I. Start with a Well-Exposed Photo
* Choose a portrait photo that's reasonably well-exposed to start. This will give you a good baseline.
II. Adjust Basic Settings (The Foundation)
1. White Balance:
* Experiment with the "Temp" and "Tint" sliders. Slightly warmer (towards yellow) often works well for portraits, adding a touch of warmth. Don't overdo it – aim for natural skin tones.
2. Exposure:
* Adjust exposure to get a good overall brightness. Don't overexpose, as you'll lose detail in highlights. Aim for slightly brighter than what you might normally use.
3. Contrast:
* This is key. Reduce Contrast significantly (e.g., -20 to -50). This flattens the image and creates a softer look.
4. Highlights:
* Reduce Highlights (e.g., -30 to -70). This recovers detail in bright areas and contributes to the soft look.
5. Shadows:
* Increase Shadows (e.g., +10 to +40). This brightens the darker areas, balancing the reduced contrast and further flattening the image.
6. Whites:
* Slightly adjust. Be careful not to clip the whites.
7. Blacks:
* Slightly adjust. Be careful not to clip the blacks.
8. Clarity:
* Decrease Clarity (e.g., -10 to -30). This is crucial for a soft look. It smooths out textures.
9. Vibrance & Saturation:
* Increase Vibrance slightly (e.g., +5 to +15). Vibrance adds color to the less saturated areas, making the image pop without overdoing skin tones.
* Adjust Saturation sparingly. If needed, reduce it slightly to avoid overly saturated skin.
III. Tone Curve Adjustments (Subtle but Important)
1. Point Curve (Optional, but Recommended):
* Switch to the Point Curve.
* Create a gentle "S" curve. Pull down slightly on the highlights end and lift the shadows end. This adds a touch of contrast while maintaining the soft feel. Keep it very subtle. Avoid creating a harsh curve. The curve will slightly brighten the midtones and soften the contrast.
IV. Detail (Sharpening and Noise Reduction)
1. Sharpening:
* Reduce Sharpening significantly. Start with the default and reduce the amount to somewhere between 0-25.
* Increase the "Masking" slider (hold down Alt/Option while dragging) to protect smooth areas like skin from over-sharpening. Aim to mask the skin area from sharpening.
2. Noise Reduction:
* Increase Luminance Noise Reduction (e.g., 10 to 30). This smooths out any graininess and further contributes to the soft look. Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look plastic.
* Adjust Color Noise Reduction if needed, but generally a small amount (5-15) is sufficient.
V. HSL/Color Adjustments (Fine-Tuning)
1. Hue:
* Adjust the Hue of the orange and yellow tones to fine-tune skin tones. Small changes can make a big difference.
2. Saturation:
* If skin tones are too saturated, slightly reduce the Saturation of oranges and reds.
3. Luminance:
* Adjust the Luminance of oranges and yellows to brighten or darken skin tones.
VI. Effects (Subtle Vignette)
1. Post-Crop Vignetting (Optional):
* Add a *very* subtle vignette. Use a white vignette (move the amount slider to the right) to subtly brighten the edges. This draws attention to the subject.
VII. Create the Preset
1. In the left panel, click the "+" button in the "Presets" panel.
2. Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait - Gentle Glow").
3. In the "Check" dialog box, carefully select *only* the settings you want to save in the preset.
* Important: Do *not* include things like "Process Version," "Crop," or "Spot Removal." These are photo-specific.
* Typically, you'll want to save:
* White Balance
* Exposure
* Contrast
* Highlights
* Shadows
* Whites
* Blacks
* Clarity
* Vibrance
* Saturation
* Tone Curve
* Sharpening
* Noise Reduction
* HSL / Color
* Post-Crop Vignetting
4. Click "Create."
VIII. Test and Refine
1. Apply the preset to a variety of portrait photos with different lighting and skin tones.
2. Make adjustments to the preset based on the results. For example, you might need to tweak the noise reduction or sharpening depending on the photo.
3. You can update the preset by right-clicking on it and selecting "Update with Current Settings."
Important Considerations:
* Skin Tone: Pay close attention to skin tones. Over-smoothing can make skin look unnatural. Subtlety is key.
* Lighting: The preset will work best on photos with relatively good, even lighting. It might not be suitable for photos with harsh shadows.
* Individuality: Remember that presets are starting points. You'll likely need to make further adjustments to each individual photo to achieve the best results.
* Process Version: Lightroom 4 is an older version. If you are using an newer version of Lightroom you may need to adjust the settings slightly to match the look you are achieving in Lightroom 4.
Troubleshooting:
* Muddy Colors: If colors look muddy, slightly increase Vibrance or Saturation, and check the HSL panel for unwanted color shifts.
* Plastic Skin: If skin looks too smooth, reduce Luminance Noise Reduction and increase Masking in Sharpening.
* Harshness: If the image still looks harsh, further reduce Contrast and Clarity. Consider softening the Tone Curve further.
By following these steps and experimenting with the settings, you can create a versatile "Soft Portrait" preset that will give your portrait photos a beautiful, flattering look. Remember to always adjust the preset to suit the specific needs of each photo. Good luck!