What are your PS must have plug ins?

Photographer · November 1, 2009

pathfinder · November 2, 2009

Lightroom 2 of course, then -->Noiseware, Color Efex Pro, Topaz Adjust, Genuine Fractals in that order

Speaking for myself only

Art Scott · November 2, 2009

my only must have at this time is GENUINE FRACTALS.....

Ric Grupe · November 2, 2009

The ones by NIK...Dfine, Color Efex Pro, Sharpener Pro.......

alexf · November 2, 2009

Silver Efex Pro by Nik

CynthiaM · November 2, 2009

Photographer wrote:

What are your PS must have plug ins?

I love the Nik filters and regularly use Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex, Viveza and Dfine. The best part about them is that you can bring your image in from Lightroom as a smart object or just open up an image in PS and convert for a smart filter; either way, the Nik filters can be run as smart filters. This allows you to run multiple filter in one smart filter stack without increasing the file size. Think how big the file would be if it had 4 layers of filters? And with the Upoint technology, it virtually eliminates the need for masking.

I've looked at the OnOne sereis of filters and have found their interface much more clumsy and less user friendly than Nik and you can't run as a smart filter with one exception; I do like their frame/border software.

For sharpening, you can't beat Photokit Sharpener by Pixel Genius. These are the same sharpening algorithms that Adobe has adopted in their raw engines for capture sharpening and for output sharpening to print. I figure if it is good enough for Adobe it is good enough for me. One might question why buy the plugin if it is incorporated in Lightroom. Simple; more control. Also, I frequently use the series of sharpeners that are called creative sharpening.

I also like the Pixel Genius Photokit plugin which is a very useful series of image effects such as dodging, burning, boosting whites, highlights, blacks, shadow, adding a contrast mask ( don't ask me to explain what that is, I don't really understand all I can tell you is that if you run it on certain images it can really make them pop; defintely an element of trial and error). If you buy Photokit Sharpener, you can get Photokit for a discount.

Another filter that blows me away is Alien Skin's Bokeh. It does a fabulous job of knocking out the background. A great way to get rid of the tourists. Here is a before and after of an image taken over the summer at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. This is the only piece of art by Michelangelo and the place was teaming with tourists:

Before:

After applying Alien Skin Bokeh (through a mask, the hint of a tourist's face and torso was brought back in):

Ric Grupe · November 2, 2009

CynthiaM wrote:

After applying Alien Skin Bokeh (through a mask, the hint of a tourist's face and torso was brought back in):

I notice you blured the old guy and brought the young one back!

AS Bokeh is very cool and accurate....just too damn expensive for it's limited scope, unless you have a regular use for it.

CynthiaM · November 2, 2009

Ric Grupe wrote:

I notice you blured the old guy and brought the young one back!

AS Bokeh is very cool and accurate....just too damn expensive for it's limited scope, unless you have a regular use for it.

I have a daughter who is in her final year of college so I have been racking in the software using the academic discount! Once you have it, then any upgrades are at the upgrade price. Maybe we will be lucky and she will go to grad school?

As for the young kid, made for more interesting composition, if not eye candy!

pathfinder · November 2, 2009

Cynthia, can you please explain to me the advantage of Bokeh over using a Gaussian blur to blur the background, as I discuss in this thread?

Ease of use, superior result, or just familiarity?

Ric Grupe · November 2, 2009

pathfinder wrote:

Cynthia, can you please explain to me the advantage of Bokeh over using a Gaussian blur to blur the background, as I discuss in this thread?

Ease of use, superior result, or just familiarity?

Cynthia can speak for herself.....but

this is my experience.

Bokeh is just that not blur...there is a very real difference. Try the trial version and see for yourself.

ASB very closely emulates real bokeh from real lenses.

If it wasn't for the cost...I'd have it...it works. Since I don't need to use it very often the lens blur built in to PS is good enough. However when I get the raw file from the photog that did my son's wedding....I'll be downloading another trial (new machine makes you a virgin again) and using it extensively for an effect that you really can't do as well any other way except at the time of the shot using expensive lens and good technique.

CynthiaM · November 2, 2009

pathfinder wrote:

Cynthia, can you please explain to me the advantage of Bokeh over using a Gaussian blur to blur the background, as I discuss in this thread?

Ease of use, superior result, or just familiarity?

I think you get a better result with Bokeh than wuth Gaussian blur; I had a hard time controlling a hallow effect around the statue when I tried Gaussian blur. Although the result you achieved in the tutorial you pointed me to was excellent. Also, the Bokeh filter is meant to mimic the bokeh that you get from various popular lenses. There are various controls that are built into the interface so that you can effect the strength and placement of the blur. And you can also mimic a lens baby effect. While not the case with Gaussian blur, Bokeh runs much faster than using Photoshop's lens blur.

If you go to the Alien Skin website, you can download a 30 day trial.

Photographer · November 2, 2009

Thanks to everyone who replied. Much appreciated.

divamum · November 3, 2009

Magic Skin. Free. Awesome.

Sure, doing it "by hand" is preferable, but for quick touch ups, this thing ROCKS and saves oodles of time.

MarkR · November 3, 2009

Topaz Adjust and Detail.

A good denoise program as well. Everyone has their own preferences with denoising. I like Topaz Denoise, but NoiseNinja, Noiseware, NeatImage, etc. are all fine.

What are your PS must have plug ins?

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