I. Understanding the Goal:
The goal of a soft portrait preset is to:
* Soften Skin: Reduce blemishes and imperfections while retaining natural texture.
* Reduce Harsh Shadows: Evens out skin tone and minimizes distractions.
* Create a Dreamy Look: Enhance highlights, add a subtle glow, and potentially introduce a slight blur.
* Maintain Natural Color: Avoid overly processed or unnatural skin tones.
II. Lightroom 4 Settings:
Open your image in the Develop module in Lightroom 4. Adjust the following settings:
A. Basic Panel:
* Exposure: Adjust to taste. Typically, you'll want to slightly *increase* exposure to brighten the image. Start with +0.2 to +0.5 and adjust as needed.
* Contrast: *Decrease* the contrast. This is crucial for softening the image. Try starting with -20 to -40. Lower contrast helps even out tonal ranges and reduces harsh transitions.
* Highlights: *Decrease* to recover detail in bright areas and further soften the overall look. Start with -20 to -40.
* Shadows: *Increase* to bring out details in darker areas and soften the shadow transitions. Start with +20 to +40.
* Whites: *Slightly Decrease* to prevent blown-out highlights and add some softness. A very small decrease, perhaps -5 to -15, is sufficient.
* Blacks: *Slightly Increase* to lift the blacks and contribute to the soft, ethereal feel. Again, a small increase of +5 to +15 is generally sufficient.
* Clarity: This is *VERY* important. *Decrease* Clarity significantly. This is one of the main settings that will give you that "soft" effect. Start with -20 to -50. Be careful not to overdo it, as too much negative clarity can make the image look unnatural.
* Vibrance: *Slightly increase* to enhance subtle colors without over-saturating the skin. +5 to +15 is a good starting point.
* Saturation: Adjust according to your image. Typically, you don't need much change. If anything, a very *slight* decrease (e.g., -5) can help maintain a natural look, especially if you increased Vibrance.
B. Tone Curve Panel:
* Point Curve: Create a subtle "S" curve to add a gentle contrast. This is subtle. A very slight increase in the highlights and a slight decrease in the shadows will work. The point curve in Lightroom 4 can be a bit tricky. Experiment to find a curve that works for your image. You can also try the "Medium Contrast" or "Strong Contrast" presets in the Tone Curve panel and then adjust the point curve to your liking. A flatter curve will result in a softer image, while a stronger "S" curve will increase contrast. For a soft portrait, aim for a very subtle S or even a flat curve.
C. HSL/Color Panel:
* Luminance: This is important for skin tones.
* *Increase* the luminance of the Orange and Yellow sliders. This will brighten the skin and contribute to a smoother complexion. Start with +10 to +20 for each.
* You may also want to slightly *decrease* the Luminance of the Red slider if skin tones are too ruddy.
* Saturation: Adjust the saturation of skin tones (mainly Orange and Red) to achieve natural skin tones. *Slightly Decrease* these if the skin appears overly saturated.
* Hue: Make small adjustments to the hue of skin tones to ensure they look natural and pleasing. Usually, you won't need to adjust this much.
D. Detail Panel:
* Sharpening: *Reduce* the Sharpening Amount. Sharpening can enhance texture, which we want to minimize for a soft portrait. Try setting the Amount to 0 or even a slightly negative value if the image is already quite sharp. Alternatively, set the Amount to 20-30, but significantly *increase* the Masking slider (hold Alt/Option while adjusting the Masking slider to see the areas that are being sharpened). This will protect skin tones from being over-sharpened.
* Noise Reduction: *Increase* Luminance Noise Reduction. This will smooth out the skin and further reduce harshness. Start with 10-20 and adjust until you achieve the desired level of smoothness. Be careful not to overdo it, as too much noise reduction can make the skin look plastic.
* Color Noise Reduction: Adjust to taste. Usually not needed.
E. Effects Panel:
* Vignette: Consider adding a subtle vignette (either negative or positive) to draw attention to the subject. A slight negative vignette (-5 to -15) can darken the edges and focus the viewer's eye. A very slight positive vignette (+5 to +15) can brighten the edges and create a soft, dreamy effect.
* Grain: Avoid adding grain for a soft portrait look. Leave this at 0 unless you are intentionally trying to create a vintage look.
F. Calibration Panel:
* Generally, avoid drastic changes here. This panel is for fine-tuning color.
* You *could* experiment with slightly adjusting the Hue sliders to achieve pleasing skin tones, but this is typically not necessary.
III. Creating the Preset:
1. Click the "+" button in the Presets panel (located on the left-hand side of the Develop module).
2. Choose "Create Preset..."
3. Give your preset a descriptive name (e.g., "Soft Portrait LR4").
4. Select a group to save the preset in (e.g., "User Presets" or create a new group).
5. Crucially, check the boxes for the settings you adjusted. Important: ONLY check the boxes for the settings you actually changed. If you didn't touch a setting, leave it unchecked. This prevents the preset from inadvertently altering other settings in your images. At a minimum, you will want to check: Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, Blacks, Clarity, Vibrance, Saturation, Tone Curve, Luminance, Sharpening, and Noise Reduction. You might also include vignette and calibration adjustments if you made any.
6. Click "Create."
IV. Tips and Considerations:
* Image-Specific Adjustments: Remember that a preset is a starting point. You'll likely need to make adjustments to the preset for each individual photo, especially in terms of exposure and white balance.
* White Balance: Get the white balance correct *before* applying the preset. The preset will work best on an image with accurate white balance.
* Skin Tone Accuracy: Pay close attention to skin tones. Don't sacrifice natural skin tones for the sake of a "soft" look. Use the HSL/Color panel to fine-tune skin tones if necessary.
* Subtlety is Key: The best soft portrait presets are subtle. Avoid extreme adjustments that can make the image look unnatural.
* Experiment! These are guidelines. Experiment with different settings to find what works best for your style and the specific images you are working with.
* Use a Reference Image: When creating your preset, use a portrait that you feel represents the "soft portrait" look you are aiming for. This will help you guide your adjustments and ensure consistency.
Example Settings (Starting Point):
These are just suggested starting points. Your optimal settings will vary depending on the image.
* Exposure: +0.3
* Contrast: -30
* Highlights: -35
* Shadows: +30
* Whites: -10
* Blacks: +10
* Clarity: -35
* Vibrance: +10
* Saturation: -5
* Luminance (Orange): +15
* Luminance (Yellow): +10
* Sharpening Amount: 0 or 25 with high Masking
* Luminance Noise Reduction: 15
By following these steps, you can create a beautiful "Soft Portrait" preset in Lightroom 4 that will help you achieve a dreamy, ethereal look for your portrait photography. Remember to adjust the settings to suit each individual image for the best results. Good luck!