1. Open Your Image and Access the Develop Module:
* Import the portrait you want to work with into Lightroom.
* Select the image and go to the "Develop" module.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Temperature: Experiment with warming the image slightly. A little extra warmth can enhance skin tones. Try moving the slider towards the yellow end (e.g., +5 to +15) – adjust to suit your image.
* Tint: Adjust to correct any color casts and ensure natural skin tones. Slightly move towards magenta if needed (e.g., +3 to +7).
* Exposure: Adjust for proper brightness. Aim for a slightly brighter overall image without blowing out highlights. (e.g., +0.10 to +0.30).
* Contrast: Reduce contrast. This is crucial for the "soft" look. Try a setting like -20 to -40.
* Highlights: Lower the highlights. This helps prevent blown-out areas and contributes to the softness. Try -30 to -60.
* Shadows: Raise the shadows to bring out detail in darker areas. Try +15 to +40.
* Whites: Adjust whites to fine-tune the overall brightness. Small adjustments are usually best (e.g., +5 to +15).
* Blacks: Adjust blacks to fine-tune the contrast and depth. Small adjustments are usually best (e.g., -5 to +5).
* Clarity: Reduce clarity. This is a *key* component to achieving the soft look. Try a setting like -15 to -30. *Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look muddy*.
* Vibrance: Increase Vibrance slightly to boost color saturation without making skin tones look unnatural. Try +5 to +15.
* Saturation: Adjust Saturation to your taste. If you increased vibrance, you might not need to increase saturation as much. Generally, keep this relatively low (e.g., -5 to +5 or leave it at 0).
3. Tone Curve Adjustments (Optional, but often helpful):
* Click on the "Tone Curve" panel.
* Consider a subtle S-curve. This is a classic technique for adding depth and contrast without harshness.
* Click on the "Point Curve" icon (the icon with the diagonal line and the grid).
* Create a slight bend in the middle of the curve.
* Pull the top right part of the curve *down* slightly.
* Pull the bottom left part of the curve *up* slightly.
*A *very* subtle curve is key here. Overdoing it will negate the soft effect.*
4. HSL / Color Panel Adjustments (Optional, but fine-tunes skin tones):
* Click on the "HSL / Color" panel. Go to the "Luminance" tab.
* Orange: Increase the Luminance of orange to brighten skin tones. Try +5 to +15.
* Red: Increase the Luminance of red to help with lip color. Try +3 to +10.
* Go to the "Saturation" tab.
* Orange: Slight reduction of saturation on orange hues may help to even out skin. -5 to 0
* Go to the "Hue" Tab
* Orange: Slight adjustments can correct any yellow/red cast. -5 to 5
5. Detail Panel Adjustments:
* Click on the "Detail" panel.
* Sharpening: Adjust sharpening carefully. Too much will ruin the soft effect. Use a small amount of sharpening and a moderate radius.
* Amount: 20-40 (start low and increase gradually)
* Radius: 0.7-1.0
* Detail: 25-50
* Masking: This is important! Hold down the Alt/Option key while adjusting the masking slider. This will show you which areas are being sharpened. Aim to sharpen edges and avoid sharpening skin. A setting of 40-70 is a good starting point.
* Noise Reduction: Increase luminance noise reduction slightly. This further contributes to the soft, smooth look.
* Luminance: 5-15 (start low and increase gradually)
6. Effects Panel Adjustments (Optional):
* Grain: Adding a *tiny* bit of grain can create a film-like look. However, it's easy to overdo, so be very subtle if you choose to use it.
* Vignetting: A slight vignette can draw attention to the subject. Experiment with negative or positive values in small increments.
7. Camera Calibration (Optional - Only if you want to tweak the base colors):
* This is an advanced step, but it can fine-tune the overall color palette.
* Experiment with different camera profiles (if available for your camera). These can alter the base colors in ways that complement a soft portrait look.
8. Save the Preset:
* On the left side of the Develop module, click the "+" icon next to "Presets."
* Name your preset something descriptive (e.g., "Soft Portrait - Light," "Dreamy Portrait").
* Check all the boxes for the settings you adjusted.
* Click "Create."
Important Considerations:
* Image Specific Adjustments: Every image is different. This preset will be a *starting point*. You'll likely need to make further adjustments to individual images to get the best results.
* Experimentation is Key: Don't be afraid to play with the sliders and see what works best for your style and the specific image.
* Subtlety: The key to a good soft portrait is *subtlety*. Avoid overdoing any single adjustment.
* Skin Tones: Pay close attention to skin tones. Make sure they look natural and healthy.
* Monitor Calibration: A properly calibrated monitor is essential for accurate color adjustments.
Example Settings (as a starting point - adjust to your image!):
* Temperature: +8
* Tint: +4
* Exposure: +0.20
* Contrast: -30
* Highlights: -50
* Shadows: +30
* Whites: +8
* Blacks: -3
* Clarity: -20
* Vibrance: +10
* Saturation: 0
* Tone Curve: (Subtle S-Curve)
* Orange Luminance: +8
* Red Luminance: +5
* Sharpening Amount: 30
* Sharpening Radius: 0.8
* Sharpening Detail: 40
* Sharpening Masking: 60
* Luminance Noise Reduction: 8
By following these steps and experimenting, you can create a beautiful "soft portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve a dreamy and flattering look for your portrait photography. Good luck!