I. Start with a Base Image:
* Choose a suitable image: Select a portrait with decent lighting and relatively good skin texture. This will make the effects of your preset more visible and predictable.
II. Develop Module Settings (Left Panel):
* Basic Panel:
* Exposure: Adjust to achieve a pleasing overall brightness. Aim for a well-exposed face. Typically, a slight increase (+0.10 to +0.50) might be needed, but this is highly image-dependent.
* Contrast: Reduce the contrast slightly. This helps smooth out shadows and highlights. Try -10 to -20.
* Highlights: Bring down the highlights to recover detail in bright areas, especially on the skin. Try -15 to -30. Watch for blown-out areas.
* Shadows: Lift the shadows to brighten up the darker areas and further reduce contrast. Try +10 to +25.
* Whites: Slightly decrease the whites to prevent clipping in bright areas. Try -5 to -15.
* Blacks: Slightly increase the blacks to add a bit of richness and depth while still maintaining the soft look. Try +5 to +15.
* Clarity: This is KEY. Reduce clarity significantly! This softens the entire image and contributes to the "soft" look. Try -20 to -40, or even more depending on the starting image. Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look muddy.
* Vibrance: Increase the vibrance to gently boost colors without making skin tones look unnatural. Try +5 to +15.
* Saturation: Increase the saturation *slightly* to compensate for the reduced clarity and give the image a gentle, colorful feel. Try +3 to +10.
* Tone Curve Panel:
* Point Curve (Subtle S-Curve): Create a very subtle S-curve to add a bit of contrast back in without being harsh. Click on the "Point Curve" icon. Add two points: one just below the midpoint and pull it down slightly, and one just above the midpoint and pull it up slightly. The curve should be VERY gentle.
* Alternatively (Region Curve): Use the Region Curve sliders (Highlights, Lights, Darks, Shadows) for finer control. Gently decrease Highlights and increase Shadows.
* HSL / Color Panel:
* Luminance: Adjust the luminance of individual colors to fine-tune skin tones. Typically, increasing the luminance of orange and red can brighten skin. Try +5 to +15 for both.
* Saturation: Gently adjust the saturation of skin tones (orange and red) to enhance or reduce color. Be very careful with this; too much can make skin look unnatural. Consider decreasing slightly (-5 to 0).
* Hue: Very slight adjustments to the hue of orange and red can improve skin tone. Again, use sparingly. Experiment, but generally, very small adjustments (e.g., +2 or -2) are best.
* Split Toning Panel:
* This can add a subtle color cast for a more stylized look. Experiment with adding a very small amount of warm color (e.g., orange or yellow) to the highlights and a cool color (e.g., blue or purple) to the shadows. Use very low saturation values (e.g., 3-7) to keep it subtle. If you don't want a stylized look, skip this step.
* Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: Reduce sharpening to further soften the image. Start by setting the "Amount" to 0, then gradually increase it until you reach a point where the image looks reasonably sharp but not harsh. Pay close attention to the skin. Aim for a lower value than you normally would for portraits. Try 15-30.
* Radius: Keep the Radius low (0.5 - 1.0).
* Detail: Reduce the Detail slider to further smooth skin. Try 10-20.
* Masking: Use the Masking slider (hold Alt/Option while dragging) to protect smoother areas like skin from excessive sharpening. This is crucial for portraits. Increase the masking until only the edges of objects are sharpened.
* Noise Reduction: Slightly increase luminance noise reduction to smooth skin. Start with a value of 5-10 and increase it until you see a smoothing effect. Be careful not to overdo it, as this can make the skin look plastic.
* Lens Corrections Panel:
* Enable Profile Corrections: This will correct for lens distortion and vignetting, which can improve the overall look of the image. Check the box next to "Enable Profile Corrections."
* Remove Chromatic Aberration: Check this box to remove color fringing.
* Effects Panel:
* Post Crop Vignetting: Add a very subtle vignette (Amount -5 to -15) to draw the viewer's eye towards the subject. Experiment with the Style and Midpoint sliders to get the look you want.
III. Save the Preset:
1. In the left panel, click the "+" button next to "Presets."
2. Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait - Subtle," "Soft Portrait - Dreamy").
3. In the "New Develop Preset" dialog box, select the settings you want to include in your preset. It's generally a good idea to select all the settings you adjusted in the Develop module.
4. Click "Create."
IV. Refinement and Considerations:
* Testing: Apply your preset to a variety of portrait images to see how it performs. You'll likely need to tweak the preset slightly for different lighting conditions and skin tones.
* Skin Tones: Pay close attention to skin tones. Monitor the red, orange, and yellow channels in the HSL/Color panel to avoid unnatural-looking skin.
* Global vs. Local Adjustments: Consider using the Adjustment Brush tool (K) for local adjustments to further refine the skin. You can use the brush to selectively reduce clarity, soften skin, or dodge and burn specific areas.
* Opacity: If the effect of the preset is too strong, you can reduce the overall opacity by going to the "History" panel (usually on the left, but could be in a tab group) and clicking the little double arrow button on the left side of the last develop step. A slider will appear that allows you to adjust the opacity of all the edits performed by the preset.
* Non-Destructive Editing: Remember that Lightroom is non-destructive. You can always revert back to the original image or adjust the settings in your preset at any time.
* Experimentation: Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings to create a unique soft portrait look that suits your style.
Summary of Key Settings for a Soft Portrait Look:
* Reduced Clarity
* Slightly Reduced Contrast
* Lifted Shadows
* Subtle Tone Curve
* Reduced Sharpening with Masking
* Slight Luminance Noise Reduction
* Gentle Skin Tone Adjustments (HSL/Color)
By following these steps, you can create a "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve beautiful, flattering portraits with a dreamy, ethereal quality. Remember that the best preset is one that you tailor to your specific style and the needs of your images. Good luck!