Goal: To create a preset that softens skin, reduces harsh details, and adds a gentle, dreamy feel.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Start with a Representative Portrait:
* Open a portrait photo in the Develop module of Lightroom 4. Choose an image that represents the type of portraits you'll typically use this preset on. Ideally, it should have good lighting as a starting point.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Exposure: Adjust this to achieve a well-balanced exposure. Slightly overexposing can contribute to the softness, but be careful not to clip highlights. Aim for +0.1 to +0.3 stops.
* Contrast: Reduce contrast to minimize harsh shadows and highlights. Try a setting between -15 and -30. Lower contrast helps flatten the image, making the softening process more effective.
* Highlights: Reduce highlights further to recover detail and soften the bright areas of the skin. Try a value between -20 and -40.
* Shadows: Increase shadows to open up the darker areas of the face and reduce contrast. Try a value between +10 and +30.
* Whites: Slightly adjust whites to fine-tune the overall brightness. Experiment within a range of -10 to +10.
* Blacks: Adjust blacks to control the depth of the dark tones. A slight decrease (-5 to -15) can help retain detail in shadows.
3. Clarity and Vibrance:
* Clarity: This is crucial for creating a soft look. Reduce Clarity significantly. A good starting point is -20 to -40. Clarity adds mid-tone contrast, so reducing it softens textures and makes the skin appear smoother.
* Vibrance: Increase Vibrance slightly to enhance the colors in a subtle, natural way. Try +5 to +15. Avoid pushing Vibrance too high, as it can look unnatural.
* Saturation: Use Saturation sparingly. A slight increase (+2 to +8) *might* be appropriate, but often it's best left at zero. Vibrance is usually a better choice than Saturation.
4. Tone Curve Adjustments (Subtle S-Curve):
* In the Tone Curve panel, create a very subtle S-curve.
* Point Curve: Click on the Point Curve icon (the one with the graph) to work directly with points.
* Add Points: Add two points: one in the upper-right quarter of the curve and one in the lower-left quarter.
* Adjust: Slightly pull the upper point *down* and the lower point *up*. The key here is *subtlety*. A very gentle curve will add a touch of contrast without becoming harsh. The goal is to create a soft lift in the shadows and a gentle softening of the highlights.
* *Alternative Method (Region Curve):* Instead of Point Curve, you could also use the Region Curve (click the icon beside the Point Curve) and slightly drag up on the "Lights" and "Darks" sliders, and slightly drag down on the "Highlights" slider.
5. HSL/Color Panel (Optional):
* Luminance: In the Luminance section, you might want to slightly increase the luminance of the orange and yellow hues, as these often affect skin tones. A small increase (+5 to +15) can brighten the skin.
* Saturation: Reduce saturation of orange and yellow hues if you see unwanted warmth.
* Hue: Make subtle adjustments to skin tone warmth/coolness here if needed.
6. Detail Panel (Noise Reduction and Sharpening):
* Sharpening: Reduce the *Amount* slider significantly. Try 0 to 20. Also, increase the *Masking* slider to prevent sharpening of less important areas (like backgrounds). Values of 50-70 are usually a good place to start, then adjust as needed to target only edges. *Radius* should be kept relatively low (around 0.5 to 1).
* Noise Reduction: Apply moderate noise reduction, especially to the *Luminance* slider. Try 10 to 30. This will further soften the image and reduce any unwanted graininess. Be careful not to overdo it, as excessive noise reduction can make the image look plastic.
7. Effects Panel (Optional: Vignette):
* Amount: A very slight negative vignette (-5 to -15) can help draw the viewer's eye to the center of the image (the subject). Use with caution, as strong vignetting can look dated. Set *Midpoint* and *Roundness* sliders to get a pleasing effect.
8. Calibration Panel (Optional):
* Experiment with the Red, Green, and Blue Primary Hue and Saturation sliders to fine-tune the overall color tone of the image. Very small adjustments here can sometimes enhance the skin tones. This panel is more advanced and might not be necessary for all soft portrait presets.
9. Save the Preset:
* On the left-hand side of the Develop module, click the "+" button next to "Presets."
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait - Natural").
* Crucially, uncheck "Process Version". This ensures your preset works across older versions of Lightroom and keeps it flexible. The Process Version affects many parameters, including sliders that are version dependent, and often breaks functionality when migrating presets to older software or other platforms.
* Check the boxes next to all the settings you adjusted. If you didn't adjust a setting, leave its box unchecked. This allows you to apply the preset without affecting other settings you might want to adjust individually.
* Click "Create."
Important Considerations and Tips:
* Subtlety is Key: The best soft portrait presets are subtle. Avoid extreme settings that can make the image look unnatural.
* Experiment and Adjust: The values suggested above are just starting points. Experiment with different settings until you achieve the look you desire. Every photo is different, so you'll likely need to tweak the preset slightly for each image.
* White Balance: Make sure your white balance is accurate *before* applying the preset. Incorrect white balance can throw off the entire look.
* Skin Tone Accuracy: Pay close attention to skin tones. The goal is to create a flattering look, not an unnatural one.
* Test on Different Photos: Test the preset on a variety of portrait photos with different lighting conditions and skin tones to ensure it works well across a range of images.
* Process Version: As mentioned above, avoid including the process version to maximize portability.
Example Settings (Starting Point):
Here are some example values to get you started. Remember to adjust them to suit your own style and photos:
* Basic Panel:
* Exposure: +0.2
* Contrast: -25
* Highlights: -30
* Shadows: +20
* Whites: -5
* Blacks: -10
* Clarity: -30
* Vibrance: +10
* Saturation: +3
* Tone Curve: Subtle S-curve (gentle adjustments to the upper-right and lower-left quarters)
* Detail Panel:
* Sharpening Amount: 15
* Sharpening Radius: 0.7
* Sharpening Detail: 25
* Sharpening Masking: 60
* Luminance Noise Reduction: 20
By following these steps and experimenting with different settings, you can create a "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve beautiful, flattering results. Remember to prioritize natural-looking skin tones and subtle adjustments for the best effect.