We all know the situation. You have taken some photographs when the sun is high in the sky, and they show harsh transitions and deep shadows. They don’t look good. Is it possible to soften these photographs?
Thankfully, yes. These steps can be applied in a RAW processor such as Lightroom, Capture One, or Adobe Camera Raw.
Firstly, reduce the global contrast. RAW files hold a lot of data in the highlights that you’ll need to recover.
Exposure: Drop it slightly if your highlights are clipping, but generally, you want a “bright” feel.
Highlights: Pull these down significantly (-40 to -70). This removes the “hot” white spots on skin or surfaces.
Shadows: Brighten (+30 to +60). Soft images have visible detail in the dark areas, avoiding “ink-black” shadows.
Contrast: Slide this to the left (-10 to -25).
Next, introduce some softness. Most modern cameras oversharpen images, so you want to undo that.
Clarity: Reduce this (-10 to -20). This softens the mid-tone contrast and creates a slight glow around edges.
Texture: Pull this down (-5 to -15). This specifically targets fine details (such as skin pores or coarse grass) without making the image look out of focus.
Dehaze: Use a negative value here (-5 to -10). This adds a subtle “atmospheric veil” or “mist” to the shot, which is perfect for mimicking a dreamy, sun-drenched day.
To soften the colours, work with the Tone Curve.
The Black Point: Click the bottom-left point of the curve and drag it straight up. This turns true blacks into a soft, matte charcoal grey.
The S-Curve (In Reverse): Instead of a steep S-curve (which adds contrast), keep the curve relatively flat, or even slightly upward-bowed in the middle, to brighten the overall mood.
Grade colours for a mood. Harsh sunlight often creates oversaturated, “neon” yellows and greens. To soften the look, you need to desaturate.
Saturation/Vibrance: Slightly reduce the overall Vibrance.
HSL Panel: Target the Saturation of Yellows and Greens (common in outdoor shots) and pull them down.
Colour Balance: Add a hint of warmth (Orange/Gold) to the Highlights and a tiny bit of cool blue or lavender to the Shadows to create a sophisticated, airy colour palette.
Add a Digital “Bloom” to stylise the image. Adding a Glow or Orton Effect is the finishing touch. You may need to move into Photoshop to do this.
If you use masking tools, apply a radial gradient over the sun’s position and increase the Dehaze (into negative values) and Exposure to simulate a natural lens flare or “light leak” washing over the subject.
Summary of Soft Look Settings.
Slider Direction Effect
Highlights Decrease (-) Recovers “hot” blown-out areas
Shadows Increase (+) Opens up dark, crunchy areas
Clarity Decrease (-) Creates a dreamy, soft-focus glow
Texture Decrease (-) Smooths out harsh surfaces/skin
Dehaze Decrease (-) Adds a romantic atmospheric haze
Black Point Lift (Up) Creates the “matte” film look
As ever, take these tips as guidance, not dogma. If you think your image would benefit from different values, use them. Every scene is different, and every photographer’s interpretation is different.
