I. Basic Adjustments:
* Temperature:
* Slightly Warm (around +3 to +7) – This adds a healthy glow to the skin. Adjust according to the skin tone in your image. If the subject already has warm skin, you might skip this or go with a very subtle adjustment.
* Tint:
* Move towards Green (around +1 to +3) – This can counteract any excessive redness and balance the overall color. Again, be subtle and observe the skin tones closely.
* Exposure:
* Adjust to proper brightness – Aim for a good overall exposure but often slightly overexpose (around +0.10 to +0.30) to brighten the subject and contribute to the softness. This is *crucial*. Check your histogram to avoid blowing out highlights.
* Contrast:
* Decrease (around -10 to -25) – Reduces harsh shadows and highlights, creating a smoother tonality.
* Highlights:
* Lower (around -20 to -40) – Helps recover detail in bright areas like skin and hair, preventing them from appearing overly bright and blown out.
* Shadows:
* Increase (around +10 to +30) – Opens up shadows, revealing detail and further softening the overall look.
* Whites:
* Slightly Lower (around -5 to -15) – This prevents the very brightest areas from clipping and adds a touch of subtlety.
* Blacks:
* Slightly Increase (around +5 to +15) – This lifts the black point, reducing harsh blacks and contributing to the overall soft, airy feel.
II. Tone Curve:
* Point Curve: This is where you'll shape the overall contrast. Aim for a gentle S-curve, but with a *very* shallow curve:
* Lift the blacks slightly: Drag the bottom left point of the curve upwards a tiny amount. This is sometimes called a "fade" and softens the darkest tones.
* Slightly flatten the highlights: Drag the top right point of the curve downwards a tiny amount. This reduces contrast in the brightest areas.
* Add a very gentle 'S' curve: Click in the middle of the curve and create a *very* slight S-shape. Avoid making it too pronounced, as that will add too much contrast. The goal is to subtly enhance the midtones while preserving softness.
III. HSL/Color:
* Luminance:
* Orange: Increase (around +5 to +15) – Orange luminance primarily affects skin tones, so boosting it will brighten and smooth the skin.
* Yellow: Increase (around +3 to +10) – Can help with hair and overall warmth, but be cautious not to overdo it.
* Red: Increase (around +3 to +10) - Can help with lip colour, or a slight glow to the skin.
* Saturation:
* Orange: Decrease (around -5 to -15) – Slightly desaturating orange tones can create a more natural skin tone, especially if the subject is prone to redness.
* Other colors: Adjust as needed, but generally keep saturation levels fairly natural.
* Hue: Minor adjustments, usually unnecessary for a basic soft portrait.
IV. Detail:
* Sharpening:
* Amount: Significantly reduce (around 20-35) – A key aspect of soft portraits is minimizing sharpness.
* Radius: Keep low (around 0.5-0.8)
* Detail: Keep low (around 20-30)
* Masking: Increase (around 50-70) – This prevents sharpening from being applied to smooth areas like skin, focusing it on edges and textures. *Essential for a soft portrait!* Hold Alt/Option while dragging the masking slider to see the mask. White areas will be sharpened.
* Noise Reduction:
* Luminance: Increase (around 10-20) – Smooths out noise and further softens the skin. Be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the image look plastic.
* Color: Increase (around 10-15) - Helps reduce color noise.
V. Lens Corrections:
* Enable Profile Corrections: Check this box. This corrects lens distortion and vignetting.
* Remove Chromatic Aberration: Check this box.
VI. Effects (Optional):
* Grain: Generally, avoid adding grain to a soft portrait, as it contradicts the smooth, dreamy aesthetic. If you *do* add grain, keep it *very* subtle.
* Vignetting: A subtle, negative vignetting (-5 to -10) can draw the eye towards the subject. Alternatively, a positive vignetting (slightly brightening the corners) can enhance the airy feel.
VII. Saving the Preset:
1. Go to the Presets panel on the left side of the Develop module.
2. Click the + (plus) button to create a new preset.
3. Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait - Basic").
4. In the "Check" box, make sure all the settings you adjusted are checked. *Carefully review this!* Uncheck any settings that you *don't* want included in the preset. For example, if you adjusted the Exposure for a *specific* image and don't want that adjustment to be applied by default, uncheck the "Exposure" box.
5. Click Create.
Important Considerations and Tips:
* Base Image is Key: The effectiveness of your preset will depend on the quality of the original photo. Start with a well-exposed and reasonably sharp image.
* Skin Tone Sensitivity: Skin tones are delicate. Pay close attention to how your adjustments affect them. Use the HSL/Color panel to fine-tune colors as needed.
* Subtlety is Key: Soft portrait presets are about subtle enhancements, not drastic transformations. Overdoing any adjustment will result in an unnatural and unflattering look.
* Adaptability: Every image is different. Use your preset as a starting point, then adjust the settings to suit the specific needs of each photo. Don't be afraid to tweak the preset for individual images. Specifically, you'll likely need to adjust the Exposure and White Balance.
* Presets are Non-Destructive: Lightroom presets don't permanently alter your original images. You can always revert to the original or make further adjustments.
* Experiment: Don't be afraid to experiment with different settings to find a soft portrait style that you like.
* Brush Tool: If you want to soften skin *only* and not the entire image, use the Adjustment Brush with negative clarity, sharpness and noise reduction. This will allow you to selectively soften skin while keeping the rest of the image crisp.
By following these steps and experimenting, you can create a "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that gives your photos a beautiful, flattering, and timeless look. Good luck!