onOne Software Announces Availability of Perfect Photo Suite 8
PRESS RELEASE:New Perfect Eraser for Content-Aware Fill, Enhance and Browse Modules, Perfect Batch Processor, and Re-imagined Effects Module Evolve Popular Plug-In Into a Complete Photo Editing Solution for Every WorkflowPortland, OR – November 26, 2013 – onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative digital photography solutions, today announced the availability of Perfect Photo Suite 8—the Photographer’s Choice for Photo Editing. Perfect Photo Suite 8 is a full-featured, standalone photo editor that also integrates seamlessly with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, and Apple Aperture. It includes all the best tools a photographer needs to create stunning images.Key new features include the Perfect Eraser, with content-aware fill technology; the Perfect Enhance module for essential photo adjustments; a new Browser that streamlines direct access to images wherever they are located; the Perfect Batch engine that applies presets to multiple images with a single click; and a re-engineered Perfect Effects module, with twice as many adjustable filters, customizable presets, and integrated FocalPoint technology. These new tools and capabilities alongside Perfect Photo Suite 8’s eight modules, one-click presets, tools for automated enhancements, and powerful controls allow photographers to enhance, retouch, and stylize images in a layered workflow, replace backgrounds, create high-quality enlargements, and prepare images for output—giving them the ability to express their creativity and transform their photos quickly and easily.“We are extremely excited about Perfect Photo Suite 8,” said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. “This version is the result of what photographers have been asking for, not only from us but from the industry as a whole. We’re grateful for the contributions and feedback the photography community has invested in our effort and we believe that we’ve created an extraordinarily powerful image editing tool that meets their specific needs in return.”After a successful public beta program for Perfect Photo Suite 8, many photographers had a chance to try out the new version and give their feedback. “The attention to your user’s needs is unmatched,” said Rebecca Lyyski, owner of Lyyski’s Designs. “As a graphic designer and photographer with an elevated workload, your product has made editing my professional photography a pleasure instead of a chore,” she adds. Greg Lambert, public beta user and onOne Software photo contest winner shared, “Perfect Photo Suite 8 continues to evolve by refining its existing capability, streamlining the interface and providing some new and exciting tools and presets to enable photographers to produce the images they visualize when they press the shutter button.”The New Perfect Photo Suite 8 Features:• Eight integrated modules – Effects, Enhance, B&W, Portrait, Mask, Layers, Resize, and Browse. Each module is designed to target a specific image-processing task. Together, they help photographers enhance, retouch, and stylize images in a layered workflow, replace backgrounds, create high-quality enlargements, and prepare images for use in various capacities.• New Module! Perfect Enhance provides essential tools for basic enhancements, such as brightness and contrast adjustments; colorcast, dust spot, and power line removal; and the addition of vignettes. It is an ideal module to start with when using Perfect Photo Suite 8 as a standalone application or when quick corrections are needed.• New Module! Browse provides convenient and direct access to image files wherever they are stored—whether they are on a computer, an external drive, a connected network, or on a cloud-based storage service like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Apple’s Photo Stream.• Reimagined! Perfect Effects – As a cornerstone of Perfect Photo Suite 8, the Effects module has been redesigned by adding adjustable filters and customizable presets, making it the most powerful and versatile image stylization tool available on the market today.• Twice as Many Adjustable Filters to create the most sought-after looks, including:• Dynamic Contrast – Adds stunning clarity to images and makes them pop by exaggerating the levels of contrast, without sacrificing highlight and shadow detail, creating halos, or affecting saturation.• Lens Blur – Includes the best parts of FocalPoint technology to create bokeh, tilt-shift, and selective focus effects after the shot.• HDR – Gives images the edgy look of high dynamic range. Settings are adjustable and create effects that range from subtle to surreal.• Vintage – Turns photos into a nostalgic memory with retro-style filters.• Powerful brushes provide the right results for specific editing tasks:• Perfect Eraser removes objects with content-aware fill technology• Retouch Brush uses spot healing to remove small distractions• Clone Brush removes unwanted items by replicating and covering specified areas of an image• Masking Brush reveals underlying layers or selectively applies effects• Perfect Brush delivers precise edge-detection masking• Hundreds of Customizable Presets are available throughout Perfect Photo Suite 8 that make it easy for any photographer to instantly create an image they love. Presets can also be used as starting points for creativity and efficiency. Presets are included in the Enhance, Effects, B&W, Portrait, and Resize modules.• Improved Masking Bug in the Effects and Layers modules make mask creation easier and more intuitive.• Perfect Batch engine simultaneously applies presets from multiple modules and a watermark to a selected group of images.
Availability and PricingThe new Perfect Photo Suite 8 is now available by clicking on the logo below.jpg)
Perfect Photo Suite 8 is available in three editions: Premium, Standard, and for Adobe Lightroom & Apple Aperture.The Premium Edition works with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Photoshop Elements, Apple Aperture, and as a standalone application. It is priced at $179.95. Owners of previous versions of Perfect Photo Suite Premium Edition can upgrade for $99.95. For a limited time, orders of Perfect Photo Suite 8 Premium Edition will include a special collection of Professional Presets and The Essential Video Guide to Perfect Photo Suite 8, which provides a comprehensive collection of getting started training videos for Perfect Photo Suite 8—for free ($80 value). This offer ends on December 3, 2013.Perfect Photo Suite 8 for Adobe Lightroom & Apple Aperture works with Lightroom, Aperture, Photoshop Elements, and as a standalone application. It is available for $129.95; upgrades are $79.95. The Standard Edition works as a complete standalone photo editor and is available for $79.95. For more information on Perfect Photo Suite 8, please visit http://www.ononesoftware.com. A 30-day Money Back Guarantee backs all onOne Software products.About onOne SoftwareonOne Software, Inc., is a leading developer of innovative software tools and apps for digital photography and offers time-saving software solutions for photographers of all levels, from enthusiasts to professionals. Leveraging its extensive history as successful plug-in developer for Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple Aperture, and continued development of cutting-edge technology, onOne publishes unified solutions that offer both full-featured photo editing capabilities and the flexibility of traditional plug-ins. Founded in 2005, onOne Software is a privately held company located in Portland, Oregon. For additional information, visit www.ononesoftware.com.Press Contact: Amy Chan, onOne Software, achan@ononesoftware.com, 503-968-1468 x 137General Press Inquiries: press@ononesoftware.comOnline Press Center: www.ononesoftware.com/pressonOne Software Blog: www.ononesoftware.com/blogFacebook: www.facebook.com/onOneSoftwareTwitter: www.twitter.com/onOneSoftwareGoogle+: www.ononesoftware.com/plus©2013 onOne Software, Inc. All rights reserved. onOne Software, the onOne Software logo, and Focused on Photography are registered trademarks and Perfect Photo, Perfect Enhance, Perfect Effects, Perfect Eraser, Perfect Batch, and FocalPoint are trademarks in the United States and are the property of onOne Software. Adobe, Photoshop and Lightroom are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. Apple and Aperture are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Topaz labs - Thanksgiving Sale
I want to let you know about a huge promotion Topaz Labs is running for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. For the first time ever the Topaz Complete Photography Collection, which includes all the products will be on sale for $199.99, which is almost 50% off the normal price of $379.99. The sale will run from November 28th through December 2nd 2013.CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW AND -- USE THE PROMO CODE: blackfriday2013
Click to license Topaz Products
African Skies 2 - A Timelapse Video
Gunther Wegner the developer of LRTimelapse software has just released African Skies 2. This excellent time-lapse video showcases the beauty of the African landscapes and animals in film and time lapse sequences, that have never been seen before.The production took more than half a year - and has been compiled from 4 terabytes of raw-data. All editing (time lapse and even video) was done, using the new LRTimelapse 3.2 and Lightroom 5.2. !The video sequence can be seen on Vimeo but is available at a nominal cost as a HD video and a 4K video. The sale proceeds will be used to fund and support the African wildlife and environmental protection organizations. This funding was done from proceeds from the video too and I commend Gunther for his efforts. we decided to sell the film as download in much higher quality in Full HD and even 4K. With the revenue we again want to support local animal and environmental protection organizations.Click here to be directed to the LRTimelapse Web and then use the African Skies Tab to purchase it if you would like to support the cause.Please share this post with your family and friends. Gunther has created an excellent video and I hope this can be viewed by all. Please click on HD and open it in full screen view.[video type="vimeo" id="78610518" width="400" height="200"] Click here to be directed to the LRTimelapse Web and then use the African Skies Tab to view the video and purchase it if you would like to support the cause.
NiK - Google release Analog Efex Pro
"Explore the look and feel of classic cameras, films, and lenses" as state by NiKPerfect Photo Suite 8 Public Beta Released
The Beta or pre-release version of Perfect Photo Suite 8 is now available. Download it todayThis Public Beta will work alongside your existing onOne Software products, so you can explore the new version without losing the capabilities you already have. Download the Public Beta and get started now.If you wish, you can pre-order the suite now and get a bonus video - click on the image below
onOne Software announces Perfect Photo Suite 8.0
New Perfect Enhance module, Perfect Eraser, Perfect Batch utility, and re-engineered Perfect Effects module create a complete photo editing solution that seamlessly integrates into any workflow
Perfect Photo Suite 8—the photographer’s choice for photo editing. Perfect Photo Suite 8 is a full-featured, standalone photo editor that integrates seamlessly with Adobe® Photoshop®, Lightroom®, Photoshop Elements, and Apple® Aperture® and it includes all the best tools a photographer needs to create extraordinary images. Key new features include the Perfect Enhance module for essential photo adjustments, the Perfect Eraser with content-aware fill technology, the Perfect Batch processing utility for applying workflows to multiple images at once, and a re-engineered Perfect Effects module with twice as many filters, customizable presets, and integrated FocalPoint™ technology.The new tools and capabilities alongside Perfect Photo Suite 8’s eight modules—Effects, Enhance, B&W, Portrait, Mask, Layers, Resize, and Browse—allow photographers to enhance, retouch, and stylize images in a layered workflow, replace backgrounds, create high-quality enlargements, prepare images for output, and batch process workflows. The modules share a unified interface, each targeting a specific imageprocessing task. Each module provides only the tools necessary to complete the job at hand, eliminatingscreen clutter and confusion for the user.New in Perfect Photo Suite 8:• Perfect Enhance module – Perfect Enhance provides essential tools for basic enhancements. Use it to adjust brightness and contrast, remove a color cast, remove dust spots and power lines, and add sharpening and vignettes. It is an ideal module to start with when using Perfect Photo Suite 8 as a standalone application or when quick corrections are needed.• Perfect Eraser – Using content-aware fill technology and simple brush strokes, the Perfect Eraser removes objects and automatically reconstructs the image with realistic results.• Twice as Many Filters – The Effects module now includes new adjustable filters including: HDR Look, Dynamic Contrast for tonal clarity, Vintage, Grunge, Antique, and more.• Customizable Presets – All built-in presets included in Perfect Photo Suite 8 may be deconstructed by their filter settings and personally customized.• FocalPoint is now in the Effects Module – The best parts of FocalPoint technology to create bokeh, tilt-shift, and selective focus effects after the shot, are now in the Effects module as theLens Blur filter.• New Browse module – Images can be browsed and directly accessed from Perfect Photo Suite wherever they are stored—on the computer, an external drive, a connected network, and even on a cloud-based storage service like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Apple’s photo stream.• Perfect Batch Utility – Powerful batch processing of actions from one or multiple modules, including the insertion of a watermark.• Multiple File Handling: As a photo editor, you can now open and work with more than one image at a time. Move between images to edit or copy layers from one file to the next.• Improved Masking Bug: Redesigned Masking Bug in the Effects and Layers modules make mask creation easier and more intuitive.• Higher Quality Effects: Performance enhancements improve effects by minimizing artifacts without sacrificing processing speed.• Improved RAW file handling: Open and process RAW files faster and with better quality. Support for new cameras also added.onOne Software Announces Perfect Photo Suite 8, a complete photo editor for every workflowAvailability and PricingThe new Perfect Photo Suite 8 will be available November 26, 2013. Pre-orders are available immediately CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE. Perfect Photo Suite 8 is available in three editions: Premium, Standard, and an edition for Adobe Lightroom & Apple Aperture. The Premium Edition works with Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, Photoshop Elements, and as astandalone application. Owners of previous versions of Perfect Photo Suite Premium Edition can upgrade for $99.95. New users may pre-order the Premium Edition for $179.95. For a limited time, pre-orders of Perfect Photo Suite 8 Premium Edition will include a complimentary Essential Video Guide to Perfect Photo Suite 8, which provides a comprehensive collection of getting started training videos for Perfect Photo Suite 8 ($40 value).CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO ORDERPerfect Photo Suite 8 for Adobe Lightroom & Apple Aperture works with Lightroom, Aperture, Photoshop Elements, and as a standalone application. It is available for $129.95 | $79.95 upgrade. The Standard Edition works as a complete standalone photo editor and is available for $79.95. New users who pre-order Perfect Photo Suite 8 will immediately receive a complimentary license for Perfect Photo Suite 7.5. Customers who pre-order Perfect Photo Suite 8 will receive all upcoming Loyalty Rewards that will be delivered monthly to owners of the Perfect Photo Suite 8. For those who have purchased Perfect Photo Suite 7.5 on or after August 1, 2013, onOne Software will issue a complimentary upgrade to Perfect Photo Suite 8 via download when it is available.
LRTimelapse and Lightroom 5 issues - Keep Lightroom 4 for Time-Lapse
With the release of Lightroom 5, Adobe has made one big hash of the video features in the Slideshow Module. You will no longer be able to use any of the LRTimelapse Video Presets.If you do use LRTimelapse - please do not uninstall Lightroom 4. Keep all your time-lapse sequences in a Lightroom 4 Catalog so you will be able to generate time-lpase videos.The developer of LRTimelapse is working furiously to create an alternative process which will go into Beta soon.All is not lost - there are ways around the problem.Sign up for my blog posts to stay informed.
Canon EOS 5D Mk III Firmware Update
Canon has released the EOS 5D Mark III firmware update. This update adds two highly useful features: a clean HDMI output option and cross-type AF at f/8.Click here for the download.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 Beta
Adobe has just released the Beta version of Lightroom 5.Click here for the download site.I will be posting mew feature reviews soon.
HDR Efex Pro 2 Released
The new HDR Efex Pro 2 introduces a host of new and some much needed features.You can get your copy or upgrade your existing software via this linkHere are some of the new features.New tone-mapping engine – Enjoy improved color rendering, more natural results, and simplified controlsUnified workflow – Users in Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture will all have the same experience the same features and functionalityUpdated merging interface – Previews of each exposure and the ability to enable Smart Objects streamline the merging processImproved ghost reduction and alignment – New algorithms and the ability to select a reference image dramatically improve the initial merge resultsChromatic aberration reduction – New controls to reduce unsightly purple & blue fringes where dark tones meet light tonesUpdated tone mapping and enhancement panel – Completely redesigned controls for enhancing images make crafting superior HDR images fast and easyDepth control – Overcomes the flat dull look that so often accompanies HDR imagery
Should you backup to the cloud???
I was asked a question today: What is a good on line backup service or program?Let me ask you, do you backup your computers, all your data or, selectively just what you believe is important, like your images?I have multiple terabytes of data, mainly images that I can not afford to lose. I continue to generate many gigabytes each month. Just a day’s shoot can be 32 to 64 GB of images. For me a backup system is an absolute must. At the present, I backup all my data (currently resident on raid arrays) to networked drives and secondarily, to a duplicate set of local drives. The data is scheduled to backup nightly on the local drives and weekly on the networked drives. Key client data is also retained on BluRay disks.So what about the cloud? Online backup services are becoming increasingly popular. The number of online back up companies that have been established in the last few years is amazing and difficult to list. However, some of these companies like Mozy, Carbonite, Crashplan, Dropbox, and SpiderOak have been around for a while. They all have their pros and cons. They all provide on line backup services and offer programs for a very reasonable fee (small Backups can even be free) based on the amount of data all the way to unlimited storage. These services require you to download and install programs on your computer that will monitor your system and backup to their remote servers, as long as your computer is connected to the Internet. All of this is fairly simple, and once set up, the entire backup is done in the background requiring no intervention on your part.I decided to check out two of these services, Carbonite and Crashplan. Carbonite was no good for me as I am an Apple Mac user. For Mac users Carbonite’s backup is limited to your main system and will not accommodate connected devices. So after a brief test, I dropped them. Also worthy of note is that Carbonite will throttle your data speed after you reach a certain data transfer threshold. I next tested Crashplan, another free trial. They offer all that I would need, backup the main system, connected drives, selected folders etc. I installed the software on my MacBook Pro and started the backup. I should point out that I have Verizon FIOS with 50 up and 25 down speeds. More than fast enough. Well the test started and a month later, when the trial expired, it had not completed the backup, a mere 400 GB of data. At this rate it would take more than a year to back 6 terabytes and up to 2 years for my main system that houses all my images. So much for the free trial, I did not subscribe.During this trial period I have given the online/cloud backup services some thought and here are some of my concerns.A service provider’s disgruntled employee, could take control of your information. This can be achieved using the very software that you install to manage the backup of data on your computer to the service provider’s data storage bank. This is just one concern and so many what if’s – hackers, information mining, etc., etc. Yes these service providers say the data is transferred via SSL (Secure Sockets Layer, the standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between systems) and is stored encrypted. But all the encryption would be useless if your login identity could be compromised. It is worth reading a blog by an industry expert at http://dereknewton.com/2011/04/dropbox-authentication-static-host-ids/The other significant concern it the time it takes to backup, so how can you possibly check a full restore. In my case it would be two years to back up and I would know that it succeeded or failed two years later.Privacy and your personal data security concerns:
- All files you backup to an online/cloud service company can be viewed for review purposes by the service company. Though your data is encrypted the service company may decrypt it on an as needed basis.
- The government and law enforcement may request access to your files, and they will be granted access. Note: the hosting company has no obligation to notify you of any such request. As an example, here are the terms and conditions from Dropbox that is one such service.Compliance with Laws and Law Enforcement Requests; Protection of Dropbox’s Rights. We may disclose to parties outside Dropbox files stored in your Dropbox and information about you that we collect when we have a good faith belief that disclosure is reasonably necessary to (a) comply with a law, regulation or compulsory legal request; (b) protect the safety of any person from death or serious bodily injury; (c) prevent fraud or abuse of Dropbox or its users; or (d) to protect Dropbox’s property rights. If we provide your Dropbox files to a law enforcement agency as set forth above, we will remove Dropbox’s encryption from the files before providing them to law enforcement. However, Dropbox will not be able to decrypt any files that you encrypted prior to storing them on Dropbox.
- Be cautioned that these services can be just as easily hacked as American Express, Master Card, TJX Companies to name just a few. So many banks have been compromised.
I am not implying that you should not use these services or not back up. You should be aware of what can happen and what access is permitted by law. If you must back up to an online service, be selective with what you send to the cloud. If you must backup sensitive data, consider using a local encrypted vault. A product like TrueCrypt will perform this service. Then you backup the vault to the cloud. In the unfortunate event that the backup service or your backup gets hacked, your files will not be accessible as they are contained within the “vault”.Disclaimer: This article and blog post is based solely on what I am aware of and is my opinion only. I will not be held responsible for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any information within these pages or any information accessed through this site.All copyright and trademarks are owned by the respective companies mentioned, their owners, or their licensors.
Special Products and Special Prices
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your support and helping my photography Photo Tours and Workshops gain momentum. For all who have participated in any way this year a special thank you and for those who will be joining me next year, I look forward to gaining your confidence.As I look back at 2012, I can't help but feel grateful to the wonderful people who have come into my extended photo family. I have enjoyed every moment with you all.As a small token I requested my friend, supporter and sponsor Gary Farber of Hunts Photo and Video to put together some VERY SPECIAL PRICING on some of my favorite products and accessories. As you look through this list, you might want to avail of these discounts and support Hunts as they have supported the photographic community.Wishing you and yours Happy and Safe Holidays and all the best for the New Year.With warm regards,ShivClick Here for the list and special pricing good through the end of the year
December 2012 - One Day Workshops
The One-Day workshops for December 2012 are now available. Please reserve your spot early as these do fill up fast.Click Here to be directed to the One Day Workshop Page and the reservation form. Call 617.759.0010 if you have any questions.
Canon Releases EOS 7D Firmware version 2.0
Canon finally released its significant upgrade/update to the EOS 7D.The firmware can be downloaded from this linkVersion 2 of the firmware will provide users of this body the following:Speed, the 7D will now shoot 130 Large/Fine JPEGs or 25 RAW. This compared to 126 and 15. The big jump is for RAW files. The shooting rate remains at 8 fps.The 7D will now be compatible with the Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2 using the 7D’s USB connector. GEO Tagging is not possible with Video.For Video buffs the camera will provid custom audio recording. The firmware will enable manual control of sound recording levels in 64 steps. Visual indicators will warn you of custom recording.Something that Nikon has had now will be available in the 7D. Customization for Auto ISO in M, P, TV, AV and B modes. You will be able to set upper limits up to ISO 6400. The 7D will always auto adjust ISO for best exposure.The firmware will now allow in camera processing to modify White Balance, Picture Style, Auto Lighting Optimizer, High ISO Noise Reduction, JPEG Quality, Color Space, Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction, Distortion Correction and Lens Aberration Correction to RAW images capture.JPEG images can be resized in camera from “L” to “M “ and from “M” to “S” JPEG.An in camera rating system will be available. A five step star rating will be available during image playback/review.Using the “Q” or quick control button you will now be able to apply protection to images, rotate and resize then, see the highlight alerts and AF point displays.A real neat feature with this upgrade is custom file naming. You will be able to set the first four characters of the file name, no more _IMG. Image quality can be applied to the file name too.How about this: “time zone settings”, you can not only define time zones, but also daylight savings time.Significant improvements in the speed of scrolling images that have been magnified for review.
Canon 7D evolves - New Firmware 2.0.X
A new significant firmware update to the Canon 7D is eminent. The new firmware will bring significant enhancements to this already great camera.Speed, the 7D will now shoot 130 Large/Fine JPEGs or 25 RAW. This compared to 126 and 15. The big jump is for RAW files. The shooting rate remains at 8 fps.The 7D will now be compatible with the Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2 using the 7D’s USB connector. GEO Tagging is not possible with Video.For Video buffs the camera will provid custom audio recording. The firmware will enable manual control of sound recording levels in 64 steps. Visual indicators will warn you of custom recording.Something that Nikon has had now will be available in the 7D. Customization for Auto ISO in M, P, TV, AV and B modes. You will be able to set upper limits up to ISO 6400. The 7D will always auto adjust ISO for best exposure.The firmware will now allow in camera processing to modify White Balance, Picture Style, Auto Lighting Optimizer, High ISO Noise Reduction, JPEG Quality, Color Space, Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction, Distortion Correction and Lens Aberration Correction to RAW images capture.JPEG images can be resized in camera from “L” to “M “ and from “M” to “S” JPEG.An in camera rating system will be available. A five step star rating will be available during image playback/review.Using the “Q” or quick control button you will now be able to apply protection to images, rotate and resize then, see the highlight alerts and AF point displays.A real neat feature with this upgrade is custom file naming. You will be able to set the first four characters of the file name, no more _IMG. Image quality can be applied to the file name too.How about this: “time zone settings”, you can not only define time zones, but also daylight savings time.Significant improvements in the speed of scrolling images that have been magnified for review.Unfortunately the release date is still up in the air but August looks like the month.See more on the Canon site
Peterson Guide to Birds of North America on sale
For a limited time the Peterson's Guide to Birds of North America is on sale. Down to 99 cents - originally $14.99.All you bird lovers and bird photographers should not miss this opportunity.Click Here for a link to the iTunes Page
Using Colored Filters with NiK Silver Efex Pro 2
Silver Efex Pro 2 includes the standard colored filters that were used by Black and White film photographers. In addition the application provided for a continuously variable custom filter with two slidersThis brief article is to explain the use of the standard filter and the effect they have on monochromatic images.How Filters Affect Tones in your ImageColored filters were used with B&W film to will lighten similar colors on the color wheel and darken opposite colors. As an example a red filter will darken the opposite primary colors, green and blue while but will have the most effect on Cyan which is a combination of blue and green. Conversely, it will lighten red and colors that contain elements of red like orange and magenta.NiK Silver Efex Pro 2 filters in order:
Neutral is the first filter – it removes the effect of any filter applicationThe Red filter has the most dramatic effects. It creates high contrast in monochromatic scenes. It is one of the most used filters for landscape photography and where a high level of creativity is expressed.The orange filter is used to lighten reds in an image. It is an excellent filter as for black and white portraiture. The filter will reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and redness in the eyes.The yellow is a filter that has the least effect and used mainly to make blue skies a shade darker. It is probably the most used in B&W film photography and least used of all the colored filters in digital photography.The Green filter is similar to the Yellow and not heavily relied on. It is used in landscape photography as it does favor the deepening of reds and oranges and ideally suited for fall foliage landscape photography. There is a slight drawback as it will lighten the blue in the skies and reduce contrast.The Blue filter has traditionally been least used in monochrome photography. It was used to reduce overall contrast.Note: The NiK Silver Efex color filters will only work if your image is in color and contains RGB information, An image already converted to B&W or brought into NiK as a B&W will not be impacted with these filters.
Visualization
Visualization is a key theme of my Landscape Photography Workshops and last weekend was no exception. Having been to Fort Hill many times I have not been fortunate to get the sky I was looking for (visualization). On Sunday it all came together. It is worth getting to a location well before sunrise, it is worth pre-visualizing the image, it is worth setting the camera on the tripod, making the image and getting a sense of satisfaction that is so total.As an added bonus, when the participants feel like they got some value from my workshops, it makes it so worthwhile. Thank you to all of you who come to these and other one day sessions - I truly appreciate your support and participation.A few more comments:This is not a 'let's go someplace pretty, take some pictures and have a nice lunch' weekend. It's a fun but intensive workshop for anyone serious about improving their photography. We worked hard from sunup to sundown, literally, but everyone came away with new skills, better aesthetic appreciation, and images they should be proud of. As always, I go for Shiv's teaching. His lessons are appropriate to my skill level, neither beginner nor pro. You'll learn more per hour from Shiv than from anyone else, and it's all good stuff.
Cape Cod on Sunday
On the last day we were fortunate to get some sun. There was no opportunity for sunrise images as the fog had not lifted. After a brief classroom session we went to the Audubon Sanctuary in Wellfleet. This tree caught my eye. A few layer modifications and NiK Color Efex 4 to give it a border.