with 5-15 and adjust as needed. Too much will make the skin look waxy.
* Color: Leave this at its default value unless there is significant color noise.
5. Effects Panel:
* Grain: Adding a touch of grain can enhance the vintage, dreamy feel, but this is optional and subjective. Try a very small amount (e.g., Amount: 5-10, Size: 25-35, Roughness: 50-60).
* Vignette: A very subtle vignette (negative value) can help draw focus to the subject. Start with an Amount of -5 to -15. Adjust the Midpoint, Roundness, and Feather for a natural look.
6. Camera Calibration Panel (Optional):
* This is for more advanced color adjustments. You can try tweaking the Red, Green, and Blue primary hues and saturations for subtle color grading.
Saving the Preset:
1. Reset: Click the "Reset" button at the bottom of the left panel. This is important so the new preset applies to a starting point.
2. Make Your Adjustments: Go through each of the panels listed above and adjust the settings to your liking.
3. Presets Panel: On the left-hand side, find the "Presets" panel.
4. Click the + (Plus) Button: At the top of the Presets panel, click the "+" button. This will bring up the "New Develop Preset" dialog box.
5. Name Your Preset: Give your preset a descriptive name, like "Soft Portrait" or "Dreamy Portrait."
6. Choose a Group: Select a group for your preset (e.g., "User Presets," "Portraits," or create a new group).
7. Check the Settings: *Important:* By default, Lightroom might not save *all* the current settings. Carefully review the list of checkboxes in the dialog. Make sure all relevant settings are checked. At a minimum, ensure these are checked:
* Exposure
* Contrast
* Highlights
* Shadows
* Whites
* Blacks
* Clarity
* Vibrance
* Saturation
* Tone Curve
* Sharpening
* Noise Reduction
* HSL / Color
* Effects (Vignette, Grain)
* Camera Calibration (if you made changes)
8. Click "Create": Click the "Create" button to save your preset.
Applying and Fine-Tuning:
* Apply to Your Photos: Select a photo and click on your newly created preset in the Presets panel.
* Fine-Tune: Presets are just starting points. You'll likely need to make adjustments to the exposure, white balance, and other settings to suit the specific photo. Don't be afraid to tweak the settings after applying the preset!
Important Considerations:
* Experimentation: These are just guidelines. The best settings will vary depending on the lighting, skin tone, and your artistic vision. Experiment!
* Subtlety: Aim for a subtle effect. Overdoing any of these settings can lead to an unnatural look.
* Skin Tone: Pay close attention to skin tones. Adjust the HSL settings to ensure they look natural and healthy.
* Before/After: Frequently compare the "before" and "after" views (press the "\" key) to assess the changes you're making.
* Batch Processing: Once you've created a preset you like, you can use it to process multiple images at once. However, remember that you'll still need to fine-tune each image individually.
* Practice Makes Perfect: The more you experiment with these settings, the better you'll become at creating soft portrait presets that work for you.
By following these steps, you can create a versatile "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve beautiful and flattering results. Remember to always experiment and fine-tune the settings to suit your specific needs and preferences. Good luck!