Understanding the Goal:
The aim of a soft portrait preset is to:
* Soften Skin: Reduce harshness and imperfections.
* Create a Dreamy Atmosphere: Lower contrast and add a slight glow.
* Enhance Subject Focus: Subtle adjustments that draw attention to the person.
* Maintain Natural Look: Avoid over-processing and preserve realistic colors.
Steps to Create the Preset in Lightroom 4:
1. Import a Suitable Portrait:
* Choose a portrait you like, preferably one with good natural lighting as a starting point.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Temperature: Adjust slightly towards warmer tones. A small increase (e.g., +3 to +7) can add warmth and glow.
* Tint: Make small adjustments to counteract any green or magenta cast in the image. Use sparingly.
* Exposure: Adjust the exposure so the skin tones are nicely illuminated. Be careful not to overexpose, as this will blow out highlights.
* Contrast: Crucially, *reduce* the contrast. This is key to the "soft" look. Try starting around -15 to -30. Adjust based on your image.
* Highlights: Reduce the highlights. This helps recover detail in bright areas and further softens the image. Start around -20 to -40.
* Shadows: Increase the shadows. This brightens the darker areas and helps even out the tonal range, contributing to the soft look. Start around +15 to +30.
* Whites: Adjust according to the subject matter. If the skin highlights are blown out, reduce it. If not, increase it slightly.
* Blacks: Adjust according to the subject matter. Reducing it darkens the shadows, but too much can make the image dull.
3. Tone Curve:
* This is where you can really refine the softness.
* Point Curve: A *very subtle* S-curve can add a touch of contrast back in, but keep it gentle. Don't overdo it. The idea is to lift the shadows and lower the highlights slightly.
* Alternatively, you can use the region controls (Highlights, Lights, Darks, Shadows) on the Tone Curve to fine-tune each region individually.
4. HSL / Color Panel:
* Luminance: Slightly increase the luminance of the oranges and yellows. This will brighten the skin tones. Start with +5 to +10 for each, but adjust based on the skin tone in your photo.
* Saturation: Reduce saturation of reds and oranges slightly to mellow out skin tones. Start with -3 to -7 for each.
* Hue: Minor adjustments to the hue of oranges and yellows can help fine-tune skin tone. Be cautious; big changes can look unnatural.
5. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: Reduce the sharpening amount. This helps soften the skin. Start around 20-30.
* Radius: Keep the radius low (around 0.5 - 0.7).
* Detail: Reduce detail slightly (around 10-20). This softens the overall image.
* Masking: Use the masking slider (hold Alt/Option while dragging) to apply sharpening only to the edges, protecting the skin. Adjust the mask until only the edges have some sharpening to them.
* Noise Reduction: Increase luminance noise reduction slightly (5-15). This will help smooth out the skin further. Don't overdo it, as it can make the skin look plastic-y. You may not need any if the image wasn't shot at a high ISO.
6. Effects Panel:
* Post-Crop Vignetting: A subtle vignette can draw the eye to the subject. Use sparingly. Amount can be around -5 to -15.
* Grain: Adding a very small amount of grain (1-3) can add texture back into an overly smoothed image. Use only if necessary.
7. Calibration Panel (Less Important, but Can Help):
* Experiment with the Red, Green, and Blue primary hues to fine-tune the overall color tone of the image. Small adjustments here can make a difference.
8. Create the Preset:
* In the left panel, click the "+" button next to "Presets."
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait," "Dreamy Portrait").
* Crucially, select *only* the settings you adjusted. You typically *don't* want to include settings like Exposure, White Balance, or Crop in your preset (unless you specifically want those to be part of the look). Leaving these unchecked allows the preset to adapt to different images. Settings like Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Tone Curve, HSL adjustments, Sharpening, and Noise Reduction are good candidates.
* Click "Create."
Important Considerations:
* Every photo is different: This preset is a starting point. You'll almost certainly need to tweak it slightly for each individual image. Exposure, White Balance, and specific HSL adjustments will often need to be adjusted on a case-by-case basis.
* Subtlety is key: Avoid over-processing. The best soft portrait presets enhance the natural beauty of the subject without making them look fake.
* Experiment: Don't be afraid to play around with the sliders and see what works best for you.
* Skin Tone Consistency: Pay close attention to skin tones. Ensure they look natural and healthy.
* Backup your presets: Regularly back up your Lightroom catalog and presets.
Example Starting Point (Numbers Are Just for Illustration - Adjust Based on Your Photo):
* Basic:
* Contrast: -25
* Highlights: -35
* Shadows: +20
* Whites: -5
* Blacks: +5
* Tone Curve: Very slight S-curve or minor adjustments to region sliders.
* HSL:
* Orange Luminance: +8
* Yellow Luminance: +5
* Orange Saturation: -5
* Detail:
* Sharpening Amount: 25
* Sharpening Radius: 0.6
* Sharpening Detail: 15
* Sharpening Masking: (As needed, Alt-click and drag to apply to edges)
* Luminance Noise Reduction: 7
This guide provides a solid foundation for creating your own "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4. Remember to adapt the settings to suit your personal style and the unique characteristics of each photograph. Good luck!