1. Starting Point: Choose a Representative Photo
* Find a portrait photo that's relatively well-exposed and has decent skin tones. This will be your test subject as you tweak the settings.
2. Basic Panel Adjustments:
* Exposure: Slightly increase if the image is a bit dark. A little overexposure can contribute to the soft look. Don't blow out highlights, though. Aim for +0.10 to +0.30. Watch the histogram.
* Contrast: This is key to the soft look. Reduce the contrast significantly. Try -20 to -40. This will flatten the tonal range and create a more gentle transition between light and shadows.
* Highlights: Reduce these to recover details in bright areas. -20 to -40 is a good starting point. This will prevent harsh blown-out areas and create a softer light.
* Shadows: Increase these to lift the shadows and reveal more detail in darker areas. +20 to +40. This helps to balance the image and reduce harsh contrasts.
* Whites: Adjust subtly to set your brightest point without clipping. Often a slight decrease (-5 to -15) works well.
* Blacks: Adjust subtly to set your darkest point without losing detail. Often a slight increase (+5 to +15) works well.
3. Tone Curve Panel Adjustments:
* Point Curve (Highly Recommended): Create a subtle "S" curve or a slight flattening curve to further reduce contrast and add a vintage feel.
* S Curve (More Contrast): Gently pull down the highlights slightly and gently lift the shadows slightly. This maintains a bit of contrast but in a softened way.
* Flattening Curve (Less Contrast): Slightly lift the blacks and slightly pull down the whites. This reduces overall contrast and gives a very soft look.
* Region Tone Curve (Alternative or Supplement): You can use the region tone curve if you prefer. Again, the goal is to gently reduce contrast. Consider very subtle adjustments to the highlights, lights, darks, and shadows sliders.
4. Clarity and Vibrance/Saturation:
* Clarity: Reduce this! This is crucial for softening skin and reducing fine details. Try -15 to -30. Be careful not to go too far, as it can make the image look muddy.
* Vibrance: Slightly increase this to add some pop to the colors without making them look artificial. +5 to +15 is usually sufficient.
* Saturation: Adjust this based on your preferences. Generally, leave it as is or slightly decrease it (-5 to -10) for a more muted and timeless look.
5. HSL/Color Panel:
* Luminance: Adjust the luminance of specific colors, particularly skin tones (orange, red, and yellow). Slightly increasing the luminance of orange can brighten the skin.
* Saturation: You may want to subtly desaturate the reds and oranges for a more natural skin tone.
* Hue: Very subtle adjustments to the hue of oranges and reds can help correct color casts in skin.
6. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: Reduce the sharpening significantly or even turn it off completely for a super soft effect. If you choose to sharpen, use a very low amount (around 20-30) with a small radius (around 0.5-0.7) and high masking to prevent sharpening in the background. The goal is to avoid emphasizing texture.
* Noise Reduction: Increase Luminance Noise Reduction to smooth out skin. Try 10-20, but watch for loss of detail.
7. Effects Panel:
* Post-Crop Vignetting: Add a subtle vignette (Amount: -5 to -15; Midpoint: around 50-60) to draw the viewer's eye towards the subject. Experiment with the Style (Highlight Priority, Color Priority, Paint Overlay) to see which works best for your image.
* Grain: Adding a very subtle amount of grain (Amount: 5-10; Size: small) can give a film-like feel to the portrait, but this is optional.
8. Lens Corrections:
* Enable Profile Corrections: Remove chromatic aberration and distortion specific to the lens.
* Remove Chromatic Aberration: Make sure this box is checked.
9. Calibrate Panel (Optional but Beneficial):
* This panel allows you to adjust the hue, saturation, and luminance of the Red, Green, and Blue primaries. Subtle adjustments here can have a significant impact on skin tones and overall color rendering. Experiment to find settings that flatter skin. For example, slightly shifting the red hue towards orange can often improve skin tones.
10. Save Your Preset:
* Once you're happy with the adjustments, go to the "Presets" panel (usually on the left side).
* Click the "+" button (or "Create Preset" button).
* Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait - Dreamy," "Soft Portrait - Matte").
* Crucially, choose which settings to include in the preset. It's usually best to exclude "White Balance" and "Transform" as these are specific to each image. Include the settings you adjusted in the Basic, Tone Curve, HSL/Color, Detail, Effects, and Calibrate panels.
* Click "Create."
Tips and Considerations:
* Subtlety is Key: The best soft portrait presets are those that make subtle adjustments. Avoid going overboard with any one setting.
* Experiment: These settings are just a starting point. Experiment to find what works best for your style and the types of portraits you shoot.
* Image-Specific Adjustments: Remember that presets are a starting point. You'll likely need to make further adjustments to each individual image based on its specific lighting, exposure, and subject. Don't be afraid to tweak the preset!
* Skin Tone: Pay close attention to skin tones throughout the editing process. Use the HSL/Color panel and the Calibrate panel to ensure natural and pleasing skin tones.
* Overexposure: A little overexposure can contribute to the soft look, but don't blow out the highlights entirely. Watch the histogram and make sure you're not losing detail.
* Backup: Always back up your Lightroom catalog and presets to prevent data loss.
Example Values (Again, these are starting points!)
* Exposure: +0.15
* Contrast: -30
* Highlights: -30
* Shadows: +30
* Whites: -10
* Blacks: +10
* Clarity: -20
* Vibrance: +10
* Sharpening: Amount 25, Radius 0.5, Detail 25, Masking 50
* Luminance Noise Reduction: 15
* Vignette: Amount -10, Midpoint 55
By following these steps, you can create a beautiful "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will give your portraits a dreamy and flattering look. Remember to experiment and adjust the settings to suit your individual style and the specific needs of each image. Good luck!