onOne Software Announces Perfect Photo Suite 7

 

onOne Software Announces Perfect Photo Suite 7

New version of all-in-one software suite offers photographers the easiest way to develop stunning black and white photography, more ways to create images with impact, improved portrait retouching, layered file workflow, image resizing tools and more

Portland, OR – September 5, 2012

– onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative, time-saving solutions for professional, advanced amateur and hobbyist photographers, today announced Perfect Photo Suite 7 for Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Apple Aperture and as a standalone application. Improved to give photographers even more ways to maximize their creativity and solve common problems in digital photography, Perfect Photo Suite 7 now offers new easy-to-use, yet powerful tools to develop stunning black and white images, enhance, stylize and correct images, retouch portraits and prepare all images, including mobile snapshots, for enlargement and print. Perfect Photo Suite 7 includes the brand new module Perfect B&W, Perfect Effects 4, Perfect Portrait 2, Perfect Layers 3 and Perfect Resize 7.5 Pro–powered by Genuine Fractals technology, Perfect Mask 5.2 and FocalPoint 2.

Improved workflow integration and a significantly redesigned user interface allow photographers to focus on their image editing while working seamlessly within their preferred workflow. Users can select their image from Lightroom, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements or Aperture, send it directly to the Perfect Photo Suite 7 module of their choice, make adjustments, then immediately return it to their original photo editing or organization application.

The new modules in Perfect Photo Suite 7 also include the new Perfect Brush giving users the ability achieve precise edge-detected masking quickly. It smoothly applies or removes adjustments to the specific areas being worked on without crossing over the edges around it. A redesigned browser with Search functionality and a Favorites panel allow users easy access to the specific effects and presets they’re looking for. Photographic effects, designed by industry onOne Software Announces Perfect Photo Suite 7 experts specifically for onOne Software, are also easily accessible alongside manual controls to give photographers the option to create professional looking images with one click or fine-tune adjustments to create the specific look they desire.

“We are very excited about Perfect Photo Suite 7,” said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. “It is the result of what our customers were asking for so they could work more quickly and easily, yet still create high quality images. The addition of Perfect B&W and the improvements to Perfect Effects, Perfect Portrait, Perfect Layers and Perfect Resize that give photographers even more creative options and trusted results.”

Perfect Photo Suite 7 includes full versions of the following onOne Software products:

Perfect B&W (New!):

Perfect B&W is the completely brand new module that helps photographers develop stunning black and white images quickly and easily. It includes powerful and intuitive tools that add dramatic, elegant, and classic black and white looks to images instantly and offer users complete creative control to reproduce time-honored black and white processing techniques.

Perfect Effects 4 (New!):

Perfect Effects 4 extends the creative power offered by the popular PhotoTools and provides even more ways to create images with impact. Perfect Effects 4 delivers an extended library of photographic effects, frames and edges, and presets designed by industry experts, via a flexible new browser with keyword search functionality and Favorites selection. New blending modes and paint-in brush effects offer even more creative options over how effects are combined and applied.

Perfect Portrait 2 (New!):

Perfect Portrait 2 offers simply power portrait retouching, now improved with more accurate automated feature detection and enhancement tools to smooth skin, remove blemishes, brighten eyes and teeth, and correct skin color. Faster processing speeds also allow photographers to retouch images more quickly for simply stunning portraits.

Perfect Layers 3 (New!):

Perfect Layers 3 gives photographers the ability to combine images and extend their image editing options in a layered file workflow without Photoshop. Create and edit multi-layered files with Perfect Layers directly from Lightroom, Aperture or as a standalone application. Included are new blending modes, textures, borders, PNG file support, and the powerful new edge-detecting Perfect Brush.

Perfect Resize 7.5 Pro (New!):

Perfect Resize is that industry standard for image enlargement. It is renowned across the photographic and printing industries for its ability to increase image size well over 1000% without the loss of sharpness or detail that is normally expected. Now, proven Genuine Fractals technology has been applied to new algorithms that optimize the clarity and detail of different image types, including mobile snapshots.

Perfect Mask 5.2 (Improved!):

Create high quality masks quickly and easily with automated functionality and powerful tools that make selecting subjects and isolating backgrounds for removal extraordinarily accurate. Redesigned user interface allows you to focus on your image editing while keeping your most used tools readily accessible.

FocalPoint 2:

FocalPoint 2 allows photographers to put the focus where they want after the shot. It’s the best way to add the most realistic depth of field and selective focus control to any image after it is photographed. Choose from a selection of lens presets to produce specific bokeh or adjust the amount and kind of blur you want.

Availability and Pricing

The new Perfect Photo Suite 7 will ship in late October 2012. Pre-orders are available immediately and will include a complimentary Perfect Photo Suite 7 Creative Companion DVD with purchase through September 20, 2012. The Creative Companion DVD includes training videos and presets for Perfect Photo Suite 7 and templates from Graphic Authority ($140 value).

Owners of Perfect Photo Suite 6, Perfect Photo Suite 5, and Plug-In Suite 5 or earlier can upgrade to Perfect Photo Suite 7 for $149.95. Perfect Photo Suite 7 is available to new users for $299.95. Pre-orders may be made by clicking on the graphic at the top of this post.

 

 

 

 

Just Released! HDR Efex Pro 2 from Nik Software

Experience all the power, control, and creative expression your camera has to offer with new HDR Efex Pro 2. Nik has improved the software across the board: it's faster, more powerful, delivers more realistic results, and is easier to use than ever. HDR Efex Pro 2 gives you the creative freedom to create truly exceptional high dynamic range images for discerning audiences. Order HDR Efex Pro 2 today for just $99.95.

Key New Features:

• NEW: Improved Tone Mapping Engine – Develop superior results with better color rendering and improved natural styles

• UPDATED: Interface, Interaction, and Workflow – Benefit from improvements to the merging interface, tone mapping and enhancement controls, visual presets, and more

• NEW: Depth Control – Enjoy added depth and realism in images with the new and proprietary Depth control, which helps counteract the flattened look commonly associated with HDR images

• NEW: Full GPU Processing and Multi-Core Optimization – Gain even faster performance with GPU processing that takes full advantage of the processors found on modern display adapters

• UPDATED: Ghost Reduction – Improved ghost reduction algorithm ensures that artifacts created by moving objects are removed with a single click

• NEW: Chromatic Aberration Reduction – Reduce color fringes around objects

• NEW: Graduated Neutral Density Control – Access the full 32-bit depth of the merged image, providing a natural effect especially on images with a strong horizon line

• NEW: Full White Balance Control – Take full advantage of the white balance in an image with a new Tint slider, which along with the Temperature slider, can be applied both globally as well as selectively using U Point technology

• NEW: History Browser – Easily review adjustments and different HDR looks via the History Browser which records every enhancement used in an editing session

• NEW: Extended Language Support – International users benefit by the addition of Brazilian Portuguese and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) to a list of languages that includes English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese

• …Dozens more features. View the entire feature list by clicking on the LEARN MORE button at the top.

Use my discount code, gclure, at checkout for 15% off the purchase of any Nik Software product!

Nik Software on Sale - The Complete Collection

Nik Software is offering its lowest price of the year on its Complete Collection this 4th of July sale, which runs through Sunday, July 8 at midnight. Their Complete Collection Ultimate Edition is on sale for $150 off (only $349.95), while the Complete Collection for Lightroom/Aperture is now just $224.95 (savings of $75).  This collection include all six Nik Software plug-in which includes Dfine 2.0, Viveza 2, HDR Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro 4.0, Silver Efex Pro 2, and Sharpener Pro 3.0.

Photomatix Pro the Photographers Choice for HDR

Cholla Garden Sunrise

© Greg Clure Photography

Have you ever photographed a high contrast scene? If so, you know that even the best exposure gives you blown out highlights, or flat shadows, or both. The solution is High Dynamic Range (HDR) processing:

• Take multiple photographs at varying exposure levels
• Merge the photos into an HDR image
• Adjust the settings to get the look you want: from natural-looking with Exposure Fusion to painterly or surreal with Tone Mapping

Photomatix Pro and Photomatix Essentials are stand-alone programs running on Windows and Mac OS X. One license for Photomatix Essentials costs US$39 and one license for Photomatix Pro US$99. Use my coupon code, GregClure, at checkout at www.hdrsoft.com and recieve a 15% discount on your purchase. Photomatix Essentials is particularly easy to use and intended for photographers new to HDR. Photomatix Pro includes advanced features such as batch processing and selective deghosting, as well as a Lightroom Plug-in. Some of the features of Photomatix are also available as an Edit Plug-in of Aperture and a Filter Plug-in of Photoshop CS2 or higher. A free Lightroom Plug-in makes it possible to access Photomatix Pro directly from Lightroom, if desired.
HDRsoft offers a free trail version of Photomatix Pro to try it before you buy it, if desired. When used in trial mode, Photomatix Pro is fully functional and never expires, but adds a watermark to images produced. Give it a try!
Click here to see some examples.

2013 Photo Workshop Tours Dates

Announcing my 2013 Photo Workshop Tours to some of my favorite locations in California and Utah. My photography workshop tours emphasize hands-on in the field education in stunning locations at peak times of the year. We will be going to:

California Photo Workshop Tours:
· Santa Monica Mountains Coast, Jan. 6, 13, 19, 27
· Joshua Tree National Park, Mar. 8-10 and Apr. 19-21
· Death Valley, Mar. 15-18 and Dec. 6-9
· Channel Islands, Mar. 22-25
· Carrizo Plain, Mar. 30 and 31
· Big Sur Coast, Apr. 5-7
· California's Central Coast, Jun. 21-23
· Eastern Sierras, Oct. 9-13

Utah Photo Workshop Tours
· Bryce Canyon, May 2-5
· The Grand Staircase Escalante, May 5-8
· Zion's Subway, Nov 6-8
· Zion’s Narrows, Nov. 9

If you like learning by doing than my in-the-field approach to education should be right for you. We will lean to master the key elements that must absolutely be nailed in the field to make any image a success and we will learn about my 12 elements of composition that will make your images sing. Not to mention the many tricks, tips and techniques to improve your imagery throughout each and every workshop to help you grow as a nature photographer. All of this while touring some of the  best scenery at the best times of year!

See all the details at www.gregclurephotography.com/photo-tour-locations. Join me on one of my Photo Workshop Tours for an experience tailored to your individual needs. Help me spread the word about my Photo Workshop Tours by telling your friends and family.

Why I Use Nik Software's Plug-ins

The main reason, they are quicker and easier to use than the host program.  If you can move a slider than you already know how to use plug-ins.  Let me start my defining what a plug-in is; a plug-in is a program that uses a host program to accomplish complex adjustments or routine repetitive tasks available in the host program but with a simple, easy to use interface.  In most cases all you need to do is click a mouse and move some sliders and you can dramatically transform your images in seconds verses having to spend hours accomplishing the same effect with the host program alone.

I consider myself a pretty proficient user of Photoshop and Lightroom and I am very comfortable when it comes to adjusting my images in these programs.  But I would rather be out shooting images than spending time at the computer getting them look the way I want.  I have found that Nik Software makes some of the best plug-ins on the market today. A recognized leader in digital imaging technology, Nik Software has developed class-leading solutions to specific challenges photographers face throughout the photographic workflow and packaged them into convenient easy to use tools.   Let's take a look at Nik's complete collection of plug-ins and what they do.

Color Efex Pro 4 - provides the most comprehensive set of enhancements for color correction, retouching, and creative effects. Quickly stylize your photographs, retouch portraits with ease, and extend your creativity with unmatched control and versatility. With 55 filters and unlimited variations to each you will never run out of possible effects and combinations of effects to extract the best out of your images.

Silver Efex Pro 2 - allows you to quickly and easily convert your color images to stunning black and white versions with precise and intuitive controls. While any host program can convert a color image to B&W, none will do it with the ease and fine tune ability to contrast, structure and tonal depth available in this plug-in. Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro gives all of that creative control back to the photographer. It includes an extensive collection of film types and emulates each right down to the grain structure, color sensitivity and tone curve.

Viveza 2 - brings a whole new time-saving dimension to your image editing. No complicated selections or layer masks to wear you down. Point, click, slide and voilá - your image looks great. Now featuring global adjustments, fine-detail structure control, and shadow recovery. Viveza 2 will forever change the way you edit images.

HDR Efex Pro - High Dynamic Range photography is a process in which multiple exposures are captured, aligned and merged to generate a single image that enables a much wider range of colors and tonality. HDR Efex Pro is the new standard for creating realistic to artistic HDR images with a revolutionary new all-in-one workflow.

Dfine 2.0 - gives you unprecedented control over exactly how much and where to apply noise reduction. This makes it ultra-easy to eliminate noise in your images while maintaining detail and sharpness, thus improving the quality of every digital photo you take. Dfine 2.0 is designed to prevent the loss of detail other noise reduction tools often introduce.

Sharpener Pro 3.0 - is the most advanced and powerful sharpening solution eliminating the guesswork typically required for achieving superior and consistent results.  Use Sharpener Pro 3.0 to regain clarity in digital images, draw the viewer’s attention to the focal point of an image and achieve professional, high quality sharpened images every time. Sharpener Pro 3.0 is the only tool that provides controls for both output and creative detail sharpening of different objects quickly and easily without the need to make different adjustment layers for each object or area.

Common to all of Nik's Plug-in are even more features and time saving tools you will find in each of the above plug-ins:

Software Compatibility - Nik's plug-ins integrate seamlessly with Adobe® Photoshop®, Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® and Apple® Aperture® to give you an efficient and streamlined workflow in the leading image software tools you already use.

Visual Presets - Nik presents to you a number of presets to view to see the affect a certain set of controls have on your image at a glance. Browse through the presets to find a starting point for your image then fine tune the effect with the tools and sliders.  Presets speed up your work flow by getting you close to where you want to take an image without having to figure it out from scratch. You are also able to create and save custom presets which allow for quick and repeatable results

U Point Technology - is a revolutionary new way to selectively edit images in a very fast, easy and natural manner. The U Point technology powered Control Points let you identify and isolate objects within a photograph by placing a Control Point on the object or area to be affected. By analyzing the color, tonality, detail, and location, the Control Point automatically determines where and how to apply certain effects, based on your needs. In short, U Point technology generates a selection and mask behind the scenes to apply or remove selected adjustment without the need of having to learn the complicated process of making selections and generating layers and masks in host programs.

Common Interface - all of Nik's plug-ins share a common interface, with presets on the left, fine tune adjustments on the right and a large image window in the center. Each section of the interface is completely customizable to your needs. Once you learn your way around one plug-in you can easily transfer your leanings to the others.

Before/After Comparisons - all of Nik's plug-ins allow you to view your results in multiple way by presenting a side-by-side comparison, split image comparison or full screen one click on/off check box of the before and after state of your image.

Smart Object Compatible - all of Nik's plug-ins are compatible with Adobe Photoshop's Smart Filter feature that enables you to perform non-destructive edits after they've been applied, without adding additional layers. By supporting Smart Objects Nik's plug-ins allow you to re-access your last setting anytime to allow for continued fine-tuning whenever the mood strike you.

I have just scratched the surface of what these plug-ins can do. I will reiterate the reason why I use them, they are quicker and easier to use than the host programs.  This saves you a lot of time and allows you to experiment many times over to find just the right look for your images. As you experiment, you will find new creative treatments that you would not know where to even begin had you needed to do the same thing in your host image editing program.

All of Nik Software Plug-ins are available for purchase separately or in two bundles. The Complete Collection gives you all six programs and their newly released Creative Efex Collection which gives you the three Efex programs at a discounted price.  If you are not sure a particular plug-in is right for you, you can download a free 15-day trial copy and take it out for a test drive.  There is no obligation to buy a copy.

When you are ready to make a purchase use my discount code, GCLURE, to take an additional 15% off your purchase price when you enter it into the coupon code at check-out when purchasing these plug-ins from www.niksoftware.com. What are you waiting for, start downloading today!