Understanding the Goal:
The goal is to reduce harshness, soften details, and create a gentle, flattering look. This usually involves:
* Reducing Contrast: To soften the overall image.
* Increasing Brightness: To lift the shadows and brighten the skin.
* Softer Highlights: To avoid blown-out areas.
* Gentle Tones: Avoiding harsh colors.
* Slightly Blurred Details: To smooth skin and minimize imperfections.
Step-by-Step Guide in Lightroom 4:
1. Start with a Base Image:
* Open a portrait photo in Lightroom 4's Develop module. Choose an image that you want to improve with a soft, gentle look. This will allow you to see the effects of your adjustments.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Exposure: Increase the exposure slightly (+0.2 to +0.5). Adjust to taste based on your image. The goal is to brighten the overall image without clipping highlights.
* Contrast: Reduce the contrast significantly (-20 to -40). This will soften the harshness and create a more even tone.
* Highlights: Reduce the highlights (-20 to -50). This recovers detail in bright areas and prevents them from being blown out.
* Shadows: Increase the shadows (+20 to +40). This lifts the shadows and brightens the darker areas of the image, contributing to the soft look.
* Whites: Slightly increase the whites (+5 to +15), if needed. Be careful not to clip them.
* Blacks: Slightly decrease the blacks (-5 to -15). This prevents the image from looking too flat.
3. Tone Curve Adjustments (Optional but Recommended):
* Click on the Tone Curve panel.
* Point Curve (Recommended): Choose the "Point Curve" (not Parametric Curve).
* S-Curve (Modified): Create a very subtle S-curve. Instead of the traditional deep S-curve that increases contrast, you want a very *shallow* S-curve.
* Pull the point in the upper right section *down* slightly (to soften highlights)
* Pull the point in the lower left section *up* slightly (to lift shadows)
* Alternative Approach: Channel Curves: You can also adjust the Red, Green, and Blue channels individually for more color control. For example, subtly boosting the red channel in the highlights can add warmth.
4. HSL/Color Panel:
* Hue: Subtle adjustments can refine skin tones.
* Orange: Shift the orange hue slightly towards red or yellow depending on the skin tone in your picture. A very small adjustment is best.
* Red: Shift the red hue slightly.
* Saturation: Reduce saturation in some colors to soften the overall look.
* Orange: Reduce the saturation of orange (-5 to -15). This helps to reduce harsh skin tones.
* Yellow: Slightly reduce yellow saturation, especially if the image is too warm.
* Green/Blue (if present): Reduce saturation slightly, especially if they are distracting.
* Luminance: Adjust the brightness of specific colors.
* Orange: Increase the luminance of orange (+5 to +15). This brightens skin tones.
5. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: Reduce sharpening significantly. This is crucial for the soft effect.
* Amount: Set it very low (around 20-30 or even lower).
* Radius: Keep the radius low (around 0.5 - 1.0).
* Detail: Reduce detail (around 10-20).
* Masking: Increase masking (around 50-70) to protect smoother areas from over-sharpening.
* Noise Reduction: Increase luminance noise reduction slightly. This helps to smooth skin and reduce any graininess.
* Luminance: Adjust to taste, usually around 10-20. Be careful not to overdo it, or the image will look too plastic.
6. Effects Panel:
* Post Crop Vignetting: Consider adding a subtle vignette to draw the eye to the subject.
* Amount: Use a negative value (-5 to -15).
* Midpoint: Adjust the midpoint to control the size of the vignette.
7. Lens Correction:
* Enable profile correction for your lens. This can help reduce distortion and chromatic aberration.
8. Save the Preset:
* Click on the "+" button in the Presets panel (left side of the Develop module).
* Name your preset (e.g., "Soft Portrait").
* Carefully select the settings you want to include in the preset. Make sure you select *only* the settings you adjusted. Deselecting other checkboxes is important, so the preset only applies the intended effects, and doesn't override other settings you might already have set. The essential ones to include are:
* Exposure
* Contrast
* Highlights
* Shadows
* Whites
* Blacks
* Tone Curve
* HSL/Color settings
* Sharpening
* Noise Reduction
* Post Crop Vignetting (if used)
* Lens Correction (if used)
* Click "Create."
Important Considerations and Tips:
* Experiment: Don't be afraid to adjust the settings to your liking. The best preset is one that suits your style and the types of photos you typically take.
* Image-Specific Adjustments: Presets are a starting point. You will almost always need to fine-tune the settings for each individual image.
* Skin Tones: Pay close attention to skin tones and adjust the HSL/Color panel accordingly. Skin tones are paramount in portrait photography.
* Subtlety is Key: The goal is a soft, natural look, not an overly processed one. Err on the side of subtlety.
* Before and After: Use the " \ " (backslash) key to toggle between the before and after views to see the effect of your adjustments.
* Backup: Regularly back up your Lightroom catalog and presets.
Why This Works:
* Reduced Contrast: Softens harsh edges and creates a more even tone.
* Increased Shadows: Lifts the shadows, revealing more detail in darker areas and brightening the image.
* Softer Highlights: Prevents blown-out highlights and recovers detail.
* Gentle Tones: Avoids harsh colors and creates a more pleasing palette.
* Slightly Blurred Details: Smooths skin and minimizes imperfections.
* Noise Reduction: Further reduces graininess and smooths skin.
By following these steps and experimenting with the settings, you can create a beautiful "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will enhance your portrait photography. Remember to start with a good base image and adjust the preset to suit each photo. Good luck!