Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

THE DIGITAL 

PHOTOGRAPHER’S 

SOFTWARE GUIDE 

John Lewell 

Course Technology PTR 

A part of Cengage Learning 

Australia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

The Digital Photographer’s Software Guide 

John Lewell 

Publisher and General Manager, 

Course Technology PTR: 

Stacy L. Hiquet 

Associate Director of Marketing: 

Sarah Panella 

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Marketing Manager: 

Jordan Casey 

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Kevin Harreld 

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Ron Rockwell 

PTR Editorial Services Coordinator: 

Erin Johnson 

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Cover Designer: 

Mike Tanamachi 

Indexer: 

Broccoli Information Management 

Proofreader: 

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Printed in Canada 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 11 10 09 

© 2009 Course Technology, a part of Cengage Learning. 

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ISBN-13: 978-1-59863-543-0 

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For Sam & Kit, photographers both

Acknowledgments 

The author wishes to thank everyone who has been involved in bringing this book to 

print, especially agent Carole McClendon, editor Kezia Endsley, and executive editor 

Kevin Harreld. 

About the Author 

John Lewell is the author of Computer Graphics and The A-Z Guide to Computer 

Graphics, plus two earlier books on audio-visual technology as well as the biographical 

encyclopedia Modern Japanese Novelists (Kodansha, NY, 1993). Born in England, he was 

educated at Framlingham College and went on to gain MA (Hons) in English & Fine 

Art at Peterhouse, Cambridge. His lifelong interest in photography began when he was 

a teenager, taking pictures for local businesses and on long trips to Italy in support of 

his studies of Italian art. After a year at Guildford School of Art, he worked in film and 

television as a researcher, and then joined the audio-visual manufacturer Electrosonic, 

moving to the United States to establish a New York office for this market-leading 

company. 

It was in Los Angeles that John Lewell turned to full-time writing, becoming West Coast 

Editor of Computer Pictures magazine and U.S. correspondent for several European journals. 

With extensive contacts in the computer industry and the press, he returned to 

London to form his own PR consultancy called Technology Relations. He continued 

to explore new fields and created the world’s first online guide to commercial Internet 

software, which he later sold to Mecklermedia as Internet ProductWatch. Invited to 

become European correspondent for InternetNews.com, he contributed several thousand 

news articles on all aspects of the online industries. 

John Lewell now combines his expertise in photography and digital technology to 

inform and educate via books, articles, and Internet projects. He is married to Thai 

cookery writer Oi Cheepchaiissara.

Contents 

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix 

PART I 

BROWSING, ORGANIZING, AND EDITING 1 

Chapter 1 

Downloaders or Camera-to-PC Transfer 3 

Downloader Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

RoboImport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

RoboFolder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Chapter 2 

Image Viewers 9 

Adobe Photoshop Album . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Canon ZoomBrowser EX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

CompuPic Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

FastStone Image Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

FastStone MaxView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

iPhoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

IrfanView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

Lightbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Photo Mechanic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

Picasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

PicLens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

STOIK Imagic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

ThumbsPlus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

XnView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

vi 

The Digital Photographer's Software Guide 

Chapter 3 

Exif Tools 27 

ExifPro Image Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

ExifTool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Opanda IExif Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 

Opanda PowerExif . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 

BR’s EXIFextracter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 

Chapter 4 

Utility Software 35 

Advanced JPEG Compressor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 

Digital Photo Resizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 

FastStone Capture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 

FastStone Photo Resizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 

JPEG Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

NEFView . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 

PixVillage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 

Plugin Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

Plugin Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 

SnagIt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 

Test Strip Proofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 

UltraSnap PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Watermark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 

Chapter 5 

Cataloging 49 

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 

DigitalPro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 

IMatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 

PicaJet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 

PixFiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 

Shoebox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Contents vii 

Chapter 6 

Digital Asset Management (DAM) 59 

Asset Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 

Canto Cumulus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 

Expression Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 

Extensis Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 

FotoStation PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 

FotoWare Cameleon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 

MediaDex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 

Chapter 7 

RAW Converters 69 

The Incredible Dave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 

BibblePro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 

BreezeBrowser Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 

Capture One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 

LightZone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 

Raw Therapee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 

RAW Developer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 

SILKYPIX Developer Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 

Silverfast DCPro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 

Raw Photo Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 

Chapter 8 

Image Processors 83 

AnselPRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 

ColorWasher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 

Curvemeister. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 

Farrar Focus Digital Darkroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 

Kodak DIGITAL SHO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 

Kubota Image Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 

LightMachine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 

Lobster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 

Optipix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 

PhotoKit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 

Photo-Plugins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

viii 


Power Retouche Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 

Tone Adjuster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 

ToneUp S3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 

Turbo Photo Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 

Two Pilots Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 

Chapter 9 

Quick-Fix Software 103 

PhotoTune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 

AutoEye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 

Corel MediaOne Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 

iCorrect OneClick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 

iCorrect EditLab ProApp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 

Intellihance Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 

Noromis PhotoLab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 

Photobot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 

PhotoCleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 

Photo-D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 

Photo Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 

PhotoPerfect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 

Retina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 

Chapter 10 

Image Editors 119 

Adobe Photoshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 

Adobe Photoshop Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 

Aurigma PhotoEditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 

GIMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 

Helicon Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 

Image Genius Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 

LEADViEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 

Nikon Capture NX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 

Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 

Photo-Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 

PhotoMagic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 

Photobie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Contents ix 

STOIK PictureMan Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 

StudioLine Photo Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 

Ulead PhotoImpact X3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 

UpShot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 

Zoner Photo Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 

PART II 

REFINING, SIMULATION, AND ENHANCEMENT 143 

Chapter 11 

Masking Tools 145 

ArcSoft Cut-It-Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 

EZ Mask. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 

Fluid Mask . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 

Mask Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 

Primatte Chromakey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 

Recomposit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 

Snap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 

Chapter 12 

Black and White Conversion 153 

Andy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 

B&W Pro 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 

B/W Styler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 

PR Black/White Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 

BW Workflow Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 

RetroGrade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 

Chapter 13 

Film Simulation and Effects 161 

Tiffen Dfx Digital Filter Suite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 

Bleach Bypass PRO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 

Exposure 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 

Fotomatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 

RealGrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 

The Light’s Right Photoshop Action Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

x 


Velvia Vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 

virtualPhotographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 

Nik Color Efex Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 

Chapter 14 

Art Simulators 173 

Lucis Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 

PhotoArtist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 

Sketch Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 

SketchMatrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 

Snap Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 

TwistingPixels Plug-ins & Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 

Chapter 15 

Special Effects 181 

Andromeda Photography Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 

DreamSuite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 

Filters Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 

HumanEyes Capture3D for Photographers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 

Mystical Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 

Photo Aging Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 

Photo/Graphic Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 

PhotoFrame Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 

Pixel Ribs McFilters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 

splat!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 

Still Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 

Xenofex 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 

Chapter 16 

Sharpening Software 195 

What Is Sharpness? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 

Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 

CrispImage Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 

FixerBundle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Contents xi 

FocalBlade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 

Focus Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 

Intellisharpen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 

Nik Sharpener Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 

PhotoKit Sharpener. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 

SharpiePRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 

Chapter 17 

Noise Reduction 205 

Software Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 

Dfine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 

Neat Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 

Noise Ninja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 

Noiseware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 

Picture Cooler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 

PureImage NR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 

Chapter 18 

Red-Eye Removal 215 

Red Eye Pilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 

RedEyePro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 

STOIK RedEye Autofix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 

Chapter 19 

Skin Tone Enhancement 219 

GinaPRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM Airbrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 

LookWow! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 

Portrait Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 

Portraiture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 

SkinTune. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

xii 


Chapter 20 

Photo Restoration 225 

AKVIS Alchemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 

BlackMagic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 

Image Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 

Kodak DIGITAL ROC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 

PhotoFlair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 

VueScan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 

PART III 

BLENDING, STITCHING, AND OPTICAL CORRECTION 233 

Chapter 21 

High Dynamic Range 235 

Artizen HDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 

FDRTools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 

HDR Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 

Photomatix Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 

Dynamic Photo HDR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 

Chapter 22 

Depth-of-Field Tools 243 

Depth of Field Generator PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 

Focus Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 

Helicon Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 

Chapter 23 

Lens Distortion Correction 247 

DxO Optics Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 

Lens Corrector PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 

LensDoc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 

PTLens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 

LensFix CI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 

Rectilinear Panorama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255

Contents xiii 

Chapter 24 

Panorama Software: Photo Stitching and Virtual Tours 257 

Special Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 

Virtual Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 

Display Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 

3DVista Stitcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 

ArcSoft Panorama Maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 

Autopano Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 

ImageAssembler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 

PanoPrinter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 

PanoStitcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 

Panoweaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 

Photovista Panorama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 

PTGui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 

Pure Starter Toolkit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 

Autodesk Stitcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 

Serif PanoramaPlus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 

SPi-V. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 

STOIK PanoramaMaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 

The Panorama Factory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 

PART IV 

PRESENTING YOUR IMAGES 277 

Chapter 25 

Digital Scrapbooking 279 

Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory Deluxe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 

Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 

FotoFinish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 

LumaPix FotoFusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 

Hallmark Scrapbook Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 

MemoryMixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 

PhotoELF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 

PhotoMix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 

Smilebox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

xiv 


Chapter 26 

Photo Album Creation 291 

Album Creator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 

AlbumPlus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 

Biromsoft WebAlbum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 

InAlbum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 

Dg Foto Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 

Diji Album . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 

JAlbum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 

Kodak EasyShare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 

Quixhibit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 

SendPhotos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 

Virtual Album. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 

Chapter 27 

Slide Show Creation 305 

ImageMatics StillMotion Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 

DVD Slideshow Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 

Imaginate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308 

MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 

ProShow Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 

Soundslides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 

Slideroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 

Slide.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 

Animoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314 

SWF ’n Slide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316 

PART V 

PREPARATION FOR PRINTING 317 

Chapter 28 

Image Rescalers 319 

BlowUp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 

Genuine Fractals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 

PhotoZoom Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 

Liquid Resize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322

Contents xv 

SizeFixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325 

Chapter 29 

Color Management 327 

ICC Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 

Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 

Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 

PANTONE huey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 

Kodak Profile Wizard Mio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 

ColorMunki Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 

EZcolor with i1Display 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332 

i1 Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 

MonacoPROFILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 

PictoColor inCamera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 

Spyder3Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 

Spyder3Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337 

Spyder3Elite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 

Spyder3Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 

Spyder2express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 

PM5 PhotoStudio Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 

Chapter 30 

Color Tools 345 

Color Adjuster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 

Final Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347 

Full Spectrum RGB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347 

HVC Color Composer Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348 

PhotoKit Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350 

Viveza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 

Chapter 31 

RIP Software 353 

RIPs for Photographers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 

Buying a RIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 

ColorBurst X·Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354 

Harlequin RIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356

xvi 


Ilford Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357 

ImagePrint RIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 

Onyx PosterShop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359 

PHOTOGATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360 

PhotoPRINT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 

PosterJet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 

ProofMaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 

QuadToneRIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 

Shiraz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 

SoftRIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366 

StudioPrint RIP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 

Chapter 32 

Virtual Proofing 371 

SWOP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372 

DALiM DiALOGUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372 

FirstPROOF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 

ICS Remote Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374 

Kodak Matchprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 

PROOF-it-ONLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 

PART VI 

KEEPING IT ALL RUNNING SMOOTHLY 379 

Chapter 33 

Backup Software 381 

Make a Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 

Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 

Déjà Vu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 

DriveClone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383 

Norton Ghost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384 

O&O DiskImage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 

Paragon Drive Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387 

EMC Retrospect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387 

Silverkeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388 

SuperDuper! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389

Contents xvii 

Synk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 

Chapter 34 

Data Recovery 393 

Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393 

The Choice Is Yours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 

CardRecovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 

Digital Photo Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395 

Digital Picture Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 

DiskInternals Flash Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397 

Don’t Panic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397 

eIMAGE Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399 

File Scavenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399 

IsoBuster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400 

MediaRECOVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401 

PhotoRescue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 

R-Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 

Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404 

Chapter 35 

Pro Studio Software 405 

ExpressDigital Darkroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406 

Photo One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 

PI/E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408 

StudioPlus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409 

SuccessWare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411 

The Photographic Organiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 

Timestone Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414 

QuickBooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 

Chapter 36 

Pro Tools for Web, Wireless, and Remote Access 417 

Clickbooq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 

DSLR Remote Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418 

Fotoshow Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419 

Image Uploader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420

xviii 


Pixagent ITP Professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 

Pocket Phojo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 

Chapter 37 

Analysis and Diagnostics Software 425 

Acolens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 

DxO Analyzer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426 

HotPixelRemover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 

Sandra Professional. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429 

PART VII 

TAMING THE WORKFLOW 431 

Chapter 38 

Two Featured Products 433 

Featured Product: Adobe Lightroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434 

Featured Product: Aperture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450 

Index 453

Introduction 

The speed at which digital photography has taken over film has been astonishing. 

In the latter half of 1999, Nikon allowed a mob of eager journalists to touch the first 

pre-production units of its D1 camera. Six months later at the PMA trade show in San 

Francisco, Canon introduced a mysterious new product with a nameplate concealed by 

black tape. It turned out to be the D30, the first “all Canon” DSLR. With these products, 

professional digital photography took off, followed rapidly by the launch of an 

even larger enterprise when, in 2003, Canon introduced the world’s first sub-$1,000 

digital camera with interchangeable lenses: the EOS 300D. Meanwhile, point-and-shoot 

cameras of ever-increasing quality were being snapped up by an eager public who 

purchased 30 million of them in the United States and another 3.3 million in the United 

Kingdom during 2006 alone. 

The role played by software in this extraordinary revolution has been greatly underappreciated. 

At the lower but more valuable end of the market, image-processing techniques 

are embedded into point-and-shoot cameras where they work their magic 

unnoticed by the users. At the top end, in the professional graphic arts world, the 

majority of users have relied heavily on a single brand, Adobe Photoshop, around which 

has grown an entire industry of third-party plug-ins, actions, scripts, and droplets, plus 

magazines, books, videos, and training courses to help people use it well. 

Yet the fact is that image processing predates the digital camera revolution by two or 

three decades. A huge body of knowledge about how to improve digital images had been 

gradually accumulating long before Nikon, Canon, Fuji, and Kodak made digital cameras 

available to the working photographer or the general public. Image processing was 

used on scanned photographic images in medicine, science, and engineering, and on 

data captured digitally from space probes, inspiring researchers to develop algorithms 

to reduce noise, sharpen the image, manipulate color and tone, correct lens distortion 

and perform many of the functions that people now take for granted in low-cost photographic 

software. When the Hubble telescope’s optics proved to be imperfect, image 

processing techniques made them usable until a replacement could be fitted. Contrary 

to popular belief, Teflon has not been the only spin-off from the space program. 

It was the relative maturity of image processing that ensured the rapid acceptance of 

digital photography. Without it, the quality of images from even the highest priced 

DSLRs would have been very disappointing. Users should be under no illusion—there 

are glaring deficiencies in sensor-based photography. To match film quality you need to

xx 


capture at around 15 megapixels, still some way beyond the 10 megapixel threshold that 

manufacturers in their popular ranges struggled so hard to reach. Acceptable image quality 

for enlarged prints is made possible only by the ingenuity of the advanced techniques 

of image processing. 

The Software Revolution 

Having inherited the rich legacy of image processing, digital photography has prompted 

a new software revolution. For example, one effect of being able to capture images without 

using film stock has meant that users are more inclined to take a greater number of 

shots than they did previously. Some professionals (and quite a few non-pro enthusiasts) 

take a few thousand shots in a single day. Inevitably, this has led to file handling, 

sorting, and selection problems, especially for those who are reluctant to delete any of 

their work. Exposure bracketing, with capture of three, five, or more frames at a time, 

and JPEG+RAW shooting has multiplied the problem. The response of the software 

industry has been a plethora of image viewers and sorters, together with cataloging, 

archiving, and digital asset management systems. There is even a new breed of downloading 

software that can take the initial captures, rename them, and sort them into 

appropriate folders. All this before you even start to look at the images. 

Some photographic errors, like camera shake, are best solved at source, at the capture 

stage. Although you can acquire software to correct camera shake very effectively, it is 

much better to use a tripod or equipment with vibration reduction built into it. Other 

errors can be resolved completely in software. If you tilt the camera and cause perspective 

distortion, no problem; software can squeeze the image at the bottom and stretch 

it at the top. Crooked horizon? Software can level it. In fact, software can cure even the 

most glaring deficiencies of the camera system, such as its miserable dynamic range, its 

lack of depth-of-field in macro photography, and its never-enough megapixels. In this 

book you can find brilliant software for addressing these particular issues, all of which 

are solved by taking multiple shots, and then combining them on the computer. 

The digital photo revolution would not have been so quick if photographers had been 

obliged to jettison all their accumulated wisdom and techniques. Many of them were 

surprised to discover that software could precisely simulate the effects achievable with 

chemicals and film, even to the extent of imitating the characteristics of Velvia, 

Kodachrome, Tri-X, and other old favorites. Somewhat unnervingly, it became apparent 

that in some instances software could actually do it slightly better and certainly with 

more convenience. However complex the procedure, software could imitate it in the 

blink of an eye. Techniques like “bleach bypass” have been beautifully implemented and 

even the need for optical filters has partly diminished now that software filters are available 

to do the job.

What all this adds up to is a new software industry looking after the needs of photographers 

whatever their level of expertise. At the highest levels, users can choose between 

wide-gamut color spaces with linear or gamma curves, while at lower levels beginners 

use “one-click” or “quick-fix” software to correct everything at once. There are now so 

many packages you could easily spend tens of thousands of dollars on them. Fortunately, 

you need only a few to have most bases covered because of their overlapping functionality. 

Which software you choose depends on whether you are aiming for quality, speed, 

or ease-of-use, or perhaps the best possible compromise among all three. 

Open for Business 

Nikon’s “vibration reduction” is Canon’s “image stabilization.” It is difficult to imagine 

that camera manufacturers will ever embrace an entirely open approach to camera 

design, because they are reluctant even to use the same words for similar technologies. 

At first they insisted on having on-board processing, proprietary RAW formats, and 

non-detachable lenses. Each camera was a closed system, their makers fully prepared to 

do battle on the grounds of output quality, over which they had full control. Yet software 

was able to move them slightly toward more openness by encouraging the rapid 

growth of the DSLR with its detachable lenses. Proprietary RAW formats were unlocked 

(by Dave Coffin) and desktop-based RAW processing software started to become popular 

among photographers who wanted to extract the last ounce of quality from the 

original file. As for non-detachable lenses and their unquestionable advantage in banishing 

dust problems—why be restricted to a single lens when software can so easily 

remove dust spots as well as hot, stuck, and dead pixels? 

Manufacturers now accept that digital photography has become a more open medium 

where total control by a single company is neither possible nor desirable. Nowhere is 

this trend better demonstrated than in color management. Until recently, the only way 

to manage color effectively was to ensure a perfect match between each pair of devices. 

You still need to do this, but the devices are now interchangeable, thanks to the efforts 

of the International Color Consortium (ICC). Color calibration, with resulting profiles 

embedded by software into image files, has taken the whole industry forward, starting 

with the professional user but already filtering down to home use in low-cost products. 

The Adobe Effect 

Introduction xxi 

Software developers are much more canny than hardware manufacturers about the 

virtues of openness. You could scarcely have a more open format than TIFF, devised by 

Aldus Corporation before the 1994 merger with Adobe. Photoshop itself owes some of 

its success to third-party developers with all their plug-ins for the main program. Now 

Adobe is promoting its DNG format as a common denominator for all RAW files, thus

xxii 


ensuring that future generations will be able to open our image files long after their original 

proprietary format has become obsolete. 

Ironically, Photoshop’s openness has had a somewhat stifling effect on the commercial 

growth of other companies. This software has been so dominant, ever since Layers in 

3.0 allowed users to isolate parts of the image and work on them separately, that most 

graphics art professionals regard it as a “must-have” product. Even the difficulty of learning 

Photoshop, generally considered to be its only weakness, has brought commercial 

benefits to its developer because people are reluctant to learn new software once they 

have invested time and effort elsewhere. 

Yet the market is changing. Many photographers expressed a desire for software that had 

functions relating specifically to photography rather than all the painting, drawing, and 

design functions of Photoshop. Recognizing this as a valid argument, Adobe created 

Lightroom and packed it with viewing, sorting, and processing features, plus a one-click 

option to dip into Photoshop for retouching and other specialized work. Without doubt, 

future development will see features like retouching being transferred to Lightroom, 

making it potentially the new leader in an increasingly competitive market. 

The User Response 

Users devise strategies of their own to stay alive in the digital world. One successful strategy 

has been to ignore the full Photoshop product in favor of the lower-cost, entry-level 

Photoshop Elements edition, and then—and here is the vital point—load it with plug-ins. 

This has given many users the best of both worlds: access to the most popular functions 

of Photoshop, plus the latest third-party algorithms for such processes as sharpening, 

rescaling, and noise reduction. 

Users who try to steer clear of Photoshop find they still need a host editor to get the benefits 

of all the available plug-ins. Many, but not all, plug-ins work with other editors such 

as Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, which is itself becoming increasingly sophisticated. 

Having acquired Ulead Technology, the third-placed developer of image editors, Corel 

is in a much stronger position to mount a genuine challenge to Adobe’s dominance. 

A third strategy, one that is becoming increasingly viable, is to use a selection of standalone 

software from different vendors. Nikon users are fortunate in having the option 

to use Nikon Capture NX to its full extent, as it provides RAW conversion for Nikon 

output, plus image editing of JPEG and TIFF files from any camera. Nikon Capture 

becomes substantially more powerful with every new release and with the addition of 

Nik Software’s U Point technology it allows you to work on specific parts of the image 

without the need for Photoshop-style masks, selections, or layers. If you then want to 

add best-of-breed sharpening, noise reduction, and image rescaling, you can purchase 

another stand-alone product to do the job.

There is a fourth strategy that currently suffers from limited choice: the total workflow 

solution. It is a brave developer who addresses every stage of the workflow and tries to 

put it all together in a single package, but it has been done. ACDSee Pro is marketed as 

an end-to-end solution that allows its users to view, process, edit, organize, catalog, publish, 

and archive photo collections. It really is a very comprehensive program with a user 

manual that runs to 292 pages. Many enthusiasts find such a program more than adequate 

for their needs, whereas professionals have their own new breed of production 

software to process schools and sports photography. 

All of these strategies apply to the photo enthusiast, pro-am, and professional user, but 

what about those who take pictures only occasionally using a point-and-shoot camera? 

They, too, need viewing and browsing, image correction, printing, and other facilities 

in general categories similar those used by professionals. The difference is that software 

for the home user has to be more highly automated, with step-by-step wizard interfaces 

being a particularly good way of implementing an otherwise complex workflow. Here 

the alternative is software that makes an intelligent guess about what the user is trying 

to achieve, and then fixes it immediately. Do not underestimate these easiest-to-use programs; 

some of them are excellent and can make huge improvements to the image. 

Faking It 

Introduction xxiii 

The one class of software to avoid completely is fake software. Obviously it is not 

included anywhere in this book, but it is out there, waiting for your credit card. You 

can stumble across it if you hunt online using Google. Suddenly you find yourself in a 

netherworld of fakery where the download sites, vendor sites, and review sites all collude 

to convince you that a certain brand is highly effective when in fact it is completely 

useless. You can even download trial copies, run them on your computer, and verify that 

some of the tools are operational although others in the seemingly impressive GUI 

(graphical user interface) fail to work. Some users do not get suspicious at this point 

because they blame themselves for the error. They think that if they buy the software, 

the features will unlock and all will be well. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Mischievous programmers can go to absurd lengths to hoodwink the customer. It would 

probably be easier for them to develop genuine programs, but they prefer the fun of faking 

it. One of the most outrageous is a program called “Blood Eye Remove,” which purports 

to remove the red-eye effect. In a helpful blog, the vendor quotes that wonderful 

phrase beloved of reviewers: the software “does exactly what it promises.” This, at least, 

is true. It gouges out a hole, King Lear-style, effectively removing red-eye, but leaving 

a rectangular (afraid so) white hole where the eye once was.

xxiv 


The Eye of the Beholder 

In the fake software described in the last section, it is possible to detect a symbolic blinding 

of the user by the unscrupulous vendor, or at least, that is how Susan Sontag (On 

Photography, 1977) might have seen it. If beauty, like color, is in the eye of the beholder, 

there is ample opportunity for vendors to pass off second-rate software without raising 

too many objections. This is particularly true in special effects manipulation where even 

the touchstone of reality has disappeared. Only practice and a “good eye” can tell you 

whether software is adding real value to an image. 

Photography will always be more dependent on what happens in front of the camera 

than back in the virtual darkroom. This is why we travel to the farthest corners of the 

planet or hunt for the most unusual or attractive people to photograph. Because software 

merely improves or alters what is already there, the best images tend to be those 

that start with a great original. At least half the software represented here has been produced 

with the intention of rectifying deficiencies in the digital photographic process. 

Lack of resolution, focus, or dynamic range, insufficient sharpness, too much noise, not 

enough “snap”—software deals with all these issues in turn. When it is successful, as it 

is more often than not, it turns a good photograph into a great one. The digital photographer 

cannot work without it. 

About This Book 

In a single volume, The Digital Photographer’s Software Guide brings together information 

on over 300 software packages and plug-ins for the benefit of photographers of all 

levels of expertise. You’ll find solutions to meet every photographic need, not only image 

processing and editing, although these important tasks are covered at length, but also 

software color management, image rescaling, film simulation, slide show creation, professional 

studio management, and much more. This book is a map that will lead you to 

additional, in-depth information about each product on the Internet, where you can 

download and try nearly all the software it introduces. 

Here’s a smidgen of what you’ll find in this book: 

■ Concise descriptions of photographic software, from downloaders to RIPs 

■ Review-style comments about each program and its suitability for purpose 

■ Introductions to each software category, its scope, and development 

■ Technical specifications such as operating system, host program, and supported file 

formats 

■ Full contact information, including developers’ street and Web addresses 

■ In-depth reviews of Apple’s Aperture and Adobe Lightroom 

■ Information to help you build low-cost alternatives to the full Adobe Photoshop

Contents xxv 

Whom This Book Is For 

The Digital Photographer’s Software Guide is for anyone who loves digital photography 

and wants to learn additional software skills. Enthusiasts on a relatively low budget will 

find it invaluable as a source of information about third-party plug-ins that can be used 

with Photoshop Elements or Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo. For complete beginners it 

introduces all the steps of the digital photographic workflow and points the way to the 

best and most usable software now available. Even advanced professionals will find useful 

information about software for organizing their studios, managing digital assets, analyzing 

optics, creating high dynamic range images, or performing such tasks as data 

recovery and virtual proofing. 

Whatever your level of expertise, this book contains vital information that can help you 

become more efficient, more creative, and more satisfied with the final output from 

your digital camera. 

How This Book Is Organized 

The Digital Photographer’s Software Guide is divided into seven parts containing a total 

of 38 chapters, each of which covers a particular category of photographic software. 

Chapter 1, “Downloaders or Camera-to-PC Transfer,” introduces pro-level software for 

downloading images from a digital camera, renaming them, and filing them in your 

computer. 

Chapter 2, “Image Viewers,” is a survey of dedicated image-viewing software that will 

enable you to browse images efficiently, without the additional overhead of too many 

editing functions. Here, the spectrum ranges from rapid browsing of thousands of 

images to the highest quality, whole-screen display of individual images. 

Chapter 3, “Exif Tools,” covers tools that let you gain more convenient access to Exif 

data, and edit them as well. No longer routinely lost during JPEG editing, Exif data are 

preserved by most quality image editors and they contain a wealth of information about 

your pictures. 

Chapter 4, “Utility Software,” covers the gamut. If it is really useful but does not have 

a category of its own, the software is likely to be represented here. Among other functions, 

utility software helps you with JPEG compression, photo resizing, screen capture, 

watermarking, plug-in management, and test strip proofing. 

Chapter 5, “Cataloging,” covers the fact that, as your collection of digital images grows, 

so does the need for cataloging them. Specialist software has the most comprehensive set 

of features, allowing you to classify every image so that you can find it easily at a later date. 

Chapter 6, “Digital Asset Management (DAM),” discusses how companies and institutions 

use DAM to catalog and manage all their digital assets, from documents and 

images to videos and film clips. Here are the main systems, many of which can be used 

by photographic studios or individual photographers.

xxvi 


Chapter 7, ”RAW Converters,” looks at a wide selection of RAW converters that are 

not specific to any individual brand of camera. All photographers should try more than 

one or two RAW converters and there are now plenty from which to choose. 

Chapter 8, “Image Processors,” covers both general purpose and some highly specialized 

image processing software, all of which is designed to give you precise control over the 

balance of color, light, and shade in your images. Image processing lies at the very heart 

of digital photography, making this chapter one of the most important in the book. 

Chapter 9, “Quick-Fix Software,” comments on the remarkable abilities of some packages 

to detect common faults and make brilliant corrections. By no means limited to 

amateur photographers, quick-fix software is designed for people in a hurry, whether 

they are beginners or professionals. 

Chapter 10,” Image Editors,” is based on the premise that Adobe Photoshop is not the 

only game in town, although it features prominently here as the industry standard. If 

you want to try the alternatives, this is the place to look. 

Chapter 11, “Masking Tools,” begins part II. If you frequently matte images together, 

inserting a foreground subject into an alternative background, you may need special 

masking tools. Many were developed in Hollywood for the movies, but enterprising 

developers have packaged them for use by digital stills photographers. 

Chapter 12, “Black and White Conversion,” shows that there is more to black-andwhite 

conversion than using the desaturate option in your image editor. Excellent tools 

are available that allow you to control the contribution made by each color channel. 

Chapter 13, “Film Simulation and Effects,” covers the software for film simulation. 

Digital photography has long overtaken film in the range of effects it can achieve. One 

subset of these effects is film simulation, a technique that not only imitates the unique 

qualities of a particular emulsion, but also its processing and printing. 

Chapter 14, “Art Simulators,” looks at the best of the art simulators and discusses how 

they can serve as useful tools for the artist. No one expects instant Rembrandts, but art 

simulators are becoming increasingly accomplished at turning photographs into what 

appear to be outline sketches, watercolors, or oils, not to mention 101 other techniques. 

Chapter 15, “Special Effects,” covers the software for simulating the aging process, filter 

sets for frames, textures, edges, borders, and mosaics, plus 3D simulation and thousands 

of other effects. Each special effects package seems to have its own personality, 

offering a repertoire of techniques that can change your images dramatically. 

Chapter 16, “Sharpening Software,” looks at the latest programs that are dedicated to 

sharpening and describes the different algorithms that are being used in this highly 

competitive section of the market. DSLR users who shoot in RAW mode need to 

sharpen their images using either the facilities provided by their image processor or 

editing program, or else by using specialist software to obtain optimal results.

Contents xxvii 

Chapter 17, “Noise Reduction,” discusses excellent noise reduction software that enables 

you in many cases to eliminate noise altogether. If you shoot at ISO400 or above, the 

chances are that your images will have some noise (patterns of undetermined pixels that 

often appear in pictures taken in low light). 

Chapter 18, “Red-Eye Removal,” covers software for replacing unwanted, flash-induced 

eye colors in both human and animal portraits. Quick, dedicated software for removing 

the “red-eye” effect in flash photography can be useful, even if you have these facilities 

in an editing program. 

Chapter 19, “Skin Tone Enhancement,” is a “must” for the portrait photographer. This 

chapter describes what is currently available in skin tone enhancement software. Some 

developers have addressed this topic comprehensively, enabling you to make very subtle 

changes to skin tones. 

Chapter 20, “Photo Restoration,” discusses the best specialist software for this task. 

Photo restoration pre-dates the digital revolution, but today’s software can turn the most 

faded, torn, or stained photograph into a pristine digital image. 

Chapter 21, “High Dynamic Range,” begins part III. Some experts believe HDR is the 

future of digital photography, with specialist display monitors becoming more affordable. 

But there is no need to wait; you can begin experimenting now by downloading 

and trying some of the software described in this chapter. 

Chapter 22, “Depth-of-Field Tools,” explains how to make images of exceptional quality. 

If you are frustrated by the constant tradeoff between shutter speed and f-stop, why 

not investigate the technique of merging multiple images in order to retain sharp focus 

from foreground to background. These are especially useful in micro- and macrophotography. 

Chapter 23, “Lens Distortion Correction,” looks at software that can both correct common 

lens distortions and introduce similar distortions for creative effect. Whichever 

approach you adopt, you will find the tools here to do it perfectly, often by taking 

account of the lens manufacturer’s own specifications. 

Chapter 24, “Panorama Software: Photo Stitching and Virtual Tours,” covers the packages 

that let you make virtual tours by linking panoramic images together—ideal for 

the hard-pressed realtor with properties to sell. Whatever digital camera you use, it is 

easy to make ultra-high resolution images if you stitch several of them together to make 

a panel or a full panorama. 

Chapter 25, “Digital Scrapbooking,” begins part IV. Often dubbed “America’s favorite 

hobby,” scrapbooking has gone digital, with several packages offering thousands of visual 

accessories to enhance the end result. If you are not certain which one to use, or if you 

are unhappy with the one you have, this chapter will help.

xxviii 


Chapter 26, “Photo Album Creation,” helps you choose from dozens of good alternatives 

in this area. Whether you want to create virtual albums with page-turning simulation, 

or real, printed albums with clever layouts and classy bindings, this chapter will 

point you in the right direction. 

Chapter 27, “Slide Show Creation,” covers the gamut. Some readers will want quickand-easy 

slide shows, others might want to create professional shows with images synchronized 

to a soundtrack. Whatever your need, or if you simply want to give slide show 

creation a try, this chapter shows you what can be done. 

Chapter 28, “Image Rescalers,” begins part V. Making digital images larger for printing 

is more challenging than resizing them for the Web. The image rescalers described here 

are capable of adding millions of pixels while taking account of edges and other image 

content. 

Chapter 29, “Color Management,” describes the basic principles and lists many of the 

most effective tools. No longer the exclusive territory of the pro photographer, color 

management is available to all, and there is no better starting place than this chapter. 

Chapter 30, “Color Tools,” is for those really, really into color. It looks at specialist programs, 

some of which are far from the mainstream of photographic software. Color 

theory may be hard, but learning to use these plug-ins will help you gain a better understanding 

of it. 

Chapter 31, “RIP Software,” contains a wide selection of RIPs, with their strengths and 

weaknesses. So you are already using a RIP, either embedded in your printer or running 

separately as software. But is it the right one for your style of photography? Find out here. 

Chapter 32, “Virtual Proofing,” describes some of the different approaches that are finding 

popularity, including Web-based proofing services. The elimination of paper proofs 

by simulating them on calibrated screens is revolutionizing the creative arts industry. 

Chapter 33, “Backup Software,” begins part VI. Do you trust your operating system to 

make comprehensive, fail-safe backups, or do you want to check out what the most 

advanced third-party software can do? The backup software described here goes beyond 

the capabilities of today’s standard operating systems. 

Chapter 34, “Data Recovery,” contains a good selection of leading solutions, for recovering 

data from memory cards, disk drives, and optical media. It may be the kind of 

software that you turn to only in an emergency, but every photographer needs to know 

about data recovery. 

Chapter 35, “Pro Studio Software,” is a good chapter for wedding, portrait, school, and 

event photographers who need to keep track of customers’ details as well as look after 

forward planning, inventory control, and a host of other demands. The pro studio software 

described here offers a variety of solutions, from general bookkeeping to dedicated 

features that only a photographer needs.

Contents xxix 

Chapter 36, “Pro Tools for Web, Wireless, and Remote Access,” discusses professional 

tools that do not fit easily into other categories. This includes including software for 

image uploading to Websites, an FTP server for wireless image transmission, and an 

Internet image library system for pro photographers and agencies. 

Chapter 37, “Analysis and Diagnostics Software,” is for the technically minded photographer. 

Lens analysis and computer diagnostics software is something to be used for 

its own sake as well as for its ability to correct systemic faults. Turn to the software 

described in this chapter if you are a perfectionist. 

Chapter 38, “Two Featured Products,” is the only chapter in part VII. In greater depth 

than available space permitted in previous chapters, this final chapter discusses two 

popular workflow products—Apple’s Aperture and Adobe Lightroom. These reviews 

drill down into hands-on, how-to details, describing the interfaces and features of each 

product in turn. Which of the two is better? When you read this chapter, you’ll be able 

to make an informed choice.

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Part I 

Browsing, 

Organizing, 

and Editing

This part includes the following topics: 

Chapter 1 Downloaders or Camera-to-PC Transfer 

Chapter 2 Image Viewers 

Chapter 3 Exif Tools 

Chapter 4 Utility Software 

Chapter 5 Cataloging 

Chapter 6 Digital Asset Management (DAM) 

Chapter 7 RAW Converters 

Chapter 8 Image Processors 

Chapter 9 Quick-Fix Software 

Chapter 10 Image Editors

1 

Downloaders or 

Camera-to-PC Transfer 

A relatively new category of photographic software, somewhat underpopulated as yet, 

downloaders nail the file-naming problem at the source: when you bring files into the 

computer for the first time. If you find it confusing to look at folders with names like 

137CANON and 138CANON (and who doesn’t?) you can rename them immediately 

with one of these utilities. Downloaders also allow you to use shooting data such as 

image capture time, camera model, or ISO to sort your images into relevant folders. 

Downloaders are inexpensive utilities, and very useful for bringing RAW or RAW+JPEG 

files into the computer. Both Downloader Pro and RoboImport take good care of the 

metadata and have full support for GPS coordinate stamping. 

The Photo Downloader feature of Photoshop CS3 was generally acknowledged as one 

of that edition’s best new features, having already appeared in Lightroom. Like the standalone 

programs mentioned previously, it gets your workflow off to a flying start. It has 

also been implemented in Photoshop Elements. To use it, launch the Photo Downloader 

dialog box from the File menu.

4 


Downloader Pro 

Vendor: Breeze Systems 

Purpose: Downloads images from camera to computer with renaming and GPS tagging 

Figure 1.1 

Downloader Pro’s GPS Settings dialog box, with Track Log feature. 

Description 

Downloader Pro enables photographers to transfer images from a card reader or camera 

to a computer, to rename them and, if necessary, to tag them with GPS coordinate information. 

The program also reads shooting metadata from all major formats. 

Without a facility like Downloader Pro, a DSLR dictates the names of the files and folders, 

which are usually incomprehensible and give no indication of their contents. By 

renaming the files at an early stage you can group them together for batch processing, 

such as sharpening or curves. Downloader fully integrates with the vendor’s RAW 

processor BreezeBrowser Pro, allowing these tasks to be accomplished in tandem. 

Downloader Pro has full support for portable hard drives like Delkin PicturePad, 

NixVue Vista, and ImageBank, and is good at identifying the duplicate images that these 

devices generate every time you insert a memory card. It downloads directly from nearly 

all Canon DSLRs, and allows you to synchronize the clock on a Canon camera with 

the one on your PC.

Comments 

Downloader Pro is a genuinely useful product that fulfills a real need. Canon users in 

particular will appreciate the features that are specific to their brand. It accepts RAW 

files from all major DSLRs as well as Hasselblad and Leica cameras. 

Version: Downloader Pro 2.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats, JPEG, TIFF, and DNG 

Price level: Approx. $30 

Address: Breeze Systems Limited, 69 High Street, Bagshot, Surrey GU19 5UH, United Kingdom 

www.breezesys.com 

RoboImport 

Vendor: PicaJet.com 

Purpose: Camera-to-PC image transfer solution 

Chapter 1 ■ Downloaders or Camera-to-PC Transfer 5 

Description 

RoboImport specializes in file transfer from cameras (Canon) and card readers to computers. 

When it brings files into the PC it renames them automatically and places them 

into appropriate folders. At this point, one of the vendor’s other programs (the PicaJet 

photo organizer) can take over and provide more extensive cataloging functions. 

RoboImport uses default file/folder renamer schemes unless you choose to customize 

them by setting up renaming schemes of your own. This is a reasonably straightforward 

task and once in place it directs the software to put incoming images with their new 

filenames into the new folder structure. 

There are many other features that make RoboImport a particularly versatile image 

import utility: auto-rotation during transfer, separating of RAW+JPEG files into RAW 

and JPEG folders, batch conversion from RAW to Adobe DNG format, automatic fillin 

of IPTC data fields, automatic backup to several locations, and GPS coordinate 

stamping. RoboImport preserves the Exif data when importing files from leading DSLR 

brands. Multilingual support includes French, German, Italian, Korean, and Russian. 

Comments 

You can use RoboImport with PicaJet or other brands of image organizer, but if you 

want to bring in files direct from a camera it has to be a Canon. There are many filerenaming 

utilities available, but this one is a product that can be used by professional 

photographers. It has many features in common with Downloader Pro from Breeze 

Systems (see that entry).

6 


Version: RoboImport 1.2.0.66 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, XP, ME, 2003, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Most RAW formats and Adobe DNG, TIFF, JPEG, JPEG2000, PCX, 

BMP, ICO, CUR, PNG, WMP, EMF, TGA, PXM, PSD, FAX, PCD, CUT, AVI, QuickTime, 

MPEG/2/4, and WMV 

Price level: Single license $30, family license $60 

Address: PicaJet.Com, Pacific Business Centre, P.O. Box 34069 #381, Seattle, WA 98124-1069, 

United States 

www.picajet.com 

RoboFolder 


Purpose: Picture file-renaming utility 

Description 

RoboFolder is best described as an image renamer and folder reorganizer. It allows you 

to rearrange your folder structure in a logical way, while at the same time renaming files 

to make them more easily identifiable. Its renaming system prevents duplicates and can 

include such information as camera model name and capture date and time. 

Other features of RoboFolder include lossless rotation of the images, Exif thumbnail 

support, automatic sorting of RAW and JPEG into separate folders, autofill of IPTC 

details, and full undo with roll-back manager. 

Comments 

If you have not yet decided to invest in a full downloader, you may find RoboFolder to 

be a time-saving utility, well worth its nominal cost. By renaming files and reorganizing 

folders, it brings a degree of order to the typical chaos of a day (or month or year) of 

taking pictures. It is especially useful if you like to go back to your unprocessed images 

long after you have taken them. Filenames that jog the memory by indicating time and 

place are more effective than the camera manufacturer’s original naming. RoboFolder 

has multilingual support for German, Korean, and Russian. 

Version: RoboFolder 1.2.0.66 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, XP, ME, 2003, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Most RAW and major image formats 

Price level: $25 


United States 

www.picajet.com

Summary 

Chapter 1 ■ Downloaders or Camera-to-PC Transfer 7 

Only professional photographers and amateurs who take very large numbers of images 

need be concerned with the specialist downloading software described in this chapter. 

If you like to catalog your original images simply by the date they were taken, you can 

safely ignore this section. However, many professionals find downloaders useful for these 

tasks and more: for renaming files automatically, specifying the download path, and 

even automatically rotating the images to their correct orientation.


2 

Image Viewers 

The life cycle of an image viewer, like that of a farm animal, can be nasty, brutish, and 

short, but it can also be the opposite: long and ultimately rewarding to the originator 

who gets it right. 

The people behind the programs listed in this chapter have all “got it right” in one way 

or another. Every image viewer seems to have a personality of its own, from disciplined 

to gregarious. To the prospective user, the best advice I can give you is to download several 

of them, try them out, and see which is the most congenial. There is no need to accept 

the standard Microsoft or Apple way of handling pictures, although both companies do 

a good job of it. One photographer may want browsing speed, another ease-of-use, while 

still another may be looking for the best way to rename files. There is a product for 

everyone, and you can customize most of these products to fit your needs exactly. 

If you scour the Internet for image viewers you can find lists that contain 150 or more 

products, all of them capable of displaying images as clickable thumbnails that expand 

to fit a large window on your screen. Some are still at the embryonic stage: the pet 

project of a novice programmer who is learning the craft with every new line of code. 

Others have moved on from this level to become fully featured viewers handling several 

hundred file formats, with cataloging and editing functions galore. Eventually, an 

image viewer may have aspirations to become an end-to-end workflow product, but few 

of them ever make it that far. 

By its very nature, image viewing is the most fluid category in this book. After all, every 

piece of photographic software, whatever its application, needs to display images and 

make them viewable. For example, is BreezeBrowser an image viewer with RAW conversion 

facilities, or a RAW converter with viewing facilities? Several software packages 

with wonderful viewing and image shuffling features (like Apple’s Aperture, Adobe

10 


Lightroom, and ACDSee) have been placed into alternative categories because the title 

“image viewer” scarcely does justice to them. Arguably, you could say the same about 

ThumbsPlus and CompuPic Pro, but then, every category here needs applications that 

perform at least one specialist task supremely well. In this case it is browsing: an activity 

so enjoyable that no quirk of the user interface should interfere with it. 

Adobe Photoshop Album 

Vendor: Adobe Systems 

Purpose: For newcomers to photography: view, find, fix, and share your photos, for free 

Description 

Adobe Photoshop Album now comes as a Starter Edition for photographic beginners, 

after which, for more experienced or skillful users, Adobe’s browsing and image organizing 

software becomes subsumed into the higher value products: into Photoshop 

Elements for “casual photographers” and then into CS4 or Lightroom for enthusiasts 

and professionals. 

Photoshop Album Starter Edition has some basic functions that allow you to view and 

organize a small collection of images. It takes an instant one-click approach to fixing 

common photographic errors like red-eye, color, and brightness. Other facilities include 

image emailing, send by mobile phone, and easy ways of getting prints and photo books. 

Comments 

Adobe does not give away too many packages, so this is a treat—and well worth having if 

you do not have a more elaborate browser. It lets you view your images in a full-screen 

slide show, or in calendar view that puts them in chronological order. You can tag your 

images and track them down later with search facilities. The whole idea is to introduce 

beginners to the procedures of handling digital photos and to leave them wanting more. 

Versions: Photoshop Album Starter Edition 3.2 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major image and movie formats 

Price level: Free 

Address: Adobe Systems Incorporated, 345 Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95110-2704, United States 

www.adobe.com 

ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer 

Vendor: ArcSoft 

Purpose: Free Windows utility for easily locating and browsing your RAW files

Description 

ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer is a handy utility that allows you to browse your RAW 

files. It displays thumbnail versions instead of the generic icons normally displayed by 

Windows Explorer. The developer lists support for RAW files from the following camera 

manufacturers: Canon, Hasselblad, Kodak, Leica, Mamiya, Nikon, Olympus, 

Pentax, Ricoh, Samsung, Sigma, and Sony, together with Adobe (DNG) format. 

Comments 

If you have a reasonably sophisticated image editor or processor, you may not need 

ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer. But it is a genuinely useful product that adds functionality 

to Windows. Although the developer does not list Fuji RAF files, it does in 

fact display them as well. 

Version: ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer 1.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats (see previous) 


Address: ArcSoft Corporate Headquarters, 46601 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, United States 

www.arcsoft.com 

Canon ZoomBrowser EX 

Chapter 2 ■ Image Viewers 11 

Vendor: Canon 

Purpose: You can download images from your camera, organize and edit them, and then email 

or print them 

Description 

For the PC (there is another product called ImageBrowser for Mac), ZoomBrowser lets 

you download images from your camera, sort them, adjust the color and white balances, 

and then email or print them. You can select which images you want to download, including 

RAW files from any Canon camera. In the viewing area, zoom, scroll, and preview 

modes let you examine the images in different ways, many at a time, greatly enlarged, or 

complete with metadata. You can compare images side by side or view them in slide shows. 

Organizing functions let you rename the images or assign them star ratings. You can 

search the pictures by shooting date, modification date, by the comment attached to 

the image, or by the star rating. 

Editing includes automatic red-eye correction, color and brightness adjustment, and 

some basic movie-editing features. ZoomBrowser comes with PhotoRecord printing 

software that supports borderless printing, index printing, and photo albums with 

comments.

12 


Comments 

Bundled with Canon cameras, ZoomBrowser and ImageBrowser are quite capable as 

basic organizers. Like a kit lens, they fill a gap with an adequate solution: in this case 

making sure that all camera owners can at least get their images into a computer, look at 

them, and print them. They usually form part of Digital Photo Professional (DPP), 

Canon’s bundled software for DSLRs, which has additional dust delete functions. If you 

lose the CD that came with your Canon camera, you have to install an earlier version of 

ZoomBrowser (available online) before you can obtain the latest upgrade from Canon. 

Version: ZoomBrowser EX 6.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 (SP4), XP (SP 1&2), and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Canon RAW; JPEG and TIFF 

Price level: Free with camera 

Address: Canon U.S.A., Inc., One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042, United States 

(Japanese only) web.canon.jp 

(Windows) web.canon.jp/imaging/software/zbex5-e/index.html 

(Mac) www.canon.co.jp/imaging/software/ib5-e/index.html 

CompuPic Pro 

Vendor: Photodex 

Purpose: Multi-featured software to manage, view, and use multimedia content 

Description 

CompuPic Pro is a commercial software package that allows you to manage, view, and 

use all the images, movies, and sounds on your computer. It is a very fast image browser 

(faster than any other on the market, according to the vendor) and it also has excellent 

batch-conversion facilities. However large your image collection, CompuPic Pro can 

make light work of browsing it. 

Features include batch editing with the ability to apply crop, resize, text, and image 

watermarking to many images at once. There are image enhancement features such as 

auto-correction, red-eye removal, drop-shadow, and text effects. You can adjust brightness, 

contrast, color, and hue, as well as resize to any size and rotate to any angle. 

Output facilities include online publishing with customized Web pages and an option 

to create Photodex PictureCDs that include the viewing software. You can create Picture 

Index contact sheets and go on to print your photos at any size, or simply create screen 

savers and desktop wallpaper. Sharing is easy because the vendor supports a lot of online 

sites (and has one of its own, Photodex.com, which is free to join). You can also use the 

integrated email feature.

Comments 

CompuPic Pro is much more than an image viewer. Like ACDSee, it is becoming a 

complete workflow product. One early criticism of it was that it lacked support for 48bit 

TIFF files, but this has now been corrected. However, at the time of writing it still 

lacks support for RAW files, which might be an inconvenience for many users. Its chief 

virtue is its amazing speed; it enables you to search thousands of images “by eye” with 

a minimum of fuss. With its support for MPEG, AVI, and MOV formats, there is no 

better application for browsing media downloaded from the Web (the possible exception 

being PicLens). 

Version: CompuPic Pro 6.23 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98/ME, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Reads more than 100 formats, including JPEG 2000 and 

48-bit TIFF files; writes more than 20 formats 

Price level: Approx. $80, CompuPic Express $25, CompuPic $40 

Address: Photodex Corporation, 925 Westbank Drive, Austin, TX 78746, United States 

www.photodex.com 

FastStone Image Viewer 

Vendor: FastStone Soft 

Purpose: A fast and efficient image browser, file converter, and editor 


Description 

If you want to neatly organize a few hundred pictures in your computer, all you need 

for quick browsing and display is the FastStone Image Viewer. It has an easy-to-use interface. 

It lists folders Explorer-style on the left, which, on opening, display their contents 

in contact sheet format. When you open an image it displays full-screen immediately, 

complete with zoom tools, while the contact sheet converts to a hidden, scrollable top 

bar, discovered when you move the cursor to the top of the screen. What could be simpler? 

The program supports all major formats including JPEG 2000 and the popular 

digital camera RAW formats. 

Additions to the FastStone Image Viewer have expanded its capabilities, with file conversion 

and many editing functions. It gives you a choice of 11 resampling algorithms 

for resizing alone. Then there are rotate and flip, cropping, sharpen, blur, and controls 

for brightness and contrast. Special features include watermarking, annotation, drop 

shadow, framing, and bump mapping. You can use it to make slide shows, with 150+ 

transition effects and music support. With batch processing for renaming files, full Exif 

display, dual-monitor support, and contact sheet building capabilities, FastStone Image 

Viewer is a versatile and useful product.

14 


Figure 2.1 

FastStone Image Viewer, showing thumbnails, file structure, and the preview box. 

Comments 

I would not normally recommend a product from a source that gives no mailing address 

or company details, but this product is an exception. I have used FastStone Image Viewer 

for several years with no problems whatsoever. Fast and convenient, it has everything 

you need for quick browsing without the clutter of an image editor. Files can remain in 

any group of folders on your computer: FastStone handles them all with ease. 

Version: FastStone Image Viewer 3.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats, BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, GIF, PNG, PCX, TIFF, 

WMF, ICO, and TGA 

Price level: Free to home users, commercial use approx. $35 

Address: support@faststone.org 

www.faststone.org

FastStone MaxView 


Purpose: Small, fast image viewer with support for all major graphic formats 


Description 

With the FastStone Image Viewer beginning to bloat with features, the developers saw 

a need for a lightweight viewer without all the editing options. FastStone MaxView fills 

the gap. With a borderless window and menus and toolbars that hide automatically, it 

takes the “uncluttered look” to another level. Zoom features and an on-screen magnifier 

are well implemented, and the slide show features are the same as those in the larger 

product, complete with background music in MP3, WAV, MIDI, or WMA format. 

Lossless JPEG rotation, quick panning/scrolling of large images, and a customizable 

magnifier all help to make this product a real winner. 

Figure 2.2 

FastStone MaxView minimizes screen clutter for whole screen browsing.

16 

Comments 

This is an astonishingly well-made utility that is a joy to operate, especially in full-screen 

mode. Move the cursors to the corners of the screen to access menus; scroll to zoom in 

one mode, move to the next image in another. What could be simpler or more effective? 

Version: FastStone MaxView 2.1 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; loads JPEG, JPEG 2000, GIF, BMP, PNG, PCX, TIFF, 

WMF, ICO, CUR, and TGA; saves JPEG, JPEG 2000, TIFF, GIF, PCX, BMP, PNG, and TGA 



www.faststone.org 

iPhoto 


Vendor: Apple 

Purpose: Fast image viewer with full-screen display and RAW support 

Description 

Apple’s iPhoto is the natural image viewer of choice for Mac users who are not running 

Aperture. It can provide browsing facilities for a database of up to 250,000 photos, can 

open RAW files (including those from Leica and Leaf), and makes it easy to publish on 

the Web or to obtain custom cards. 

iPhoto’s full-screen editing means that you can display images at full resolution, with a 

minimum of panning and scrolling needed to view them. Menus, palettes, and toolbars 

are well implemented—they appear when you want them and disappear when you have 

finished with them. It is all part of the Apple design philosophy, which pays as much 

attention to the look of the tool as it does to its use. 

iPhoto has always been presented as consumer software, with emphasis on sharing family 

photographs or purchasing albums, cards, and calendars. With a .Mac account you can 

use what Apple calls photocasting, which is an easy way to put your pictures online. Yet the 

software also comes with keywording facilities for categorizing your pictures, and support 

for Exif data and RAW files, so it clearly has some appeal for the photo enthusiast as well. 

Comments 

The upgrade from iPhoto 5 to 6 earned Apple four-and-a-half mice in Macworld, but 

received some criticism for its ability to catalog off-line images. In this it fell short of applications 

like iView Media Pro, which has since been acquired by Microsoft to reemerge as 

Expression Media. The introduction of iPhoto ’08 saw some major improvements, notably

the use of Events, a feature that enables you to group photos chronologically. Being able 

to copy photo adjustments from one image to another was also hailed as improving the 

product’s ease-of-use. Users who like to print their photographs were given extended facilities, 

including multi-picture layout. However, iPhoto remains a consumer product, useful 

for many Mac users but not highly appealing to serious photographers. 

Version: iPhoto ’08 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.5 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; major image formats 

Price level: Complete iLife suite approx. $80 

Address: Apple Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, United States 

www.apple.com 

IrfanView 

Developer: Irfan Skiljan 

Purpose: Small, fast graphic viewer with a reputation for innovation 


Description 

IrfanView (pronounced “ear-fan view”) has long had a great reputation among photographers 

for being a fast, lightweight image viewer, with IPTC editing and an excellent 

range of innovative features. It was the world’s first viewer to offer animated GIF 

support. Limited editing facilities include sharpen, blur, rotate, and crop. There are good 

file searching features, an email option, a multimedia player, and lots of shortcuts to 

speed the workflow. All its features are carefully explained on the developer’s Website. 

IrfanView supports plug-ins to add multimedia players, filters, email, Exif, and FTP, all 

of which can be downloaded as a single file. 

Comments 

Irfan Skiljan says he has had 49,000 emails congratulating him on IrfanView, software 

he continues to develop and improve. With “a million downloads per month” since 

2003, it is one of the most popular pieces of photo-related software around. Its interface 

is unusual in that it adjusts the window size to the size of the images, displaying 

them on your desktop as large as possible. 

With version 4.1, IrfanView offered a new plug-in called Paint, which lets users paint 

lines, circles, and arrows, and straighten images. Dozens of other effects and improvements 

have also been added, many of them courtesy of third-party enthusiasts. For 

example, it now includes “green- and yellow-eye” reduction, useful in animal photography, 

and a lossless JPEG crop facility.

18 


Figure 2.3 

IrfanView can display the hexadecimal as well as conventional views. 

Version: IrfanView 4.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Reads more than 100 formats; writes major formats, including JPEG 

2000, PDF (with plug-in) 

Price level: Free for non-commercial use 

Address: Irfan Skiljan, Postfach 48, 2700 Wiener Neustadt, Austria, Europe 

www.irfanview.com 

Lightbox 

Vendor: Conceiva 

Purpose: A file browser that attaches itself to any application for quick access to images

Description 

Lightbox is an image browser with a difference: it attaches itself to any selected application 

so that users have easy access to all their image folders. For example, if you attach it to Word, 

its thumbnail viewer and file browser become physically attached to the bottom of the Word 

window until you click Remove in the Lightbox Manager window. It works with all popular 

applications including Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign, and 

Fireworks; Macromedia FreeHand; CorelDRAW, and Paint Shop Pro; and so on. 

Aimed at graphic designers, Web designers, and digital photographers, Lightbox has full 

drag-and-drop support, enabling users to select and place images immediately into their 

applications. Other features include a color picker, animated thumbnails, favorites, history, 

user-defined thumbnail sizes, and an “instant viewer” that displays a large version of the 

image on double-clicking. 

Comments 

An ingenious concept, Lightbox stands or falls according to whether individual applications 

have a need for it. Most have their own browsing facilities—even MS Works 

Word has Insert>Picture>From File—which brings up an image browser. When 

Lightbox gets better editing features, such as resizing and cropping, it will become much 

more useful. However, its current support for many different file formats is noteworthy, 

as is its ability to display both Exif and IPTC metadata. 

Version: Lightbox 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: 150 file formats including all popular image, digital camera, Web, video, 

audio, and document files, including 50 RAW formats 


Address: Conceiva Pty. Ltd., Monash Business Park, 21 Business Park Drive, Notting Hill 3168, 

Victoria, Australia 

www.conceiva.com 

Photo Mechanic 


Vendor: Camera Bits 

Purpose: Image browser for professional photographers with good IPTC support 

Description 

An image browser aimed at professional photographers, Photo Mechanic from Camera 

Bits provides exceptional control for applying “IPTC stationery” (a template containing 

details of city, state, photographer’s name, copyright, and so on) and XMP metadata. It 

is also extremely fast, with a multi-threaded architecture to keep itself a few steps ahead

20 

of the user. It offers full-screen viewing, side-by-side comparison, scalable contact sheets, 

photo tagging, sorting into folders, back-up facilities, and single-step features that allow 

you to combine several operations to speed the workflow. 

Comments 

Although its functionality is limited to browsing, sorting, and keywording, Photo 

Mechanic is so efficient that it is the viewer of choice for thousands of photographers. 

Why? Partly because of its time-saving features, such as being able to copy to two different 

destinations (or drives) at the same time, or accepting data from multiple cards 

on multiple readers. Its Batch Captioning facility is first-rate, thumbnail display speed 

is almost instant, and it can open most RAW files although it does not fully convert 

them. It has stiff competition from Apple’s Aperture, Adobe Lightroom, and Microsoft’s 

Expression Media (formerly iView Media Pro). 

Version: Photo Mechanic 4.5.3 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP, 2000, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Most RAW formats; JPEG and TIFF 


Address: Camera Bits, Inc., 4055 NW Columbia Ave., Portland, OR 97229, United States 

www.camerabits.com 

Picasa 


Vendor: Google 

Purpose: Fun-to-use viewer with Geotagging and photo-sharing facilities 

Description 

Google’s image viewer is a great organizational tool. It automatically indexes every image 

on your computer at launch; finds “the pictures you forgot you had” (and wish you had 

deleted); and then lets you move them all around until you are happy with them. The 

interface is luxurious and very convenient for rapid browsing. It lets you rename pictures 

from within the program or caption them while they are being displayed. If you 

also have Google Earth, the Geotagging feature lets you place a thumbnail of the image 

directly on to a Google aerial photo/map, clickable to the original. 

Among Picasa’s most useful features is Timeline, which lets you scroll through your pictures 

in chronological order. Picasa is available in many languages, including Thai, 

Tagalog, and Turkish.

Figure 2.4 

Picasa can index every image on your computer at rapid speed. 


Comments 

Picasa has a Google personality, much like the Google Toolbar or even the company 

itself: very clever, a bit aggressive, and has a tendency to ferret out material without asking. 

But it is free, so it could scarcely be a better value, and it has some professional features 

(like RAW support) that are lacking in certain commercial browsing software. Note: it 

is not an online application and requires Windows. 

Version: Picasa 2.7 (2008) 


RAM: 64MB (128MB recommended) 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, PSD, and TIFF; AVI, 

MPEG, WMV, ASF, and MOV 


Address: Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States 

www.google.com

22 

PicLens 


Vendor: cooliris 

Purpose: Creates a “3D wall” effect to help you browse images on the Web 

Description 

PicLens is a browser add-on for Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari that lets you view 

images from the Web by automatically presenting them in a 3D wall. You can pan across 

the wall, zoom into individual images, and double-click them to show them full-screen 

with navigational thumbnails. 

Related products—PicLens Lite and PicLens Publisher—allow bloggers and Webmasters 

respectively to provide their readers with the same cinematic-style experience. With the 

PicLens Plug-in for WordPress, bloggers can add full-screen slideshows to their 

WordPress blogs. With PicLens Publisher, Webmasters can enable full-screen slideshows 

on their sites. 

You can use the basic (and free) PicLens viewer to view images on Facebook, MySpace, 

Flickr, Deviant Art, and Google image search. 

Figure 2.5 

PicLens creates a spectacular panoramic wall of images.

Comments 

For image junkies, PicLens is a must-have product. It has won almost universal acclaim 

from users, partly because of its initial “wow factor.” However, whether it is useful to 

the serious photographer is for the individual to judge. If you store your images on a 

PicLens-enabled Website, it offers you a remarkably fast and elegant way of browsing them. 

On the other hand, you may dislike having hundreds of images flicking past your eyes, 

with “in-your-face” presentation upon selecting one of them. Photographers usually 

prefer viewers that enable them to make side-by-side comparisons and assemble portfolios 

of the preferred images. PicLens serves another purpose, namely Internet browsing, 

and does it very effectively indeed. 

Version: PicLens v.1.6.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP or Vista, with IE6 or IE7; Mac OS X 

RAM: 1.1MB 

Supported file formats: As browser 


Address: Menlo Park, CA, United States 

www.cooliris.com 

STOIK Imagic 

Vendor: STOIK Imaging 

Purpose: An all-in-one photo browser, viewer, and image and video editor 


Description 

STOIK Imagic brings together the functions of a photo browser, viewer, and image and 

video editor into one package, enabling users to organize, fix, edit, and share photographs 

and videos. 

Unlike many of STOIK’s products, this one is aimed more at the hobbyist than the professional. 

It lets you fix red-eye, adjust skin tones, and remove noise defects. You can 

create and print calendars, collages, and greeting cards or generate slide shows, screensavers, 

and Web albums. It is certainly very versatile and offers a substantial collection 

of artistic filters and effects, together with the option of working in 48-bit color. One of 

its novelty effects is the ability to turn an image into a 15-piece mosaic or jigsaw puzzle. 

Comments 

The unusual combination of functions (especially video editing combined with photo 

browsing) may not meet everyone’s needs, but it is here if you want it. Much of the 

functionality is well-implemented, especially the novelty effects.

24 


Version: STOIK Imagic 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 SE, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, PNG, TGA, and PCX 


Address: STOIK Imaging, Ltd, P.O. Box 48, Moscow 119049, Russia 

www.stoik.com 

ThumbsPlus 

Vendor: Cerious Software 

Purpose: Fast, mature image and movie viewer with loads of features and 48-bit support 

Description 

ThumbsPlus is a fast, well-established image viewer that can display images in over a 

hundred different formats, including RAW files if you have the Digicam plug-in. It 

allows you to load, view, edit, and save 16 bits per channel images. It preserves the alpha 

channels in 24-bit and 48-bit images, offers a range of printing options with print preview, 

has image resizing capabilities, thumbnail and viewing options for movies, and 

useful support for Exif and IPTC metadata. 

The key features of ThumbsPlus are its image handling, viewing, and thumbnail sorting 

capabilities. It has multiple monitor support, a feature that is becoming increasing 

important to photographers. It provides user-defined fields for categorizing and searching, 

with various sort options such as similarity, orientation, and image size. As a result 

you can find duplicates easily, build slide shows, and upload collections of images to 

online photo processing sites. 

ThumbsPlus comes in Standard and Pro editions, the latter having support for 

client/server databases (such as MySQL and IBM DB2), Photoshop and Cerious plugin 

support, RAW file handling, and 16- and 48-bit image editing. Full-blown network 

licenses are also available. With the client/server version of the product you can build a 

database of images and make them accessible to others using the ThumbsPlus 

WebClient over an Intranet or the Internet. Being browser-based (IE/Firefox), 

WebClient runs on Mac and Linux machines as well as on Windows. 

Comments 

By any standard a great application, ThumbsPlus has been totally revamped in recent 

times with a new user interface. New features like “Return to Last Folder” and “Forward 

to Next Folder” are a delight, whereas full screen viewing has always been perfectly 

implemented. ThumbsPlus is highly customizable. You can change the size of the 

thumbnail index, change the fonts, change practically anything—without getting lost.

Version: ThumbsPlus 7.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista 


Supported file formats: Major RAW formats (requires the Digicam plug-in, Pro edition only); 

plus internal support for more than 100 formats, including JPEG, JPEG 2000, TIFF, PSD, 

DCR, DCS, PNG, scanned images (TWAIN), and so on. Can support more with Object 

Linking and Embedding (OLE) 

Price level: Standard edition $50, Professional edition $90 (both approximate) 

Address: Cerious Software Inc., 1515 Mockingbird Lane, Suite 1000, Charlotte, NC 28209, 

United States 

www.cerious.com 

XnView 

Developer: Pierre-E Gougelet 

Purpose: Image viewer that handles most file formats 


Description 

XnView is probably the most versatile freeware image viewer available. It not only supports 

a huge number of file formats, including animated GIF and multipage TIFF, it 

also displays IPTC and Exif metadata, offers IPTC editing, and has an increasing number 

of editing facilities. Multilingual support is excellent (44 languages), but only in the 

Windows edition. 

XnView’s editing functions include brightness and contrast adjustment, color modification, 

filters, crop, and lossless rotation, and special effects such as blur, emboss, and 

edge detection. It has batch processing and batch renaming capabilities, together with 

some limited Web-page creation functions. Its interface allows you to compare images 

side-by-side or view them in full-screen mode. 

Comments 

XnView’s interface offers so many options that it can easily become confusing, but fortunately 

it defaults to a sensible configuration. It works best in Windows, where it offers 

TWAIN support together with print and drag-and-drop features that are not (yet) 

implemented in other environments. Its great strength is in being able to open unusual 

formats. Even JPEG 2000 still defeats many image viewers, but not this one. 

Version: XnView 1.93.6/1.7 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, ME, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X; Linux 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Imports 400 formats, exports 50 (both approx.) 

Price level: Free, commercial use $25

26 


Address: contact@xnview.com 

www.xnview.com 

Figure 2.6 

XnView offers a tabbed browser display with a large main window. 

Summary 

Even though there are many choices of software for viewing and browsing images, many 

users, sometimes to their detriment, stick with the program they know best. This can 

be a serious error. Even some of the best all-purpose image editors are not necessarily 

great for browsing. Quite often a photographer simply needs to take a quick look at a 

collection of images without launching a full cataloging, image management, or editing 

application, all of which allow you to browse in one form or another. Some image viewers 

are superb for churning through thousands of thumbnails (Picasa), whereas others 

are excellent for displaying whole screen, high-res images in rapid succession (FastStone 

MaxView). All of the image viewers discussed in this chapter are worth trying, and 

PicLens is a “must-have” product.

3 

Exif Tools 

Exchangeable image file format, or Exif (commonly but not officially capitalized as 

EXIF), is a file format standard that enables digital cameras to record metadata about 

each photograph along with the image data. It stipulates how the image data should be 

recorded—compressed files in JPEG and uncompressed files in TIFF. Image viewing 

software can then extract the metadata, which may include details such as date, time, 

camera model, and shutter speed, and make it available whenever the image is displayed 

on a monitor. 

One of the limitations of Exif data is its tendency to become corrupted during JPEG 

compression. JPEG is a “lossy” format, which means it compresses the data, unlike TIFF, 

yet Exif takes its method of structuring metadata from the TIFF format, placing them 

within the image file itself. 

In spite of its limitations, Exif does at least provide a framework in which metadata can 

be stored and retrieved. In addition to the make and model of the camera, date, and 

time of capture (plus location, if you have a GPS receiver connected to your DSLR), 

date/time of saving after processing, and the type of post-processing software used, Exif 

data may contain many other details. They can include exposure time in seconds, 

f-number, exposure program used, spectral sensitivity of each channel, ISO speed, shutter 

speed, subject distance, metering mode, flash/no flash, focal length, equivalent focal 

length, XY resolutions, white balance mode, image gain adjustment, and so on. It is a 

long list, made longer by the manufacturer’s proprietary information about, for example, 

exposure programs for portraits as opposed to landscapes. Many photographers agree: 

“It beats the hell out of taking notes.”

28 


Most image viewers provide facilities to read a truncated version of Exif data, but once 

you install a program such as ExifTool you will see the full extent of the data recorded 

automatically by the camera. To write Exif data you need special software, such as that 

described here, or what’s included with image handling and cataloging software. 

Professional photographers also use IPTC metadata, defined by the International Press 

Telecommunications Council, to identify the copyright holder and other information 

about the image. The latest version uses Adobe’s “Extensible Metadata Platform” (XMP) 

to embed the data into JPEG, TIFF, JPEG 2000, GIF, PNG, HTML, PostScript, PDF, 

SVG, Adobe Illustrator, and DNG files. A good product for inserting and editing IPTC 

metadata is the IMatch image management tool (see Chapter 5, “Cataloging”). 

ExifPro Image Viewer 

Vendor: Michal Kowalski 

Purpose: An image viewer that pays especial attention to preserving and presenting Exif data 

Description 

ExifPro Image Viewer allows you to display, manipulate, and browse photographs in 

different view modes, as well as pay especial attention to the Exif data embedded in 

JPEG photographs. The project to develop it grew out of the earlier (and free) EXIF 

Image Viewer that displayed Exif data for comparative purposes together with an image 

histogram. The new version is more elaborate, as it can append not only IPTC file information 

but also GPS information showing longitude/latitude location. ExifPro is a genuine 

image browser with copying and resizing tools and a side-by-side display facility. 

Note: it does not decode RAW images but extracts embedded JPEGs. 

Comments 

Michal Kowalski has created a terrific utility in ExifPro Image Viewer and continues to 

keep it up-to-date by adding XML support. His Website (especially the Help section) 

is a model of clarity that puts many corporations to shame. 

Version: ExifPro Image Viewer, Build 201 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG 


Address: mike@exifpro.com 

www.exifpro.com 

Despite being a standard, Exif allows different manufacturers to place their own custom 

format metadata into a section of the file called the makernote tag. Canon, Nikon, 

and others can use this to encode really useful technical information about focusing

modes, shooting modes, and post-processing that cannot be decoded except by their 

proprietary software. However, the contents of makernote tags are usually opened unofficially 

by hackers and published on the Internet. 

ExifTool 

Vendor: Phil Harvey 

Purpose: Reading, editing, and writing metadata in image, audio, and video files 

Chapter 3 ■ Exif Tools 29 

Figure 3.1 

ExifTool displays every scrap of Exif data when you drag and drop a photo onto its icon. 

Description 

ExifTool is a platform-independent Perl library, also available as a stand-alone application 

for Windows or Mac, for reading, editing, and writing Exif and other metadata in 

media files. The emphasis is on “and other” because, despite its name, ExifTool also supports 

GPS, IPTC, XMP, JFIF, GeoTIFF, ICC Profile, Photoshop IRB, FlashPix, AFCP, 

and ID3, as well as the makernotes of digital cameras from Canon, Casio, Fuji, JVC/Victor, 

Kodak, Leaf, Minolta/Konica-Minolta, Nikon, Olympus/Epson, Panasonic/Leica, 

Pentax/Asahi, Ricoh, Sanyo, Sigma/Foveon, and Sony.

30 


ExifTool allows you write whatever information you require; it extracts thumbnail 

images, preview images, and JPEG images embedded in RAW files; it lets you add your 

own tags; and it recognizes thousands of different tags from thousands of different camera 

models. 

Comments 

Described as “the mother of all EXIF utilities” in Open Photography Forums, Phil 

Harvey’s ExifTool is widely recognized as being the most powerful Exif tool available. 

However, some functions rely on a command-line interface, which users may find 

archaic. Do not let this put you off. It shows the full Exif information if you simply 

drop an image file onto the program’s icon (in the Windows version). Richard A. Victor 

has also written an interface for it called ExifAuto, so you do not need to use the 

command line at all. 

Version: ExifTool 7.3 (2008) 

OS: Is a platform-independent Perl library and requires Perl 5.004 or later; stand-alone 

executables Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Reads ACR, AI, AIFF, AIF, AIFC, APE, ARW, ASF, AVI, BMP, DIB, 

DOC, FLAC, FPX, HTML, HTM, XHTML, JP2, JPX, M4A, MPEG4, MIFF, MIF, MOV, 

MP3, MP4, MPC, MPEG, MPG, OGG, PDF, PICT, PCT, PPT, QTIF, QTI, QIF, RA, RAF, 

RAW (Kyocera), RIFF, RIF, SR2, SRF, SWF, WAV, WMA, WMV, X3F, XLS, and XMP; reads 

and writes major RAW formats, including CR2, NEF, and DNG; DCM, DC3, DIC, DICM, 

ERF, GIF, ICC, ICM, JPEG, JPG, MOS, PS, EPS, EPSF, PSD, THM, TIFF, TIF, and WDP 


Address: See README of the full distribution 

http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/ 

Opanda IExif Pro 

Vendor: Opanda Studio 

Purpose: Utility for viewing Exif, GPS, and IPTC data 

Description 

IExif Pro supports the Exif 2.21 standard and allows you to view Exif, GPS, and IPTC 

data. It supports JPEG and TIFF image formats and camera manufacturers’ special tags, 

including those from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and Sigma. It runs not only as standalone 

software in Windows but also as a plug-in for Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. 

Comments 

It should be noted that this is a viewer only. If you want to edit Exif data, you need a 

different utility, such as Opanda PowerExif.

Version: Opanda IExifPro 2.3 (2008) 

Plugs into: Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, and Exif template files 


Address: Opanda Studio, 4569 Blue Spruce Lane, Marietta, GA 30062, United States 

www.opanda.com 

Opanda PowerExif 

Vendor: Opanda Studio 

Purpose: Utility for editing Exif data in images 


Description 

Opanda PowerExif allows the photographer to edit Exif data with great flexibility, using 

a maximum of 60,000 characters per record. It supports all standard Exif 2.21 tags and 

has special extension tags to carry information about the lens, film, filter, scanner, and 

flashlight used. 

Easy to use with an effective interface, PowerExif has very good sorting facilities and 

offers various views and modes. The developers have also provided a hex edit mode 

for the benefit of fellow programmers. If you use GPS data, PowerExif supports all 31 

standard GPS tags. 

There are two editions of PowerExif—Standard and Professional—the latter with batch 

processing and TIFF support. 

Comments 

Exif data are extremely convenient, but easily lost when manipulating JPEG images. 

PowerExif helps you keep the Exif data under control and add extensive user comments 

to each record. 

Version: Opanda PowerExif 1.2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF (Pro only), and Exif template files 

Price level: Standard edition approx. $50, Pro edition approx. $90 

Address: Opanda Studio, 4569 Blue Spruce Lane, Marietta, GA 30062, United States 

www.opanda.com

32 


Figure 3.2 

Opanda PowerExif lets you edit as well as view Exif data. 

BR’s EXIFextracter 

Vendor: BR Software 

Purpose: Utility for extracting Exif metadata from JPEG photos 

Description 

BR’s EXIFextracter is a free utility that enables you to extract Exif metadata from JPEG 

files, automatically placing the data into a folder and saving them in a CSV (Comma 

Separated Values) file. Many applications such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, 

and the vendor’s own PixFiler cataloging software can read CSV files—as can most databases. 

This utility lets you make greater use of Exif metadata than would otherwise be 

possible. 

Comments 

Not everyone agrees that separating Exif metadata from the images to which they relate 

is necessarily a good idea. However, it certainly makes the data more easily manipulated 

and searchable. The vendor plans to introduce a commercial version of this software in 

2008-9, which promises to be able to extract IPTC data as well.

Version: BR’s EXIFextracter 0.9.5 Beta 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: BR Software, Nedre Frydendal 92, 1384 ASKER, Norway 

www.br-software.com 

Summary 


As digital photography becomes more sophisticated, users tend to attach increasing 

importance to Exif data. Gone are the days when these data were nearly always mangled 

by JPEG editing. More photographers shoot in RAW mode, preserving and then 

using the metadata later in the workflow. Some software applications, such as those for 

correcting lens distortions, need to make direct use of Exif data for manipulating the 

image. At the very least, Exif data can save you hours of noting down f-stops and shutter 

speeds. If you want to explore this subject in depth, including Exif editing, the software 

discussed in this chapter will help you do it.


4 

Utility Software 

Various utilities that do not fit easily into other categories appear here. They include 

two “plug-in managers” to help you gain a measure of control over all those plug-ins 

you installed. When your computer has to load plug-ins that you never use, the host 

editor (Photoshop or another program) will load more slowly and occupy more RAM. 

JPEG handling tools abound, because the JPEG format was around long before digital 

cameras became popular. With broadband transmission and low-cost storage there is not 

so much concern today over image compression, but these JPEG utilities are available 

when you need them. JPEG Wizard has terrific batch-handling facilities, whereas 

Advanced JPEG Compressor can compress selected parts of the image more than others. 

If you want to capture an image of your whole computer screen, with whatever is showing 

at the time, FastStone Capture is a convenient tool for the job. From the same vendor 

comes FastStone Photo Resizer, a wonderfully versatile image conversion and resizing 

utility. 

Finally, at either end of the workflow, there are NEFView, which makes Nikon RAW 

files show up as thumbnails in Windows, and Test Strip Proofer, which emulates darkroom 

test strips so that customers will know if printed output is likely to meet their 

expectations.

36 


Advanced JPEG Compressor 

Vendor: WinSoftMagic 

Purpose: JPEG compression and resizing with four selectable interpolation methods 

Figure 4.1 

Advanced JPEG Compressor has large “before and after” windows for easy comparison. 

Description 

Advanced JPEG Compressor for Windows offers both compression and resizing facilities 

in one package: ideal for resizing for the Web. It has four selectable interpolation 

methods (Bicubic, B-Spline, Bell, and Mitchell) and allows you to save a compression 

profile along with resizing information then apply it to other images with similar characteristics. 

There are many other features built into Advanced JPEG Compressor, including color 

modification, brightness, color levels, color temperature, and saturation, as well as a 

sharpness control and a rotate facility in 90-degree increments.

Comments 

It is useful for photographers to have a specialist JPEG compression package, and this 

is one of the best. One of its more unusual features is an ability to compress some parts 

of the image more than others—for example, lossless compression for a face, slightly 

lossy for the background. 

Version: Advanced JPEG Compressor 5.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 and up 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Personal version approx. $35, Business version approx. $50 

Address: WinSoftMagic, Inc., 901 North Pitt St., Suite 325, Alexandria, VA 22314, United States 

www.winsoftmagic.com 

Digital Photo Resizer 

Chapter 4 ■ Utility Software 37 

Vendor: Icegiant Software 

Purpose: Popular batch resizer, with enhancement, watermarking, and slide show features 

Figure 4.2 

Digital Photo Resizer has batch resizing and 1:1 display for quality checking.

38 


Description 

If you have a lot of images to resize for the Web, Digital Photo Resizer is an easy-to-use 

tool that can resize many images for you in two easy steps. You just point it at the directory 

containing the images and click Resize. The software creates a new directory of 

resized images while leaving your originals untouched. 

As well as its main resizing functionality, Digital Photo Resizer has other features that 

make it even more useful. It can generate thumbnails, Websites, slide shows, and screensavers, 

package images into ZIP files, add watermarks, carry out some image enhancement, 

and upload images and entire Websites via its own FTP facility. The 2006 version 

added support for TIFF files and introduced a “search for file” feature, together with a 

properties description and various print options. 

Comments 

Consistently rated one of the most popular resizing tools on the Internet, Digital Photo 

Resizer is just what you need when you have hundreds of images to prepare for a 

Website. It has a clean interface that lets you view the images in Explorer mode, plus it 

includes an expandable dialog box that lets you specify “resize to” by percentage or pixel 

height at a chosen quality level. It is aimed at photo labs, Web designers, and both novice 

and professional photographers. 

Version: Digital Photo Resizer 2006 (2006/8) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB (although depends on size and quantity of the images being processed) 

Supported file formats: JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and BMP 


Address: Icegiant Software, 10704 Seven Oaks, Austin, TX 78759, United States 

www.icegiant.com 

FastStone Capture 


Purpose: Screen-capture utility for taking a whole or partial snapshot of the text/images on your 

screen 

Description 

FastStone Capture lets you capture any of the images, text, browser windows, or scrolling 

Web pages that are open on your computer screen. It is much more sophisticated 

than the early one-click screen capture programs. This one allows you to capture just 

part of the screen image, in a rectangle or freehand, as well the whole screen. It has tools 

for resizing, cropping, text annotation, printing, and emailing, plus a screen magnifier.

When do you need it? Once you have a copy you will find many uses for it, the chief one 

being to email a complete screen capture rather than sending just a link or a downloaded 

image. It is useful to be able to show the context of an image as well as the image itself. 

Comments 

When you download this utility, a small floating Capture Panel appears on the screen— 

when you select the area of the screen you want to capture the full interface launches 

automatically. Users love it. It is discreet, easy to use, and genuinely useful. 

Version: FastStone Capture 6.2 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Saves as BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, PNG, GIF, TIFF, TGA, and PDF 



www.faststone.org 

FastStone Photo Resizer 



Purpose: Image conversion and resizing tool, with watermarking and add-text features 

Description 

From the same people who brought us the two great image viewers (FastStone Image Viewer 

and MaxView) comes this image conversion and resizing tool. It offers drag-and-drop 

mouse operation, conversion and renaming in batch mode, plus a whole host of other features 

including the ability to crop, rotate, change the color depth, add text, and add watermarks. 

As with all FastStone products, every feature is well implemented and easy to use. 

Comments 

Being free for personal use and extremely well designed, FastStone products could 

scarcely be a better value. Ongoing development keeps them up with the very best lightweight 

utilities. 

Version: FastStone Photo Resizer 2.5 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; loads JPEG, JPEG 2000, GIF, BMP, PNG, PCX, TIFF, 

WMF, ICO, CUR, and TGA; saves JPEG, JPEG 2000, TIFF, GIF, PCX, BMP, PNG, and TGA 



www.faststone.org

40 


JPEG Wizard 

Vendor: Pegasus Imaging Corporation 

Purpose: For creating smaller, faster downloading images with good visual quality 

Description 

Aimed at Webmasters and photo enthusiasts, JPEG Wizard lets you create smaller, faster 

downloading images without compromising quality. The vendor claims it can obtain 

between 20% and 70% more compression than other utilities, while keeping a comparable 

quality image. 

JPEG Wizard’s key feature is that it does not introduce generational loss with each compression. 

In other words, you can recompress without recompression loss. It allows you to 

compress different regions at different settings, with the option (in a higher priced edition) 

to do this in batch mode. Other features include cropping, appending, creating thumbnails, 

color adjusting, rotating, watermarking, and adding image comments and text. 

Still many other features include automatic red-eye removal, lossless contrast/brightness/ 

color/tint adjustment, email facilities, and Photo CD support. 

Comments 

If you are looking for a way of handling lots of JPEGs efficiently, especially for uploading 

to the Web, this program could be ideal. It has excellent batch processing features 

and performs quite elaborate operations on hundreds of pictures automatically. Another 

point in its favor is its reliable handling of Exif data, easily lost by some applications. 

Version: JPEG Wizard 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, and XP 

RAM: 128MB (more for batch handling) 


Price level: Without batch facility $30, with batch $70 (both approx.) 

Address: Pegasus Imaging Corporation, 4001 N. Riverside Drive, Tampa, FL 33603, United States 

www.pegasusimaging.com 

NEFView 

Vendor: SoftWhile 

Purpose: Lets you view thumbnail images of NEF and JPEG 2000 files in Windows 

Description 

NEFView is a small utility that allows you to view thumbnail images of Nikon 

Electronic Image Format (NEF) and JPEG 2000 files automatically within Windows. 

Installation is a three-click process.

Comments 

NEFView is useful for Windows owners who find they lack the capability to view NEF 

files from cameras such as the Nikon D80, D70, D200, D1, and D2. 

Version: NEFView 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows shell 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: NEF and JPEG 2000 


Address: info@softwhile.com 

www.softwhile.com 

PixVillage 

Vendor: PixVillage 

Purpose: Peer-to-peer (P2P) software for sharing photos privately 


Description 

PixVillage is a P2P file sharing utility that lets you share photos privately with family 

and friends. With this software there is no need to use email or to upload the images to 

a server. PixVillage gives you instant digital photo sharing, for free. 

To use PixVillage you authorize your private contacts to see the photos you have selected 

on your hard drive. You can make a specific photo available, or many thousands. Transfer 

is via the vendor’s proprietary P2P online photo sharing technology. 

Comments 

PixVillage makes economical use of bandwidth, giving users direct access to images on 

your hard drive. It is a real P2P system in that it uses a special algorithm to copy photos 

to every authorized user. This means that people can have access to your images even 

when you are offline. Naturally, it works best when there is a network of users to spread 

the load. 

Version: PixVillage 2.0 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, and BMP 


Address: BBCG SARL, 242, bd Voltaire, 75011 Paris, France 

www.pixvillage.com

42 


Plugin Commander 

Vendor: The Plugin Site 

Purpose: Manage all your plug-ins, actions, and tubes 

Description 

If you create lots of effects with your image editor, or acquire them from other sources, 

Plugin Commander can help you view and manage them efficiently. It comes in two 

editions: Lite freeware and a Professional commercial edition with many additional 

features. 

Plugin Commander Pro acts as a library from which you can select the plug-ins and 

effects to be displayed in the host application—which can be Photoshop, Premiere, Paint 

Shop Pro, and many other editors. When working with Photoshop, it deals directly with 

image formats, plug-ins, and effect types and allows you to apply plug-ins to the images, 

one at a time or in batches. 

Plugin Commander Pro can batch convert between different formats, resize and rename 

images, and convert among four Filter Factory plug-in formats and operating systems— 

Photoshop, Premiere, Windows, and Macintosh. 

Comments 

The Pro edition of Plugin Commander not only works with Photoshop-compatible 

filter plug-ins but also lets you view Photoshop Actions, Paint Shop Pro Tubes, 

QuarkXPress XTensions, QuickTime Extensions, and many others. You can enable/ 

disable any of them, whatever the host, but you cannot necessarily change the category 

or use the picture editor on them. The Lite edition is very limited by comparison to the 

commercial edition and runs significantly slower. 

Version: Plugin Commander 1.60 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major formats (Lite edition only BMP and JPG) 

Price level: Lite edition free, Pro edition approx. $50 

Address: Contact by Web form 

thepluginsite.com 

Plugin Manager 

Vendor: I.C.NET Software 

Purpose: Helps you take control over installed plug-ins

Description 

Plugin Manager is a utility that will help you manage plug-ins made with the Filter 

Factory module (provided with Photoshop), regardless of their host application. It works 

with plug-ins for Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoLine, Premiere, Painter, After 

Effects, Illustrator, and so on. 

Features include a customizable user interface; ability to store keywords, descriptions 

and up to 100 preview images for each plug-in; comprehensive search engine for 

keywords, author, and category; renaming and moving between categories; and a quick 

launch bar for frequently used plug-ins. 

Comments 

Once you have acquired a few dozen plug-ins, you need to manage them. Plugin 

Manager, from this reliable vendor, does it very effectively. Its rival is the freeware Plugin 

Commander. 

Version: Plugin Manager 2.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, 98 SE, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major formats in RGB, CMYK, and grayscale 


Address: I.C.NET Software GmbH, Michael Johannhanwahr, Robert-Bunsen-Str. 70, 28357 

Bremen, Germany 

www.icnet.de 

SnagIt 


Vendor: TechSmith Corporation 

Purpose: Comprehensive screen capture utility, with 32-bit capture together with edit and share 

tools 

Description 

SnagIt is long-established, consistently improved software for screen capture, editing, 

and sharing. It allows you to capture anything on the screen: the whole screen, an individual 

window, or a scrolling Web page. It is invaluable for people who write technical 

documentation because it can capture a single menu or cascading (multiple-layer) menus 

from Windows applications. Text capture is easy, too, even where normal cut-and-paste 

methods fail to work, such as when copying file lists from Windows Explorer.

44 


Figure 4.3 

SnagIt provides up to 32-bit screen capture and a host of features. 

Two other areas where SnagIt comes in useful are in Web page capture, because it can 

capture all the images, video, and audio files from a Website; and video screen capture, 

because it allows you to record a short video of your desktop activity, enabling you to 

make tutorial presentations to share over the Internet. 

SnagIt lets you set a screen capture profile, with selections for image quality, destination 

folder, and other settings. You can save the profile for subsequent use, but there are 

also some default profiles to get beginners up and running immediately. You do not 

need to launch the program from the Start menu every time you need a screen capture. 

Just assign a hotkey combination (such as Control+F12) to start the capture process. A 

rectangle appears around the window on which you are working, easily changed to 

include other windows or the whole screen by moving the mouse. A left click then 

launches the interface. 

SnagIt’s Editor has paint tools that let you enhance your screen capture with arrows, 

lines, shapes, callouts, cursors, stamps, or text. You can also add special effects such as 

drop shadow, torn edge, wave edge, and more, or image-processing effects, such as 

sharpen, blur, and emboss. Other facilities include borders, watermarking, magnify, 

spotlight, dim, time-delayed screen capture, and cursor inclusion/exclusion.

Comments 

SnagIt has a distinguished history, having been first introduced in 1991 and then regularly 

updated to become one of the best utilities around. According to the vendor there 

are now seven million SnagIt users worldwide, many of whom use it professionally to 

capture menus and windows for illustrating textbooks and other teaching materials. Its 

video capture feature led directly to the development of TechSmith’s screen video recording 

tool Camtasia Studio. Many illustrations for The Digital Photographer’s Software 

Guide were generated by SnagIt, using its 32-bit capture mode. 

Version: SnagIt 8.2 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: N/A 


Address: TechSmith Corporation, 2405 Woodlake Drive, Okemos, MI 48864-5910, United 

States 

www.techsmith.com 

Test Strip Proofer 


Vendor: TS Proofer 

Purpose: Darkroom test strip emulator for making proofs in 9x1 strips or 3x3 grids 

Description 

Test Strip Proofer lets you make calibration proofs for any size printer so that customers 

can be assured that the final result will meet their expectations. It is a relatively simple 

program that offers three options: Proof Size, Color Choice, and Amount. It comes in 

two editions: Home, with proof sizes of 4" × 5" up to 12" × 15", and Pro, with proof sizes 

up to 36" × 45". In Color Choice, you can select “all colors” for a color variation ringaround, 

or individual red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, or yellow. By selecting Amount 

(for example: Red 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and so on), you instruct the program to generate 

images with these variations in the chosen color. 

Comments 

With color profiling becoming commonplace, the need for test strips has diminished. 

Developed by Kirk Lyford, who founded PhotoTune in 2003 (acquired by OnOne 

Software in 2007), Test Strip Proofer is a revised version of the author’s previous awardwinning 

program, Vivid Details Test Strip. It does not have all the color correction tools 

and layout choices of the earlier version although all the essential features are available. 

The software appears consistently in magazines as a top-rated plug-in.

46 


Version: Test Strip Proofer 1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS and CS2 

OS: Windows 95 to Vista; Mac OS X 10.2 and up 

Supported file formats: 8-bit or 16-bit RGB images 

Price level: Approx. $60, Pro version $130 

Address: TS Proofer, 11612 Linnet Court, Penn Valley, CA 95946, United States 

www.tsproofer.com 

UltraSnap PRO 

Vendor: Mediachance 

Purpose: Screen capture utility with additional editing functions 

Description 

UltraSnap PRO takes commonplace screen capture to a new level by adding a complete 

WYSIWYG graphics editing capability. Instead of capturing a screen image and then opening 

an image editor to add captions, annotations, cursors, or arrows, the user simply takes 

advantage of the tools provided. Its editing is non-destructive, enabling the addition of 

shadows, bevels, and objects, complete with multiple anti-aliasing for improved image 

quality. It even offers standard photo-processing features, such as gamma control, contrast, 

brightness, color boosting, and histogram adjustment, together with resizing tools. 

Comments 

UltraSnap PRO is one of those utilities that you download for fun, and then find yourself 

using quite frequently. If, for whatever reason, you are in the habit of making screen 

captures, UltraSnap (especially this Pro version) is a must-have tool. With a simple click 

on the Edit button it switches into a full editing mode, complete with a magnifying lens 

function. It is not only fun to use but also genuinely useful. 

Version: UltraSnap PRO 2.3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, and Vista 



Address: Ottawa, Canada 

www.mediachance.com 

Watermark 

Vendor: Twiga Ltd. 

Purpose: A simple utility that places a plain watermark on your images

Figure 4.4 

Watermark does what it says, and absolutely nothing else. 


Description 

Watermark is one of the simplest of all utilities: it adds text to an image so that ownership 

is clearly identified. There are very few controls: just input boxes for text, text color, 

and text transparency, together with positioning instructions (top, middle, or bottom 

of the picture). It handles only JPEG files, and will reject TIFFs and other formats. It 

is very basic, but effective. 

Comments 

There is plenty of watermarking shareware available, but it is a relief to find this commercial 

example that’s not inclined to place assorted adware/spyware on your computer. 

Watermark was created originally for one of the developer’s clients, a wedding photographer, 

who uses it when selling images via an ecommerce site. If your photo editor 

doesn’t have watermarking facilities, this little utility can help. 

Version: Watermark 1.6 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 



Address: Twiga Ltd., 27 Lime Avenue, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 6UY, United Kingdom 

www.twiga.ltd.uk

48 


Summary 

A utility is something useful, exemplifying the utilitarian philosophy of adding to the 

sum total of human happiness. That may be overstating the case in this instance, but 

all the products described in this chapter can make life a little bit easier for the photographer. 

They offer image resizing and compression, watermarking, traditional test 

strip proofing, plug-in management, file sharing, and the one absolutely essential utility: 

screen capture. You can certainly find these facilities embedded in larger applications, 

but sometimes you need to obtain them separately. All the products listed here fulfill 

this need—and that really is useful.

5 

Cataloging 

Sorting and cataloging are normally two very different activities in photography. Sorting 

takes place immediately after the shoot when the photographer decides which shots have 

the potential to advance further in the workflow. At what precise stage these selected 

shots should be given names and keywords is a subjective decision, but they should never 

be stored or archived without cataloging. Millions of great images languish nameless in 

archives, never to see the light of day again because nobody knows they exist. 

Magazines and newspapers that assign photographers to different jobs tend to combine 

sorting and cataloging at the earliest opportunity, using a product such as Photo 

Mechanic (which is described in Chapter 2, “Image Viewers”). This is because they are 

dealing with so many images from so many sources, each with copyright and permissions 

data; they would soon lose track without doing so. Even a regional newspaper may 

originate over a million shots a year, each one needing unique identification. 

There is little doubt that cataloging is a tedious business, only marginally more satisfying 

than completing a tax return. Because it requires thought, it is impossible to automate 

completely. Most cataloging systems provide predefined categories into which you can 

drop the images, or standard keywords you can apply to the images. It is important to 

use a defined vocabulary, otherwise a search for “car” will yield nothing if you have 

tagged them all as “automobile.” Better still, use as many keywords as possible. They all 

help to cross-reference your images and allow you to refine a search until you are left 

with a manageable selection for browsing. 

Digital asset management (DAM) systems, which are covered in a separate category in 

this book because they handle other media as well as images, are totally dependent on 

good cataloging. They all have cataloging facilities of their own, often brought to bear

50 


on a collection long after the pictures have been archived. A well-managed photo studio 

should not wait for the DAM “ingestion” treatment but should make the image 

collection searchable at an early stage. It saves a lot of time and effort later and may even 

yield some short-term commercial benefits. 

Cataloging the different cataloging products is not easy, as you can see by the absence 

of Photo Mechanic (see Chapter 2, “Image Viewers”). Another product that has been 

difficult to classify is ACDSee Pro, which is renowned for its cataloging abilities but has 

grown to become a complete workflow solution. It seems more at home here, if a little 

big for the nest, rather than in a category by itself. 

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager 

Vendor: ACD Systems 

Purpose: End-to-end workflow solution for digital photographers 

Description 

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager is a “complete solution” for digital photography, allowing 

users to view, process, edit, organize, catalog, publish, and archive photo collections. 

Well established in the market, having had input from many professional photographers 

in the years since its launch, it offers comprehensive RAW support, fast processing of 

large files, and efficient image handling and cataloging facilities. As an image editor it 

is not a rival to Photoshop, but has many quick editing features and comes with full 

color management support for ICC and ICM profiles. 

Moderately priced, ACDSee Pro Photo Manager is worth the money for its image sorting 

capabilities, which have always been its greatest strengths. Its features include visual 

tagging, which allows you to find your pictures more quickly. Traditionally, its RAW 

support has always been strong, and it now has integrated support for Adobe’s DNG 

(Digital Negative specification). It provides full control over white balance, exposure, 

sharpness, and noise. 

ACDSee’s publishing facilities include PDF creation, slide show creation with audio, customized 

Web galleries, email with auto-resizing, and high-quality contact sheet printing. 

A less expensive edition, really a separate product, is the ACDSee 10 Image Manager, 

aimed at “photo enthusiasts with a growing image collection.” See the vendor’s Website 

for a full comparison. 

Comments 

Having so many features in a single package is undoubtedly an advantage, but it is 

difficult to supply “best of breed” quality for every one of them. Despite its “pro” title, 

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager has not quite kept up with the furious pace of development 

in RAW processing, although its image sorting facilities remain among the best.

Figure 5.1 

ACDSee Pro is the original workflow tool with best-of-breed cataloging. 

It has many points in its favor: a clean interface with a very large main panel, very good 

noise reduction algorithms, and a greater number of features than most equivalent products, 

including the ability to handle an exceptional number of file formats. 

Version: ACDSee Pro 2 Photo Manager (2008) 


RAM: 512MB (1GB recommended) 

Supported file formats: Most RAW; all major image formats, including JPEG 2000, and more 

than 100 others 

Price level: Approx. $130, ACDSee 10 $50 

Address: ACD Systems International Inc., 200 – 1312 Blanshard Street, Victoria, British 

Columbia, Canada, V8W 2J1 

www.acdsee.com 

DigitalPro 

Vendor: Pro Shooters 

Purpose: Image browsing, sorting, cataloging, and publishing software 

Chapter 5 ■ Cataloging 51

52 


Description 

To make it easy to conceptualize the scope of DigitalPro, the vendor refers to four categories: 

load, review, catalog, and publish. This means that DigitalPro addresses the two 

ends of the photographic workflow. At one end it allows you to bring images into the 

browser, and then examine, sort, and catalog them by assigning captions, keywords, and 

categories. At the other end it offers publishing facilities, with image resizing and format 

conversion, built-in sharpening, proof sheet printing, automatic watermarking, 

contact sheet printing, and Web gallery generation. 

DigitalPro treats images captured in RAW+JPEG as a “single file,” so that the users see 

them as one file and continue to treat them in this way, even deleting them as a single 

image. Many photographers find that this feature saves time and avoids confusion. The 

program can also accommodate Adobe Photoshop RAW processing, which integrates 

fully with DigitalPro. Its file handling now includes support for JPEG 2000 files. 

DigitalPro’s review facilities are first-rate, with features such as a multi-threaded Light 

Table for reviewing images quickly, a “digital loupe” for checking sharpness, and dual 

monitor support. Every thumbnail image can be tagged with metadata that displays 

directly on the image. This metadata can tell the users whether the image has been cataloged, 

given IPTC data, was taken with/without flash, whether it has any exposure 

compensation, and the tone setting. Again, this is an extremely useful feature for professionals, 

the little data tags being called “Smart InfoIcons” by the vendor. By clicking 

on these InfoIcons you can play any audio file associated with the image, or bring up 

the RAW data for editing. 

For cataloging, DigitalPro has a wealth of features: IPTC-compatible color-coded 

priority tagging; automatic captioning with copyright, credit, camera profile, and color 

space information; and efficient database management with keywording, image tracking, 

and all the necessary functionality to find images quickly. Sorting is by file date and 

capture date, the latter being accomplished by using Exif data. 

DigitalPro comes in two editions: Standard and Pro. Several features, like batch IPTC 

captioning of selected images and image event logging and reporting, are exclusive to 

the Pro edition. 

Comments 

The product of collaboration between professional wildlife photographer Moose 

Peterson and software developer David Cardinal, DigitalPro works well for both Nikon 

and Canon shooters, although Peterson always shoots on Nikon. Each major upgrade 

of the software has been acclaimed by professionals, thousands of whom now use it. Its 

combination of image browsing, color-managed workflow, and real-time cataloging is 

clearly one that works for them, although it lacks full processing and editing facilities. 

Because most pros use Photoshop or specialist applications for retouching, DigitalPro 

does not attempt to compete in that area.

Version: DigitalPro 4.3 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Inputs Nikon and Canon RAW; JPEG, TIFF, GIF, JPEG 2000, Photo 

CD, and PSD; outputs JPEG, JPEG 2000, TIFF (CYMK), Compressed TIFF and JPEG 4:1:1 

(Pro edition only), Photoshop, PNG and JPEG:4:1:1, and DNG 

Price level: Standard $180, Pro $260 (both approx.) 

Address: Pro Shooters LLC, 3130 Alpine Road, Suite 288 PMB #151, Portola Valley, CA 94028, 

United States 

www.proshooters.com 

IMatch 

Vendor: Mario M. Westphal 

Purpose: Image management tool widely used by individual photographers 

Chapter 5 ■ Cataloging 53 

Description 

IMatch is an image management tool for viewing, editing, and organizing a digital image 

collection. It is popular among photographers because it supports all major digital camera 

RAW formats, handles Exif, IPTC, and XMP data, and allows you to manage large 

collections containing (the vendor says) “hundreds of thousands of images.” 

IMatch has excellent support for XMP, with the ability to display XMP data next to 

each thumbnail. Its built-in IPTC editor is regarded as one of the best available. It allows 

you to categorize your images by project, client, location, theme, equipment, and 

date/time. Comprehensive filtering facilities help you find the images you seek. A sensible 

licensing policy enables a photographer to run the software on both desktop and 

laptop computers, with a facility to replicate the database from one to another. 

Comments 

This is a professional image management tool at a home user price. It comes with a tutorial 

and there are over 450 pages of online help, should you need them. The product has 

ongoing development: always a good indication of success. Another sign is the liveliness 

of the IMatch User Forum, where you can find thousands of messages explaining all 

aspects of the program. A new photools Wiki (wiki.photoolsweb.com) carries a Scripting 

Tutorial and script attachments written by users to accomplish over 400 specific tasks 

such as “Export to ACDSee,” “Rename Canon Panorama Files,” and “Copy Filename 

into IPTC Record.” The vendor offers a 30-day evaluation copy. 

Version: IMatch 3.6 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, 2003, 64-bit Vista 

RAM: 512MB

54 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG, TIFF, and 100 other image file 

formats; non-image formats including MPEG, PDF, MP3, and DOC 


Address: Mario M. Westphal, Albert-Franke-Str. 4a, 61250 Usingen, Germany 

www.photools.com 

PicaJet 



Purpose: Image organizer, with indexing, tagging, and sharing features 

Description 

PicaJet is a photo organizer for keen family photographers looking for speed, ease-ofuse, 

and a full set of cataloging features. It performs its specialist functions extremely 

well, offering facilities such as easy tagging, indexing, unlimited categories, categorynesting 

levels, and keyword importing. It lets you sort your pictures by capture data, 

folders, ratings, comments, or keywords. Although secondary to its major cataloging 

function, PicaJet also provides several editing features, including crop and rotate, autoenhance, 

red-eye removal, sharpen, and filters. With its batch processing capability, you 

can make changes to several images at once. 

Figure 5.2 

PicaJet makes it easy to edit Exif and IPTC metadata while cataloging your collections.

PicaJet includes full support for most RAW images, including Adobe DNG format, and 

allows you to write image annotations directly into DNG files. It has good support for 

IPTC metadata and can use Exif data within searches. 

Output from PicaJet is to CD and DVD without the need for any extra software. You 

can print in various sizes, add frames and dates, or simply view the photos as a slide 

show. A multilingual interface (with Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, French, Russian, 

and so on) completes the package: a one-stop solution for handling digital images. 

Comments 

PicaJet is a natural competitor to Google’s Picasa, being pitched at the same category of 

user. Most reviewers have found it superior to Picasa, and the phrase “Picasa-killer” has 

been occasionally mentioned. Given Google’s reach, that was never going to happen, 

especially as Picasa is also completely free. Yet PicaJet has so many virtues, such as speed 

of import, RAW support, and efficient sorting, that it could well be useful to serious 

photographers with large collections of images. 

Version: PicaJet FX 2.5.0.495 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Most RAW formats and Adobe DNG; TIFF, GIF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, 

PCX, BMP, ICO, CUR, PNG, WMP, EMF, TGA, PXM, PSD, FAX, PCD, CUT, AVI, 

QuickTime, MPEG/2/4, and WMV 

Price level: Single license $48, family license $80 


United States 

www.picajet.com 

PixFiler 


Vendor: BR Software 

Purpose: Cataloging software for tens of thousands of images, with report, print, and contact 

sheet facilities 

Description 

PixFiler is image catalog software to help you organize your images, even if you have 

tens of thousands of them. It provides tools to make it easy to categorize and annotate 

them, provides hierarchical categories, and lets you make reports, prepare contact sheets, 

and organize printing. 

Among PixFiler’s advanced features are extraction of Exif and IPTC metadata, bulk 

updating to update several fields at once, and an ability to find images that have been 

moved to different folders or even to different disks.

56 


Comments 

Baard Riiber, the Norwegian developer of PixFiler, is a keen photographer and understands 

what is needed in cataloging software. PixFiler is his second-generation product, 

the first being BR’s PhotoArchiver, which lacked the bulk update facility. Written in 

C++, it appears to be a stable and reliable product from a vendor who is a member of 

the Association of Shareware Professionals. 

One recently added feature is the use of Exif-GPS information for displaying on a map 

the locations where images have been taken. This feature works in conjunction with the 

vendor’s PixGPS software that enables you to Geotag your photos using a GPS receiver. 

Version: PixFiler 5.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98SE, ME, NT4, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: All major RAW; JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and other image formats 


Address: BR Software, Nedre Frydendal 92, 1384 ASKER, Norway 

www.br-software.com 

Shoebox 

Vendor: KavaSoft 

Purpose: Catalogs photos on Mac by content, “who, what, where, and when” 

Description 

Shoebox is a Mac-only application that enables its users to organize digital photos by 

content. It has categories that behave like virtual folders for people, things, places, and 

dates, or “who, what, where, and when,” as the vendor puts it. You can create or edit 

categories in the “category drawer” or import ready-made categories from the vendor’s 

Website. For example, if you import the category called “United States” it comes with 

all 50 states and their capitals as subcategories. 

Once photos have been ingested to the appropriate categories, together with cross-referencing 

between them, searching becomes very straightforward. You just type in the 

first few letters of the category (or favorite, or date) to go straight to the correct folder. 

You can also save a search to your favorites list and run it again later. 

One of the benefits of putting photos into Shoebox is being able to surf your collection 

by content. For example, if you are displaying a beach scene, you can click to see similar 

scenes. Other features include password-protected catalogs, photo sharing by email 

or save-to-the-Web, and backup to DVD. Supported languages are English, French, 

German, Dutch, Italian, and Japanese. The Express edition limits you to two catalogs 

of 10,000 photos each; the Pro edition is unlimited.

Comments 

Shoebox is much appreciated by many users who like its straightforward layout, logical 

structure, and powerful searching. Bringing images into a cataloging system—any cataloging 

system—is always a chore, no matter how the categories are structured. But once 

done, the “digital asset management” benefits become obvious. On an Apple Cinema 

Display, surfing your photos in Shoebox becomes compulsive, with switching between 

thumbnail, list, and slide show views in full screen mode. It even supports dual displays, 

so you can have thumbnails on one and whole-screen photos on the other. Shoebox may 

lack the processing features of Aperture, but it is a big step up from iPhoto and able to 

handle half a million pictures. 

Version: Shoebox 1.7.2 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4 or later 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW; DNG, JPEG, CRW, NEF, PDF, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and so on 

Price level: Express $30, Pro approx. $80 

Address: info@kavasoft.com 

www.kavasoft.com 

Summary 


In the absence of software to classify images automatically by their content (it will come 

eventually), photographers must use cataloging software that demands the input of text 

descriptions. Software in this category is therefore somewhat demanding of user time, 

but it can be time well spent because it enables more effective searching at a later date. 

ACDSee remains the benchmark, but other packages offer plenty of facilities at a competitive 

price. Check out PixFiler for its Geotagging features, or IMatch with its excellent 

handling of Exif, IPTC, and XMP metadata.


6 

Digital Asset 

Management (DAM) 

Film libraries, photo libraries, music collections, and text documents were once entirely 

separate from each other, requiring different storage conditions and the expertise of 

librarians with different skills. Now, computer bits have become the lowest common 

denominator, reducing all media to digital data that can reside on identical storage 

devices. With this change has come a new profession and a new category of software, 

both called Digital Asset Management. 

Most organizations have a disparate collection of media, stored away in various archives 

or still present on the hard drives of employees’ desktop computers. DAM attempts to 

leverage this valuable asset, making it possible to extract value from it and to use it in 

current work. It makes a lot of sense, especially now that printed documents are held 

in digital form, along with photographs, presentations, sound recordings, video, and 

film clips. The art of DAM involves making these media accessible, preferably without 

having to change their physical location. 

There are 1,001 ways to organize digital assets, a fact that has led to highly customizable 

systems. Image data, in particular, present a big challenge because of the demand 

for different formats: archived RAW originals, high-res TIFFs and PDFs for print, lowres 

JPEGs for the Web, and so on. If software can handle images satisfactorily, it is a relatively 

small step to make it handle other media. Several DAM solutions have started 

as image management systems and have gone on to embrace the whole spectrum of 

media, such as Extensis Portfolio and Microsoft’s Expression Media. 

The criteria for good DAM software are many—scalability comes near the top of 

the list for growing companies, but excellent browsing facilities are equally important.

60 


Free-text searching provides a powerful tool for locating documents, but picture content 

is much harder to identify unless individual images have been tagged appropriately. 

There is no shortcut in this respect. However intelligent, software cannot tell if an image 

depicts an oil rig in the North Sea or the Gulf of Mexico unless someone has attached 

these keywords to it. With good indexing in place, DAM systems can create huge savings 

and even generate new revenue streams for some organizations. 

The software listed here ranges from inexpensive, single-user packages right up to systems 

that cater to the needs of multinational enterprises. 

Asset Bank 

Vendor: Bright interactive 

Purpose: High-performance DAM solution for corporate image management and ecommerce 

Description 

Asset Bank is a powerful solution to image management for corporations that need to 

make all their digital assets easily available, whatever format they are in. It handles all 

file types including images, videos, PDFs, and presentations, and provides an interface 

that can be configured to suit the organization using it. One of its key features is a 

sophisticated access rights structure, which gives a high degree of control over access 

privileges to the stored data. 

Users can preview short clips of video files as well as a thumbnail of the first frame. They 

can also convert and resize image files before downloading them. Search facilities are 

comprehensive, with full keyword search of text within documents, quick keyword 

searching of the file structure, and view/search of the IPTC and Exif data. On the client 

side, Asset Bank is browser-based, is compliant with the World Wide Web Consortium’s 

Accessibility Guidelines, and has no need for plug-ins or JavaScript. 

On the administration side, Asset Bank offers some important features: reports and statistics 

to show how people have been using the system, whether or not their searches 

have been successful, and a list of their chosen keywords. 

For companies that want to sell images online, Asset Bank can be integrated with the 

vendor’s ecommerce system that allows you to use payment providers such as WorldPay 

or PayPal. It lets you configure the interface with the customer, for currency, tax, and 

the permitted period between payments and download. You can also integrate Asset 

Bank with a content management system (CMS) such as Interwoven, Rhythmyx, 

Documentum, or the vendor’s own EccoCMS. (A CMS enables updating of Web 

content without disturbing the basic structure of the site.)

Comments 

Written entirely in Java, Asset Bank is designed to be easily customized by Web developers 

with CSS and HTML skills. In the UK, where the development team is based, it 

has found a market among corporations, charities, universities, and councils. Its nearest 

direct competitor is FotoWare Cameleon. 

Version: N/A 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Linux 

RAM: N/A 

Supported file formats: All (vendor says: “you can add files of any type whatsoever to Asset Bank”) 

Price level: Approx. $9,500, by subscription $400 per month 

Address: Bright interactive, Brighton Media Centre, 68 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AL, 

United Kingdom 

www.assetbank.co.uk 

Canto Cumulus 

Vendor: Canto Software 

Purpose: Digital asset management software for workgroups 

Chapter 6 ■ Digital Asset Management (DAM) 61 

Description 

One of the best-known DAM products, Canto Cumulus has been around since 1991 

with ongoing development and several thousand server licenses sold. It lets workgroups 

find, share, and publish their files, wherever the files are stored. Its facilities, which include 

full support for RAW image files, make it particularly suitable for creative professionals 

such as designers, publishers, advertising agencies, and large photographic studios. 

Cumulus handles all the digital assets of a company—images, sounds, video, and presentations—whatever 

the file format. You drag files into it to catalog them, and drag 

them out to use them. Being a client/server system, it allows everyone to access the assets, 

with permissions, and can be used across the Web. This means you can let people know 

where to find assets, such as a large image file, without having to retrieve and send them 

personally. 

Comments 

Cumulus Server Solutions are aimed at corporations larger than the average photographic 

studio, yet there are several photographers using this product. It is very good 

for sharing assets with clients, under password control. However, it may be overkill for 

smaller studios. For individuals, Canto recommends MediaDex, which is built on the 

same digital asset management technology. (See that entry.) 

Version: Cumulus 7.5 (2008)

62 


OS: (Server) Windows 2000 (SP4), XP, Server 2003 (SP1), and Vista; Mac OS X version 10.5; 

SOLARIS 8 

RAM: 128MB minimum 

Supported file formats: More than 130 file formats 

Price level: Cumulus Server Solutions from $2,500 

Address: Canto GmbH, Alt-Moabit 59-60, 10555 Berlin, Germany; 

Canto Software, Inc., 221 Main Street, Suite 460, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States 

www.canto.com 

Expression Media 

Vendor: Microsoft Corporation 

Purpose: Digital asset management tool for cataloging and managing 100 different media formats 

Description 

Expression Media is a management tool for professionals who need to catalog and organize 

their digital assets for easy retrieval and presentation. It is based on iView MediaPro, 

a product that is still widely used by photographers and was acquired by Microsoft in 

2006. It provides integrated search tools so that you can find your files quickly wherever 

you have stored them: in folders, hard drives, DVDs, or on a network. 

The six words Microsoft uses to describe what Expression Media does are “import, 

organize, search, annotate, repurpose, and archive” digital files. The files in question do 

not have to be images. They can be PDF documents, video, or any digital media you 

care to name. 

To the surprise of many, Microsoft launched a Mac version of Expression Media along 

with the Windows version. From a photographer’s point of view they are more or less 

identical. However, the Windows version contains a video encoding tool called 

Expression Media Encoder. It brings additional functionality lacking on the Mac version. 

It will let you import, crop, and enhance video from different sources, helping you add 

metadata, markers, and overlays. With its gift for cumbersome terminology, Microsoft 

calls this technology “Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere” (WPF/E), but 

it represents a big step forward in publishing video for cross-platform viewing on the Web. 

Comments 

Like many organizations, Microsoft is betting that photography will become videography 

in the not-too-distant future. If it does, this product is ready and waiting for it. If 

it does not, you will have spent only a little bit extra on a facility you may never need. 

Expression Media still has excellent facilities for handling still photographs, quite apart 

from its forward-looking features.


Figure 6.1 

Expression Media is a powerful multimedia asset management tool, with great browsing/displaying/ 

cataloging features. 

The software allows you to store up to 128,000 files in each catalog. Powerful search 

facilities enable you to find them wherever they are—on hard drives, CDs, or media 

cards. You can save popular searches for future use, a feature that opens up new ways of 

cross-referencing a media collection. 

Expression Media is also surprisingly easy to use, given its huge range of features. The 

basic layout of the interface is superb, with immediate access to catalog creation, followed 

by display with three tabs: list, thumbnail, and media. These take you to practically everything 

you need to know about your files, with a full description (the list) and a large displayed 

image (the media) that can be edited from a floating panel. Tagging and sorting 

facilities go way beyond what is available in popular workflow software. If you really want 

to tame your ever-growing stock of digital assets, Expression Media is a “must try.” 

Version: Expression Media 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later 

RAM: 1GB

64 


Supported file formats: Nearly all major formats (more than 120) 

Supported languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, 

Chinese Traditional, and Korean 


Address: Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, United States 

www.microsoft.com 

Extensis Portfolio 

Vendor: Extensis 

Purpose: Digital asset management software for professional use 

Description 

Extensis Portfolio is a well-established digital asset management package for ingesting 

and retrieving images, sounds, movies, and documents. It offers a huge number of 

options, and for that reason the learning curve imposed on the user is quite demanding. 

However, it is very well documented, has one of the best user-written FAQs on the 

Internet, and includes excellent training materials provided by the vendor. 

Portfolio can catalog any digital file. When handling images, it extracts thumbnails, displays 

screen previews, and extracts metadata from most formats. Its list of supported file 

formats is formidable, and it can batch convert many imaging formats to JPEG and 

PixelLive VFZ/PFZ, Celartem Technology’s compression format for scaling images 

along edges to preserve detail (see www.celartem.com). For previewing, tagging, cataloging, 

editing metadata, and Web publishing, Portfolio has a very full set of features. 

Version 8 introduced the concept of scratchpad galleries: temporary baskets where you 

can sort, edit, and merge files from searches of other galleries. This is the kind of feature 

that continues to make Portfolio popular with newspapers and photo agencies. 

Comments 

A good archiving tool, Portfolio has some excellent features like auto-synchronization 

of folders. However, it now faces stiff competition from Microsoft’s Expression Media 

at the higher end of the DAM market. 

Many users appreciate the Portfolio Express palette, a floating palette that makes the 

contents of a catalog instantly available inside any application by offering a global keyboard 

shortcut. With this feature you do not even have to open Portfolio itself: a timesaver 

for busy workers. 

Version: Portfolio 8.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.9 – 10.5.1 

RAM: 512MB (recommended)

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; image formats BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, GIF, PCD, 

PICT, PNG, PSD, TGA, TIFF, WMF, VFZ/PFZ, STN Genuine Fractals, and SID MrSID; 

document formats INDD, PDF, PSD, AI, PPT, TXT, FHX, QXD, DOC, and XLS; audio visual 

formats AIFF, AU, AVI, SWF, Mac Sound File, MIDI, MPEG1/2/4, MP3, MOV, WAV, DV, 

3GPP, and 3GPP2 Mobile Phone Video 


Address: Extensis, Inc., 1800 SW First Avenue, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97201, United States 

www.extensis.com 

FotoStation PRO 


Vendor: FotoWare 

Purpose: Digital asset management, with workgroup collaboration tools, data mining, and image 

enhancement 

Description 

FotoStation PRO is a fully customizable DAM workstation, with image editing features, 

data mining, workgroup collaboration, and over 70 sort options. It has extensive organizing 

capabilities, allowing you to append detailed text descriptions to images and 

perform multi-archive searches. Features like drag-and-drop image placement with autocropping 

make it especially useful in a newspaper or magazine environment. 

One of FotoStation PRO’s key selling points is its data mining feature, which allows the 

user to find images without formulating a specific search. It lets you hunt for appropriate 

images by using a “word list” that can locate all files with those words in a given 

XMP text field, or by a single keyword, date, or range of dates. You can assemble collections 

of images as named projects with complete project descriptions. 

FotoStation PRO can also index the contents of offline media such as DVDs, creating 

offline archives that are fully searchable. It has plenty of image editing features, such as 

hue and saturation settings, curves, manual color balance adjustment, and a sophisticated 

noise reduction feature called SmartClean. Color management with ICC profiles 

is fully implemented. A start-up wizard makes it easy for new users, whereas experienced 

users can customize the interface according to their preferences. 

Comments 

FotoStation PRO is one of a new breed of image organizer that imposes an additional 

level of indexing on an existing collection. You could call it an “image reorganizer,” as 

it can help to tame archives and make it easier to find pictorial content to illustrate published 

articles. Version 6.0 saw a shift from IPTC to XMP metadata; the introduction 

of SmartColor, an automatic image enhancement tool; and SmartClean, a server-based 

solution to reduce noise and improve color saturation in the stored images.

66 


Version: FotoStation PRO 6.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.6 or higher 

RAM: 512MB (more recommended) 

Supported file formats: Most RAW formats; all major image, sound, and movie formats 


Address: FotoWare a.s, Holbergsgt.21, N-0166 Oslo, Norway 

www.fotoware.com 

FotoWare Cameleon 

Vendor: FotoWare 

Purpose: Scalable DAM system for small businesses to large enterprises 

Description 

FotoWare Cameleon is a digital asset management system that can meet the needs of 

small businesses while also scaling to address those of large enterprises. It comes in three 

editions: 

■ Standard, for small offices, where people have a need to store and share images, 

PDF files, video, sound, and PowerPoint presentations. It comes with imageenhancement 

tools, full color management, import from digital cameras, scanners, 

DVDs, CDs, and other sources, and has a storage capacity of 100,000 files. It supports 

two FotoStation PRO client workstations. 

■ Professional, for small to medium size companies with a greater number of digital 

assets. Features include high-speed search and simultaneous indexing of new files, 

plus a storage capacity of 200,000 files. It supports five FotoStation PRO client 

workstations. 

■ Web, described as a “complete solution for the corporate market,” in which a single 

client using FotoStation Pro can configure and maintain the archive, whereas everyone 

else accesses the system via Web browsers. Storage capacity again is 200,000 files. 

Comments 

Used by (among others) Philips, MyTravel Group, and the UK’s Defence Image Database 

(www.defenceimagedatabase.mod.uk), FotoWare Cameleon handles large volumes of 

images with ease. One of its key features is scalability, enabling businesses to move up to 

a larger edition as they grow. Another is adaptability, the vendor noting the following: 

“We adapt to your environment, like a cameleon” (hence the name and British spelling). 

By removing the need to make major changes in existing workflows, FotoWare has gained 

sales in what has become a very competitive market for powerful DAM systems. The 

company has offices throughout Europe and representation worldwide.

Version: N/A (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.6 or higher 


Supported file formats: Major image, sound, and video formats; PDF, Illustrator, Photoshop, 

InDesign, Word, PowerPoint, and QuarkXPress formats 

Price level: Standard $2,400, Pro $8,000, Web $12,000 

Address: FotoWare a.s, Holbergsgt.21, N-0166 Oslo, Norway 

www.fotoware.com 

MediaDex 

Vendor: Digital River 

Purpose: Catalogs, organizes, finds, and shares digital media files 


Description 

MediaDex is a digital asset management tool for creative professionals and serious amateurs. 

It lets you catalog, organize, find, and share digital assets such as images, layouts, 

multimedia, video, audio, and text. 

MediaDex is a particularly powerful solution for photographers, with support for RAW 

files, Exif, IPTC, and XMP metadata formats, as well as professional ICC-approved 

Image Color Management (ICM). Cataloging is assisted by a drag-and-drop option, 

with bulk cataloging supported. There is no limit to the number of files you can archive. 

MediaDex creates a record for each cataloged digital file and provides a readout of the 

information associated with it. Search facilities allow you to search by keyword or any 

other metadata information. For sharing images, MediaDex has custom slide show creation, 

WebAlbum publishing, and customizable printing layouts. 

MediaDex includes Pixel Image Converter, a feature that allows you to convert any cataloged 

image, on-the-fly, into any of these formats: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, ScitexCT, PNG, 

PCX, and PDF. 

Comments 

Based on Canto’s Cumulus Single User product, acquired from Canto in 2005, 

MediaDex can create catalogs as large as 4GB in size. It is still recommended by Canto, 

but may have suffered by no longer enjoying the same brand name. 

MediaDex 2.0 added new image pre-processing tools, enabling conversion of files 

on-the-fly into a different color space or file format. With this release, the maximum 

catalog size went up to 4GB. However, anyone upgrading from an earlier version would 

need to spend a lot of time transferring files from one system to another in order to 

benefit from the new features. Hopefully, this can be avoided in future upgrades.

68 


Figure 6.2 

MediaDex’s powerful sorting facilities are easy to access and use. 

Version: MediaDex 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major file formats, including JPEG 2000, and video formats such as 

MPEG, AVI, RealMedia, and DivX 

Price level: Standard edition $50, Pro edition $80 

Address: MediaDex FZ-LLC, info@MediaDex.com 

mediadex.com 

Summary 

A special breed of software that goes way beyond viewing and cataloging, digital asset 

management enables the owners of media collections to leverage their assets by making 

them available for additional uses. Individual photographers may find benefits in some 

of the smaller systems, such as MediaDex, but most DAM software is aimed at corporations 

and institutions. With video, multimedia, audio, still images, and documents being 

held on various physical platforms, from hard drives to legacy floppies, the larger users 

require a comprehensive solution to bring all these assets together in a virtual, accessible 

space. DAM meets this need, but individually tailored solutions can be expensive.

7 

RAW Converters 

The first step in the digital photographic workflow is to convert the RAW file. Many 

photographers rely on their camera to perform this conversion, a procedure that manufacturers 

believed would be almost universal when DSLRs were first introduced. It was 

not long, however, before photographers started noticing that RAW files devoted four 

extra bits to the image. What happened, they wondered, to all the extra information 

encoded by those four bits? 

When people gained practical experience with RAW files, it soon become apparent that 

additional information could indeed be extracted from them, given sufficient processing 

time. Desperate in particular for greater dynamic range, photographers jumped at 

the opportunity of using RAW instead of in-camera JPEGs, sometimes shooting in dual 

mode to gain the best of both worlds. The only problem, apart from speed, was the fact 

that RAW was not (and still is not) a single format but a multiplicity of proprietary formats. 

Canon has CRW, Nikon has NEF, Olympus has ORF, Pentax has PTX, and so 

on. No one publishes the source code, obliging users to accept the official conversion 

package usually but not always supplied with the camera. 

To be effective, RAW conversion needs to do a lot more than “de-mosaic” the image, 

although this is an important step that has a fundamental impact on resolution. The 

mosaic of red, green, and blue filters, with two green pixel sites for every red or blue one, 

becomes converted into complete RGB pixels by a process that guesses the missing values. 

The predominance of green provides a convenient luminance channel that serves as 

a guide for the overall light level. Once converted, the image is inevitably slightly soft, 

because of the overlapping values. It may also be noisy or have an incorrect color cast. 

Through no fault of the user it can have lens errors such as barrel distortion, vignetting, 

or chromatic aberration. All of these imperfections can and should be corrected at the 

earliest possible stage, in a processing package shortly after basic RAW conversion. It is 

for this reason that RAW converters, like Topsy, just seem to grow.

70 


The Incredible Dave 

Dozens of RAW processors from around the world owe their existence to the efforts of 

Dave Coffin, a Boston-based programmer who has cracked all the proprietary RAW file 

formats and made them available to the Open Source world. The result of his work is an 

ANSI C program called dcraw (pronounced “dee-see-raw”) that can decode RAW images 

“from any digital camera on any computer running any operating system.” It also extracts 

thumbnails and displays metadata, as its author explains—in both English and 

Esperanto—on his Website. An entire industry has grown up on the foundation of Dave’s 

work, securing him a place in the annals of digital photography. You can find dcraw code 

in nearly 50 different brands of software (see a full list at cybercom.net/~dcoffin/dcraw), 

including the following: 

■ ACDSee 

■ Adobe Photoshop 

■ BreezeBrowser 

■ IrfanView 

■ LightZone 

■ SilverFast DCPro 

A photographer needs only one RAW conversion tool, but which one? That rather 

depends on what other software you use, or intend to use. Some packages, like ACDSee, 

are extremely feature-rich, having become “workflow tools” to address all the software 

needs of the photographer, from RAW input through to archiving and printing. Other 

packages, like LightZone, are more focused on the processing tasks that need to be done 

in the early part of the workflow. The following descriptions can help you decide which 

software to try, with the aim of moving the workflow through its first vital stages. 

BibblePro 

Vendor: Bibble Labs 

Purpose: Well established and widely used RAW workflow package with plug-in architecture 

Description 

With platform-specific optimizations, BibblePro offers very fast RAW conversion 

together with many other tools, including noise reduction, healing, cloning, and image 

correction. It has a younger brother called Bibble Lite, which has all the core features of 

the professional version, but without pro-style support for tethered shooting and the like. 

To convert a RAW image you simply drop it on a “batch queue,” a feature that can 

greatly speed up your workflow by making copies of the original and creating Web galleries. 

The program also enables fast printing using a similar “print queue” feature.

Figure 7.1 

Bibble accepts many terrific plug-ins and offers full-featured RAW conversion. 

Chapter 7 ■ RAW Converters 71 

BibblePro, like one or two other great RAW converters, is evolving into a full-blown 

image processor with functions such as lens correction, a fill-light tool for High 

Dynamic Range, multi-CPU support, and above all a plug-in architecture that has 

brought a whole new range of functionality from third-party developers, such as these 

from Nexi: 

■ AndyPRO: Simulations of B&W film, paper, and developer combinations, with 

varying exposure times (see full entry) 

■ AnselPRO: To alter a histogram according to the theory of light zones (see full 

entry) 

■ GinaPRO: For correction and enhancement of skin tones, using Tone, Saturation, 

and Glow controls (see full entry) 

■ Roy: Color correction and adjustment plug-in for changing tint, brightness, and 

saturation 

■ Marky: To apply watermarking to images, with signature, copyright notice, or 

studio logo

72 


■ Matty: Lets you create borders, frames, or mats around your images; useful for the 

Web 

■ Percy: For perspective correction, fisheye remapping, skewing, aspect change, scaling, 

and rotation 

■ SharpiePRO: To sharpen/blur an image using “contrast enhancement,” “luminance 

blur,” and “pixel punch” filters (see full entry) 

Comments 

Eric Hyman founded Bibble (named after his cat) in 2000 to decode RAW files from 

the Nikon D1. Since then he and his team have maintained a furious pace of development, 

keeping the product at the forefront of digital photography year after year, despite 

stiff competition. It is a superb program, with non-destructive processing and exceptionally 

good batch facilities. Version 4.3 added BPTLens correction, for uncurving the 

distortions of ultra-wide-angle lenses. IPTC editing is well implemented. Black-andwhite 

conversion comes with spot coloring in two colors. The list goes on—and all this 

for a fraction of the cost of Capture One. 

Version: Bibble 4.10 (2008) 

Plugs into: Pro version Photoshop 7 and later; Lite version Photoshop Elements 2.0 

OS: Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, and XP; Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher; Linux 2.4 or later 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: RAW (nearly all); JPEG and TIFF 

Price level: Approx. $130, Lite $70 

Address: Bibble Labs Inc., 11940 Jollyville Road, Suite 115-N, Austin, TX 78759, United States 

www.bibblelabs.com 

BreezeBrowser Pro 


Purpose: RAW converter with a browser-style interface, batch processing, and Web page generation 

Description 

BreezeBrowser Pro not only converts RAW images but can also generate Web pages, produce 

proofs and contact sheets, and conduct a whole range of post-processing operations. 

It offers a huge range of features, including options such as levels, gamma correction, 

saturation adjustment, resizing, and sharpening. It offers RAW conversion for Canon, 

Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, and Olympus cameras, with preservation of Exif metadata. One 

distinguishing feature that sets it apart from other processors is its “combined conversion,” 

obtaining excellent coloration with a first conversion combined with a second pass 

to improve highlight detail.

BreezeBrowser’s Web page generation facility is very helpful to photographers with a 

Web presence. Plenty of templates are available; new ones are often appearing on the 

vendor’s own site. It even allows you to create an online ordering system with a PayPal 

shopping cart: surely a novel extension for a RAW converter? 

Equally strong are the areas of proofing, printing, and batch conversion. It gives you 

the option of printing directly to your printer or saving for later output to a photo lab. 

The vendor claims that the scaling interpolation is “superior to bicubic interpolation 

found in many image editing packages.” The batch features include many of those 

already mentioned: RAW, Web pages, contact sheets, image rotation, and lens distortion 

correction. It also has a keyword editor for adding and editing keywords in batches 

of images. As one photographer has said: “Point it at a directory with 1,200+ images 

and it handles them with ease.” 

Comments 

Chris Breeze’s highly acclaimed software began as a Canon-only tool, then expanded to 

include other brands. It boasts a longer list of favorable reviews and customer comments 

than most software can claim, with endorsements from many professional wedding and 

landscape photographers. Ongoing development keeps it at the leading edge, with consistent 

upgrades to accommodate output from the latest cameras. A GPS template lets you 

link Geotagged images to online maps and create Web galleries. Competitively priced, it 

is an excellent value and for certain photographers it provides just the workflow they need. 

Version: BreezeBrowser Pro 1.8 (2008) 


RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: RAW (most); TIFF, JPEG, PNG, JPEG 2000, GIF, BMP, Photoshop 

PSD, and Paint Shop Pro 




Capture One 

Vendor: Phase One 

Purpose: High-volume RAW file conversion for busy photographers 


Description 

Aimed at professionals like all Phase One products, Capture One is a powerful converter 

package that can turn RAW files into TIFF-RGB, TIFF-CMYK, or JPEG images 

on the fly, with excellent image quality and minimal noise. The software also comes in 

a “light” version, Capture One LE, for low-volume users.

74 


Among the dozens of features in Capture One are instant high-res preview, multiple 

side-by-side preview, white and color balance adjustment, exposure/contrast correction, 

level/curves adjustment, histograms, cropping, IPTC templates, and acceptance of thirdparty 

ICC color profiles. It lets you correct unwanted color casts, has an overlay feature 

for easy alignment, a banding tool to suppress digital banding, Moiré suppression, and 

various sharpening and noise reduction tools. 

Version 4 represented a major upgrade, allowing the user to open 12 images simultaneously 

at full resolution. You can also make multiple variants of a single RAW image without disk 

or performance overhead. Usefully for professionals, the licensing is transferable, enabling 

you to install the software on two computers with the option of using one or the other. 

Comments 

Capture One 4 is hard to beat for high volume processing of RAW files in a professional 

setting. It is not inexpensive but it comes with two free major updates. Its output quality 

is excellent, with fine details clearly rendered, and it generates large thumbnails and 

working images very quickly. However, it requires time to learn how to use it properly. 

The light version is much more suitable for beginners. 

Version: Capture One 4.1.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: RAW (nearly all); JPEG and TIFF 


Address: Phase One A/S, Roskildevej 39, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark 

Phase One Inc., 200 Broadhollow Road (Suite 312), Melville, NY 11747-0983 

www.phaseone.com 

LightZone 

Vendor: Light Crafts 

Purpose: RAW processor and image editor with zonal editing capability 

Description 

LightZone is an image editor that has a set of masking tools based on Ansel Adams’s 

zone system. It supports all major camera RAW formats with native custom processing, 

uses small files to store image edits, and in these and other respects is not dissimilar to 

Adobe Lightroom. 

The key feature of LightZone—and where it differs from other image editors—is the 

way in which it allows you to create regions by drawing lines rather than by painting. 

This means you can adjust the boundary of the region at any time: much more convenient 

for editing landscape photographs. You can blend the region smoothly into the


surrounding area with automatic “feathering.” LightZone makes the zone system easier 

to understand with an interactive grayscale image analyzer called ZoneFinder. It segments 

a small version of the image into 16 grayscale zones, each differing by half an 

f-stop (50% brightness) from the next. 

A companion tool, ZoneMapper, shows the zones in a graduated scale, over which you 

can position the mouse to see the corresponding zone highlighted in ZoneFinder. Using 

the two tools together you can find the white and black points, fix the exposure and 

obtain good, deep blacks, using luminosity-based adjustments. For example, when you 

expand a zone by moving the mouse in ZoneMapper, you get brighter values and 

increased contrast in the identified region. “This ability,” says the vendor with some justification, 

“has been the missing element in truly moving the zone system into the realm 

of digital imaging.” 

You can also make color adjustments in LightZone using RGB values. Other tools 

include sharpen, blur, noise reduction, clone, crop, spot, and rotate. LightZone comes 

with an illustrated, 82-page book in PDF format that explains everything about its philosophy 

and operation in detail. 

Figure 7.2 

LightZone implements Ansel Adams’s theories and provides a complete zonal editing capability.

76 


Comments 

With its attractive interface, LightZone is a pleasure to use and deserves to secure a share 

of the highly competitive image editing market. Its implementation of the zone system 

is logical and genuinely useful to photographers. Launched in 2005, it won MacWorld 

“Best of Show” the following year and the “Editors’ Choice” award at the end of 2007. 

Ongoing development, excellent documentation, and favorable reviews have established 

it as a serious contender. 

Above all, LightZone succeeds in partially automating the task of processing digital 

images without sacrificing quality control. For example, the built-in “instant styles” feature 

lets you select styles from categories such as high dynamic range, local contrast, and 

toning—and then tweak them to your taste. It is an innovative and effective approach 

that appeals to the unashamed control freak in every true photographer. 

Version: LightZone 3.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 with SP4, XP with SP2 (32-bit or x64), and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.3 or 

later; Linux 

RAM: 1GB (2GB recommended) 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG, TIFF, and linear DNG 

Price level: Approx. $250, Basic edition without multi-image editing and batch 

processing $150 

Address: Light Crafts, Inc., 200 Sheridan Avenue, Suite 307, Palo Alto, CA 94306-2037, United 

States 

www.lightcrafts.com 

Raw Therapee 

Developer: Gábor Horváth 

Purpose: Free RAW converter and digital photo processor 

Description 

Based on Dave Coffin’s freely available dcraw conversions of RAW code, Raw Therapee 

is a free RAW converter and digital photo processing software package. 

Raw Therapee, which stands for “THe Experimental RAw Photo Editor,” should not 

be underestimated. It has a very wide range of features, including contrast and white 

balance adjustment, custom curve support, temperature/green tint correction, independent 

shadow and highlight controls, luminance modification in CIELab color space, 

unsharp mask sharpening, color denoising, image flipping and rotation, cropping, and 

simple lens distortion correction. Most importantly, it produces superb quality RAW 

conversions.

Raw Therapee’s interface is well laid out, with multiple panels including a large central 

image area. Other components of the interface are the Directory Browser, File Browser, 

Histogram, Image Processing Adjustments panel, a small Postprocessing Profile 

Switcher, Save/Preferences Buttons. It also includes other panels for zoom, rotate/flip, 

quick information (about shutter speed, aperture value, ISO sensitivity, and focal 

length), and finally a Tools panel. 

Comments 

Raw Therapee uses an enhanced version of Keigo Hirakawa’s adaptive homogeneitydirected 

demosaicing algorithm, which fully matches the quality of demosaicing found 

in commercial software. Adaptive routines use rules based on the actual content of an image. 

Here, the software uses a special mapping technique (homogeneity mapping) to detect 

unwanted color artifacts and direct the interpolation away from them. Side-by-side comparison 

of the resolution achieved by Raw Therapee and other RAW converters is significantly 

in the favor of this shareware-style product. It was very well received by users 

when the developer first announced it on dpreview.com in mid-2006. One user said 

“...the best demosaicing yet.” More recent versions have greatly improved the processing 

speed, while also adding ICC color management and user interface enhancements. 

Version: Raw Therapee 2.4 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Linux GTK+ 2.10 series (see www.gtk.org) 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Most major RAW and JPEG 

Price level: Donation requested 

Address: Budapest, Hungary 

www.rawtherapee.com 

RAW Developer 

Vendor: Iridient Digital 

Purpose: Powerful RAW image conversion for Macintosh only 


Description 

RAW Developer is a low-cost package with some powerful features, including nondestructive 

image processing and flexible batch conversion. It handles 16 bits per channel 

(48-bit RGB) and for some operations such as image sharpening can go up to 32 bits 

per channel using high dynamic range floating point numbers. It supports files from 

over 150 digital camera models, offers fast, high-quality image previews, flexible histogram 

viewing, and full support for Exif metadata. 

Other RAW Developer features include ICC color management support through 

ColorSync, tone curves, color correction, exposure compensation, white balance, contrast,

78 


saturation, noise reduction, and four advanced sharpening methods: unsharp mask, 

gaussian, hybrid, and (Mac OS X 10.4 or later) Richardson-Lucy Deconvolution, an iterative 

technique often used by astronomers to recover latent images that have a known 

amount of blurring. RAW Developer also offers filters for removing hot pixels, those tiny 

sparks of color that appear as blemishes on low-light scenes taken with a long exposure, 

and dead pixels, which are from individual photosites on the camera’s sensor that have 

no response to light and always read zero. 

Comments 

RAW Developer from tiny Iridient has been compared very favorably with software 

coming from large corporations. It produces terrific image quality with a real “film 

look.” Sharpening controls are first-rate, with no in-built tendency to oversharpen. 

Although it lacks the high-throughput features of Capture One, its quality is comparable. 

Keen photographers should certainly try it. The trial version is fully functional. 

Version: RAW Developer 1.7.2 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: RAW (most), JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and JPEG 2000 


Address: sales@iridientdigital.com 

www.iridientdigital.com 

SILKYPIX Developer Studio 

Vendor: Ichikawa Soft Laboratory (ISL) 

Purpose: RAW file processing package with adjustments for color, tone, and white balance 

Description 

It might not be the first choice of RAW developer for a photographer in Europe or the 

United States, especially after trying to read the (machine translated?) Website. Yet 

SILKYPIX Developer Studio is highly rated by many users, especially by reviewers on 

account of its outstanding tonal quality and high level of detail. Not the least of its 

attractions is the incredible speed with which ICL responds to the launch of a new camera, 

usually being the first third-party developer to offer a RAW conversion for it. 

Features include adjustment for color, tone, and white balance, chromatic aberration 

control, unsharp masking, and lots of “taste functions” that emphasize different aspects 

of the scene such as blue sky, red enhancer, and even “nostalgic toy camera.” It supports 

ICC profiles, batch development, contact sheet printing, and Adobe RGB and sRGB 

color spaces.


Comments 

SILKYPIX is the new rendering engine used for RAW processing PEF files in Pentax’s 

Lab software. It is also the supplied RAW converter with Panasonic Lumix cameras. It is 

impossible to fault SILKYPIX either in terms of quality or the number of features it 

offers. It is a seriously good RAW tool with plenty of ongoing development to keep it at 

the forefront of this competitive sector of the market. 

Version: SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0.9.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP, 2000, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2 

RAM: 1GB 

Supported file formats: RAW (nearly all), JPEG, and TIFF 


Address: Ichikawa Soft Laboratory Co., Ltd., Makuhari Technogarden Bldg. CD5F, 1-3, Nakase, 

Mihama-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba, 261-8501, Japan 

www.isl.co.jp/SILKYPIX/english/ 

U.S. distributor: Shortcut Software International Inc., 14252 Culver Dr. # A319, Irvine, CA 

92604 

www.shortcutinc.com 

Figure 7.3 

SILKYPIX Developer Studio lets you apply various “taste functions” to the RAW image.

80 


Silverfast DCPro 

Vendor: LaserSoft Imaging 

Purpose: RAW conversion and image enhancement for all major digital cameras 

Description 

Silverfast DCPro is a RAW conversion suite with sorting capabilities and image processing. 

It has three applications within it: 

■ Virtual light table 

■ Development 

■ Print processing 

On the light table you can browse through your folders, sort the images into groups, 

tag them with keywords, and place them in queues for batch processing. The development 

facilities offer many controls for exposure correction, sharpening, and two types 

of noise reduction. It has what the vendor calls “Selective Color Correction,” enabling 

you to identify a specific color in the image and change it. The print processing module 

contains several templates together with facilities to create your own. 

Silverfast DCPro is an adaptation of the vendor’s well-known scanner software, and, as 

such, it comes with scanner-type features. “Adaptive Color Restoration” automatically 

brings back faded colors, while another function eliminates grain. These features have 

limited appeal to the digital photographer but are useful to photo restorers. The development 

user interface is somewhat cluttered with floating windows rather than the sliding 

panels of the latest purpose-built processors. 

Comments 

In side-by-side tests with other RAW converters, Silverfast DCPro has scored high for 

resolution, sharpening, and exposure quality; poorly for speed, features, and value for 

money. Discussion among digital enthusiasts on dpreview.com tended toward negativity, 

many people being unhappy with its image quality and most people disliking its 

slowness. However, its color tools are first-rate and it may well have just the features 

required by certain users. 

Version: Silverfast DCPro 6.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 with SP2, XP with SP4; Mac OS X 10.8 and higher recommended 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Reads major RAW formats, TIFF, and JPEG; writes JPEG, TIFF, PDF, 

and EPS 


Address: LaserSoft Imaging AG (Germany), Luisenweg 6-8, 24105 Kiel, Germany

LaserSoft Imaging, Inc., 3212 Gulf Gate Drive, Unit B, Sarasota, FL 34231, United States 

www.silverfast.com 

Raw Photo Processor 


Vendor: Andrey Tverdokhleb 

Purpose: Mac-only RAW conversion for almost all digital camera RAW and DNG formats 

Description 

Raw Photo Processor (RPP) is a Mac-only RAW converter that offers some advantages 

over the standard Adobe Camera RAW processing in Photoshop and Lightroom. It is 

especially good at bringing out detail in heavily underexposed images and in getting 

accurate rendition of subtle blues and grays. It supports custom camera profiles; has 

excellent four-channel white balance control; uses high precision math to preserve shadows 

and highlights; has a facility to increase contrast without greatly impacting overall 

tonality; and offers a sophisticated monochrome mode for producing black and white, 

sepia, and other monochrome styles. 

RPP supports several different ways of working with white balance—automatic detection, 

“as shot” (taken from camera), custom white balance from neutral areas, and color 

tone adjustments on a “cold/warm” scale. Its treatment of color saturation differs from 

others by taking a more sophisticated approach, according to its developer Andrey 

Tverdokhleb (who does not elaborate on this topic). However, the first-rate result speaks 

for itself. 

Comments 

As the developer readily admits, user interfaces are not his strongest suit. That said, RPP 

is an excellent processor in nearly all other respects. It has won a following from hordes 

of DSLR photographers, particularly from users of Fuji cameras who strive for exceptional 

dynamic range. RPP maximizes the in-built advantage of the Fuji S3, S5, and so 

on, cameras with their special highlight-gathering sensors. It also helps to bring other 

cameras closer to the Fuji standard by helping to recover lost highlights. It is especially 

good at eliminating purple fringing, although there is no special code in the software to 

do it. (“It just works,” says the developer.) 

Version: Raw Photo Processor 3.7 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X (10.4 or 10.5) 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Most RAW 


Address: San Francisco, California, United States 

www.raw-photo-processor.com

82 


Summary 

Its ever-growing popularity among serious photographers has led to the inclusion of 

RAW conversion in the best image processing and editing software. Both Apple and 

Adobe have improved their integral RAW converters in Aperture, Photoshop, and 

Lightroom. However, there remains an excellent selection of RAW converters, both from 

camera manufacturers and independent developers, that help you go the extra mile to 

extract maximum quality from your original capture. Space has not permitted the inclusion 

of all the camera-specific software (such as Fuji’s FinePixViewer with its brilliant 

RAW conversion but widely criticized user interface). Whatever brand of camera you 

normally use, both LightZone and SILKYPIX Developer Studio are “must-try” products.

8 

Image Processors 

In a sense, all photo enhancement utilities could be called “image processors” because 

they all process the image in one way or another. RAW converters and image editors are 

certainly image processors, but in between them there is a large group of software that 

deals with fine-tuning the image, using tools that could well be found in either of the 

other two categories. The difference is they do not make RAW conversion the center of 

their activities, nor do they have the image editor’s graphical capabilities (although you 

may find one or two of them heading in that direction). 

In general photography, image processing is intended to improve the look of the image, 

but in science and engineering, it is used for identifying different aspects of the image’s 

content. For this reason, scientific image processors with all their measurement and 

analysis tools tend to be more elaborate and costly. Image-Pro Plus from Media 

Cybernetics, one of the most popular image processors in labs and industry, has an 

entry-level edition that uses third-party plug-ins to extend its functionality. 

The best way to consider the software in this category is to look at each one individually 

rather than trying to make comparisons between them. Any one of them could have 

something to offer your workflow, or you may find that you already have these bases 

covered. Some merely offer an alternative way of achieving standard fine-tuning 

enhancements for shadows, highlights, color, and saturation. I considered some other 

packages for this category, but rejected them on the grounds that they did not offer any 

new techniques beyond the choices already available. A few products that were here originally 

have migrated to Chapter 9, “Quick-Fix Software,” where speed of enhancement 

is the governing factor.

84 


AnselPRO 

Vendor: Sean Puckett 

Purpose: Bibble plug-in to alter a histogram according to the theory of light zones 

Description 

AnselPRO is designed to give you complete control over the lighting in a digital image, 

worked out according to Ansel Adams’s theory of light zones. It has quite a complex 

user interface: two of them, to be precise. The big one looks like the mixing desk in a 

recording studio, with nine slider controls for each of nine zones including black and 

white. There are four more slider controls for the film curve: contrast, shadows, balance, 

and highlights; and two more for exposure: linear and midtones. Finally, there are two 

“modifiers,” one for adjusting total luminance, the other to control how much of the 

“Ansel Effect” gets applied to the image. The alternative UI collapses the zones into tabs, 

which makes it look somewhat less intimidating. 

The secret to using AnselPRO is to follow the developer’s instructions and try not to 

start adjusting zones immediately. Start at the top of the interface and work your way 

down, one step at a time. It is really very well conceived and it incorporates many of the 

developer’s ideas from his previous work. 

Comments 

If you find Ansel Adams’s zone system inscrutable, as some photographers do, this is 

obviously not the ideal tool. But it obliges you to consider the shadows separately from 

the midtones, and both independently of the highlights. This is good photographic 

practice, whatever your style or genre. AnselPRO is definitely a product to use in conjunction 

with reading Adams’s classic instruction manuals (The Camera, The Negative, 

and The Print ). 

Version: AnselPRO 1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Bibble Pro (Note: Upgrade when Bibble upgrades) 

OS: As host 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: As host 


Address: seanmpuckett@gmail.com 

www.nexi.com 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom 


Purpose: Non-destructive imaging processing for RAW, JPEG, and TIFF image files

Description 

With a built-in photo browser and extensive RAW support, ArcSoft PhotoStudio 

Darkroom offers a full range of standard image processing features, including exposure 

and white balance adjustment, lens correction, curves and levels, crop and straighten, redeye 

removal, and one-click spot/patch removal. It supports the most popular color spaces, 

has batch export facilities, and can convert RAW files to Adobe DNG for archiving. 

PhotoStudio Darkroom’s interface has the modern arrangement of thumbnail strip at 

the bottom, histogram at top-right, and a large viewing area for the images. You can see 

your pictures in “Before-After” viewing mode or in “Side-by-Side” mode for comparison 

and selection. The lens correction utility can fix purple fringe, vignetting, barrel, 

pincushion, and perspective distortions. Export of the processed RAW files is to highquality 

JPEG or TIFF (24- or 48-bit) format. 

Comments 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom was placed by Popular Photography as No.2 in a list of 

five top RAW converters. That is quite an achievement, given the competition. Its RAW 

format support is particularly strong, including output from Hasselblad H2D and 

Mamiya ZD cameras. Like most ArcSoft products, it is aimed at both professionals and 

hobbyists, a dual personality that may tend to confuse its image in the market. 

Essentially it is a low-cost alternative to Apple’s Aperture, with support for Windows. 

Version: ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom 1.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 and 10.4 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Most RAW formats; JPEG and TIFF 


Address: ArcSoft Corporate Headquarters, 46601 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, United States 


ColorWasher 

Vendor: PhotoWiz 

Purpose: A set of tools for correcting, enhancing, and restoring photos 

Chapter 8 ■ Image Processors 85 

Description 

With ColorWasher, you can correct the colors, contrast, exposure, and saturation of 

8-bit and 16-bit photos. The vendor, Harald Heim of The Plugin Site, suggests that you 

use it after RAW conversion to fine-tune the adjustments.

86 


ColorWasher has seven methods called cast types for reconstructing lost colors and detail. 

Its tools go beyond ordinary brightness and gamma correction by boosting contrast, 

hiding noise, maintaining steady saturation, and increasing the number of colors in the 

image. Its Auto Contrast and Exposure Fix features can be set to several different levels, 

while this software also offers the option of manual adjustment in percent and EV 

values. It has excellent histograms: 10 types in four styles for expert use. There is also 

an Easy Mode, in which the program starts by default. Most of the time you can stay 

in this mode except when faced with a difficult image. At this point you need to read 

the vendor’s “Tips for Tough Cases” in the very detailed user manual. 

Comments 

ColorWasher is prized especially by enthusiasts for its ability to help the user correct 

colorcasts. Independent tests by many reviewers were unanimous in praising its ease-ofuse 

and overall effectiveness. 

Version: Windows ColorWasher 2.02c; Mac OS X 2.01 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Elements, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, Photo-Paint, Fireworks, and so on 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 

Supported file formats: 8-bit and 16-bit RGB and grayscale images 


Address: Nuremberg, Germany 

www.photocorrection.com 

Curvemeister 

Vendor: Mike Russell (sold through order.kagi.com) 

Purpose: Specialist curve control software to manipulate images in wide gamut CMYK space 

Description 

Mike Russell’s Curvemeister is a Windows-based plug-in for Photoshop 5 and above. 

It works with all versions of Elements, which means you can turn Elements into an 

excellent curve machine without having to buy the full-blown version of Photoshop. It 

has a huge range of features, many of which are not in the host program. 

Curvemeister has a color wizard to speed up color correction; a threshold function to 

locate shadows/highlights and to spot clipping immediately; switching between color 

spaces on-the-fly; a “hue clock” to help you judge colors such as skin tones; multiple 

curve adjustment; optional histogram overlay; corner-fill; curve rotation; and plenty of 

tutorial help. Once you have created a curve, it can be yours forever—the program saves 

every curve automatically, allowing you to look it up by date, time, and image filename. 

Curvemeister gives you a choice of working in different color spaces and then returning 

the file to Photoshop in RGB.


The hue clock, a particularly innovative feature in Curvemeister, displays copies of a 

one-handed clock to show the hue and saturation of any part of the image. When you 

click on a small group of pixels, the clock displays the color across its face while the hand 

indicates the level of RGB/CMY. All you have to do is remember the appropriate “time” 

(color) for skin, sky, or foliage, and you can see instantly whether any correction is needed. 

Figure 8.1 

Curvemeister provides comprehensive curves adjustment from this compact window. 

Comments 

Highly regarded by editing experts, Curvemeister gives you a choice of working in different 

color spaces and then returning the file to Photoshop in RGB. Wide gamut 

CMYK (wgCMYK) is excellent for adjusting shadows; Lab is preferable for adjusting 

highlights, brightness, and saturation. 

New features in Curvemeister 3 include 8- and 16-bit masking and some highly innovative 

improvements to the user interface. For example, HiLite Curve commands show 

which part of the image is affected by a particular area of a curve; Microsoft Office 

2007–style Ribbon Bars appear at the top of the screen; and Color Worms allow you

88 


on the curve preview to visualize the range of colors in the image sample (pointed at by 

the mouse). 

Version: Curvemeister 3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, NT4, ME, 2000, or XP 

Plugs into: Photoshop version 5.5 and later; all versions of Photoshop Elements 

RAM: 1.24MB 

Supported formats: 8- or 16-bit images in RGB, CMYK, or Lab 

Price level: Photoshop version approx. $90, Photoshop Elements version approx. $45 

Address: Berkeley, CA, United States 

www.curvemeister.com 

Farrar Focus Digital Darkroom 

Vendor: Farrar Focus 

Purpose: A regularly updated set of professional Photoshop scripts and actions for 16-bit digital 

image development 

Description 

Farrar Focus Digital Darkroom is a set of Photoshop scripts and actions likely to appeal 

to advanced landscape photographers looking for bracket and blend scripts and postprocessing 

actions such as denoising and sharpening. Its complete list of features is quite 

extensive, divided into Common Actions like curves, denoise, desplotch, and add grain; 

Color Space Action Sets to create zone layers, sharpen, and restore dark detail before 

printing; Linear Specific Actions to convert from ProPhotoRGB color space; Gamma1.8 

Specific Actions to convert documents to ProPhotoRGB; and Gamma2.2 Specific 

Actions to convert to Adobe RGB 1998 or sRGB. There are also scripts for blending, 

contrast sharpening, and various batch processing options. 

Comments 

Authored by Timothy Farrar originally for his personal use, Farrar Focus Digital 

Darkroom has acquired a following among advanced users who benefit from his expertise. 

Each new release concentrates on one or two specifics: FFDD 5 focused on noise 

reduction, sharpening, and enlargement, whereas FFDD 6 (2008) adds tools for an efficient 

High Dynamic Range stitching workflow. FFDD straddles the leading edge of 

digital image manipulation, with one foot in accepted practice and another in purely 

experimental territory. It is not expensive to join the author’s quest for ultimate quality 

—and you get free updates for a year. 

Version: FFDD 6 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS and CS2 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Farrar Focus LLP, 714 W 63rd St., Unit 202, Westmont, IL 60559, United States 

www.farrarfocus.com/ffdd (see sitemap for latest link) 

Kodak DIGITAL SHO 

Vendor: Eastman Kodak Company 

Purpose: Software to reveal lost detail in shadow areas of a digital image 


Description 

Kodak DIGITAL SHO (SHO stands for “Shadow and Highlight Optimization”) analyzes 

an image and automatically brings out the detail in the shadows, without sacrificing 

highlight detail. It is a specialist tool that could be useful to anyone who has a lot 

of underexposed pictures to correct. You can treat multiple images by recording the procedure 

as a Photoshop action. 

There are two editions of Kodak DIGITAL SHO: the standard edition that handles 

8-bit images and the pro edition for 8- or 16-bit images which also has additional 

features. For example, the user can set the threshold between shadow and highlight, as 

well as control the degree to which the shadows are lightened or the highlights darkened 

independently of each other. 

Comments 

Kodak does not explain the acronyms SHO, ROC, or GEM very prominently (ROC 

color restoration and GEM soft focus and image sharpening software being other products 

in the same suite). This is a pity because they do at least identify what the software 

actually does. One reviewer thought SHO did exactly the same as GEM, when in fact 

it has a completely different function. Other reviewers found SHO more impressive 

than ROC, recognizing that it delivers exactly what it promises—shadow and highlight 

optimization. For more information on DIGITAL ROC, see Chapter 20, “Photo 

Restoration.” For DIGITAL GEM, see Chapter 17, “Noise Reduction.” 

Version: Kodak DIGITAL SHO 2.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5.0 and up; Elements 1.0 and up; Windows only—Paint Shop Pro 7 and up 

OS: Windows 98 and up; Macintosh OS 8.6 and up 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Approx. $50, Pro edition $100 

Address: Kodak’s Austin Development Center (KADC), Austin, TX, United States 

www.asf.com

90 


Kubota Image Tools 

Vendor: Kubota Photo-Design 

Purpose: Sets of Photoshop Actions in different editions, plus layout software and RAW workflow 

training 

Description 

Developed by educator Kevin Kubota, the Kubota Image Tools are mostly Photoshop 

Actions for image enhancement, filtering, and special effects, but there are also other 

products in the line-up including a RAW workflow training CD and the AutoAlbum 

magazine album layout software utility. 

The Photoshop Actions are packaged in several different editions: Artistic Tools vols. 

1–4, Production Tools vol. 1 (with the implication that there will be more volumes), 

and Sloppy Borders vol. 1 (again, more to follow?). If you are feeling bold, you can purchase 

all of them in one complete package called Studio Set, which even includes the 

Digital Photography Bootcamp book, as used in the workshops run by the author. 

Production Tools has over 50 Photoshop Actions, such as batch resizing, batch color 

correction, tonal correction, rotations, retouching setups, and saving multiple file copies 

in one step. 

Artistic Tools also comes with 50+ Actions in each volume, notably black-and-white 

conversion, which has been highly praised by specialists, but also many others including 

glowing skin effects, organic film grain, backlight compensation, and soft filters. 

Volume 2 goes over the top with some adventurous processing (Lord of the Rings, 

Hawaiian Punch, and so on). 

Sloppy Borders has over 100 ready-to-use sloppy border variations for giving prints a 

“retro look.” 

Comments 

Although not inexpensive, the Kubota Image Tools can save a lot of time in the “digital 

darkroom.” They have a very good reputation among photographers, picked up two 

"Hot One" awards from Professional Photographer at the Imaging USA 2007 show, and 

are based on long practical experience in digital photography. 

Version: New Actions in new volumes 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7.0 and up (some Actions require Photoshop CS2 and up) 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, NT, ME, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Studio Set $1,200, Production Tools $150, Artistic Tools $150 

Address: info@kubotaimagetools.com 

www.kubotaworkshops.com

LightMachine 



Purpose: Specialist software for correcting brightness, contrast, color, and saturation in specific 

image areas independently from each other 

Description 

If you are looking for a specialist light correction tool, this could be the answer. It has 

some clever masking options that allow you to separate parts of the image for independent 

processing. A brightness/contrast mode operates globally, but there is also a 

shadows/highlights mode that gives you complete control over dark and bright areas 

anywhere in the image. Virtual Studio modes then allow you to arrange shadow and 

light spots very much as though you are placing studio lights, with control over the 

intensity, size, “ovality” (spot shape), angle, hardness, and reflection properties of each 

spotlight. 

Figure 8.2 

LightMachine has complex tools, but also provides many presets for correcting color, lighting, 

shadows, and highlights.

92 

Comments 

LightMachine works very effectively, although it can be time-consuming to perfect the 

masking with its highly precise adjustment parameters. It has a full complement of presets, 

with some excellent “pseudo HDR” effects. Most reviewers were agreed that it represented 

good value for money at its launch—and it is now substantially cheaper. For 

those who want to gain ultimate mastery over shadows, highlights, and colors, this is 

definitely a plug-in worth trying. 

Version: Windows 1.02, Mac OS X 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Elements, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, Photo-Paint, Fireworks, and 

so on 


Supported file formats: 8-bit and 16-bit RGB and grayscaled images 




Lobster 


Vendor: FreeGamma 

Purpose: Lets you make changes to a luminosity layer in Photoshop without affecting either hue 

or saturation, and vice versa 

Description 

Lobster is a companion (or “droplet”) application that lets you experiment with Curves 

and Levels in almost unlimited ways. To use it, you drag and drop Photoshop files 

directly onto the Lobster icon. Lobster creates four new layers from an RGB file: luminosity, 

plus a red-green-blue “chromaticity set” (hue and saturation), but at the same 

time it lets you continue to work in RGB mode. This means you can make changes to 

luminosity without affecting color, an adjustment not normally possible in RGB. The 

converse is also true: you can lock luminosity into place and use the chromaticity set to 

change either hue or saturation, or both. Other features include new tools such as dodge 

and burn and the ability to set the black and white points in Levels and Curves without 

changing hue. 

Comments 

Lobster is fast and efficient and does not take up much room on your computer. 

However, a Lobster file is around three times the size of a single-layered version, so you 

need plenty of memory to cope with it. It is aimed at experienced Photoshop users rather 

than beginners, but has excellent documentation online.

Version: Lobster 2.0 (2008) 

Works with: Adobe Photoshop 7 to CS3 (Note: Lobster is a stand-alone application, but requires 

Photoshop) 

OS: Windows XP with SP2; Mac OS X 10.3.9 and up 

RAM: At least 1GB 

Supported file formats: 24-bit/48-bit Photoshop RGB (flat files only) 


Address: FreeGamma Pty Ltd., Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 

www.freegamma.com 

Optipix 

Vendor: Reindeer Graphics 

Purpose: Suite of plug-ins for enhancing digital photographs, with Refocus and JPEG Cleaner 

Description 

Optipix is a suite of plug-ins for solving common photographic problems. The key features 

of the software are as follows: 

■ Auto Contrast: With zone system integration and control over midtones 

■ Blend Exposures: For blending two or more images to improve contrast 

■ Detail Sharpener: To improve textures and fine detail 

■ Interactive Interpolation: “Up-rezzing” tool for rescaling images 


■ Refocus: Removes blurriness and softness without sharpening artifacts 

■ JPEG Cleaner: Removes JPEG blockies (compression artifacts) for a cleaner image 

The software comes with a 60+ page Optipix Guide and has a wealth of other features. 

It is intended for 16-bits per channel workflow from capture to print. 

Comments 

Optipix can be used by relative beginners, but experienced photographers will love 

features like Power Median, which lets you remove noise that has a specific shape or 

orientation. Another outstanding feature is Blend Exposures, which allows you to blend 

bracketed images together to obtain perfectly exposed highlights, midtones, and shadows. 

One of the best documented of all the packages described in this book, Optipix was 

widely praised by reviewers, both at its introduction and at the launch of the major 3.0 

upgrade. Seek, buy, enjoy...

94 


Version: Optipix 3.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7, CS, CS2, or compatible 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, and 2000, XP; Mac OS X 10.2 and up 

RAM: 128MB (minimum) 

Supported file formats: Major file formats 


Address: Reindeer Graphics, Inc., P. O. Box 2281, Asheville, NC 28802, United States 

www.reindeergraphics.com 

PhotoKit 

Vendor: PixelGenius 

Purpose: A toolkit for replicating over 140 analog photographic effects by digital means 

Description 

PhotoKit is a Photoshop plug-in that lets photographers create analog effects in an 

analog-style way. It works only on RGB images (not CMYK, Lab, or Grayscale). All the 

effects create a new layer that’s labeled with the name of the effect. Hence, all the procedures 

are completely non-destructive. 

The effects are grouped in sets, such as the Toning Set, the Burn Tone set, the Color 

Balance set, Dodge Tone set, Image Enhancement set, and so on. Together they make 

up a powerful battery of weapons with which to tackle the task in hand. It is particularly 

strong on grayscale conversion, the color-to-black and white set having 12 effects. 

The same is true of Tone Correction, which has 25 effects. It is a package that appeals 

especially to landscape photographers seeking the highest quality images. 

Comments 

From the same team that brought us PhotoKit Sharpener, PhotoKit can speed up the 

workflow while contributing to image quality. 

Version: PhotoKit 1.2.6 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 6 and up (does not run on Photoshop Elements; needs CS or greater for 

16-bits per channel RGB images) 

OS: Windows 98, SE, ME, 2000, and XP Home/Pro; Mac OS 9.1, 9.2.x, or Mac OS X 

10.1.3–10.3.3 or above 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, and Adobe PDS 


Address: PixelGenius, 624 West Willow Street, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States 

www.pixelgenius.com

Photo-Plugins 

Vendor: George Fournaris 

Purpose: A collection of “free plug-ins for the serious photographer” 

Description 

The free Photo-Plugins collection consists of the following: 

■ B/W conversion, with complete control over red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, 

magenta, and intermediate hues 

■ Selective saturation, which lets you define a saturation zone by setting its 

center/range with two sliders 

■ Local contrast enhancement, brings out detail by heightening local contrast 

■ High pass sharpening, with adjustment of filter radius, and blending control 

■ Soft focus, applies a soft focus effect for portraits or fashion 

■ Lens correction, corrects barrel and pincushion distortions 

■ Contrast mask, reduces overall contrast, brings out details in highlights/shadows 

■ Gradient blur, to draw the viewer’s attention to the photograph’s main subject 

Comments 

Developed by George Fournaris while he was co-administrator of Digital Photography 

Greece (www.dpgr.gr), Photo-Plugins are variable in quality. The B/W conversion produces 

better results than gradient blur. Many people say they have found them useful, 

according to the on-site forum. 

Version: 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Elements, Illustrator, ImageReady, IrfanView, XnView, VCW VicMan’s 

Photo Editor, and imageN 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major formats 

Price level: Freeware 

Address: info@photo-plugins.com 

www.photo-plugins.com 

Power Retouche Plug-ins 

Vendor: Power Retouche 

Purpose: Tools for changing or enhancing digital photographs 

Chapter 8 ■ Image Processors 95

96 


Description 

For Photoshop and compatible editors Danish artist Jan Esman has developed an entire 

range of plug-ins that are among the most highly regarded in the industry. They are as 

follows: 

■ Black & White Studio—A “digital darkroom” to convert color images to black and 

white, in 8 or 16 bits per channel 

■ Illumination Editor—For editing the illumination and shade in a photo, with “set 

light direction” feature 

■ Dynamic Range Compressor—For full control over all aspects of dynamic range 

■ Sharpness Editor—Unsharp masking with optional anti-aliasing 

■ Lens Corrector—For correcting common lens distortions, including barreling and 

pincushion 

■ White-Balance Corrector—Cures any color temperature imbalance, even mixed 

neon and halogen 

■ Noise Corrector—Includes five different methods to filter noise, plus detail-preservation 

masking 

■ Film Grain—Emulates traditional film grain and lets you add it to your photos 

■ Graduated Color—Lets you apply one or two graduated colors when retouching 

■ Toned Photos—Adds color tones such as sepia, kallitype, silver gelatin, cyanotype, 

and so on 

■ Golden Section—Draws golden sections, golden spiral, golden triangles, rule of 

thirds, and harmonic triangles 

■ Exposure Corrector—Corrects under- or overexposure in the whole photo or 

selected areas 

■ Histogram Repair—Uses interpolation to fill in missing values caused by processing 

■ Radial Density Corrector—For total vignetting control over radial exposure and 

brightness 

■ Anti-Aliasing—Gets rid of edge roughness and “jaggies” 

■ Black Definition—Lets you adjust black as though it were a color channel 

■ Contrast—Lets you control black/white contrast independently of color-contrast, 

without changing color or saturation 

■ Saturation—Edits saturation without splitting the image up into primary colors 

■ Color Corrector—Removes colorcasts from images

■ Posterizer—Independently posterizes color hues and values and applies blending 

modes 

■ Edgeliner—Can turn photos into line drawings, with toneline lithfilm emulation 

■ Transparency Editor—Makes the background or other parts of the image transparent 

■ Soft Filter—Imitates traditional lens soft-filters, by controlling strength and spread 

of the softness without blurring 

■ Brightness Editor—Edits brightness while preserving color 


Comments 

The most economical (and sensible) way to buy the Power Retouche plug-ins is as a 

complete bundle. Most of them support images that are 8- or 16-bit in RGB, Grayscale, 

Duotone, CMYK, Multichannel, or Lab color spaces. However, some are much more fully 

featured than others. The most highly praised is Black & White Studio (see that separate 

entry), some are reinventions of the wheel, others have very useful, unique features. 

Figure 8.3 

Power Retouche plug-ins cover most bases, including Golden Section analysis.

98 


Golden Section is a particularly neat implementation of the classical rules of proportion: 

great if you have sufficient resolution for heavy cropping. They will plug into a 

very extensive range of editors, listed in full on the vendor’s Website. 

Version: (Pro Pack) 7.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows and Mac—Photoshop all versions; Windows only—Photoshop Elements, 

Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, CorelDRAW, and many other editors 

OS: Windows (any version that can run the host program); Mac Classic and OS X 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Complete set approx. $125, individually $32–$63 

Address: Power Retouche/Jan Esmann, Tagensvej 109B st, tv, DK-2200 Copenhagen N., 

Denmark 

www.powerretouche.com 

Tone Adjuster 


Purpose: Adds to Photoshop’s standard tonal adjustment functionality 

Description 

Tone Adjuster adds further controls over tonal adjustment for Photoshop users. It provides 

a Cubic Bézier spline to help tame the tonal curve, together with probes that can 

be placed on the displayed image for an instant readout on a graduated black/white tone 

bar. The plug-in gives you a choice of three different brightness models (HSL, HSV, 

and YCbCr), together with a brightness only preview. A full histogram indicates the 

tonal distribution. 

Comments 

Like its companion product Color Adjuster, this one works best if the image is 16 bits 

per channel. Not everyone finds B-splines easy to use, but Tone Adjuster is intended for 

advanced users. It is a good tool for the enthusiast, but most photographers will find 

sufficient tools in other editors. 

Version: Tone Adjuster 1.3 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 and greater; Elements 

OS: Windows ME, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 




www.softwhile.com

ToneUp S3 

Vendor: Todd Gibbs 

Purpose: Powerful, very low-cost image processing with NEF conversion and custom curve-loading 

Description 

A low-cost alternative to Nikon Capture, Todd Gibbs’s ToneUp enables you to upload 

custom curves to a Nikon DSLR. It also converts raw NEF files for editing in Photoshop 

and other image processing applications, using Nikon’s NEF conversion algorithm. It 

allows you to perform image processing on images from any camera, including adjustment 

of brightness, contrast, exposure, saturation, channel mixing, sharpness, color balance, 

and white balance. Its “hot swap” feature lets you load your five favorite curves and 

switch them quickly so you can shoot with a chosen curve. With ToneUp you can 

change the comment field in the photo to the name of the curve, so that it shows up in 

Exif data. If you want, you can make your own curves and load them, or use Nikon 

Capture curves from the ToneUp database. 

Comments 

An ongoing project by a professional games developer, ToneUp is becoming a more general 

application as it evolves. If you are using Windows Vista or XP it allows you to carry 

out time-lapse photography over a set time span. Other new features include cropping 

and resizing, and batch processing. It is an excellent value. 

Version: ToneUp S3.204 beta (2008) 

OS: Windows XP, 2000, and Vista 

Supported file formats: RAW (most); TIFF, JPEG, and PNG 


Address: Oxford, United Kingdom 

www.toneupstudio.com 

Turbo Photo Editor 


Vendor: Stepok Image Lab 

Purpose: Photo processing software with some original features, including a “what’s wrong?” wizard 

Description 

This “digital darkroom” package comes from an emerging developer in the People’s 

Republic of China, from the same team that brought us the Recomposit photo masking 

and compositing tool. Turbo Photo Editor has a powerful RAW Importer module 

that lets you bring in files from most makes of DSLR. It gives you control over both 

exposure and color, and then goes on to provide a range of cropping, resizing, retouching, 

special effects, image management, exporting and printing, and batch processing tools.

100 


Turbo Photo Editor’s “Digital Beauty” feature makes it easy to erase spots and blemishes 

from portraits while tuning the skin tone and level. A professional version of this 

feature is available separately and provides tighter control over all the parameters. 

Especially strong on batch processing, Turbo Photo Editor lets you batch resize, convert 

format, rename, rotate or flip, defog, reduce noise, sharpen, add dates, and make basic 

adjustments to color and exposure. One other feature of the software that is particularly 

notable is the “what’s wrong?” wizard. It can detect common faults and suggest remedies. 

For example, if you have taken a series of handheld photographs of the same subject, it 

can analyze for camera shake and correct it. 

Comments 

At the time of writing, Turbo Photo Editor is being upgraded every two months. At this 

rate it could become a powerful challenger to other, established editors in the United 

States and Europe. Among its many features is an excellent removal tool for taking out 

unwanted objects and then repairing the gap neatly and automatically. If you are 

unhappy with the result then a second or third iteration will always improve it. If you 

can overcome the stilted English of Stepok’s explanations you will find many other well 

implemented and useful features in the software. Incidentally, according to the 

vendor “StepOK” means “the final step to achieve destination.” 

Version: Turbo Photo Editor 6.0 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: RAW Canon RAW CR2, CRW; Kodak RAW DCR; Adobe DNG; 

Konica Minolta MRW; Nikon NEF; Olympus ORF; Fujifilm RAF; Leica RAW, Contax RAW, 

Casio RAW; Sony SRF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and BMP 

Price level: Approx. $60 (with unlimited free upgrades) 

Address: No.89 ShuTongJie, JiNiu Qu, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China, 610036 

www.stepok.net 

Two Pilots Software 

Vendor: Two Pilots 

Purpose: Around two dozen separate image-editing programs, including Color Pilot color 

correction software 

Description 

Two Pilots software comes as multiple stand-alone programs for specific editing tasks, 

rather than as one big package. The first was Color Pilot, also available as a plug-in, 

which lets you make color changes to images. Others are as follows:

■ Beauty Pilot—Removes skin imperfections in portraits 

■ Exif Pilot—Create, view, and edit Exif data 

■ Layer Pilot—Makes image posters 

■ MakeUp Pilot—Adds makeup effects directly to portraits 

■ Perspective Pilot—For perspective correction 

■ Pet Eye Pilot—Removes red, blue, and green eyes from pet photos 

■ Photo Print Pilot— For quick and easy printing 

■ Print Pilot—Creates picture cards 

■ Red Eye Pilot—Removes red eyes from portraits (see Chapter 18, “Red-Eye Removal”) 

■ Resize Pilot—Photo resizing software with unique enlarging algorithm 

■ Retouch Pilot— Removes imperfections and unwanted objects 

■ Rotation Pilot—Rotates images 

■ Secret Photos—Puzzle creation software 

■ Silver Pilot—Converts negatives into positives 

■ Slide Show Pilot—Makes slide shows and screensavers 


■ Wire Pilot—Removes unwanted linear objects from outdoor scenes 

Comments 

Poor value in today’s market if purchased “en masse,” Two Pilots software is simple to 

use but limited in functionality. Individual packages may be helpful if you have specific 

tasks and no other means of accomplishing them. 

Version: Various 

Plugs into: Photoshop, PhotoDeluxe, Photo-Paint, Paint Shop Pro (Color Pilot, Red Eye Pilot, 

and Wire Pilot only) 

OS: (All versions) Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP; (Color Pilot, Curve Pilot, Red Eye Pilot, 

and Spool Pilot) Mac OS X 10.4 and up 

Supported file formats: JPEG, JPEG 2000, TIFF, and PNG 

Price level: Approx. $30–$50 per program 

Address: ul. Serdlova 39, 2 Bol’sherech’ye, Omsk, 646670, Russia 

www.colorpilot.com

102 


Summary 

Distinct from all the cropping, resizing, and other designer-style facilities offered by 

image editors, image processing software manipulates the exposure, color balance, contrast, 

highlights, and other attributes that determine the appearance of the photograph. This 

category is the engine room of digital photography, with dozens of packages and plugins 

that allow you to adjust every nuance of luminance and color. Many experienced 

photographers have taken the trouble to pass on their knowledge in the form of companion 

software containing recommended curves and levels for typical subjects. See the 

ever-expanding Power Retouche lineup for an innovative approach to traditional photographic 

problems, or Curvemeister for the ultimate curve machine.

9 

Quick-Fix Software 

Two types of users have a need for quick-fix software: professionals who have very large 

quantities of digital photographs to adjust and home users who lack the necessary 

knowledge, skills, and software to adjust images manually. That said, there is no need 

to be snobbish about it. As soon as the “quick-fix” software starts doing a better job than 

you can, you might as well give up and let it take charge. 

Quick-fix software is now very good at analyzing the content of a scene and making an 

intelligent guess about correct color balance, exposure, brightness, and contrast. The 

best packages and plug-ins offer both quick-fix and fine-tuning tools, the latter being 

essential if you want to achieve results comparable to those of an all-manual system. 

Quick-fix is also a feature of digital cameras. They, too, analyze the scene and make 

adjustments accordingly unless you choose otherwise. When the camera gets it wrong, 

or if you want to start from freshly converted RAW data, desktop-based quick-fix software 

can take over. 

iCorrect EditLab ProApp is one of the best-known quick-fix applications, with integral 

noise reduction and sharpening as well as exposure controls. You should not rule out 

the others, one or two of which have original and even remarkable abilities. For example, 

Retina from XtraSens is a “must-see” product on because of its ability to inject what 

photographers variously call “punch,” “snap,” or possibly “oomph” into the image. Take 

a look (and try not to say “wow”).

104 


PhotoTune 

Vendor: onOne Software 

Purpose: Quick-fix package for professionals, with skin color correction and other sophisticated 

tools 

Figure 9.1 

onOne’s ColorTune technology in PhotoTune gives quick results. 

Description 

PhotoTune is a professional-level product, aimed at simplifying color correction. An 

Adobe Photoshop plug-in, it incorporates two products developed by PhotoTune 

Software, namely the 20/20 Color MD color correction tool and the highly regarded 

SkinTune technology based on in-depth research into skin color. Both tools are easy to 

use and have dramatic time-saving features. 

The color correction technology, now renamed ColorTune, has been designed as a sixstep 

process taking around 15 seconds per image. The vendor says it “works like an eye 

exam” to figure out what is wrong with an image and then fix it. Its whole purpose is 

speed and ease of use. Its Color Wizard cuts down the bewildering number of options 

that are normally presented to users, narrowing down the choices until you reach the 

right one. Step one sets dynamic range; step two is brightness; steps three to six deal

with color. At each step it offers side-by-side previews from which you can select the 

one that appears most correct before moving on to the next adjustment. This is similar 

to Photoshop’s Variations and is also used in Adobe’s online service called Photoshop 

Express. 

SkinTune technology brings several benefits to wedding, portrait, and fashion photographers. 

Based on thousands of image samples depicting all types of skin color, SkinTune 

has been designed to make skin tones easier to adjust for working photographers. The 

vendor explains that skin color represents less than 1% of all available colors, but that 

even the slightest variation can be apparent to anyone who knows the person in the 

image. Each of SkinTune’s color libraries contains between 125,000 and 150,000 

colors, composed of various combinations of hue, brightness, and saturation, to match 

the coloring of individuals from Africa, Asia, Northern and Southern Europe, the 

Middle East, and other parts of the world. 

Comments 

Most professional photographers will want to take longer making adjustments to their 

images, but others are under pressure to produce hundreds of pictures very quickly. 

PhotoTune is for anyone who values time. A demo version is available and (by definition) 

does not take long to try. 

Wedding and portrait photographers should certainly try this product, on account of 

its novel approach and unusual pedigree. You can open RAW images in Photoshop then 

correct them in ColorTune. Slider controls add greatly to its fine-tuning capability, 

whereas a new dynamic range control lets you set highlights and shadows. From a marketing 

perspective, SkinTune appears somewhat diminished in prominence now that it 

has been incorporated into PhotoTune (and all the name changes are confusing), but it 

remains an excellent tool for busy photographers. 

Version: PhotoTune 2.2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 or CS3; Photoshop Elements 4 or higher 

OS: Windows XP, Vista, or higher; Macintosh OSX 10.4.8 or higher 

Supported file formats: 8-bit or 16-bit RGB images 


Address: onOne Software, Inc., 15350 SW Sequoia Parkway, Suite 190, Portland, OR 97224, 

United States 

www.ononesoftware.com 

AutoEye 

Chapter 9 ■ Quick-Fix Software 105 

Vendor: Auto FX Software 

Purpose: Unique enhancement method rebuilds color detail, sharpness, and image vibrancy

106 


Description 

AutoEye reclaims lost color and detail, using a different method to those in Photoshop 

or other image editors. In most processing software, you have to tweak several controls 

one after the other to get the right result. However, AutoEye’s patented Intelligent Visual 

Image Technology works in the background to make adjustments to all the settings at 

once. This makes it much easier and quicker to enhance the image. 

Like the vendor’s other software, AutoEye is both a stand-alone program for Windows 

and Mac, but also behaves as a plug-in for Photoshop and compatible editors. It has a 

customizable interface: pretty, but it has no affect on the workflow. Live updating from 

the Internet is a more useful housekeeping feature. 

Comments 

If you want to fine-tune your images to achieve naturalistic effects, you are probably 

better off with another package, but if you want to achieve some creative effects—perhaps 

to make the image punch more—AutoEye might be the answer. As the vendor 

rightly says, some of the “looks” it can achieve are very hard to create in other software. 

Version: AutoEye 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 4.0 CS; Photoshop Elements 1.0 or higher, and compatible editors 

OS: Windows 98, NT, 2000, ME, and XP; Mac OS 9.0, native in OS X or higher 

RAM: Windows 256MB; OS 9 256MB; OS X 512MB recommended 

Supported file formats: Loads and saves PSD, TIFF, BMP, JPEG, GIF, and PNG 


Address: Auto FX Software, 141 Village Street, Suite 2, Birmingham, AL 35242, United States 

www.autofx.com 

Corel MediaOne Plus 

Vendor: Corel Corporation 

Purpose: Easy-to-use all-in-one package for photos and video, with enhancement, organizing, 

and scrapbooking features 

Description 

Corel MediaOne Plus is one of the new breed of all-in-one packages that lets you handle 

both photos and video, with quick cataloging, enhancement, and scrapbooking facilities. 

Whether you want to create a slide show, make a few edits to a video clip, or change 

the brightness, color, and contrast of an image with a single click—MediaOne Plus can 

help you do it.

With MediaOne Plus you can remove blemishes, whiten teeth or paint on a sun tan; 

convert pictures to black and white or add picture frames and text. You can rotate, crop, 

and resize images; fix red-eye effects; and even back up your entire photo collection 

online, automatically. 

Comments 

Aimed at the home user of a point-and-shoot camera rather than the serious photographer, 

Corel MediaOne comes in two versions. The full Plus edition has all the features 

operating in perpetuity. The Starter edition provides a 30-day trial of the more sophisticated 

features like trimming video clips or the facility to whiten teeth in portrait 

images, while still giving many non-expiring features such as downloading, resizing, 

emailing, printing, and back-up. This is a good approach: although not used very frequently 

by photo software vendors. 

Corel MediaOne Plus is a redesign of the former Snapfire product (which is still available 

at the time of writing, and free, at www.snapfire.com). However, MediaOne Plus 

is significantly faster than Snapfire, both in start-up and operation. Created with plenty 

of feedback from customers, it successfully complements point-and-shoot photography 

and for many people it will provide the stimulus to progress to DSLR photography. 

Version: Corel MediaOne Plus 2.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP with service packs and Vista 

RAM: 256MB (512MB or greater recommended) 



Address: Corel Corporation, 1600 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1Z 8R7 

www.corel.com 

iCorrect OneClick 

Vendor: PictoColor Corporation 

Purpose: One-click correction of white balance, exposure, and saturation 


Description 

PictoColor iCorrect OneClick is a Photoshop plug-in that specializes in making oneclick 

corrections of white balance, exposure, and saturation. To use it, you simply click 

on a neutral color such as white, black, or neutral gray, and the software does the rest. 

It removes any existing colorcast, corrects the tonal range, adjusts overall brightness, and 

gives the image a more vivid look. In addition, it offers conversions to black and white 

or sepia tone.

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Comments 

Like all the best quick-fix software, iCorrect OneClick lets you make an instant correction, 

then, if you want, tweak the result. In theory, this gives you the best of both 

worlds: speed and quality. It is certainly very speedy and on this account has earned the 

plaudits of several independent reviewers. Photoshop User magazine also found that it 

gave more balanced results than those obtained by alternative solutions. As the vendor 

says, it certainly “takes the guess work out of color correction,” although photographers 

with the most exacting standards may find it removes some of the judgment as well. 

Version: PictoColor iCorrect OneClick 1.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop and Photoshop Elements 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X, v 10.2.8–10.5 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: As host software 


Address: PictoColor Corporation, 151 West Burnsville Parkway, Suite 200, Burnsville, MN 

55337 United States 

www.pictocolor.com 

iCorrect EditLab ProApp 


Purpose: A complete color correction and management system with a SmartColor Wizard interface 

Description 

iCorrect EditLab is designed to make color correction as easy as possible. It is particularly 

strong on those parts of the workflow that involve using the Levels control in 

Photoshop. Its SmartColor Wizard feature is a “mini-workflow” all by itself, with four 

tabulated tasks that are conducted in strict order: 

1. Color balance: For color cast removal and white balance correction. 

2. Tonal range: For setting black point, white point, and midpoint. 

3. Brightness/contrast/saturation adjustment. 

4. Hue-selective edits: For fine-tuning the color. 

If you are frustrated by the trade-offs and compromises of using Levels or Curves, 

iCorrect EditLab rationalizes the process and minimizes the errors. For color-managed 

workflows, it lets you save correction parameters as ICC profiles. 

iCorrect EditLab comes as a stand-alone product (ProApp) or as a plug-in for Photoshop 

and compatible editors.

Comments 

Aimed at the serious photographer, iCorrect EditLab ProApp can be integrated with a 

RAW workflow although it does not handle RAW images directly. It is a very mature 

application with ongoing development that has added new features like automatic black 

and white conversion, sepia toning, and color toning. Whether it really is “the best shortcut 

to perfect color” as the vendor claims is for users to judge, but it could well be true. 

It has scored highly in all reviews. 

Version: PictoColor iCorrect EditLab Pro 5.5; iCorrect EditLab ProApp 6.0 

Plugs into: Is a stand-alone product; plug-in version needs Photoshop CS2, or CS3; Photoshop 

Elements 4–6 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X, 10.4, and 10.5 

RAM: Pro 512MB, ProApp 768MB 

Supported file formats: BMP, JPEG, and TIFF 

Price level: ProApp, approx. $150, Pro approx. $100 


55337 United States 


Intellihance Pro 



Purpose: Automatic digital enhancement software, giving 25 instant variations of the image for 

comparison 

Description 

Intellihance Pro is a long-established Photoshop plug-in that offers a very easy way of 

achieving image correction. It simply applies 25 presets to the image, each one making 

slightly different adjustments to color, contrast, and sharpness, and then displays the 

results side-by-side in a grid for comparison. You can print the variations as a contact 

sheet or view them on the screen. 

There are 23 presets included with the package, but you can also create your own, either 

from scratch or by altering one of the existing presets. Once stored, your preset can be 

used in batch processing a number of images at once. Intellihance Pro has an excellent 

de-screening function that allows you to convert scanned magazine halftones into continuous-tone 

images. 

Comments 

Intellihance Pro takes the concept of bracketing and applies it generally to basic imageenhancement 

techniques. Formerly an Extensis product acquired by onOne in 2005, it 

was praised for its ease of use when it was first launched, but criticized by one reviewer

110 


(in Macworld) for its implementation of color theory. It has limited usefulness for keen 

photographers. 

Version: Windows Intellihance Pro 4.2; Mac 4.2 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2, CS3, or Photoshop Elements 4 (Mac and Windows) or later 

OS: Windows XP SP2, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.8 or higher 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Those of host program 


Address: onOne Software, 15350 SW Sequoia Pkwy, Suite 190, Portland, OR 97224, United 

States 


Figure 9.2 

Intellihance Pro offers an easy step-by-step workflow for making better pictures. 

Noromis PhotoLab 

Vendor: Noromis 

Purpose: Quick-fix then print lab-quality photos, all in one seamless session

Description 

In one session you can load pictures from your digital camera to your computer, quickfix 

them for common errors, and then obtain what the vendor calls “lab-quality photos” 

from your home printer, using Noromis PhotoLab. 

The secret to the Noromis PhotoLab approach is its automatic adjustment for exposure, 

contrast, color balance, sharpness, saturation, red-eye, and digital noise. Its one-click 

editing tools let you carry out these operations, plus cropping, rotation left or right, and 

refining skin appearance. In addition to the auto-modes there are fine-tuning controls— 

and even these are automated with an Adjust Auto Fixes wizard. 

Fortunately, Noromis PhotoLab is a non-destructive editor, so making all the changes 

does not degrade your images. It carries out the processing stages in the correct order, 

just as a professional service would do. Before it prints your photos, it replays the list of 

modifications, using it to produce superior quality output. 

Comments 

Noromis PhotoLab is big on hand-holding and strikes a good balance between ease-ofuse 

and plenty of features. However, the claim of “lab-quality” from a home printer begs 

a lot of questions about inks, papers, printer brands and models, and color management. 

Yes, it can give good results, but not in every home. 

Version: Noromis PhotoLab 2.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Opens/saves BMP, JPEG, PNG, Slide Show (saved as PDF), and TIFF 

Price level: Download version $30, CD version $40 

Address: Noromis, 15 Vincent Place, Verona, NJ 07044, United States 

www.noromis.com 

Photobot 


Vendor: Tribeca Labs 

Purpose: “Zero-click” picture-correction software that fixes colors, red-eye, and exposure issues 

Description 

Billed at its 2007 launch as “The world’s first zero-click picture correction software,” 

Photobot brings together algorithms from several sources to cure common photographic 

problems automatically. Aimed at the amateur or home photographer, it has color enhancement 

technology from the vendor’s Full Spectrum RGB program, exposure correction algorithms 

from Athentech’s Perfectly Clear, and red-eye removal routines from FotoNation’s 

Red. Working in tandem, the different routines make a quick job of brightening the image, 

deepening the colors, and beefing up contrast without blowing out the highlights.

112 


Photobot comes with a free trial account at Swiss Picture Bank 

(www.swisspicturebank.com), an online photo hosting service. 

Comments 

When it comes to knowing what a picture should look like, Photobot is actually more 

expert than many home photographers who have not had the time or inclination to 

learn how to adjust their images. But “zero-click?” Yes, that is true, too. Photobot operates 

in the background, searching your hard drive for pictures and putting them to rights 

automatically. To many photographers, this will sound like their worst nightmare made 

reality. A do-gooding virus that imposes its own aesthetic. To others it will be a godsend, 

saving hours of work with an image processor. 

Version: Photobot 1.0 (2008) 





Address: Tribeca Labs, 648 Broadway Suite 700, New York, NY 10012, United States 

www.tribecalabs.com 

PhotoCleaner 

Vendor: Digital Dozen 

Purpose: Almost a one-click tool for enhancing digital images 

Description 

For the home photographer who takes occasional pictures, PhotoCleaner turns a poorly 

taken photograph into an acceptable one. It has been designed to be as simple to use 

as possible in recognition of the fact that many people find image processors hard to 

operate. 

The key to success with this type of product lies in the interface, and here PhotoCleaner 

takes a different approach. Instead of making adjustments one at a time, allowing you 

to check the result and make further adjustments, it offers a panel of check boxes that 

you check before clicking Enhance Picture. Slider controls allow for individual adjustment 

of color saturation, “reveal shadows,” noise reduction, apply vignette, and sharpen. But 

essentially this is a one-click tool that adds everything together for speed and ease of 

use. A Pro edition adds batch processing and the ability to create PhotoAlbums. 

Comments 

Introduced in 2001, PhotoCleaner won a following among point-and-shoot users, but 

as in-camera processing has improved, there tends to be less demand for this type of

product. Nonetheless, it serves a useful purpose for those who want to fine-tune their 

images quickly and efficiently. 

Version: PhotoCleaner 3.4 (2008) 


RAM: 32MB 



Address: Digital Dozen, LLC 

www.photocleaner.com 

Photo-D 


Vendor: KlearVision 

Purpose: Automatic photo correction product family for high-volume workflows 

Description 

Photo-D is a family of one-click photo correction products, available in many editions. 

The Starter edition has most of the features, including automatic exposure, brightness, 

contrast, gamma, sharpening, colorcast removal and white balance controls. The Pro 

editions are intended for professional photo labs and bring ICC workflow support and 

smart-scaling to predefined sizes. 

The pro-level products in the line-up are as follows: 

■ Photo-D Pro IES (Intelligent Expert System)—A customizable IES with automatic 

digital image correction. Cropping and RAW handling are offered as optional add-ons. 

■ Photo-D RAW—A RAW conversion utility that uses the same expert system parameters, 

with the option to customize them. 

■ Photo-D Pro Hotfolders—For graphic arts automatic workflows, including large, 

mini, and micro photo labs. The lab owner defines both input and destination hotfolders 

to hold images before and after their automatic processing. The IES detects 

the command string that accompanies each set of images and acts upon it. 

■ Photo-D Pro Hotfolders PDF—Also for graphic arts automatic workflows. It 

extracts images from PDF files, corrects them, and then inserts them back into PDF. 

Comments 

Founded by Israeli color expert Moshe Keydar, KlearVision has a management team spread 

between Europe, the United States, and Israel. It has chosen to target the “one-click market” 

and has put a high price on its Starter Edition, whereas the Pro Editions are “priced 

on request.” Photo-D won an “Innovative Digital Product” award from DIMA in 2005.

114 




RAM: 256MB 


Price level: (Starter) $550 

Address: K.V.D. KlearVision digital Ltd., 109/7 Histradrut Street, Holon, 58347, Israel 

www.klearvision.com 

Photo Tools 

Vendor: Microspot 

Purpose: Quick-fix tools for Mac, including the PhotoFix editor/retoucher, with auto color, 

brightness, and contrast correction 

Description 

Fully compatible with Apple’s iPhoto, Photo Tools consists of three formerly separate 

modules called PhotoXtra, PhotoFix and PrintmiX. Of these, PhotoXtra is an organizing, 

storage, and slide show creation utility, whereas PrintmiX is a drag-and-drop printing 

template. PhotoFix is the quick-fix editor with many manual options as well, making 

it attractive for both novices and experienced photographers. 

PhotoFix has many customizable painting, drawing, and retouching tools, together with 

editing capabilities such as cloning, feathering, and masking. One of its key features is 

its ability to correct the color, brightness, and contrast of any image automatically. 

PhotoFix also includes a dozen special effects filters, such as Add Noise, Distort 3D, 

and Posterize. It supports 32-bit color, has 32 levels of undo, and runs on just 5MB of 

free RAM (more is recommended to cope with image size). 

Comments 

Ten years ago, MacFormat compared PhotoFix software to Photoshop. It has been 

updated many times since then, but avoided the bloat until its incorporation into Photo 

Tools. Reviewers have liked its low cost, its feathering and transparency controls, support 

for masks, and good printing tools, but on close examination have found it lacking 

in CMYK support and tool functionality, the latter being somewhat corrected by 

the addition of the other modules. The company itself is better known for its MacDraft 

and Microspot Interiors software. 

Version: Microspot Photo Tools (PhotoXtra 2.3, PhotoFix 3.5, and PrintmiX 1.2) (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.2 or higher 

RAM: 6MB 

Supported file formats: Major formats, including PICT, TIFF, and EPS


Address: Microspot Ltd., Concorde House, 10-12 London Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8QA, 


www.microspot.com 

PhotoPerfect 


Vendor: Arcadia Software 

Purpose: One-click fixes and a wealth of other features for home users and enthusiasts 

Description 

PhotoPerfect is a photo editor with a split personality: it offers one-click fixes and other 

time-saving features such as batch optimizing, while at the same time it provides sophisticated 

editing functions in depth. Whatever you want to do, it is very likely that 

PhotoPerfect can do it, from manipulating contrast gradients to cropping your images 

automatically in standard sizes for uploading to photo-sharing sites online. 

In the “one-click” department, PhotoPerfect gives you access to built-in Xe847 

Automatic Image Optimizing Technology, a German development by Digital Arts 

GmbH (www.xe847.com). This is a filter technology that makes images with a poor 

contrast range look much bolder and more lifelike. It is, incidentally, also available 

directly from its developer as a Photoshop plug-in. However, Xe847 is just one option 

within PhotoPerfect. There are others, including various “payware” extensions such as 

Perfectly Clear from Athentech Technologies (www.athentech.com) and i2E image 

enhancement from Colour-Science AG of Switzerland (www.colour-science.com). In 

an unusual interface design, all of them are made available in a single screen for direct, 

“multi-automatic” comparison. 

Among its advanced image enhancement functions, PhotoPerfect has a range of softening 

and sharpening tools; Lab curves for editing images in Lab color space; a band 

filter for removal of symmetrical distortion; 16-bit support for RAW and TIFF files; 

colorcast removal; merging for High Dynamic Range (HDR) effects, or what the vendor 

calls Dynamic Range Increase (DRI); comprehensive masking; color vibrancy; intelligent 

retouching with repair and remove brushes; “replace masked area” function; color 

management; and Exif and IPTC data handling. 

PhotoPerfect is a true photo editor with plenty of functions for reshaping, manipulating, 

and resizing the images. It has good tools for correcting lens distortions, including automatic 

pincushion reduction, vignetting reduction, and correction of converging lines. 

It lets you remove hot or stuck pixels with a few clicks, and has an integrated framing 

tool, a mosaic generator, stereo image creation, GPS support, slide shows, and so on. 

And for those who specialize in black and white, there is the MonochromiX extension 

for a full range of filters and film simulation.

116 


Comments 

If you are looking for full featured quick-fix software, PhotoPerfect is well worth 

trying. It is the anglicized version of FotoFix, from Joachim Koopmann Software 

(www.j-k-s.com). Its user interface has been thoughtfully laid out, with toolbars running 

vertically at the left and horizontally at the top of the screen. You can rearrange the 

layout, but it is feasible to have thumbnails at the bottom as a filmstrip (double-click 

and it shrinks to a two-thumbnail display) and several other directories, histograms, and 

floating windows open at the same time. Learning how to use all the features takes a 

little while, but if you are familiar with other editing software it all makes sense. 

However, the fundamental idea of combining quick-fix and fully-featured editing into 

a single package may not make a lot of marketing sense, even though, from a technical 

viewpoint, it is hard to fault. 

Version: PhotoPerfect 2.90 (2008) 


RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Major image formats 


Address: Arcadia Software AG, Hohenstaufenring 29-37, 50674 Cologne, Germany 

www.arcadiasoftware.com 

Figure 9.3 

PhotoPerfect has one-step routines and a full image-editing toolkit besides.

Retina 


Vendor: XtraSens 

Purpose: 22 smart filters and functions to maximize perceived contrast, brightness, sharpness, 

depth, and resolution 

Description 

Based on the latest neuronal technology, Retina is a set of 22 adaptive filters for 

Photoshop to maximize perceived contrast, brightness, sharpness, depth, and resolution. 

It makes an astonishing difference to photographs that lack punch, giving them 

all the punch they need. The effect is like removing a veil, or cleaning a coat of varnish 

from a painting, as the “before/after” shots on the vendor’s Website amply demonstrate. 

Retina has five modes, called Automatic, Portrait, Landscape, Macro, and Advanced, plus 

Batch mode. Automatic mode is the main user interface for the software, providing a singleclick 

enhancement option, whereas the others are “second level” interfaces with controls. 

The Advanced mode control panel gives access to all the different functions, for texture, 

lighting, artifact reduction, color, and perceptual/absolute tonal/light functions. There 

are also command buttons for refresh, zoom, profile selection, reload, and save. 

The main retina function, itself called Retina, modifies local contrast pixel by pixel, while 

at the same time maintaining contrast in large areas of the picture. This makes a dramatic 

change, improving perceived sharpness, accentuating textures without increasing noise, 

and giving an apparent increase in depth. The other advanced functions—Digital Flash, 

Auto Color, and Perceptual—all make a contribution to the impact of the image. 

Retina supports 8- and 16-bit RGB color, grayscale, and CMYK, but not multichannel, 

index color, or Lab color. 

Comments 

Retina is a rare tool that deserves to be better known. It is a genuinely intelligent product, 

based on research into human perception. To every image it imparts a super-real 

effect, revealing detail in shadows and highlights automatically while sharpening the 

picture as well. Although it is not at all flattering to portraits, which tends to rule out a 

large section of the market, for buildings, landscapes, and especially underwater photography 

it is truly outstanding. 

Version: Retina 1.03 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7, CS, CS2, and CS3; Photoshop Elements 

OS: Windows XP only 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major RGB formats 

Price level: Retina lite $75, Retina $100 (both approx.)

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Address: XtraSens Ltd., 10 Wellington Street, Cambridge, CB1 1HW, United Kingdom 

www.xtrasens.com 

Summary 

For those in a hurry, quick-fix software is a godsend, instantly turning otherwise lackluster 

pictures into images with vibrancy, punch, or “snap.” Although they can never 

provide the subtlety and control that comes from working on each image individually 

in editing or image-processing software, quick-fix software solutions often deliver great 

results with little or no effort, knowledge, or skill. For this reason, they are aimed mostly, 

but not exclusively, at home users. However, other packages, such as PhotoTune from 

onOne Software, are aimed at professional photographers who need to take shortcuts 

because of the huge number of prints they produce. As software intelligence improves, 

so too will grow the efficacy of quick-fix solutions, although attempting to predict the 

intentions of the photographer might always remain just out of grasp.

10 

Image Editors 

Image editors bring techniques from the world of graphic design, such as object selection, 

transparency, and layering, to the service of photography. They allow you to crop 

and resize the image, while at the same time providing a set of retouching tools to 

remove blemishes and color casts. Some of them go very much further, adding full processing 

facilities such as RAW conversion and exposure adjustment, together with image 

browsing, sorting, and cataloging, plus all the output options of saving to the Web, 

printing, slide show creation, and DVD burning. On first acquaintance, their list of features 

and level of complexity can be a little daunting, as the number one image editor 

(Photoshop) amply demonstrates. 

Professional designers automatically gravitate to Photoshop, and then, after climbing a 

steep learning curve, become understandably reluctant to learn other software. The 

resulting dominance of Photoshop in the market has had a stunting effect on other products, 

cutting off revenues that could otherwise fund further development. Most developers 

have adopted the “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach by bringing out 

plug-ins for Photoshop, which sometimes obliges users to buy the Adobe product (or a 

compatible editor) simply to run a desired third-party plug-in. 

The industry, however, is changing. Adobe’s introduction of Lightroom specifically for 

photographers has highlighted the fact that photographic editing has different priorities 

than those of the graphic designer. Processing, shot selection, and color/tone adjustments 

come first, whereas retouching and special effects are secondary considerations. In the 

coming years, it is likely that Lightroom will siphon off from Photoshop all the tools that 

a photographer needs. Over at Corel, where the purchase of Ulead brings together two 

of Photoshop’s closest competitors, Paint Shop Pro Photo and Ulead PhotoImpact, a similar 

evolution is taking place. Here, too, there is recognition that digital photographers 

need a different set of tools from those used by illustrators and designers.

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Given time, the market eventually corrects itself and the dominance of Photoshop will 

be seen as an anomaly. Further challenges are coming from the developers of processing 

tools such as Nikon Capture—included here rather than among RAW converters 

because of its increasingly powerful editing functions. Then there are all those developers 

of plug-ins who now cover so many bases they have only to bring all the separate 

plug-ins together on a new platform to have a fully fledged rival to Photoshop itself. 

Even now it is possible to run dozens of third-party plug-ins within Photoshop Elements 

(Adobe’s low-cost editor) and have a photographic tool that is arguably more powerful 

than CS3. 

Adobe Photoshop 


Purpose: The industry standard editor for photographers, graphic designers, and Web designers 

Description 

Adobe Photoshop is the editor favored by most graphic arts professionals, with true 

non-destructive filtering, advanced compositing using multiple layers, 32-bit high 

dynamic range support, quick-selection tools, full RAW support, to-and-fro clickability 

with Adobe Lightroom, color management, and integration with selected printers 

from HP, Epson, and Canon. This is the full edition of Photoshop for photographers 

who will probably not need the Extended Edition with its 3D support and measuring 

capabilities for scientific imaging. (Both have the same system requirements.) 

Photoshop’s toolset is famously extensive, with tools to retouch images using cloning 

and healing techniques, single brush-stroke selection to isolate objects, edge-refinement, 

and accurate compositing. CS3 and, imminent at the time of writing, CS4 run noticeably 

faster than previous versions, taking advantage of native performance on Intel- and 

PowerPC-based Macs and PCs running Windows XP or Vista. 

Where Photoshop differs radically from most other photographic editors is in its powerful 

set of customizable paint settings, brushes, and drawing tools that enable artists to create 

an original, realistic-looking image without any photographic capture whatsoever. With 

so many tools, there are naturally many palettes to take up valuable screen space. Many 

users take advantage of its dual monitor support to keep palettes conveniently open. 

Besides RAW conversion, much photographic enhancement can now be done in Adobe 

Camera RAW (ACR), even adjustment of JPEGs and TIFFs if you are using Bridge. 

Although strictly a plug-in, ACR comes with Photoshop and offers slider controls for 

color temperature and tint, exposure, highlight recovery, and vibrancy/saturation. It has 

support for over 125 camera types and (obviously) the vendor’s Digital Negative (DNG) 

format. ACR 4.0 was introduced with CS3.

Comments 

There ought to be a good metaphor for Photoshop, but Swiss Army Knife does not quite 

capture its versatility or its serious professionalism. It is more like a Super Jumbo Jet, 

with an instrument panel to match. Reviewers tend to pay homage to it, rather than 

review it, yet there are occasional dissenting voices. Erik Vlietinck of IT-Enquirer found 

the new collapsible palettes to be “nerve-wrecking,” which categorized him as a member 

of the “laity” in the eyes of some. When religious terminology is used for criticizing 

critics, you know some truth has been spoken. Or has it? PC World’s Alan Stafford said 

the refinement he liked most one year (2007) was “the new palette treatment,” the very 

feature most disliked by the other reviewer. 

Yes, Photoshop is a great product, but it is clearly not ideal for everyone, and if you lack 

the patience to learn it you will be better advised to look at the other products in this 

book. There is also the question of price. It is expensive, but a good value in comparison 

to most single-feature products, including many of its own plug-ins. UK users must 

surely resent having to pay double the U.S. price at the Adobe UK store. All those bits 

are so heavy to transport across the Atlantic! 

Version: CS3 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP with SP2 or Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (certified 

for 32-bit editions); Mac OS X 10.4.8–10.5 (Leopard) 

RAM: 512MB and 64MB of video RAM 

Supported file formats: Most RAW formats; many others, including PSD, BMP, Cineon, JPEG, 

JPEG 2000, OpenEXR, PNG, TGA, and TIFF 



www.adobe.com 

Adobe Photoshop Elements 


Purpose: The consumer version of Photoshop for casual photographers 

Chapter 10 ■ Image Editors 121 

Description 

Adobe Photoshop Elements is aimed at the “casual photographer,” by which Adobe 

means the person who takes occasional pictures rather than one who takes them 

without care. Photoshop Elements is quite capable of taking very good care of your 

photos, with a substantial feature set including quick-fix adjustment of color, contrast, 

and lighting, auto red-eye removal and skin tone enhancement, correction for camera 

lens distortions, sharpening, fine-tuning of exposure, retouching with healing brushes, 

and shadow and highlight recovery. Just as in the main program you can work on specific 

parts of the image, using dodge, burn, and sponge tools. Support for 16-bits per

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channel produces high-quality editing. Full RAW file support is also included, with 

export to Adobe’s universal DNG format for long-term archiving. 

Special effects range from painting simulation to surreal twisting, warping, and stretching 

of the image. There is black-and-white conversion, sepia toning, and the option to 

add depth with drop shadows, bevels, glows, and other effects. It lets you create composite 

images, erase backgrounds, assemble panoramas, and add text and graphics, 

shapes and decorative edges. The program includes 100 styles of frame, and plenty of 

scrapbook page layouts for the avid scrapbooker. Basic slide show creation is provided, 

with the option to add music and narration. 

Output is one of its great strengths, with good sharing facilities, upload-to-the-Web directly 

from the application, print ordering, creation of greeting cards and albums, and hardbound 

photo book creation with delivery to the door. There are one or two unusual options like 

creating real, customized U.S. postage stamps and the ability to create maps that indicate 

automatically where in the U.S. you have taken your images. You can display the pictures 

on TV, a mobile phone, or another handheld device, or email them directly to friends. 

Photoshop Elements has good downloading and organizing facilities, with fast scrolling 

even when you have accumulated more than 50,000 images. It can stack similar photos 

on top of each other to save space, and then sort, compare, and select images for printing. 

There is even an integrated online backup service provided by a company that specializes 

in document security. 

Figure 10.1 

Adobe Photoshop Elements with additional plug-ins may be all you need for image editing.

In Photoshop Elements 6, Adobe introduced an aspect of what academic researchers are 

calling “The Moment Camera,” a technique in which the precise moment of capture 

may be spread over several seconds. Here, in group photography, it proves very useful, 

allowing you to combine the best facial expressions and body language from a series of 

shots. In this way, the Photomerge technology in Photoshop Elements lets you optimize 

a group photograph, avoiding the risk of (for example) someone blinking at the 

critical moment and spoiling an otherwise perfect shot. 

Comments 

Some reviewers are more effusive about Photoshop Elements than about the main 

Photoshop product; others say it moves down-market with each successive release. There 

is no doubt that Adobe has turned it into a distinctive editor, no longer a cut-down 

version but one with new features designed to appeal to home users. As more features 

are added, it becomes increasingly complicated to use, despite all the hand-holding, so 

perhaps the spin-off process will occur all over again with selected elements of Photoshop 

Elements repackaged into...Photoshop Fragments? In a sense, this has already happened 

in the form of the excellent and easy-to-use online service Photoshop Express. 

Version: Photoshop Elements 6 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP Professional, Home Edition, or Media Center Edition with SP2; (4.0) 

Mac OS X 


Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; major image formats 



www.adobe.com 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio 


Purpose: All-round photo editor for beginners, with some advanced features 


Description 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio is a photo editor with easy-to-use features suitable for beginners, 

but has some more advanced functions too, including layers support. There are the 

standard controls for adjusting exposure, color, and sharpness. It has good selection tools 

such as Magnetic Lasso and Magic Cut for separating objects and people from their 

surroundings. If you make a mistake, there are 99 levels of undo. Red-eye removal is 

well-implemented—you simply click on the eye to remove the redness automatically. 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio is big on special effects, with Oil Painting, Watercolor, Charcoal, 

Wet Brush, Pastel, Impressionistic, Neon Edges, Bulge, Pinch, Stretch, Magic Mirror,

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Mosaic, Splash, Texture, Cool, Moonlight, Solarization, Exposure, Wind, Frost, and 

more besides. The software also lets you add 3D titles to your photos, presentations, 

slides and Web pages. 

Comments 

Reviewers acknowledge ArcSoft PhotoStudio as a good all-round performer without 

being particularly outstanding in any one department. The lack of tutorials, hints, or 

tips has been criticized, although there is an extensive manual available online. There is 

no Exif support and sharing facilities are limited, but at least the special effects are extensive, 

making it an attractive package overall for many users. 

Version: ArcSoft PhotoStudio 5.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista; (PhotoStudio X edition) Macintosh OS X 10.3, 10.4 


Supported file formats: Major graphics formats 


Address: ArcSoft Corporate Headquarters, 46601 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, United 

States 


Aurigma PhotoEditor 

Vendor: Aurigma 

Purpose: Web-based software for online photo editing 

Description 

Aurigma PhotoEditor is a complete image-editing solution for Websites. It enables users 

to rotate, crop, remove red-eye effects, and make adjustments to contrast, brightness, 

and saturation, and then place a virtual frame around their images for viewing online. 

It all works entirely over the Web in pure HTML/JavaScript without the need for any 

Flash, ActiveX, or Java components. 

Being optimized for the Web, Aurigma PhotoEditor works well even over slower, modem 

connections. Web developers can customize the look and feel of it without modifying 

the ASP.NET source code, although the latter is included on purchase. Importantly, the 

software includes a server license for the vendor’s Graphics Mill for .NET toolkit, which 

comes with the Red-Eye Removal add-on. Because red-eye is a common artifact in home 

flash photography, this feature is a powerful addition to PhotoEditor. 

Many other features include adding sepia tones and other tints, black-and-white conversion, 

solarizing, posterizing, embossing, and swirling.

Comments 

Many common applications have migrated to the Web, and basic image editing is no 

exception. Do not expect Photoshop facilities yet, but you can make huge improvements 

to your images with PhotoEditor, without having to install any software on your 

machine. The vendor provides a useful online demo that allows you to use all the features 

on a sample image. 

Version: Aurigma PhotoEditor 2.0 (2008) 

OS: At server—Windows 2000 Professional; Advanced Server with SP 2.0, XP Professional, 

Server 2003; at client—browser-based, with IE, Firefox, Safari 


Price level: Non-commercial use $400, private label $950 

Address: Aurigma Inc., 5847 S. Lawrence, Tacoma, WA 98409, United States 

www.aurigma.com 

GIMP 

Developer: The GIMP Team 

Purpose: Free image editor with powerful Levels and Curves controls 


Description 

The GNU Image Manipulation Program from the GIMP Team is freely distributed 

software for photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. The GIMP 

can perform a huge range of image processing tasks, such as correct muddy colors, 

extend dynamic range, remove color casts, sharpen an image, and repair blemishes. Its 

Levels and Curves controls are not so different from those in Photoshop, whereas the 

hue-saturation dialog box lets you warm or chill the colors in the image. There is even 

a tool for isolating the subject and deemphasizing the background, if your fastest lens 

has not already achieved this effect. GIMP is also a computer graphics program with 

drawing, painting, and design facilities, including paths (Bézier curves) and gradients. 

There are different GIMP projects to make it run on different operating systems, notably 

MacGIMP (MacGIMP.org), through which you can access vendors who package the 

free source code for the convenience of the user and sell it at a “fair price.” 

Comments 

Over 150 people have contributed to GIMP since Peter Mattis and Spencer Kimball 

started work on it in 1995. The GNU Project itself dates from 1984 and continues to 

flourish, as the number of applications testifies (directory.fsf.org). Prospective GIMP 

users have nothing to lose by trying a free version.

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Of particular note is the customizable interface that includes a full-screen mode and the 

tools for correcting common lens distortions. It is easy to correct lens tilt effects (converging 

verticals) and other problems like barrel distortion or vignetting. Best of all, it 

runs in any of the major environments, making it one of the most well-supported image 

editors around. 

Version: GIMP 2.4 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X; Linux; Sun OpenSolaris; FreeBSD 

RAM: 128MB minimum 

Supported file formats: GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and rare format support via the GIMP plug-in 

registry, a repository of optional extensions 

Price level: Free source code, sub-$100 packaged 

www.gimp.org 

Helicon Filter 

Vendor: Helicon Soft 

Purpose: All-round image editor for digital photographers, with many professional features 

Description 

Helicon Filter is a versatile, effective, but amazingly low-cost image editor. It supports 

template-based renaming, voice commenting, color profiles, and Exif/IPTC data. It lets 

you make lossless rotate, copy, delete, and move operations. Noise reduction is one of 

the program’s strengths and it comes with both a dead pixels filter and a dust sensor filter. 

There are the usual contrast, gamma, and exposure controls, with a gradient haze 

compensation tool. It has one-click and manual white balance, B&W conversion, 

vignette correction, spectral sensitivity controls, and first-rate sharpening facilities. 

Helicon Filter crops to all popular paper sizes, with batch cropping and presets for different 

monitors and mobile phones. Retouching—which is a set of functions that typifies 

an image editor—is another of its strengths, with edge-sensitive brushes for 

blurring, sharpening, and changing color, brightness, and saturation. It offers a distort 

brush “to fix protruding ears and similar problems.” Processing tends to be a little slow, 

but is improved by using Helicon Filter Pro with its support for multiple processors. 

There are three editions of Helicon Filter: free, home, and pro. After 30 days the home 

and pro evaluation versions revert to the free edition, losing the “expert modes” and 

some functionality, whereas the free version has full functionality for 30 days. 

Comments 

Developed in the Ukraine, Helicon Filter shows every sign of becoming a mature, capable 

editor. It is available in English, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Italian.

For anyone starting out in digital photography, perhaps reluctant to spend hundreds of 

dollars on another editor, it provides a wealth of features, with a bright, cheerful interface 

that has a sensible arrangement of windows and menus. It populates itself with your 

images on start-up, and then displays a “recommended workflow” help panel that you 

must turn off once you have memorized its simple message (“open file, set up filters, 

save the result”). 

Version: Helicon Filter 4.86 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Vista x64 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, JPEG 2000, TIFF (24-bit, 48-bit, LZW compression), PNG, 

PSD, and BMP 

Price level: Free, home edition $30, Pro edition $40 

Address: Helicon Soft Ltd., per. Mekhanichesky 4, 61068 Kharkov, Ukraine 

www.heliconfilter.com 

Image Genius Professional 


Vendor: Pixel Dragons Limited 

Purpose: An image editor for batch processing many images with tasks like cropping, resizing, 

or adding text 

Description 

Image Genius Professional is a batch processor with a difference. It can monitor folders 

on a computer to check for new image files, and then process them automatically. 

It lets you program the operations by designing a flowchart to say what happens when. 

Other facilities include FTP upload, emailing, and database integration. 

Among Image Genius’s 100 (or so) image-processing operations are brightness, color 

balance, and contrast adjustment; rotate, invert, mask and auto-crop; smooth and 

sharpen; and many image-handling functions including “upload to Flickr.” 

Image Genius accepts plug-ins, the first of which is Stoik Imaging’s Automatic Red-Eye 

Removal plug-in. 

Comments 

Founded in 2006 by two brothers-in-law, Andy Pike and Vito Serafino, Image Genius 

Professional addresses a niche and fills it extremely well. Its official product reseller is 

Share-it! (www.shareit.com). Version 3.2 was a major release, adding RAW file and 

CMYK TIFF/JPEG support. Additional features have also enhanced the software’s 

pipeline architecture, with facilities to bring in otherwise unsupported files that have 

been processed by external programs.

128 


Image Genius Professional can save busy photographers a lot of time by automating the 

main processing functions according to a customized pipeline created by the user. One 

reviewer reports that he processed over a thousand images in under two minutes: the 

kind of speed that makes it ideal for Web catalog creation. 

Version: Image Genius Professional 3.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and later, with Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or later 

Supported file formats: Opens and saves JPEG, TIFF, PNG, GIF, TGA, EMF, Exif, and WMF; 

opens only CMYK TIFFs and JPEGs, PSD, and many RAW formats 


Address: Pixel Dragons Limited, 196 High Road, Wood Green, London N22 8HH, United Kingdom 

www.pixeldragons.com 

LEADViEW 

Vendor: LEAD Technologies 

Purpose: Image editing and paint package with support for RGB, HSB, HLS, CMY, CMYK, 

and Lab color palettes 

Description 

LEADViEW is an extensive image -editing package that supports RGB, HSB, HLS, 

CMY, CMYK, and Lab color palettes and offers gamma correction, color balance, hue 

remapping, color channel splitting and merging, and many other features for adjusting 

the image. Its masking facilities are first-rate, and include floater creation, selection 

feather, and manipulation and transformation tools. You can select regions to remove 

unwanted portions of a picture, get rid of red-eye, and change the color of selected items. 

Its Photo Album software helps you to manage large collections of photos. Worth noting, 

too, are its versatile batch file conversions, including TIFF to J2K and BMP to/from JPEG. 

LEADViEW is particularly strong in optimizing images for the Web. It lets you create 

image rollovers; gives an image preview with estimated download times; includes an 

HTML mapping facility; has image preview from within the Web browser; and lets you 

export images as an HTML photo album. Its organizational abilities are equally good— 

you can categorize images and add unlimited notes to them. It lets you sort in ascending 

or descending order and search by date, category, or comments. It also has full 

drag-and-drop support. 

Comments 

The vendor, best-known for its application developer toolkits, claims that LEADViEW 

is “the most comprehensive image-editing software package available.” It sounds like 

overstatement, but could well be true given the remarkable number of features, including 

facilities for digital painting. Other developers may purchase the software on an 

OEM basis to include in their own applications.

Version: LEADViEW version 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT, and XP 

Supported file formats: Over 140 file formats, including JPEG 2000 


Address: Charlotte, NC, United States 

www.leadtools.com 

Nikon Capture NX 


Vendor: Nikon Corporation 

Purpose: Image editor for JPEG or TIFF files from any camera, plus RAW conversion and editing 

for Nikon NEF files 

Description 

Much more than a RAW converter, Nikon Capture has become a fully fledged image 

editor with tools for adjusting hue, saturation, and lightness using individual editor dialog 

boxes. The user interface is a multi-image window that displays a row of thumbnails 

above a larger panel containing the currently selected image. Nikon has made excellent 

use of Nik Software’s U Point technology, so that you can now adjust black and white 

points, dynamic range, and all the dimensions of color across defined areas of the image, 

without the need for masks, selections, or layers. 

Among its image manipulation tools are fisheye-to-rectilinear image transformation, 

which converts pictures made with the AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens 

into either of two ultra-wide-angle image modes; vignette control to obtain near perfect 

center-to-edge-to-corner brightness; and an “image dust off” dust mapping utility 

which, once invoked, removes the effect of dust from subsequent images. 

Extending functionality still further, Nik Color Efex Pro for Nikon Capture NX adds 

a wide range of digital photographic filters (75 in the Complete Edition) grouped into 

Traditional filters for mimicking conventional photographic processes and Stylizing filters 

for special effects. Nikon Capture NX also has extensive batch-processing facilities 

and remote camera control. 

Supported file formats include PSD, PMD, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, PNG, BMP, 

PCX, EPS, PCD, DIB, and TARGA. 

Comments 

The manipulation of selected parts of the image using U Point technology is a breakthrough 

in interface design. This is one of very few software packages that have sufficient 

ongoing development, plus the financial backing, to compete directly with Adobe 

products. It applies non-destructive image processing to NEF files, but non-Nikon users

130 


should note that repeated changes made to JPEG or TIFF files will affect the quality of 

the original. Capture NX has its own tutorial Website at www.capturenx.com. 

Version: Capture NX 2.0 (2008), available as upgrade to Nikon Capture 4 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 or later 

RAM: 1GB or more recommended 

Disk: 200MB required for installation 

Supported file formats: NEF, TIFF, and JPEG 


www.nikonimaging.com 

Figure 10.2 

Nikon Capture NX comes with an excellent implementation of Nik Software’s U Point technology.

Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 



Purpose: The most popular image editor other than Photoshop—and somewhat easier to learn 

Description 

Paint Shop Pro straddles the two worlds of graphic design and photography in much 

the same way as Photoshop. It has always been the cheaper and less well-featured option, 

but as time passes the gap narrows. With beefed-up facilities for photographers, Paint 

Shop Pro Photo is a highly mature product, backed with massive experience and user 

feedback. It offers a full range of effects for users. 

Among its many features are Levels and Curves controls, an enhanced crop tool, depthof-field 

effects, film and filter effects, a photo-management center, and video capabilities. 

Paint Shop Pro Photo specializes in the “quick and easy” ways of achieving 

acceptable results; for example, in removing distracting objects from photos, correcting 

perspective, or changing the color of a subject’s costume. Its professional-level options 

include 16-bits-per-channel editing and RAW file conversion. It also has an excellent 

built-in Learning Center to help you get started. 

Every new version of Paint Shop Pro brings a wealth of new features. Version XI introduced 

new email features for sharing photos with friends and family; compatibility with 

Corel Painter and Corel Painter Essentials; and Time Machine to show what photos 

would look like if taken in another era. 

Version X2 went further by introducing the time-saving Express Lab feature that enables 

you to work quickly on several images without needing to open them. HDR PhotoMerge 

adds high dynamic range features; black-and-white conversion is improved; and now 

there are watermarking facilities, too. 

Comments 

By emphasizing the novelty features of the product, the vendor indicates that Paint Shop 

Pro Photo is aimed more at the home user than the budding professional. Nonetheless, 

you can produce professional-level work with it, especially for the Web. It is exceptional 

value for the money. 

Version: Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP SP2, 2000 SP4, and Vista 

RAM: 512MB recommended 

Supported file formats: Over 50 file formats, including RAW and video 



www.corel.com

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Photo-Brush 


Purpose: Powerful image editor with media-painting, picture-retouching, and photo-enhancing 

tools 

Description 

Photo-Brush is much more than a retouching tool, although this is one of its strengths 

as you might guess from its name. It is also an image editor, capable of adjusting levels, 

gamma, curves, hue/saturation, and brightness/contrast; a painting program with texture, 

artistic, natural, and 3D brushes; scanning software with TWAIN 32 support and 

auto-dust removal; a texture and special effects generator; and an image browser. 

Photo-Brush supports RAW images from over 100 cameras and has barrel and pincushion 

distortion correction and chromatic aberration removal. Its retouching capabilities 

include red-eye removal, auto color changing, whole object removal with a special bridge 

tool, and brushes to clean skin tones, lighten or darken the image, and remove scratches. 

Comments 

Founded by Czechoslovakian-born developer Roman “Oscar” Voska, who lives in 

Canada, Mediachance not only produces fine software but presents it very well. Photo- 

Brush has dozens of first-rate features, some of them unique. For example, in Version 

4.0, the developer has included some powerful new selection tools that enable you to 

make changes to your selection on-the-fly. The Magic Wand selector has a live preview, 

making it possible to perform “click-and-drag” operations to the selected area, with 

highlighting shown by false colors. 

Enthusiasts will find Photo-Brush well worth trying for its innovative selection tools, 

extensive list of shortcuts, and useful graphic effects. 

Version: Photo-Brush 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, and Vista 

Supported file formats: RAW (from more than 100 cameras), PNG, JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PCX, 

TGA, and Adobe PSD 




PhotoMagic 

Vendor: BenVista 

Purpose: Home photo software suite to enhance, repair, and improve images

Description 

Aimed at the home photographer, PhotoMagic is a software suite that has programs to 

enhance, repair, and improve images, including special effects and “lossless” enlargement. 

Of necessity, it has an easy-to-use interface that practically anyone can operate. It lets 

you enhance colors, sharpness, and contrast, has noise removal facilities, and various 

artistic tools to make photographs look like paintings. If you want to achieve traditional 

photographic effects in your prints, it offers simulations of sepia, cyanotype, platinum, 

silver gelatin, kallitype, Van Dyck, palladium, and many others. 

One particularly interesting feature of PhotoMagic is the inclusion of the vendor’s 

S-Spline algorithm, which means you can make exceptionally good enlargements with 

this consumer package. Although the vendor has improved the algorithm for its professional 

enlargement product (PhotoZoom Pro), the original version produced very 

good results. 

Comments 

The press was lukewarm about PhotoMagic when it first came out, but the product has 

good features, especially its enlarging module. Point-and-shoot users will like its cheerful 

interface, useful exposure correction facility, and artistic effects. 

At one time, PhotoMagic was also marketed by Shortcut (www.shortcutinc.com), who 

dropped it in favor of the more comprehensive PhotoStudio 9 HOME. 

Version: PhotoMagic 1.2.8 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT4, 95, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 and higher 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: The Netherlands (contact by Web form) 

www.benvista.com 

Photobie 


Vendor: Photobie Design 

Purpose: Free image editor, with advanced layer support, templates, scrapbooking, and screencapture 

features 

Description 

Photobie is a multi-featured (but entirely free) image editor that comes with transparency, 

masking, and layer merging, once found only in the most expensive design 

software. Its editing facilities include crop, copy, paste, and rotate/flip, and they are complemented 

by image-processing facilities such as brightness, contrast, saturation, gamma,

134 


alpha, color swap, and color curve controls. To these the developers have added useful 

painting tools including pen, shape draw fill, airbrush, eraser, line/curve with arrows, 

and smudge. The screen capture tools and Plug-in Manager let you use free Photoshop 

.8bf filter plug-ins to create special effects. 

If all this is not good enough value, there are also tools for GIF animation editing, complete 

with simple timing controls; a Flash Jukebox with a playlist manager that lets you 

add or remove Flash .swf files to/from your list; and—perhaps the key feature of all— 

template design and editing tools that allow users to create their own templates and 

share them with others. 

To get full benefit from Photobie you really need to belong to the Photobie Club, the 

community of users who share their experiences, templates, and even some of their designs. 

The image editor itself comes in two versions: Photobie and Photobie Design Studio 

(Photobie DS), the latter of which is freely available to members, although it may eventually 

be spun off as commercial software. The club, which has a highly active online 

forum, is free to join. 

Figure 10.3 

Photobie offers transparency, masking and layers, all for free.

Comments 

Photobie boasts over one million downloads worldwide, and it is not hard to see why 

it has become so popular. It has a huge number of features, offers a good introduction 

to the use of layers and transparency, and, most importantly, is free. This makes it especially 

appealing to people (including children) who have the time and patience to learn 

how to use it but who are working with no real budget. 

Some reviewers have been too effusive about Photobie, one of them describing the screen 

capture tools as being “by far the best I ever encountered.” This is going too far, considering 

there are specialist tools such as SnagIt that offer 32-bit capture plus a dedicated 

interface that allows you to select the window to be grabbed. Photobie has not reached 

these dizzying heights, yet. In fact, it remains something of a “homespun” project, but 

with serious aspirations now that professional designers and software developers are contributing 

their support. Its natural market is the digital scrapbooking community. It 

would have been included in that chapter of this book were it not for its powerful imageediting 

capability (and the skill level required to use it). 

Version: Photobie 4.8 (2008) 

OS: Photobie Windows 2000, 2003, and XP with .NET framework 1.1; Photobie Design Studio 

Windows XP with .NET framework 3 or Vista 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Free for personal use 

Address: Photobie Design, Boston, MA, United States 

www.photobie.com 

STOIK PictureMan Pro 


Purpose: Image processing, editing, and retouching software in 48-bit color 


Description 

STOIK PictureMan Pro contains dozens of image-correction tools for advanced image 

processing in 48-bit color mode. The program also has all the functions of a full image 

editor, including multilayers, advanced painting, and plug-in support. It has over 120 

image processing filters and special effects including a range of artistic simulations. 

PictureMan Pro’s retouching filters include dust cleaning, scratch removal, JPEG denoising, 

despeckling, sigma filter, sharpening, smoothing, shadow lightening, and a stamp 

brush. PictureMan Pro supports pressure sensitive tablets and has infinite undo-redo. 

It accepts Photoshop-compatible plug-ins on-the-fly without program restart.

136 


Among PictureMan Pro’s later features (v.5.0+) is a smart resize algorithm that allows 

you to create high-quality photo thumbnails and enlarge images up to 1,000 percent 

without significant loss of visual sharpness. 

Comments 

Formed in 1990 as a spin-off from the Soviet space program, STOIK Imaging is a significant 

player in the photo software market, developing code on an OEM basis for 

partners worldwide. PictureMan was the first image editor to be optimized for Intel’s 

MMX technology. It has all the features that many photographers look for, including 

consistent color management and accurate color correction. By using 48-bit color (16 

bits per channel), the developer avoids the degradation problems encountered with 24-bit 

color (8 bits per channel) processing, without seeking a full non-destructive solution. 

Degradation of the image is simply less likely to be noticed at the higher bit level. 

PictureMan is certainly worth trying because of its competent image-editing features. 

Its user interface looks a little dated, but it has some excellent smooth filtering algorithms, 

ideal for portraiture and nature photography. 

Version: PictureMan 5.0.2 Pro (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 



www.stoik.com 

StudioLine Photo Classic 

Vendor: H&M Software 

Purpose: All-in-one package for organizing, editing, and backing up a collection of images 

Description 

One of a family of products, StudioLine Photo Classic 3 Plus is a versatile package that 

combines image viewing, organizing, and editing with layout, publishing, and backup. 

It is a serious product, aimed at enthusiasts and professionals. A cut-down, basic (and 

free) edition is available for novices. 

StudioLine Photo Classic has a customizable interface that is laid out attractively in the 

modern style with switchable panes. There is a quick-step bar to guide beginners, a slider 

control to vary the size of the thumbnails, a property pane that displays information 

about the images, input features for ranking images with a five-star system, and an editing 

pane that shows the image tools currently being used. 

The organizing utilities let you sort your images into albums and folders, mimicking, if 

necessary, the folder structure on your hard disk. You can place shortcuts within folders,


so that images can appear in different places at the same time. There is full control over 

IPTC and Exif metadata, and batch processing so you can apply the same descriptions, 

keywords, and ranking to multiple images. Powerful search options let you locate individual 

images quickly. 

The integrated editing functions include all those you would expect in a package of this 

quality: one-click white balance; live histogram showing red, green, and blue channels; 

dual monitor support; image rotation; cropping; and quick red-eye/pet-eye removal. It 

detects and uses any available ICC color profiles. 

Layout and publishing options include printing images and contact sheets in predetermined 

or customized formats, plus facilities to create scrapbook pages, newsletters, 

e-cards, or certificates. Export and email facilities are available with cropping and sharpening, 

and there is a basic slide show feature as well. 

Backup controls are part of the package, plus an offload feature that lets you move large 

originals to DVD, leaving behind a lightweight proxy. Clicking on the proxy tells you where 

to find the original. Supported languages are English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. 

Comments 

Developed in Germany, StudioLine Photo Classic 3 Plus offers so many features it seems 

too good to be true. However, professional reviewers have acknowledged its astonishing 

value, with the only proviso that users need to learn their way around a vast new 

interface if they are thinking of switching to it. 

As an editor, StudioLine Photo Classic 3 Plus stores all settings with the unchanged 

original and thus lets you perform true, non-destructive editing. It works brilliantly as 

an image organizer, with search facilities that offer 75 system criteria as well as any 

descriptors you may have chosen. Publishing options include a versatile “custom print” 

option that caters to all sizing and page placement needs. Also useful is the space-saving 

offload facility that replaces images with lower-res proxies, with pointers to originals 

that have been transferred to CD or DVD. Altogether, it is an efficient, multi-featured 

package that by any comparison is great value. 

Version: StudioLine Photo Classic 3 Plus 3.5.31 (2008) 

OS: Windows ME, 2000, XP, and Vista 3.14 and up 


Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; TIFF, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, PSD, PCD, RAS, 

WAV, AVI, MOV, MPEG, and MP3 

Price level: Approx. $60 for the download, $70 for the CD 

Address: H&M System Software GmbH, Senefelderstrasse 16, D-63322 Rödermark, Germany 

H&M Systems Software Inc., 600 East Crescent Avenue, Suite 203, Upper Saddle River, NJ 

07458-1846, United States 

www.studioline.biz

138 


Ulead PhotoImpact X3 


Purpose: Image-editing suite for managing, editing, and sharing digital images 

Description 

Ulead PhotoImpact X3 has a very extensive set of image-editing features, including 

“quick-fix” tools for rapidly fixing common photographic errors, right up to sophisticated 

features for creating images with high dynamic range (HDR). To say the least, the package 

is generous in the sheer quantity of extras it provides, including over a thousand 

royalty-free images, more than 2,000 Web elements, more than 2,000 objects, and more 

than 3,000 customizable effects. Bonus software includes Photo Explorer for transferring, 

browsing, and modifying images, PhotoImpact Album with its cataloging facilities, and 

Cool 360 for panorama creation. 

PhotoImpact abounds with nifty features, including “dockable panels” that allow you 

to lock frequently used panels and toolbars together, one-screen split-view previewing, 

and intuitive image compositing using an object-based rather than layer-based approach. 

An object extraction wizard lets you quickly paint around the object, and then extract 

and refine it. 

Output options are equally extensive: there are Web and blog page templates, an image 

map tool, and even JavaScript effects with cascading menus, rollovers, and scrolling text. 

The EasyPalette feature comes with DVD backgrounds, buttons, and frames for use in 

DVD authoring applications. 

Among the new features in PhotoImpact X3 is a complete media management suite 

called Corel MediaOne Plus Digital Media Management. This not only helps you keep 

track of all your photos but also lets you create video slide shows for sending to friends 

and family. A new set of crop tools allows you to crop according to the “rule of thirds” 

or the “golden ratio.” Finally, there is improved RAW file support for the increasing 

number of photography enthusiasts who shoot in this format. 

Comments 

Whatever you need—red-eye removal, white balance adjustment, noise reduction, 

object extraction, and so on—you are likely to find it in this product. The individual 

features may not all be “best of breed,” but you can be sure they will be highly competent 

in the task they claim to do. RAW support, 16-bit image support, and powerful noise 

reduction with “anisotropic diffusion” help to make Ulead PhotoImpact a remarkably 

upmarket product, even though it tends to get overshadowed by the vendor’s homegrown 

(formerly Jasc) Paint Shop Pro Photo. 

Version: Ulead PhotoImpact X3 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP (SP2) Home/Pro, XP Media Center, and XP Pro x64

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; 001, BAY, BMP, CLP, CRW, CR2, CUR, DCR, 

DCS, DCX, DNG, EPS, FAX, FPX, GIF, ICO, IFF, IMG, JP2, JPC, JPG, MAC, MRW, MSP, 

NEF, ORF, PBM, PCD, PCT, PCX, PEF, PGM, PIC, PNG, PPM, PSD, PSP, PXR, RAF, RAS, 

SCI, SCT, SHG, SRF, SVG (output), TGA, TIF, UFO, UFP, WBMP, WMF, and X3F 

Price level: Approx. $70 for the download or boxed 


www.ulead.com/pi/ 

Note 

UpShot 


At the time of writing, only the earlier version 12 appears on some regional versions of the 

Corel Website, so you might need to visit the address listed in this section to purchase X3. 

Vendor: Bellamax 

Purpose: Photo-editing package aimed at professional portrait and wedding photographers 

Description 

UpShot is a photo-editing package aimed at professional portrait and wedding photographers 

who want fast results with a minimum of fuss. It has a one-cure-fits-all tool called FastFix that 

analyzes the content of a photo and makes specific adjustments based on scene recognition. 

Manual fine-tuning includes tools for cropping, straightening, flip/rotate, brightness/contrast, 

and sharpening. Retouching includes tools for softening wrinkles, whitening teeth and eyes, 

adjusting skin tone, cloning, under-eye circle removal, stray hair zapper, and so on. 

UpShot has facilities for direct upload to Flickr, ImageShack, Shutterfly, SmugMug, 

Snapfish, Wal-Mart, and Webshots. From the outset it has been backed up with plenty 

of online tutorials and a user forum. 

Comments 

Described as “an excellent tool in the making” by one professional photographer, 

UpShot takes a sensible approach to photo editing by offering wedding pros a restricted 

set of useful tools rather than a bloated set of “might-come-in-useful” tools. If you want 

to use any of the uploading facilities or view the tutorials, as always a high-speed Internet 

connection is essential. 

Version: UpShot1.0 (2008) 


RAM: 512MB (1GB recommended)

140 


Supported file formats: RAW, JPEG, and TIFF 


Address: Bellamax Inc., 388 Market St. Suite 1250, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States 

www.upshotphoto.com 

Zoner Photo Studio 

Vendor: Zoner Inc. 

Purpose: All-in-one photo solution for acquiring, editing, archiving, and publishing images 

Description 

Zoner Photo Studio, which is also marketed by other vendors under similar names (such 

as ShortCut PhotoStudio), is a complete all-in-one solution for image input, editing, 

archiving, and publishing. Its editing capabilities extend beyond the standard curves 

and levels and color and sharpness enhancement to defect removal, shadow brightening, 

red-eye reduction, and a whole range of retouching facilities including clone stamping, 

ironing, filling, and painting. It also has a full complement of tools for cropping, special 

effects creation and batch processing. 

Other key features of Zone Photo Studio include printing, slide show creation, and Web 

gallery tools. But that is not all: among its most interesting features are facilities for 

composing high dynamic range (HDR) images by combining several photos into one, 

Figure 10.4 

Zoner Photo Studio has powerful features, including HDR and panorama creation, 

at a very competitive price.

and facilities for making 3D images (or analglyphs) using images taken from slightly different 

positions. For the latter effect, Photo Studio automatically combines the two 

source photos into a single image. When you view this composite image with special 

glasses that have one red and one blue lens, it appears to be three-dimensional. 

Comments 

The successor to Zoner Media Explorer, Zoner Photo Studio supports 26 bitmap formats, 

6 vector formats, 9 video formats, and 10 audio formats. This makes it a multimedia tool 

as well as an all-in-one image editing/publishing package. At the time of writing, RAW 

processing support is limited chiefly to Canon CRW files in the Pro edition only, but 

this will undoubtedly be expanded in future versions. 

Some users may find the vendor’s marketing approach to be overly complicated, because 

there is continuing availability of four earlier versions, each of which is available in 

Professional, Home, Xpress, and Classic variants. Moreover, through the magic of OEM, 

the product crops up in the catalogs of other vendors under different branding. That 

said, no one can fail to be impressed by ZPS’s extraordinary range of well-implemented 

features, not least of which are its HDR, analglyph, and panorama-creation tools. These, 

together with extensive editing/publishing tools, make it an exceptional value for money. 

Version: Zoner Photo Studio 10 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major image and multimedia formats, including BMP, JPEG, and PNG; 

Canon RAW (CRW) 

Price level: Pro edition approx. $85 

Address: ZONER, Inc., 51 Georgetown Dr., Dallas, GA 30132, United States 

www.zoner.com 

Summary 


Image editors are multi-featured, often to the nth degree like Adobe Photoshop or Corel 

Paint Shop Pro Photo, perhaps the two best-known editors currently available. To be a 

true image editor, software must certainly have cropping, masking, retouching, and 

resizing features as well as provide image enhancement, sorting, printing, and sharing 

functions. To these the developer may add a selection of the features that are described 

elsewhere in this book, always at the risk of confusing the user with an embarrassment 

of riches. Adobe has added retouching facilities to Lightroom, although you still need 

to dive into the industry-standard Photoshop for a full set of editing features. If you 

have not looked at Nikon Capture for a while, check out the NX version with Nik 

Software’s U Point technology. It offers a viable alternative to masking when you need 

to make alterations to specific areas of the image, thus reducing the need for an editor.


Part II 

Refining, 

Simulation, 

and 

Enhancement

This part includes the following topics: 

Chapter 11 Masking Tools 

Chapter 12 Black and White Conversion 

Chapter 13 Film Simulation and Effects 

Chapter 14 Art Simulators 

Chapter 15 Special Effects 

Chapter 16 Sharpening Software 

Chapter 17 Noise Reduction 

Chapter 18 Red-Eye Removal 

Chapter 19 Skin Tone Enhancement 

Chapter 20 Photo Restoration

11 

Masking Tools 

Photoshop owes much of its success to its masking capability, which allows you to separate 

an object from its background. Despite this, there are many other tools that bring 

additional features, greater ease-of-use, or sheer speed to the process. 

One of the classic applications of masking is changing the background in a portrait. 

This can present a serious challenge to the masking tool when there is fine hair detail 

seen against an in-focus background. Even if the background is out of focus, the task is 

beyond the scope of conventional tools that require manual tracing of the boundary. 

Fortunately, specialist tools can come to the rescue. They tend to take two approaches— 

they either play it safe by insisting that you take the original portrait against a blue or 

green chroma key background, or else they use sophisticated sampling algorithms to 

differentiate between the pixels belonging to the background and those belonging 

to the foreground object. Primatte Chromakey from Digital Anarchy is a good example 

of the first approach; EZ Mask from motion picture tools specialist Digital Film Tools 

is a good example of the second. 

The masking software listed here ranges from the low-cost (Recomposit) to the fairly 

expensive (Primatte Chromakey).

146 


ArcSoft Cut-It-Out 


Purpose: Speedy, accurate mask creation for separating objects from their backgrounds 

Description 

ArcSoft Cut-It-Out has features similar to Photoshop’s Extract command, but has been 

designed to be slightly easier to use. It has fine-tuning options that let you attend to the 

edges and smoothing tools to cover up any mistakes. 

Comments 

ArcSoft is constantly in the process of beefing up its image-editing capabilities, Cut-It- 

Out being an example of a tool that will become part of a more advanced image editor 

than ArcSoft PhotoStudio. It does its job well, by all accounts, but the price is high for 

a single-function plug-in. 

Version: ArcSoft Cut-It-Out 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 6, 7, 8, and CS; Photoshop Elements; and ArcSoft PhotoStudio 5.5 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: As host program 



States 


EZ Mask 

Vendor: Digital Film Tools 

Purpose: Interactive image-masking tool for extracting objects from images 

Description 

EZ Mask, as its name suggests, is an easy-to-use masking tool, although it comes from 

a vendor of professional movie matting software. It cuts out a foreground object from 

the background, regardless of what is depicted in the image. Having created a mask, 

you can then composite the object with an alternative background, blending the two 

seamlessly together. 

To use EZ Mask is very quick. You draw broad brushstrokes around the image to create 

samples that the software uses to calculate the difference between foreground and 

background pixels. This technique requires no precise drawing skills whatsoever. Once 

the software has the information, it makes the mask automatically.

Comments 

It makes no difference whether you are dealing with fine hair detail, smoke, or reflections, 

EZ Mask can separate them from the background. For separating opaque objects 

you do not need such a powerful product: the vendor’s Snap tool should do the job. 

Version: EZ Mask 1.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 and above, Elements 3 or 4 

OS: Windows XP, Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and higher (Rosetta emulation mode not supported) 

RAM: 1GB for images up to 8 megapixels; 1.5GB for images up to 12 megapixels; 2GB for 

images up to 16 megapixels 

Supported file formats: RGB formats 


Address: Digital Film Tools, LLC., Los Angeles, CA, United States 

www.digitalfilmtools.com 

Fluid Mask 

Chapter 11 ■ Masking Tools 147 

Vendor: Vertus Tech 

Purpose: Specialist cut-out tool, with new segmentation technology for optimal results 

Description 

Fluid Mask contains a new way of making image cut-outs. It uses an advanced segmentation 

technology that divides the image into dozens of segments with clearly 

defined edges. This enables you to select, group, and mask objects in the image, obtaining 

the cleanest possible separations between masked and unmasked areas. 

An Edge Detection Option panel contains slider controls for edge sensitivity and infocus 

edge width. Radio buttons offer a choice of high, medium, or low settings for edge 

contrast; and fine, medium, or coarse settings for a texture filter that groups areas of 

similar texture, such as grass, into larger groups for more efficient masking. However, 

this is not all, because Fluid Mask provides many more, easily accessible tools, including 

a Color Workspace that displays all the colors that are present in a selected region 

of the image. With this tool you can fine-tune the mask by assigning colors to “keep,” 

“delete,” and “complex” categories. It even has a “test rendering” tool that quickly renders 

a selected rectangle so that you can check the quality of the mask. 

Fluid Mask can be used with Wacom tablets, with pen pressure linked to brush size. It 

has full support for 16-bit images. 

Comments 

Fluid Mask is one of the best Photoshop plug-ins because not only does it make nearperfect 

masks, it also has a well-designed interface to make mask creation easier than

148 


you would have thought possible. Version 3.0 was a major release, with significantly 

faster processing speeds, better edge blending, and additional features such as new tools 

for fine mask selection. It is professional software with a price to match, but it is worth 

every cent if you need to make composite images without seeing a join. 

Version: Fluid Mask 3.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 and later; version 3.1 will add QuarkXPress and Paint Shop Pro 

OS: Windows XP with SP2, and Vista; Mac OS X v.10.3.9, v.10.4.9, or later 




Address: Vertus Tech, 242 Elm St, South Dartmouth, MA, 02748, United States 

Vertus Tech, Manning House, 22 Carlisle Place, London, SW1P 1JA, United Kingdom 

www.vertustech.com 

Mask Pro 


Purpose: Sophisticated set of masking tools for isolating subjects from their backgrounds 

Description 

Mask Pro is a set of specialist tools for really tough masking tasks such as separating a 

subject’s hair from a background of clouds. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all 

approach, it offers the right tool for the job, allowing you to work on different parts of 

the image using different tools. 

You can use Mask Pro simply to make a selection, using one of the selection tools to 

create a clipping path. Alternatively, you can use the standard mode for masking a transparent 

item. A real-time preview gives you a good indication of the quality of the mask. 

Among the tools provided are Chisel for obtaining sharp edges without halos and Magic 

Brush for removing colors while maintaining transparency. The latest version has support 

for Wacom graphics tablets with pressure sensitivity. 

Comments 

The algorithms in Mask Pro are very good at removing colorcasts in transparent objects 

like smoke, fog, and glass. It does what all good plug-ins are meant to do: goes beyond 

what is available in the host program. One of its key features is its results preview, in 

which it shows you what the results will look like while you are creating the mask rather 

than after you have processed the whole image. This is a great professional tool, with 

full 16-bit support, offered at a competitive price.

Figure 11.1 

Mask Pro has a full set of tools for professional masking. 

Version: Mask Pro 4.1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 or CS3; Photoshop Elements 4 or later 

OS: Windows XP SP2 and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.8 and higher 

RAM: 512MB 



Address: onOne Software, 15350 SW Sequoia Pkwy, Suite 190, Portland, OR 97224, United 

States 


Primatte Chromakey 


Vendor: Digital Anarchy 

Purpose: Chroma key compositing plug-in for Photoshop, replaces blue background with pictorial 

content 

Description 

Primatte Chromakey is not a general masking plug-in but a true chroma key tool that 

replaces the blue background in a specially taken picture with an alternative background.

150 


As you would expect, it gives a cleaner result than those achieved by other software working 

on images with pictorial backgrounds. It is ideal for studio portraiture and fashion 

shots because it can deal efficiently with wisps of hair and the soft edges of clothes. 

The software comes with all the masking, compositing, and color-correction tools you 

need to create a superb end result. You can remove color tinges that may be noticeable 

in semi-transparent areas. The vendor recommends that users photograph their subjects 

against chroma key foam-backed fabric for best results. 

Primatte Chromakey is aimed at professional and semi-pro photographers who work 

under strict deadlines and do not have time for hand masking. 

Comments 

Most reviewers judge Primatte Chromakey to be the best chroma key tool for stills photographers. 

It allows you to photograph your sitter and background separately, in the 

confidence they will matte together perfectly. If you want an alternative to a photographed 

background, you can use the vendor’s Backdrop Designer product to create 

a pattern “similar to muslin drapery.” 

Version 3.0 of Primatte Chromakey brings a new interface together with a new 

automasking tool. This lets you try out a single-click automask procedure to see if you 

can obtain acceptable results before resorting to the full three-step procedure. Although 

limited to head-and-shoulder or three-quarter shots, automasking is a great time saver 

and can be applied as part of a batch action. Also in the latest version is a full set of color 

spill removal tools, including four groups of tools for removing bluespill. The results, 

examples of which are available online, speak for themselves. 

Version: Primatte Chromakey 3.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5.5 and higher, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and higher 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and up 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Digital Anarchy, 167 Vernon Street, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States 

www.digitalanarchy.com 

Recomposit 

Vendor: Stepok Image Lab 

Purpose: Advanced photo masking and compositing tool with chroma key technology

Description 

Recomposit is a specialist masking and recomposing package that allows you to isolate 

difficult subjects from their background. It uses traditional chroma key (“bluescreen”) 

technology to separate foreground from background by their difference in the hue 

(chroma) channel. It supports inside/outside matting for when bluescreen matting is 

not feasible, such as in real-life images captured outdoors. Recomposit can also simulate 

lens blur in the background and has painting and retouching facilities. 

Comments 

If you do a lot of masking, download this software for a month’s free trial. Its inside/ 

outside matting, in particular, is highly effective. Many photographers will love the 

“background blur” feature, which makes the matted foreground object stand out from 

the background. With its combination of two advanced matting methods, Recomposit 

is exceptional value, although it lacks most of the fine-tuning tools of fully professional 

masking products. 

Version: Recomposit 1.8 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 3.0 and above (with extended edition) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and above 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, and BMP 

Price level: Approx. $40; (Extended edition) $80 

Address: No.89 ShuTongJie, JiNiu Qu, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China, 610036 

www.stepok.net 

Snap 

Vendor: Digital Film Tools 

Purpose: Interactive selection tool for extracting solid or opaque objects 


Description 

Snap is designed to separate solid or opaque objects from a background. It works effectively 

when there is a clean edge between object and background but is not suitable for 

separating fine hair detail, for which the vendor has another solution called EZ Mask. 

There are also manual path-creation facilities in Snap using X-Splines. 

Comments 

Snap is so called because it snaps an editable curve to an object’s boundary. The software 

differs from the vendor’s EZ Mask tool in not creating any changes in the foreground 

object, making it useful for product shots where the background needs to be changed.

152 


Version: Snap 2.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 and above, Photoshop Elements 3 and above 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and higher 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Digital Film Tools, LLC., Los Angeles, CA, United States 

www.digitalfilmtools.com 

Summary 

Long used by the film and television industry to swap one background image for 

another, masking tools have been refined to a point where they can do much the same 

for high-quality photographs. Shooting against a color background in the chroma key 

method is one option, still preferred by exacting professionals. However, the development 

of powerful sampling algorithms allows photographers to separate a subject from 

its background, even when either one consists of many tones, shapes, or colors. Some 

of the specialist tools described here, such as EZ Mask, go beyond the masking capabilities 

of the major image editors.

Digital technology has led to a renaissance in both the appreciation and the practice of 

black and white photography, especially in the United States. This is partly because most 

digital cameras are fundamentally black and white instruments, despite their ability to 

produce color. The Bayer filter adds color by placing red, blue, and green filters above 

the individual light-collecting elements of the camera’s sensor, so to get the highest quality 

of black and white is simply a matter of removing its effect. There are at least six 

ways of doing this: 

■ Desaturate the colors 

■ Convert to grayscale 

■ Convert to Lab mode 

■ Use hue/saturation layers 

■ Use the channel mixer 

■ Use special software 

12 

Black and White 

Conversion 

Of these methods, simple desaturation of the color is least effective, because it produces 

images that look washed-out. Convert-to-grayscale is marginally better, as it takes 

account of the different weights given to the filtered colors. In Photoshop the conversion 

factor is 59% of the green, 30% of the red, and 11% of the blue channel. 

Converting to Lab mode makes the process easier because you can delete the “a” 

and “b” chroma channels to leave only the lightness channel. Playing with two hue/ 

saturation adjustment layers in Photoshop is a time-consuming but very effective option.

154 

Channel mixing requires even more time, letting you control each red, green, or blue 

channel separately, the percentages of which must add up to 100. Going above 100 will 

brighten (overexpose) the image; going below will darken (underexpose) it. You can find 

channel mixers in both Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. 

The alternative to these methods is to use special software that provides added facilities 

to make conversion easier or more accurate. The most sophisticated software offers 

dozens of presets and controls and can recreate the look of particular films, filters, lab 

effects, and photo papers while adding soft focus and other effects. Other software provides 

basic channel mixing with the option to save your settings for future use. The price 

range is $25–$75, but free software with very acceptable results is also available, such 

as B/W Conversion from Photo-Plugins (www.photo-plugins.com). 

Andy 



Purpose: Black and white film simulator, with film/developer and paper/developer combinations 

Description 

If you are really, really involved with black and white photography and want to emulate 

the various film/paper/developer combinations of the past, this is the product for 

you. It provides 10 film and 10 paper simulations for free. But it goes further. If you 

obtain the pro version you get a much greater choice of simulation: 66 film/developer 

simulations and 52 paper/grade simulations, making a total of over 3,400 combinations. 

Comments 

Andy can keep the most erudite black and white photographer amused for hours, “developing” 

virtual Fujifilm Neopan 1600 with three different types (each) of virtual Fujidol, 

Microfine, D-76, or SPD. If you reach this stage you have come a long way from simply 

pressing the Grayscale button. Version 1.4 can treat each RGB channel separately if you 

select the RGB check box, enabling better preservation of white. 

Version: Andy 1.4 (2008) 

Plugs into: Bibble Pro (Note: Upgrade when Bibble upgrades) 

OS: As host 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: With 20 combinations free, with more than 3,400 combinations $20 


www.nexi.com/andy

B&W Pro 2 

Vendor: Red Paw Media 

Purpose: Black and white conversion with multiple controls and 16 bits per channel processing 

Description 

B&W Pro 2 is a color-to-black-and-white conversion plug-in that processes both 

24-bit (8 bits per channel) and 48-bit (16 bits per channel) RGB files and produces 

professional results without unwanted artifacts. 

On a single panel interface, B&W Pro 2 offers many different controls, including six 

sliders for sensor color response, plus gamma and contrast controls, per-channel contrast 

adjustment, exposure compensation, and black/white points, and the ability to add 

a color tint after processing. The top control lets you simulate a color filter placed over 

the lens at the capture stage. Red is the favored color, used for darkening skies. Here, 

the software simulation provides adjustment of the simulated filter from 0–100%. 

Comments 

There is no single “right way” to convert to black and white, although there is certainly 

a one-click “wrong way” (the “convert to grayscale” button in image editors). B&W Pro 2 

has the tools to do it properly, in many different ways according to taste. 

It produces excellent results, but you need a good understanding of black and white 

photography to get the best out of it. 

Version: B&W Pro 2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop and compatible editors 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and above 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: Alresford, Hampshire, United Kingdom 

www.redpawmedia.com 

B/W Styler 

Chapter 12 ■ Black and White Conversion 155 


Purpose: A comprehensive black and white package for conversion, effects, and styling 

Description 

For black and white enthusiasts, B/W Styler is a real treat. It lets you recreate the look of 

films, lens filters, lab effects, and photo papers popular in traditional B/W photography.

156 


Even if your original color image is dull, B/W Styler can turn it into a vibrant black and 

white conversion, with options for adding color tones, simulating film grain, and adding 

special effects. You can manipulate brightness and contrast, add soft focus and glow, 

and put in some vignette blur and mist effects if you are so inclined. 

Comments 

This is an impressive black and white solution, with three user levels for inexperienced, 

intermediate, and advanced users. Whereas the basic Photographer’s Mode gives you a 

choice of presets within a single dialog box, the top Expert Mode has more than 100 

controls and nearly 200 local presets. Like all the software from this vendor, it is well 

conceived and delivers what it promises. 

Version: B/W Styler Version 1.1 (Windows), 1.0 (Mac OS X) (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Elements, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, Photo-Paint, Fireworks, and so 

on 






PR Black/White Studio 

Vendor: PowerRetouche 

Purpose: A “digital darkroom” for converting digital color images to black and white, in 8 or 

16 bits per channel 

Description 

PR Black/White Studio is an extremely versatile converter of digital images from full 

color to black and white. It offers masses of options: two pages of them in the Windows 

version, three pages on Macintosh. It contains presets that simulate professional films 

such as Kodak Tri-X and T-MAX, but it also lets you create your own light sensitivity 

curves and then store them for later use. It has a full range of color filters that imitate the 

effect of standard camera filters, plus full control over exposure, highlights, and shadows. 

A set of zone controls lets you make adjustments to three selectable zones. 

PR Black/White Studio is capable of matching all the multigrade levels of traditional photographic 

paper, from 00 to 5. It even has an extra level at each end, proving, once again, 

that digital photography pushes the boundaries in unexpected ways. There are highlight 

and shadow alert options to warn you when you are losing tonal levels. The zone controls, 

used in conjunction with an eyedropper tool, are particularly well implemented with 

different colored crosses that remain in position to indicate the three selected zones.


Comments 

Of all Jan Esman’s great plug-ins, this is probably the best. It has been widely acclaimed 

by reviewers and users, most of whom rate it above other similar products. Many 

photographers are still wary of using digital to produce black and white, but those who 

try this black and white converter typically change their minds. 

Version: PR Black/White Studio Windows 1.3; Mac 1.2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop Elements, Macromedia Fireworks, CorelDRAW, and 

other editors 

OS: Windows 3.1x, 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP; Mac OS 9 Classic and Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Power Retouche/Jan Esmann, Bolandsvej 1, 1mf, DK-2100 Copenhagen N, Denmark 

www.powerretouche.com 

Figure 12.1 

PR Black/White Studio lets you simulate traditional photographic films and papers.

158 


BW Workflow Pro 

Vendor: Fred Miranda 

Purpose: Convert color to black and white, with dozens of preset options 

Description 

Brazilian photographer Fred Miranda, famous for his independent site for all things 

Canon, offers a range of software including this versatile black and white converter. 

It has manual modes if you want to make all the settings yourself, but it also comes with 

loads of presets. There are 8 preset filter selections, 32 duotone presets, 18 tritone 

presets, 6 quadtone presets, 3 film grain presets, and 4 dynamic range presets. 

BW Workflow Pro gives you a live preview, lets you work in 16-bit mode, and even has 

a batch capability. There is an Add Grain feature to emulate the look of film grain. Add 

Dynamic Range opens up the shadows. The duotone, tritone, and quadtone modes 

allow you to create some excellent sepia and color-wash effects. 

Comments 

Several photographers have achieved excellent results with BW Workflow Pro. One or 

two have complained of a lack of features, particularly for tweaking the subtle tones in 

portraits. Black and white photographers who stick with film should certainly try this 

or a similar package. 

Version: BW Workflow Pro 1.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5.5 and later 

OS: Windows and Mac 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: San Clemente, California 

www.fredmiranda.com 

RetroGrade 

Vendor: Cybia 

Purpose: Turn color into black and white with the classic look of film 

Description 

RetroGrade is an advanced Photoshop plug-in that turns a color image into a black and 

white one with the classic look of film, with its deep blacks, well-defined midtones 

and excellent local contrast. To do this it offers a lot of different controls: 11 sliders, a 

large dialog and preview area, reset buttons, percentage buttons for fast zoom, and 70 

preset files “to help get you started.”

With RetroGrade you can lighten the trees, darken the sky, and mix any combination 

of red, green, and blue to achieve a desired effect. There are controls for brightness and 

contrast, film grain, color response, and tone and tint. It has a 16-bit mode for 48-bit 

color images. 

Comments 

Steve Upham has packed more features into this low-cost plug-in than are available in 

his freeware black and white converters (see the section entitled “Fotomatic” in Chapter 

13, “Film Simulation and Effects”). Reviewers have found it particularly effective on 

landscapes but almost as applicable to other photographs. The RGB Optical Filter sliders 

give you good control over the tonal values derived from each color channel. 

Version: RetroGrade 1.2 (2008) 


OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: steve@cybia.co.uk 

www.cybia.co.uk 

Summary 


Many image editors offer excellent black and white conversion facilities, going beyond 

simple color desaturation to provide more satisfactory ways of accomplishing the task. 

Some of them provide complete channel mixing so that you can vary the contribution 

made by each color channel to the final image. However, the specialist black and white 

converters discussed in this chapter go even further in offering many more presets, some 

of them having the ability to simulate the black and white response of different types of 

film stock.


13 

Film Simulation 

and Effects 

Digital processing can capture the exact “look” of practically every photographic 

emulsion ever made: you just need the right software to do the job. If you require the 

look of a certain black and white film, maybe even a particular combination of film/ 

developer/paper, you should browse through the descriptions in Chapter 12, “Black and 

White Conversion.” Here, in this film simulation chapter, the software deals not only 

with straightforward conversion to the look of a particular color film but also with 

special processes like “bleach bypassing” and various substitutes for optical filtering. 

For a century and a half, photographers explored every aspect of the film medium, sometimes 

stumbling across great effects accidentally. The best of them (and some of the 

worst) live on in digital form, captured in algorithms that can be applied to just about 

any image. Software also reintroduces the imperfections of film, like the various grain 

patterns, matching them perfectly to the size of the image. This might not be to everyone’s 

taste, but there is much to be said in favor of imitating the colors and response 

curves of classic films like Velvia or Kodachrome. The fact that the look of these films 

will always live on in digital media tends to confirm the theory that existing technology 

never entirely disappears, even when replaced in its traditional applications. 

See also PhotoKit Color, which provides color correction as well as film simulation and 

is included in Chapter 30, “Color Tools.”

162 


Tiffen Dfx Digital Filter Suite 

Vendor: The Tiffen Company 

Purpose: Professional quality filters to simulate optical glass filters, lab processes, and other effects 

Description 

Tiffen Dfx is one of the most extensive sets of filters you can buy, with simulation of 

popular glass camera filters, specialized lenses, optical lab processes, film grain, matte 

generation, color correction, and a whole host of others. The software has support for 

both 8- and 16-bits-per-channel processing. They come in various editions for both 

stills photography and film/video use. 

Among the filters are Black Diffusion/FX, Black Pro-Mist, Bleach Bypass, Blur, Bronze 

Glimmerglass, Center Spot, Chromatic Aberration, Color Compensating, Color 

Conversion, Cool Pro-Mist, Cross Processing, Day-for-Night, Defog, Defringe, Depth 

of Field, Diffusion, Double Fog, Dual Grad, Edge Glow, Enhancing, Faux Film, 

Flashing, Fluorescent, Fog, F-Stop, GamColor Gels, Glow, Gold Diffusion/FX, Gold 

Reflector, Grain, Halo, HDTV/FX, Lens Distortion, Light, Light Balancing, Low 

Contrast, Mono Tint, ND-Grad, Night Vision, Nude/FX, Old Photo, Pro-Mist, Rack 

Focus, Radial Exposure, ReLight, Rosco Gels, Selective Color Correct, Selective 

Saturation, Sharpen, Silver Reflector, Smoque, Sunset/Twilight, Telecine, Temperature, 

Three Strip, Ultra Contrast, Vari-Star, Vignette, Warm Soft/FX, Xray, and many more. 

Tools are available within the package to apply multiple filters in a layering process, 

together with batch processing facilities. The product is also available as a plug-in for 

Apple’s Aperture and always requires a three-button mouse. 

Comments 

Developed originally by Digital Film Tools (and called 55mm, after the standard filter 

size in film and TV), Dfx consists of fully professional tools that many photographers 

find indispensable. Designing a poster for a horror film? Try the Day-for-Night filter 

and turn daylight to moonlight just like they do in Hollywood. Got a portrait with a 

plain background? Add a lighting pattern to it with the Light filter to simulate the 

shadow cast by a window (there are 565 patterns to choose from in the GAM library— 

www.gamonline.com—which comes with the plug-in). Bearing in mind that the Light 

plug-in was once sold separately ($50), the whole set is an exceptional value. 

Version: Tiffen Dfx (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Avid Editing, and Discreet systems 

OS: Windows XP Pro, XP Home, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and above (not supported in 

Apple’s Rosetta emulation mode) 

RAM: 1GB (2GB or more recommended) 


Price level: Stand-alone edition approx. $200, Photoshop plug-in edition approx. $300

Address: The Tiffen Company, 90 Oser Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788-3886, United States 

Tiffen Europe Ltd., Enterprise House, Weston Business Park, Weston on the Green, Oxford, 

Oxfordshire OX25 3SX, United Kingdom 

www.tiffen.com 

Bleach Bypass PRO 

Vendor: Red Paw Media 

Purpose: Simulates the traditional “bleach bypass” color film technique 

Chapter 13 ■ Film Simulation and Effects 163 

Description 

Bleach Bypass PRO simulates the traditional “bleach bypass” film technique that, in 

darkroom days, was a process that left out most of the bleaching stage of color film 

processing. As a consequence, a lot of the silver was left in the negative, together with 

the color dyes, creating an effect of a black and white image over a color one. Other 

characteristics are reduced saturation, increased contrast, and significant graininess. 

Bleach bypass has been used in many movies, making its first appearance in Her Brother 

(1960, Kon Ichikawa), and later in Saving Private Ryan (1998, Steven Spielberg). The 

reason for simulating it in digital form and publishing it as a separate plug-in for stills 

photographers is because it gives a terrific visual effect—moody, gritty, but also flattering 

to its subjects. 

A free version of Bleach Bypass with reduced functionality is also available. 

Figure 13.1 

Bleach Bypass PRO can give your images a uniquely gritty, “streetwise” look.

164 


Comments 

Red Paw Media is a venture of British photographer Jon Read, who has developed many 

other useful plug-ins. This one has earned him high praise from other photographers. 

Although a relatively simple piece of software, it produces a distinctive and compelling 

“look” which you can fine-tune with exposure, gamma, saturation, grain strength, grain 

size, and effect strength controls. 

Version: Bleach Bypass PRO 1.0 (2008) 



RAM: 128MB 



Address: Alresford, Hampshire, United Kingdom 

www.redpawmedia.com 

Exposure 2 

Vendor: Alien Skin 

Purpose: Film stock simulator that gives digital images the look and feel of Velvia, Kodachrome, 

and other films 

Description 

With Exposure 2 it is easy to make digital images look as though they were taken by a 

film camera loaded with a particular type of film stock. This package, from the vendor 

of Image Doctor and BlowUp, simulates the look and feel of Velvia, Kodachrome, 

Ektachrome, Ilford 3200 Delta, and many other types of film. It can even simulate stock 

that has been long discontinued but still lingers in the memories of photographers, such 

as Ektachrome EES and GAF 500. Whether color film or black and white, Exposure 2 

always produces a convincing result. It also offers several manual controls for adjusting 

color, dynamic range, softness, and grain. 

Comments 

Exposure 2 has been widely praised by reviewers for its ease of use and accurate rendition 

of film characteristics. One reviewer complained that Velvia 50 (a favorite of many 

photographers) was missing from the first version of the product and the vendor 

responded by saying it was easy to import new settings or create your own and store 

them. This was true, but eventually the vendor decided to pack as many presets into the 

package as possible, including Velvia 50, making it hard to beat. Although Sean Puckett’s 

Bibble plug-in Andy adds development processes, papers, and chemicals, Exposure 2 

has 32-bit image support, which means you can work with high dynamic range (HDR) 

images in an elegant, easy-to-use interface.

Version: Exposure 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 or later; Photoshop Elements 4 or later 

OS: Windows XP or later; Mac OS X 10.4.0 or later 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Alien Skin, 1111 Haynes Street, Suite 113, Raleigh, NC 27604, United States 

www.alienskin.com 

Fotomatic 


Vendor: Cybia 

Purpose: Traditional photographic effects such as optical filters, film FX, and darkroom techniques 

Description 

Fotomatic is a series of plug-ins that simulates traditional photographic effects. They include: 

■ Hi-Spot, for converting to high-contrast black and white 

■ G-Force, which creates traditional monochromatic grain effects 

■ Techni-X, for high-contrast black and white with bleach-out of midtone grays 

■ NightScope, for a desaturated, slightly blurred “night-vision” effect 

■ Pseudo-IR, to simulate the look of infrared film 

■ SkyGrad, for tinting the sky in your photographs 

■ BW-Plus, for quickly turning your images into black and white 

■ FastFix, for quick access to enhancement controls though a single dialog box 

Comments 

Steve Upham’s plug-ins often turn up on photo magazine CDs in the UK. Fotomatic 

is a useful collection aimed at digital beginners who may be more familiar with film 

techniques. As the developer admits, they work better on PC than Mac, having been 

created on the PC platform “using a more advanced compiler.” Fotomatic is a series 

rather than a collection, and you need to download each one separately. 

Version: (Windows) Fotomatic 1.3; (Mac) 1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 8 or higher, OS X 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Free

166 




RealGrain 

Vendor: Imagenomic 

Purpose: Simulates grain patterns, color, and tonal response of different films 

Description 

RealGrain is film simulation software that imitates the grain patterns, color, and tonal 

response of different films. It takes account of the size of the image, so that the grain 

size is proportional to it. It comes with an extensive library of popular color and black 

and white films, options for adding tints using the Grain Balance controls, plus full 

adjustment for hue, saturation, and brightness. 

Having a versatile Color Filter simulation tool for black and white photography, 

RealGrain can also convert color images to black and white. You can add traditional 

tones to the image, such as sepia, platinum, and others, with full control over the way 

they affect highlights and shadows. 

There is support for 8 and 16 bits per channel, batch processing via Photoshop Actions, 

and support for RGB, Lab, and (single channel) CMYK. 

Comments 

Reviewers have really liked RealGrain, mentioning how easy it is to get to grips with it 

quickly. It has a particularly generous list of film stocks, catering to most tastes. For 

graphic designers who want to create a “retro look” from a modern photograph, 

RealGrain has the tools for creating professional quality output. 

Version: 1.0.1 (as of 2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop and Photoshop Elements 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3.x/10.4.x 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Those of the host program 

Price level: Approx. $100, also available with Portraiture and Noiseware as part of the vendor’s 

professional plug-in suite, approx. $240 

Address: Imagenomic, LLC, 309 Yoakum Parkway, Suite 1501, Alexandria, VA 22304, United States 

www.imagenomic.com 

The Light’s Right Photoshop Action Sets 

Vendor: The Light’s Right Studio 

Purpose: Free Photoshop action sets to enhance digital images

Description 

Many skilled photographers have created Photoshop Action sets by recording the commands 

and tool operations they use for typical processing tasks. Those from Dr. Glenn 

E. Mitchell II come with full details on how to install and use them: 

■ TLR B&W Conversion: For high contrast, Ansel Adams-like black and white 

images from a color image 

■ B&W Toning: Stay in 16-bits per channel and RGB/CMYK/L*a*b* for black and 

white toning 

■ Color Compensating (CC) Filters: Replicate photographic CC correction filters 

■ Color Enhance: Creative color enhancement action set 

■ Color Temperature (CT) Filters: Replicate CT correction filters 

■ Color Overlay: Apply colored overlays like blue/sepia or cyan/sepia 

■ Cross-Processing: Simulate color film cross-processing effects 

■ Diffuse Glows: 25 actions for diffuse glows and soft focus effects 

■ Digital Noise Reduction: Include masking to preserve image details 

■ Digital Velvia: For the rich, saturated colors of color slide film 

■ Edge Effects: Add popular edge effects using Gaussian Blur 

■ Edge and Surface Masks: Sophisticated masking for sharpening 

■ Faux Infrared: Simulate the infrared look 

■ Image Resizer for Photoshop CS: Increase image size in small increments 

■ Image Resizer for Photoshop 7: Increases image size while keeping artifacts to a 

minimum 

■ Image Toner: Collection of duotone, tritone, and quadtone conversions 

■ Photographic Filters: Optical filter simulation, including Cokin CFS types 

■ Quick Selections: For graduated dodge and burn effects 

■ Saturation Mask: For use in color correction 

■ Sepia Tint: With contrast, saturation, and hue controls 

■ Sharpening Toolkit: For sharpening RGB, CMYK, L*a*b, and monochrome images 

■ Split Channels: For ultimate control during black and white conversion 

■ Split Toning: Apply color balance adjustment layers to your image 

■ Test Strips: Simulate the printing of test strips in a darkroom 

■ Tone Enhance: Adjusts tonal range more easily 


■ Tone Mask Toolkit: Isolates specific areas of an image: 1/2 tones, 3/4 tones, and so on

168 


Comments 

TLR actions enjoy an excellent reputation among photographers, many of whom prefer 

them to costly commercial plug-ins. For example, the Split Toning action actually 

has more features than a similar plug-in costing $100. The developer’s site is a mine of 

information, with tips, tutorials, and videos. 

Version: Various (2008) 


OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Free (donations requested if you find the resources helpful) 

Address: The Light’s Right Studio, 2114 Longview Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32303-7326, United 

States 

www.thelightsrightstudio.com 

Velvia Vision 


Purpose: Color and tone enhancement; adds warm afternoon light to images 

Description 

Velvia Vision is a plug-in that enhances the tonal range of an image while retaining 

highlight and shadow detail. Its main feature is its ability to add the warm colors of late 

afternoon sun to the image, not unlike Velvia film. It lets you load and save custom 

Velvia Vision profiles. 

Comments 

Although Velvia Vision is not a precise simulator of Velvia film, it certainly gives a similar 

look. Two or three users have commented (on DPReview.com) that it does an 

acceptable job, but that equally good (and free) plug-ins are available, such as TLR 

Digital Velvia. 

Version: Velvia Vision 1.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 6 and later 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and TIFF 



www.fredmiranda.com

virtualPhotographer 

Vendor: optikVerve Labs 

Purpose: Apply high-quality, professional photographic styles to your digital images 

Description 

virtualPhotographer is freeware that allows you to apply the sort of photographic effects 

that professional film photographers love to use. It includes over 50 presets for automatic 

modification of your images. Effects include film grain, color modification, B/W 

conversion, soft focus, high contrast, and many specific types of tinted effect, like 

bronzed, silvered, greenback, lime juice, and toast. Using virtualPhotographer can save 

you hours of work in the virtual darkroom. 

Comments 

There are 12 additional download sets of effects, most of which seem to have that professional 

look familiar from published images. This is an exceptional piece of freeware, 

created by Colin Jones (an Englishman who lives in Oregon) and programmed by Peter 

Rowe. Photoshop Creative magazine called it “one of the best Photoshop plug-ins around” 

and that was spot on. 

Version: virtualPhotographer 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, and Photo-Paint 


RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Freeware 

Address: contactus@optikvervelabs.com 

www.optikvervelabs.com 

Nik Color Efex Pro 


Vendor: Nik Software 

Purpose: Award-winning set of photographic filters for professional photographers 

Description 

More than just a set of filters, Nik Color Efex Pro allows you to apply photographic filter 

effects and enhancements to the whole image or selected parts of the image, using 

the vendor’s U Point technology. With this unique interface, the software offers a whole 

new world of convenience because you no longer have to use cumbersome layer masks 

to isolate the parts of the image you wish to enhance. You simply click on the area to 

establish a control point and adjust the slider controls to refine your selection.

170 


Once you have selected the part of the image to be enhanced (or perhaps the whole 

image on some occasions), you can invoke any of the filters provided. What are they? 

For this you really need to visit the vendor’s Website because they are listed with mouseover 

pop-ups that show the effect in each case. They range from Skylight Filter, Classical 

Soft Focus, and Bleach Bypass to the self-explanatory Darken/Lighten Center, High 

Key, Low Key, and Graduated Neutral Density. Film effects include Solarization, 

InfraRed, and the distinctly spooky Midnight (shades of François Truffaut’s Day for 

Night ). Recently added effects include Polaroid Transfer, Film Grain, and Glamour 

Glow for dreamy, soft effects in wedding and portrait photography. 

Nik Color Efex Pro comes in three editions. There’s a Standard edition with 15 filters. 

There’s a Select edition with 35 filters and a core set of tools for what the vendor calls 

“absolute control over light, color, tonality, and detail” across a wide variety of photographic 

styles. Finally, there’s the all-singing-dancing Complete edition with 52 filters, 

described by the vendor (a little solemnly) as “the most comprehensive set of filters for 

color correction, retouching, and creative enhancements available today.” 

Comments 

Having included Nik Software’s excellent Viveza package that controls color and light, 

as well as the same vendor’s sharpening software Nik Sharpener Pro and noise reduction 

software Dfine 2.0, I was intending to leave this product with a mere passing mention. 

However, my technical editor insists otherwise, and on reflection I have to agree with 

him. Professional photographers love this product both for its stunning effects and its 

speed of operation. The U Point interface is very effective and speeds the workflow significantly. 

The filters themselves allow you to stylize your images in dozens of ways, most 

of them using analogies from the world of traditional film filters and processing. Although 

they need practice and good artistic judgment if you are to get the best out of them, the 

Nik filters give you superb control, unmatched convenience, and fully professional results. 

Version: Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 7–CS3, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2–6, and compatible applications 

OS: Windows 2000 Professional, XP Home Edition, XP Professional, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 

and later 

RAM: 256 MB 

Supported file formats: As host program 

Price level: Standard edition approx. $100, Select edition approx. $160, Complete edition 

approx. $300 

Address: Nik Software, Inc., 7588 Metropolitan Drive, San Diego, CA 92108, United States 

www.niksoftware.com

Summary 


There are several ways to convert images to black and white—the unsatisfactory desaturate 

method; converting to grayscale; converting to Lab mode; or using a channel mixer 

to vary the influence of each red, green, or blue channel on the final black and white 

image. The best approach is to use specialist conversion software, like the products 

described in this chapter. Only then can you get results that would impress a photographer 

who has spent years in a darkroom with papers and chemicals. Black and white 

converters can also simulate chemical processing techniques, along with the actual 

papers that were used in the pre-digital era.


14 

Art Simulators 

A close relative of special effects, art simulation is a category of software that turns realistic 

photographs into images that resemble artistic media, such as ink or pencil drawings, 

watercolors, and oil paintings. Sometimes the programs go a little bit further and start 

to imitate specific artists in these media, especially when the artist’s style lends itself to 

being copied. It is relatively easy to write a program that breaks an image into an assembly 

of dots, in the manner of French artist Georges-Pierre Seurat, but rather more difficult 

to achieve the painterly effects of Diego Velasquez. 

From an artistic point of view, it is best to regard art simulation as an experiment. It 

certainly has little to do with art. The suggestion by one vendor in its online advertising 

—that you no longer have to spend years in art college to create a beautiful drawing but 

simply click a few buttons instead—is too absurd to take seriously, yet it is possible that 

some people will be convinced by it. In the opinion of art critics, the output from art 

simulators is fake art. That is not to say it cannot make a very attractive graphic image, 

ideal for a magazine layout, or be used as an element in a real work of art. But presented 

on its own, it lacks vitality. The starting point of real art has to be the real world, whereas 

art simulation has two starting points—a photograph and a programmer’s preconceived 

notion about artistic style. 

Despite all the reservations, art simulation is a fascinating category of software. The latest 

programs can generate output that seems less wooden than the images produced by 

earlier versions. Artificial intelligence may yet outwit the art critic. The day may come 

when, in a variation on the Turing test, an art expert will not be able to tell whether a 

drawing was created by human hand or by artistic simulation. At that point, in some 

future edition of this guide, the negative comments about art simulation will changed. 

But not before.

174 


Lucis Pro 

Vendor: Image Content Technology 

Purpose: For image correction and some unusual artistic effects 

Description 

Lucis Pro (pronounced “Lou-sis Pro”) is stand-alone PC software that creates some 

highly original special effects, using a patented image-processing algorithm called 

Differential Hysteresis Processing (DHP). It reveals detail in bright and shadowed areas 

simultaneously, and provides a set of tools that allow you to change the appearance of 

the image so that it resembles (somewhat) the work of certain artists. For example, the 

Klimpt feature gives a sparkly, surrealistic effect not entirely unlike that of Gustav Klimpt. 

Winslow creates a watercolor effect and is named in honor of the great American watercolorist 

Winslow Homer. No attempt has been made to put an artist’s name to the 

Sculpture effect, although this is one of the best in the package. Applied to portrait shots, 

the effects succeed in turning a nondescript photograph into a vibrant image. 

Comments 

To say the least, Lucis Pro is an unusual piece of software. Before dismissing it as just 

another art-imitation package, you should check out the many examples on the vendor’s 

site. There is no doubt that it does have real value, more than enough to match its list 

price (which is high compared to other products in this category). However, it is one of 

the few programs of its kind that delivers unexpected and aesthetically pleasing results. 

Lucis Pro sells chiefly to professional photographers, many of whom have become highly 

skilled at using it. Some of them take original images with a view to using Lucis Pro on 

them from the outset; others choose images that seem right for this kind of treatment. 

Either way, results have been stunning (especially in the work of Californian photographer 

Charr Crail, www.charrcrail.com), pushing the boundaries of the medium further 

than is possible with conventional tools. The vendor is also introducing a new plug-in 

version called LucisArt Pro for Windows and Macintosh. Unlike a discontinued earlier 

version, this will give you the full power of Lucis Pro 5.0 within Photoshop and 

Photoshop Elements. 

Version: Lucis Pro 6.0 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB (or 5–7 times the image size) 

Supported file formats: JPEG and TIFF (not PSD) 

Price level: To be announced, LucisArt Pro approx. $600 

Address: Image Content Technology LLC., 220 Rt12, Suite 5, PMB 344, Groton, CT 06340, 

United States 

www.lucispro.com

PhotoArtist 


Purpose: Photos-into-art with mixers and manipulators, on-screen canvas, and quality filters 

Description 

PhotoArtist lets you turn digital photographs into images that resemble paintings. 

It imitates not only the look of painting but also its method: you choose a style, mix 

different styles, and apply colors with a special brush to the on-screen canvas. 

PhotoArtist generates automatic effects for those in a hurry, but the mixers and manipulators 

allow you to take your time to achieve the effect you want. 

Figure 14.1 

BenVista PhotoArtist makes photos look like paintings with the click of a button. 

Chapter 14 ■ Art Simulators 175 

Comments 

Like most vendors, BenVista allows you to try products for free before buying them. 

This is probably the best approach, because PhotoArtist will have limited functionality 

for serious artists. Nonetheless, the package is a lot of fun, and is particularly good for 

borderless portraits in which the subject blends into a plain white background.

176 


Version: PhotoArtist 2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT4, 95, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 or higher 

RAM: Windows 128MB, Mac 256MB 



Address: The Netherlands (contact by Web form) 


Sketch Master 

Vendor: Redfield Plug-in 

Purpose: Generates pictures with a realistic hand-drawn look 

Description 

Sketch Master, from Russian plug-in developer Redfield Plug-in, is real-time photo 

manipulation software that allows you to turn a photo into an image that looks as if it 

had been drawn with traditional tools such as pencil, pen, crayon, or charcoal. It uses 

separate settings for strokes, lines, and backgrounds, generating what appears to be a 

very good likeness of the sitter drawn by hand. 

You can import different textures to represent the surface on which the artwork is supposed 

to be drawn, with built-in effects for canvas, leather, crepe, rag paper, and squared 

(graph) paper. By clicking on the random generator, called Dice, you can create images 

with random settings. 

Comments 

Professional graphic artists have found Sketch Master effective and easy to use. Some 

have had reservations about the interface, which could be better laid out. However, with 

practice, it is clear that you can get some attractive results with this plug-in, as the excellent 

pictures on the vendor’s site demonstrate. 

Version: Sketch Master 3.10 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 and compatible editors 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT4, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: Moscow, Russia 

www.redfieldplugins.com

SketchMatrix 

Vendor: NeuralTek 

Purpose: Create a realistic sketch from a digital image 


Description 

From a digital photograph, SketchMatrix enables you to produce an instant picture that 

looks like a hand-drawn sketch. It also provides several tools that let you refine the 

image, adjust the color, and add glazes. 

Whereas most image-to-artwork conversion software produces a somewhat lifeless result, 

SketchMatrix uses various filters that try to mimic the human touch. The vendor calls 

it the “dynamic parameter paradigm,” meaning that you can set different parameters 

such as outline, features, shading, and detail, and the software will use the settings to 

produce variations in the result. You can also vary the color, focus, intensity, and luminance 

of the sketch, applying these effects in a real-time preview mode so that you can 

see the changes as they happen. 

SketchMatrix comes in four editions: Lite, Personal, and non-commercial/commercial 

Artist editions. The more expensive editions have additional features including Variable 

Realism and a perspective control. 

Comments 

Developed in consultation with a team of artists, SketchMatrix produces better results 

with freeform objects such as trees or fabrics than it does with the geometric shapes of 

architecture. No artist would draw a building with such perfect reproduction of shape 

and perspective—there would be no point, as photography does it better. Yet 

SketchMatrix can produce an interesting look for brochures, especially if the subject 

appears a little too ordinary in the original picture. See the SketchMatrix Website at 

www.sketchmatrix.com. 

Version: SketchMatrix 2.1 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and BMP 

Price level: Lite edition $20, Personal edition $50, Artist, non-commercial license $80, Artist, 

commercial license $200 

Address: NeuralTek, P.O. Box 582, North Ryde Business Ctr., NSW 1670, Australia 

www.blackmagic-color.com

178 


Snap Art 


Purpose: 10 Photoshop filters for stylizing photos, simulating pencil sketching, pen and ink, oils, 

and the like 

Description 

Snap Art is an art simulation package that lets you stylize your photos, turning them 

into images that simulate pen and ink sketches, or watercolor or oil paintings. It uses 

edge detection to separate objects from their backgrounds, and then it reinforces these 

outlines to create the pencil, pen and ink, or even comic book styles of drawing. With 

all these processes to carry out, Snap Art can run quite slowly. A faster version is promised 

for the future. 

Comments 

Could Georges-Pierre Seurat have created “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La 

Grande Jatte” by taking a photograph and clicking Pointillism in Alien Skin’s Snap Art? 

Probably not, but this software actually captures the surface texture of Seurat’s style quite 

well. It is even better with the comic book style of Roy Lichtenstein, and it packs a mean 

“Impasto” with swirls that would intrigue Van Gogh (or drive him to cut off the other ear). 

Reviewers have been largely unanimous in considering that Snap Art is great fun to use, 

does a good job of mimicking traditional art styles, and is reasonably good value. It is 

well worth a test drive. 

Version: Snap Art 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows—Photoshop CS or later; Photoshop Elements 3 or later; Fireworks MX 

2004 or later; Corel Paint Shop Pro XI or later; Mac—Photoshop CS2 9.0.2 or later; Photoshop 

Elements 4.0.1 or later; Fireworks CS3 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.0 or later 

RAM: 512MB 





TwistingPixels Plug-ins & Filters 

Vendor: TwistingPixels 

Purpose: Produces photo manipulation and art effects, with on-screen drawing and painting


Description 

The TwistingPixels Plug-ins & Filters allow users to turn photographs into imitations 

of paintings, or add special computer-generated effects, textures, and patterns, including 

those of unusual papers and other materials. The different modules are bundled into 

seven groups: 

■ ArtStudioPro Vol. 1. “Natural Artistic Effects,” with brush, pen, and crayon effects, 

including watercolor, crayon, and marker. 

■ ArtStudioPro Vol. 2. “Natural Artistic Effects,” with oil painting, chalk, charcoal, 

pastel, and finger painting. 

■ ArtStudioPro Classico. Selected artistic effects, including Aged Paint, Cracked 

Paint, DaVinci, and Vintage Paper. 

■ PixelCreation. “Celestial-Style & Tonal Filters,” 19 “heavenly” effects with names 

like Milky Way and Starry Night. 

■ PixelPaper. “Realistic Paper Filters,” unusual paper effects like Crinkle, “Cumple,” 

“ruch,” and Curl. 

■ PixelPack. “Incredible Visual Filters,” text extrusion effects, simulated labels, and 

fake stains like coffee cup rings. 

■ PixelSampler. “Film Style Filters,” including black and white conversion, duotone, 

tonal streak, and film grain. 

All the TwistingPixels products come as both stand-alone applications and as Photoshop 

compatible plug-ins. 

Comments 

David Gewirtz (www.zatz.com) gave the TwistingPixels Plug-ins & Filters a reasonably 

favorable review in Connected Photographer magazine, but that was back in June 2006. 

Although they offer a huge range of special effects, their user interface and documentation 

looks a little dated in comparison to the slickness of their marketing. 

Version: PixelEffect Series PixelCreation/PixelPaper/PixelPack 1.33 (2008); ArtStudioPro 1.25 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 or later, Photoshop Elements 2 or later, Fireworks MX 2004 or later, 

Windows only: Paint Shop Pro 8 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2 or higher 

RAM: 512MB 


Price level: All PixelEffect products, bundled approx. $150, with ArtStudioPro Vols. 1 and 2, 

and ArtStudioPro Classico approx. $350 

Address: techsupport@twistingpixels.com 

www.twistingpixels.com

180 


Summary 

Art simulation software attempts with some success to simulate the hand-drawn, handpainted 

appearance of artwork. Improvements in edge detection algorithms have 

produced a passable simulation of pencil sketching in some packages and plug-ins, 

whereas others generate the look of watercolors, oils, and pastels. Some go further in 

trying to imitate the techniques of individual artists, but most fail in this respect. 

Eventually, a real artist may create an original work of art using simulation software as 

a tool rather than as a one-click solution.

15 

Special Effects 

Whereas most photographic software is designed to make the image more realistic, 

special effects software introduces distortions, breaks the image into fragments, overlays 

new colors and textures, and generally moves the “viewing intent” away from reality 

towards abstraction or fantasy. 

It all sounds very promising until you look at one major snag: if you are going to create 

abstractions or fantasies, why start with photographic reality? Illustrative tools give 

far more control and they allow you to start from scratch, building the image from a 

blank page. Yet photography has always served as a shortcut to artistic expression and 

not everyone has the skill to create beautiful illustrations. Special effects software allows 

you to create visual imagery that is practically impossible to achieve in any other way. 

It was certainly never available to film photographers years ago. 

This section excludes specialist film simulation software, which has a category all of its 

own. Nonetheless, it remains a wide category, containing packages that offer useful facilities 

to the pro photographer as well as others that appeal only to hobbyists and scrapbookers. 

If you are a wedding photographer looking for new ways to frame and present 

your images, there are plenty of options to be found here. Special effects software with 

ready-made templates and customizing facilities can save you hours of work.

182 


Andromeda Photography Plug-ins 

Vendor: Andromeda Software 

Purpose: 10 Photoshop special effects plug-ins with instant clear pool reflections, rainbows, twinkles, 

and so on 

Description 

The Andromeda Photography plug-ins let you apply a range of special effects to your 

images, including unusual ones like reflecting a building in a pool of water. With some 

justification, the vendor calls its Star plug-in “the ultimate star design tool,” as it can 

add single or multiple glints, sparks, and glows to create some stunning effects. 

The other Photography plug-ins in the bundle are as follows: 

■ cMulti and sMulti—Multiple lens and kaleidoscopic effects 

■ Designs—100 single-bit textures and patterns to bend and warp 

■ Mezzo Line-Screen—Conversion to black and white mezzo lineart 

■ Diffract, Prism, and Rainbow—For light effects with geometric controls 

■ Halo—For controlled highlight diffusion 

■ Velocity—For motion effects, including multiple ghosting highlight smears and 

fade-out 

Comments 

There are some terrific optical lens effects in this collection. Like the other Andromeda 

plug-ins, they are not the cheapest of their kind but can be used professionally to 

create very commercial images. Wedding photographers should certainly consider them. 

Version: Photography Plug-Ins 2.4 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows and Mac Adobe Photoshop 5.5 and up; Photoshop Elements 1.0 and up; 

compatible editors 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT, and XP; Mac OS X/9.x 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Andromeda Software, Inc., 699 Hampshire Rd Suite 109, Westlake Village, CA 91361, 

United States 

www.andromeda.com

DreamSuite 


Purpose: Three editions of layers-based software to create graphical effects 

Chapter 15 ■ Special Effects 183 

Description 

The DreamSuite software allows you to create stunning visual imagery, using layers to 

isolate parts of the photograph while adding special textures and other effects. At the 

time of writing, the vendor is clearly working towards separating this highly successful 

product into Standard and Pro editions. Currently DreamSuite Pro is a free upgrade. It 

contains the vendor’s SmartLayers technology, which combines masking, photos, effects, 

and color correction layers into a single document. You can composite photos together, 

and then change the layer opacity, or the order of the layers, all with the help of layer 

presets that can be loaded using visual thumbnails displayed in an on-screen catalog. 

DreamSuite may appeal more to graphic designers than to photographic purists, but 

DreamSuite Series Two is aimed at graphically adventurous photographers and contains 

14 unique visual effects for enhancing their images. For example, Mesh weaves together 

strips of photos in a creative mesh effect; PhotoStrips lets you slice and overlap image 

strips; and FilmStrip makes photos look like strips of movie or slide film. 

DreamSuite Gel is more specialized, for illustrators who want the melted, radioactive 

jellybean look. 

Comments 

Describing special effects packages in words is nearly impossible. You are advised to 

check out the samples on the vendor’s Website. DreamSuite has the ability to impart an 

instant professional look to an ordinary image, simply by duplicating it and pasting it 

into a neat layout (as in the 4x5 effect of Series Two). For ads and brochures it is a useful 

tool, especially if you want a quick solution. The vendor has created some detailed training 

videos (available for purchase), which take you step-by-step through each product. 

Version: DreamSuite Series One, Series Two, DreamSuite Gel (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 4.0 and up; Photoshop Elements 1.0 or higher; compatible editors 

OS: Windows 98, NT, 2000, ME, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 9.0, native in OS X or higher 

RAM: Windows 128MB; OS 9 256MB; OS X 512MB recommended 

Supported file formats: Loads and saves PSD, TIFF, BMP, JPEG, and PNG 

Price level: Series One $200, Series Two $150, Gel $99, DreamSuite Bundle $400 


www.autofx.com

184 


Filters Unlimited 


Purpose: 382 filters, including distortions, frames, gradients, paper backgrounds, and filter 

creation 

Description 

Filters Unlimited is a huge collection of filters in a single Photoshop compatible plug-in. 

Not only do you get those supplied by the vendor, but access to 2,000 other, free 

filters via links. It is also a filter development system that lets you build your own filter 

effects, just in case you cannot find the right one in the library. 

The 382 filters come under the following headings: Buttons & Frames; Color Effects; 

Convolution and Distortion Filters; Edges; Frames; Gradients; Image Enhancement; 

Lens Effects; Noise Filters; Paper Backgrounds and Textures; Pattern Generators; Render 

(such as Smoke, Stone, and Wood); Special Effects (such as Focal Blur, Puzzle, and 

Venetian Blinds); Tile & Mirror; and Video effects. 

Figure 15.1 

Filters Unlimited will add flares, textures, frames, gradients, and hundreds of other effects.

Comments 

Filters Unlimited was launched a few years back with less than half the number of filters 

it has today. Even then, some reviewers hailed it as the most useful Photoshop utility 

they had seen. It lets you stack multiple filters and toggle between the original and 

the filtered image. Other effects packages offer special effects that are more subtle and 

original, but few of them match Filters Unlimited on quantity and value. 

Version: Filters Unlimited 2.0.3 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 3 and up, CS1, CS2, and CS3; Photoshop Elements 2 and up; Paint Shop 

Pro 5 and up; CIEBV PhotoLine 5 and up; Micrografx Picture Publisher 7 and up; Ulead Photo 

Impact 4 and up 


RAM: 128MB 





www.icnet.de 

HumanEyes Capture3D for Photographers 


Vendor: HumanEyes 

Purpose: Add depth illusion effects to ordinary photographs to simulate 3D for advertising applications 

Description 

HumanEyes Capture3D for Photographers creates a real (“peek-behind-it”) 3D image 

from pictures taken with conventional photographic equipment, including an ordinary 

digital camera and a tripod/arm. It comes with guidelines for optimizing a 3D scene, 

but once you have taken suitable pictures, it goes to work using special algorithms to 

create the 3D effect. 

Photographs taken with Capture3D can be used online or printed with the vendor’s 

PrintPro 2.0 application, which also includes the creative software. There is an upgrade 

to PrintPro for those who need it. In print form its intended use is for business cards, 

direct mail, product packaging, posters, and point of sale materials. 

Comments 

Displayed on a computer with an animation effect to “look behind” the featured objects, 

the output from Capture3D works very well, but is naturally dependent on the quality of 

the initial captures. The photographer needs to make sure that the image contains good 

depth cues from perspective, lighting, texture, occluded objects, and relative object sizes.

186 


These all help to maximize the result of changing the camera position very slightly to 

create the potential for 3D when the images are animated. Some of the examples given 

by the vendor are certainly stunning, and they play in a Java-based viewer. 

Version: HumanEyes Capture3D (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4.7 and later 

RAM: 1GB recommended for production purposes 

Supported file formats: Inputs TIFF, JPEG, and AVI; outputs TIFF, PS, EPS, and SCT 

Price level: Approx. $200, upgrade to PrintPro 2.0 $500 

Address: HumanEyes Technologies Ltd., 1-4 High Tech Village, Edmond Safra Campus, The 

Hebrew University, Givat Ram, Israel 

HumanEyes Technologies Inc., 366 North Broadway, Suite 410-C1, Jericho, NY 11753, United 

States 

www.humaneyes.com 

Mystical Lighting 


Purpose: Photo-realistic lighting and shading effects for digital images 

Description 

Mystical Lighting is a package of 16 visual lighting effects with over 400 presets, all 

designed to make images look more dramatic or visually interesting. It lets you add edge 

highlights, soft diffused lighting effects, or even glowing fireflies to the image. The 

Surface Light feature can cast light through objects on to the background or across the 

whole picture, whereas Mottled Background gives a painted canvas effect that makes an 

attractive backdrop for a portrait. 

There are dozens of features in Mystical Lighting to help you, including adjustable previews 

with a 1600% marquee zoom capability, layers, unlimited undos, visual presets, 

masking, and dynamic effect controls. You can save and replay your most successful 

effect settings, reducing the time it takes to enhance further images. Memory Dots recall 

your previous settings—just click on one of them to go back in time. 

The effects are Edge Highlights, Ethereal, FairyDust, Flare, Light Brush, Light Caster, 

Mist, Mottled Background, Radial Light Caster, Rainbow, Shader, Shading Brush, 

ShadowPlay, Spotlight, Surface Light, and Wispy Mist. 

Comments 

Among special effects packages, this is one of the best. Most reviewers gave it a very high 

rating when it first appeared, although many of them complained about the interface, which 

is non-standard in Photoshop plug-in mode. The Memory Dot undo is cute, but limited.

But the effects themselves are outstanding if you have the skill to use them properly. In 

the right hands, it can help to produce highly professional results. 

Version: Mystical Lighting 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 4.0 CS; Photoshop Elements 1.0 or higher; compatible editors 

OS: Windows 98, NT, 2000, ME, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 9.0, native in OS X 

RAM: Windows 128MB, OS 9 256MB, OS X 512MB recommended 





Photo Aging Kit 



Purpose: Make today’s photos look like they belonged to Grandpa, complete with stains 

Description 

Forget photo restoration; how about some photo destruction instead? Photo Aging Kit 

lets you take a modern digital image and make it look a hundred years old or more. You 

can add a crumpled effect, stains, blotches, coffee cup rings, dust, dirt, scratches, and 

old-looking photo edges. If the color, saturation, and sharpness from your DSLR are 

too good (as they certainly will be), you can adjust them to make them substantially 

worse. There are 16 filters to help you create the perfect ancient photo. 

Comments 

Fun, free, and capable of faking old photos with uncanny accuracy, Photo Aging Kit 

will surely be used for both artistic and nefarious purposes. The only snag is that it 

requires you to buy Filters Unlimited, the vendor’s general-purpose filter package. 

Version: Photo Aging Kit 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 3 and up; Photoshop Elements 2 and up; Paint Shop Pro 5 and up; 

CIEBV PhotoLine 5 and up; Micrografx Picture Publisher 7 and up; U-Lead Photo Impact 4 

and up 


RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Free (requires Filters Unlimited 2.0) 



www.icnet.de

188 


Photo/Graphic Edges 


Purpose: Set of 14 photographic effects that give images a unique, artistic look 

Description 

Photo/Graphic Edges 6.0 comes with a massive collection of 10,000 Edges, 1,000 Matte 

Textures, 175 Frames, 230 Effect Brushes, and 210 Light Tiles that have been created 

professionally using the software’s 14 edge effects. Of course, it is not just edges—once 

you have defined an edge, you (or the software) can fill in the areas defined by the edges. 

Built around SmartLayers technology, Photo/Graphic Edges allows you to turn on, turn 

off, clone, move, and add new layers. All the effects are non-destructive, with multiple 

levels of undo, no matter how many times you make editing changes. 

Comments 

Photo/Graphic Edges has much in common with the vendor’s other software: similar 

interface, same platforms, system requirements, even price. But this one has been 

updated repeatedly, making it quite good value, especially with all the additional content. 

Stand-alone and plug-in versions are both included. 

Version: Photo/Graphic Edges 6.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 4.0 CS; Photoshop Elements 1.0 or higher; compatible editors 

OS: Windows 98, NT, 2000, ME, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 9.0, native in OS X or higher 

RAM: Windows 128MB, OS 9 256MB, OS X 512MB recommended 

Supported file formats: Loads and saves PSD, TIFF, BMP, JPEG, GIF, and PNG 




PhotoFrame Pro 


Purpose: Specialist framing software that adds border and edge effects to images 

Description 

PhotoFrame Pro gives you (literally) thousands of options for adding border and edge 

effects to complement your images, all with real-time preview. Some of the frames are 

brought together in special collections, chosen by well-known photographers. The interface 

allows you to find the right frame easily in a browser, while a preview grid lets you 

compare multiple frames at once. Adventurous people can even use the random frame 

generator, in the hope that serendipity will make the decision for them.


Comments 

Bearing in mind that these are virtual frames rather than actual frames, PhotoFrame Pro 

is not cheap. But then, as a virtual framing tool it could scarcely be better or more comprehensive. 

Its appeal is to professional portrait or wedding photographers who want to 

offer novelty finishes to their prints. The vendor also offers the same product in a standard 

edition, minus the designer collections. 

Version: PhotoFrame Pro 3.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS and later; Photoshop Elements 3 and later 

OS: Windows 2000, XP SP2, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Those of the host program 

Price level: Approx. $260, Standard edition approx. $160 

Address: onOne Software, 15350 SW Sequoia Pkwy., Suite 190, Portland, OR 97224, United 

States 


Figure 15.2 

PhotoFrame Pro is the Rolls-Royce of virtual framing tools: pricey but luxurious.

190 

Pixel Ribs McFilters 

Vendor: Pixel Ribs 

Purpose: A set of 14 mask-controlled special effects filters for Photoshop 

Description 

Pixel Ribs McFilters use the selection mask as part of the filtering process to create some 

unusual special effects, each of which has been given a “Mc” name. This has nothing to 

do with Macintosh but stands for “Mask Controlled.” Hence, the McClouds filter uses 

the selection mask to modulate the frequency and visibility of 2D “clouds” (fractal 

noise). McGamma applies gamma correction to the image, modulating the gamma 

parameter with the selection mask. 

Other features are called McTwirl, McSharpen, McBlur, McGel, McHue, McMotionBlur, 

McLens, McZoomBlur, McScatter, McCels, and McTurbulence. They are all brought 

together in a consistent user interface that is easy for anyone to operate. 

Comments 

If McTurbulence sounds likes a truculent Glaswegian, it is actually a special effect created 

by modulating the turbulence parameter of the selection mask. McFilters use the 

mask in various ways, sometimes as a height map (as in McGel and McLens), or again 

as a weight map (McBlur and McMotionBlur). All the effects are intriguing; one or two 

are outstanding. 

Version: Pixel Ribs McFilters 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 4 or higher 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP; Mac OS 9.2.1 or higher (with Carbon Library), 

OS X 10.2 or higher 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: Pixel Ribs d.o.o., Vlaska 79, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia 

www.pixelribs.com 

splat! 



Purpose: A filter set for Photoshop that creates frames, textures, edges, borders, and mosaics 

Description 

splat! comes with 200MB of graphics content, enabling the photographer or designer 

to add frames, edges, borders, mosaics, or textures to create a huge range of effects.

■ The framing utility alone allows you to choose among 100 frames, including 

traditional wood frames, Dover, and geometric borders. 

■ Edging provides decorative edge effects, such as halftone dots, torn paper, and 

pixelated edges. 

■ Border Stamp adds realistic drop shadows and other effects, including a facility for 

using any object (pebble, pill, ticket, and so on) as a border decoration to be replicated 

around the photo. Fill Stamp does the same inside the image. 

■ Mosaic features in the Patchwork module include light pegs, ASCII art, ceramic 

tile, and cross-stitch. 

■ Texture facilities are called “Resurface” in splat!—perhaps to underline the fact that 

photographers can use this package as well as designers who start with a blank page. 

Among the textures are paper, concrete, leather, brick, stone, metal, and wood. 

Comments 

This package appears to be aimed more at the scrapbooking market than at people who 

pursue serious photography. Like all Alien Skin products, there is plenty of bang for the 

buck, if rather too much bang for some tastes. Because of the huge size of the content 

files the vendor supplies the software on disk, with additional frame archives available 

online from many sources. 

Version: splat! 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows and Mac—Photoshop 5.0 or later, Photoshop Elements 2.0 or later, 

Fireworks 3.0 or later; Windows only—Paint Shop Pro 5.0 or later; CADLink SignLab 7.5 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.0 or later 

RAM: 128MB 





Still Effects 


Vendor: Mega-Graphic Digitals 

Purpose: Photoshop effects archive, on DVD and online, for professional photographers 

Description 

Still Effects is an online Photoshop effects library for professional designers and photographers, 

also available on DVD. It offers visual effects that can be added to images 

such as wedding or portrait photographs, poster prints, or Web graphics. All the effects

192 


are ready-to-use, but you can customize them without any restrictions. The vendor lets 

you change the color, transparency, shape, size, or resolution of the effect, or even combine 

them by dropping them on top of each other. 

The purely photographic effects have names like HighKey Mask, Translucent, Chalk, 

Hand-Printed, and Polaroid, which give some idea of what they look like. There are also 

other categories, such as Artistic Media, Graphic Print, Fabrics, and Nostalgie, each with 

several different styles. 

Comments 

Some wedding photographers say they have scoured the Internet for these kind of 

effects, without success until finding this online/DVD selection from the Netherlands. 

Others report that their sales of enlargements have increased since using them. The 

designs are undeniably attractive, being slightly understated in comparison to most of 

those available. They are definitely worth a look. 

Version: Still Effects Premium Version 3 (2008) 

Requires: Photoshop 7 and above; Photoshop Elements (all) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS 9 and OS X 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: DVD version approx. $260 

Address: Mega-Graphic Digitals, P.O. Box 4843, NL 4803 EV, Breda, The Netherlands 

www.stilleffects.com 

Xenofex 2 


Purpose: Special effects creation package for photographers, Web designers, and graphic artists 

Description 

Xenofex 2 is a special effects creation package that lets you make complex distortions 

of the image, transform your photos into jigsaw puzzles, or simulate natural phenomena 

such as lightning and clouds. The Filters have evocative names, which give you a 

good idea of what they do—Constellation, Electrify, Lightning, Little Fluffy Clouds, 

Crumple, Flag, Puzzle, Shatter, Stain, Television, Burnt Edges, Classic Mosaic, Cracks, 

and Rip Open. 

Xenofex 2 uses the same interface as the vendor’s Eye Candy 4000, familiar to many 

users.

Comments 

Xenofex 2 is a lot of fun. It needs a fast machine with more RAM than the vendor recommends. 

The effects are first rate, easily capable of producing publication-quality 

work. Some of them are wonderfully subtle. The Stains filter adds precisely the sort of 

effect that photo restoration software is designed to eliminate. 

Version: Xenofex 2.2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows—Photoshop 6.0 or later; Photoshop Elements 2.0 or later; Fireworks CS3 

or later; Corel Paint Shop Pro 7.0 or later, CADLink SignLab 7.5; Mac—Photoshop CS3, 

Photoshop Elements 4.0.1 or later 


RAM: 64MB (see text) 



Address: Alien Skin, 1111 Haynes Street, Suite 113, Raleigh, NC 27604 


Summary 


Digital images are infinitely malleable, the only limitations being the imagination of 

artists and the tools at their disposal. One of those tools, usually packaged as a collection, 

is special effects software. This is a category that is even more fun to use than art 

simulation, being less constrained by the appearance of the output. The descriptions in 

this chapter speak for themselves—kaleidoscopic, prism, blur, and diffract (in the 

Andromeda Photography plug-ins) and smoke, stone, wood, and puzzle (in Filters 

Unlimited). They appeal to home users and scrapbookers, but some packages like Still 

Effects from Mega-Graphic Digitals are aimed at the busy professional who wants to 

add pizzazz to wedding pictures. Whatever package you choose, generic eye candy is not 

inexpensive, with most collections costing in the range of $100–$300.


Many people who upgrade to a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera from a pointand-shoot 

camera are disappointed to find that the images appear less sharp. The reason 

for this phenomenon (the lack of sharpness, not the disappointment) is because pointand-shoot 

cameras impose a greater degree of sharpening as a matter of course. DSLRs 

give you a choice of whether to use the manufacturer’s routines or carry out the process 

yourself on a computer. The latter is by far the better approach, especially with today’s 

excellent choice of sharpening software. 

What Is Sharpness? 

16 

Sharpening Software 

In digital photography, sharpness is essentially a combination of acutance and resolution, 

the first being mainly a function of the lens and the second a function of the sensor. 

The two concepts are closely interlinked, but acutance relates to edge contrast—to 

the boundaries between areas of different tones or colors—whereas resolution relates 

to overall detail. 

Pixel resolution is the overriding factor in sharpness, but contrast comes second, with 

uniform noise a distant third. Because the human visual system pays particular attention 

to the edges of objects, this is where we are most likely to notice any lack of sharpness 

in a photograph. Sharpening software concentrates on the edges, trying to make them 

absolutely distinct.

196 


Methods 

The classic method for improving edge definition has long been unsharp masking, 

which replicates a darkroom effect in which a negative is masked by a slightly out-offocus 

(unsharp) duplicate. It creates a deliberate halo effect at edges by accentuating the 

intensities of adjacent pixels. 

Most software now offers alternatives to the unsharp mask, mainly because an exaggerated 

halo effect can be unattractive, especially when applied right across the image. Two 

alternatives are edge masking, to isolate the edges before applying any sharpening routines, 

and the high-pass sharpening filter, which can be applied to a Photoshop layer. 

Human error is the cause of much unsharpness in photographs: poor focusing, motion 

blur, and camera shake. To some extent, these can also be corrected with specialized processing, 

as proved by Focus Magic from Acclaim Software. Other packages provide RAW 

pre-sharpening, camera-specific settings, and even a different kind of sharpening routine 

for each stage of the workflow. It is all here, in the packages described in this chapter. 

See also the section entitled “Picture Cooler” in Chapter 17, “Noise Reduction”. 

CrispImage Pro 


Purpose: Sharpening tool with six algorithms, including a proprietary method 

Description 

CrispImage Pro is sharpening software that offers six algorithms and improves on unsharp 

masking with “the CrispImage proprietary algorithm.” The control panel gives you four 

slider controls: strength (affects the intensity of change in pixel values), threshold (sets 

level below which no change to a pixel is made), halo limit (controls halo size), and standard 

deviation (modifies the influence of surrounding pixels at varying distances). 

As a Photoshop Action, CrispImage applies a standard sharpening process. When you 

open an image in it, you can then use the controls to modify the sharpening as you please. 

There are three CrispImage editions: a basic plug-in for Windows, the Pro plug-in 

(discussed here), and a marginally more expensive Advanced plug-in with 16-bits-perchannel 

support in grayscale, RGB, Lab, and CMYK. 

Comments 

CrispImage Pro has been used by photo enthusiasts for several years and is now available 

in various editions at a range of prices. It is easy to use, creates crisp-looking output, 

and is definitely worth adding to Photoshop Elements. Typical comments from three 

users are: “[CrispImage Pro] makes natural looking images,” “makes a big difference,” 

and “[provides] good halo control.”

Version: CrispImage Pro 1.1 (2007) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 and above; Photoshop Elements 


RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Standard version $25, Pro version $60, Advanced version $70 (all approx.) 



FixerBundle 

Vendor: FixerLabs 

Purpose: A bundle of four Photoshop plug-ins for fixing focus, shadow, noise, and blur issues 

Description 

FixerBundle is a collection of four pro-level plug-ins: 

Chapter 16 ■ Sharpening Software 197 

■ FocusFixer, an image-sharpening tool that uses the vendor’s LensFIT technology to 

restore detail and add clarity to the image. It can be used on specific parts of the 

image; it removes focus blur; and it works on both 8-bit (24-bit RGB) and 16-bit 

(48-bit RGB) images. The FocusFixer panel has Deblur (0 to 40 increments) and 

Threshold slider controls, together with pull-down menus to select the make and 

model of camera. 

■ ShadowFixer, for correcting exposure problems when there are very light and very 

dark areas of the image. The ShadowFixer panel has Radius (0 to 100 increments) 

and Amount (0% to 100%) slider controls. You can enhance a bounded area within 

an image, moving the sliders to find the “sweet spot” that gives the best result. 

■ NoiseFixer removes noise or “grain” from images, with separate algorithms for 

chrominance and luminance. The NoiseFixer panel has side-by-side before/after 

previews of both color and grayscale details. 

■ TrueBlur adds realistic softness to images, using Exif data to gain information about 

the make and model of camera. The TrueBlur panel has two controls: one to blur 

the image and one to add blending noise. 

Comments 

The FixerBundle plug-ins are advanced tools for serious photographers and they can 

make a real improvement to images that are already high quality. They are not intended 

for correcting common errors. All four plug-ins have been received very enthusiastically 

by the professional photographic press. The British referred to the “enormous improvement 

in image quality” achieved by FocusFixer. Much the same could (and has) been

198 


said of the other plug-ins, especially ShadowFixer, which can illuminate deep shade more 

effectively than any adjustment in Photoshop. 

Version: (Windows) FixerBundle 1.7, (Mac) FixerBundle 1.3 (as of 2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop and compatible editors, including (Windows version only) Paint Shop 

Pro; some host programs “work to some extent,” others do not—see Website for details 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, NT, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: TIFF and JPEG 


Address: FixerLabs, Watford, United Kingdom 

www.fixerlabs.com 

FocalBlade 


Purpose: Sharpening tool with many other effects, including blur and glow 

Description 

FocalBlade generates sharpening, soft-focus, blur, and glow effects, using automatic, 

semiautomatic, and manual tools. Unlike its rivals it does not use unsharp masking, the 

main reason for which, says the developer, is to avoid increasing color noise. It is around 

half the price of PhotoKit Sharpener, but has many similar features including slider controls 

for sharpening, setting radius, softening, fixing shadows, and highlights, plus several 

masking options. It lets you work at the sub-pixel level using radius values below 

0.1 pixel. One particularly useful feature is its display of several split view modes so that 

you can compare original and sharpened versions side-by-side with variations of the current 

settings. 

Comments 

Very well received by the photographic media (typical remarks have called it “a gem” 

that “should be in every serious photographer’s tool chest”), it has a reputation for 

excellent sharpening without introducing unwanted artifacts such as halo effects. 

Version: Windows FocalBlade 1.04, Mac OS X 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, Photo-Paint, 

Fireworks, and so on (see vendor’s compatibility list for full details) 





www.photocorrection.com

Focus Magic 

Vendor: Acclaim Software 

Purpose: Photo sharpening editor to correct out-of-focus photos 


Description 

Focus Magic can help you fix images that are slightly out-of-focus or have been affected 

by camera shake. It is useful for restoring old photographs that exhibit these faults, but 

equally you can use it as a workflow option to correct recent errors. 

Rather than use a simple unsharp mask for image sharpening, Focus Magic reverses the 

process by which the image became blurred in the first place. The vendor has made a 

study of all the different types of blur: motion blur, focus blur, camera shake, and so 

on, and has analyzed their different characteristics in order to create software to counteract 

them. The result is Focus Magic, a package that can be used forensically to recover 

detail, especially in images affected by unidirectional motion blur. 

A despeckle filter and one for increasing the resolution of the image are included in the 

stand-alone version of Focus Magic. 

Figure 16.1 

Focus Magic can correct for camera shake or when an image is slightly out of focus.

200 


Comments 

Focus Magic takes a sensible approach to image sharpening by finding the root cause 

of the blur. It really does work, as Keith Cooper of Northlight Images (www.northlightimages.co.uk) 

attests. Although the processing tends to be slow, it succeeds in reducing 

blur to the extent that images can be printed significantly larger than would otherwise 

be possible. The best policy is to avoid the error in the first place, but Focus Magic is 

an excellent emergency repair tool. 

Version: Focus Magic 3.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Corel PhotoPaint, Ulead PhotoImpact, and others 


RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Stand-alone version JPEG; plug-in version as host 


Address: Acclaim Software Ltd., P.O. Box 51-722, Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand 

www.focusmagic.com 

Intellisharpen 


Purpose: Provides halo-less sharpening, edge sharpening, luminance sharpening, and mode sharpening 

Description 

Intellisharpen is sharpening software that offers a full set of sharpening tools, brought 

together within an intuitive interface. It promises halo-less sharpening, edge sharpening, 

luminance sharpening, and mode sharpening, among others, with options to 

sharpen fine detail. The vendor has done a lot of the hard work for you by providing 

100 Intellisharpen intensity levels and 100 sharpen fine detail levels. You can select 

between high and low ISO settings, control halo size, and remove chroma noise. 

Comments 

Intellisharpen I was a first-rate sharpener, and Intellisharpen II (revised versions of which 

revert to Arabic numerals such as 2.5) is even better. Its output is demonstrably good, 

as you can see from the vendor’s site and from before/after images submitted to forums. 

It has all the main features you would expect from a quality tool, plus some extras like 

the Intensity Tweak slider that lets you make last-minute adjustments to a selected intensity 

level. It is an excellent value. 

Version: Intellisharpen 2.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 6 and up; Photoshop Elements 1, 2, and 3 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X

RAM: 128MB 




www.fredmiranda.com 

Nik Sharpener Pro 



Purpose: Specialist tool that takes account of image content, intended media, and other variables 

before sharpening 

Description 

Nik Sharpener Pro lets you sharpen 16-bit images without having to reduce them to 8 

bits. It offers RAW pre-sharpening, followed by selective sharpening of specific areas, 

using a Wacom tablet if necessary, at the “creative” stage. It takes particular account of 

image detail and detail relationships; the intended print process, including resolution 

of the output device and substrate type/characteristics; and viewing characteristics, including 

intended display distance and the personal preferences of the artist creating the print. 

Designed for professionals, Nik Sharpener Pro is substantially more expensive than some 

of its rivals, with a choice of a complete edition for all media or a (mainly) inkjet edition 

that also copes with Web and other electronic output. It has an easy-to-use interface, 

with simple slider controls to adjust parameters at the output stage such as viewing distance, 

paper type, and printer resolution. 

Comments 

Nik Sharpener Pro has been highly acclaimed in the photographic press. If you want to 

avoid inappropriate sharpening, over-sharpening, or ineffective sharpening, this is a product 

that can help. Developed by Nils Kokemohr (astrophysicist, painter, photographer, 

and cellist), it has many users completely hooked, such is the improvement it makes to 

the print quality of an image. The secret is in the fine-tuning, as Nik Sharpener Pro helps 

you optimize the image by taking into account the capabilities of the output device. 

Version: Nik Sharpener Pro 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 4 and up, Photoshop Elements, Corel Paint Shop Pro and Painter, 

Ulead PhotoImpact 

OS: Windows 98 SE, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.1.5 or later 





www.niksoftware.com

202 


PhotoKit Sharpener 


Purpose: A workflow tool that looks after sharpening from image capture to output 

Description 

PhotoKit Sharpener is more than just a set of sharpening tools. It is a workflow product 

that lets you take care of sharpening at each stage, from image capture to output. 

The developers have grouped its capabilities into three phases: “capture,” “creative,” and 

“output” sharpening. To avoid confusion, they also recommend that you let this plug-in 

handle all sharpening throughout the workflow. Processes are completely non-destructive, 

working on currently visible layers as the source for the effect. 

Capture sharpening concentrates on the midtones, applying relatively little sharpening 

to highlights and shadows. Various sets of effects may be applied at this early stage, each 

set having SuperFine, Narrow, Medium, and Wide Edge Sharpen effects, suitable for a 

wide range of subjects. 

Creative sharpening tools allow you to sharpen parts of the image selectively. You must 

vary the opacity and flow of the layer masks brush. Fog, diffusion, and smoothing 

brushes let you tone down the effect. Among the “heavy duty” sharpening effects are 

edge, luminance, and high-pass sharpen, plus super sharpener and super grain at five 

ISO levels. 

PhotoKit’s output sharpener caters for halftone, inkjet, and continuous tone (contone) 

printing, as well as for Web and multimedia output. 

Comments 

PhotoKit Sharpener is highly regarded by many professional photographers, if not quite 

as widely acclaimed as Nik Sharpener Pro. It has been created by a far-flung team of 

individuals (Jeff Schewe, Bruce Fraser, Andrew Rodney, Martin Evening, Seth Resnick, 

and Mike Skurski) who live and work in various parts of the United States or Britain. 

The product is well supported with detailed information about sharpening in general 

as well as how to use this particular tool; users should see the Website for sample workflows. 

Images treated with PhotoKit Sharpener do not look overdone, even when you 

add one of the “Super Grain” effects. It is a good value and gives pleasing results. 

Version: PhotoKit Sharpener 1.2.6 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7.0 and up; does not run on Photoshop Elements; needs CS, CS2, and 

CS3 for 16-bit/channel RGB images 

OS: Windows XP Home/Pro, and Vista; Mac OS X; earlier versions—Windows 98 and above 

and Mac 9.1 and above—will run Photoshop 7.0 plug-in 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, and Adobe PDS



www.pixelgenius.com 

SharpiePRO 


Purpose: Sharpen/blur the image using “contrast enhancement,” “luminance blur,” and “pixel 

punch” filters 

Description 

Sharpie is a sharpen/blur plug-in for the RAW converter Bibble Pro, which, with Sean 

Puckett’s numerous plug-ins, is rapidly becoming an image editor. Three Sharpie filters 

contribute “contrast enhancement,” “luminance blur,” and “pixel punch” to the image, 

improving pixel detail while reducing artifacts and noise. 

The so-called pixel punch feature has been designed to enhance pixel-level “pop,” the 

quality so admired by the gritty realist school of photography. It works only on fullsized 

images, not those destined for the Web. The Pro edition of the software also contains 

a Detail Filter, which combines the other filters into one slider. Using it has the 

effect of recovering fine detail in the image. 

Comments 

Many photographers found SharpiePRO to be an effective tool even before the major 

2.0 update in 2007. With its additional features, it sharpens images with greater subtlety, 

especially those that are reasonably sharp already. Although there is a freeware edition, 

the Pro edition is essential and a very good value. 

Version: SharpiePRO 1.2; (Pro edition) 2.0 (as of 2008) 

Plugs into: Bibble Pro (upgrade when Bibble upgrades) 

OS: As host 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Standard version free; Pro version $20 


www.nexi.com/178 

Summary 


Because the human visual system is so good at detecting the edges of objects, we are 

acutely aware of how sharp a photographic image appears to be when we scrutinize it.

204 


Both the lens and the sensor play a role in determining sharpness. It is with those components 

that you first need to address the sharpness issue. In post-production, the use 

of sharpening software can improve good images and rescue poor ones. Specialist software 

like Focus Magic can help remove camera shake and motion blur, whereas mainstream 

sharpeners like Nik Sharpener Pro and PhotoKit Sharpener are widely used by professionals 

whose images rarely suffer from those faults. Good image editors also have sharpening 

facilities, but specialist software is among the best in this category.

In digital photography, noise is an unwanted pattern of pixels, usually a speckle pattern 

of random pixels, especially visible in images taken in low-light conditions at a high ISO 

setting. Camera manufacturers have been successful in keeping it to a minimum, especially 

Canon with its full-frame DSLRs. However, noise can still be obtrusive in images from 

cameras using smaller format sensors and often needs to be treated in post-processing. 

Software typically begins by analyzing the individual image, creating a “noise profile” 

to indicate just what type of noise is affecting picture quality. For example, there is the 

standard “read-out” noise generated by the amplification of the signal, but there is also 

“thermal noise” caused by electrons leaking from the image sensor. Scanned images from 

film-based photographs may show “grain,” which is often considered to be more attractive 

than digital noise but may still need to be eliminated from some pictures. Film grain 

shows up clearly in bright areas as well in shadows, but digital noise is more apparent 

in the dark parts of the image. Any degree of underexposure will make high-ISO noise 

worse in a digital picture. 

Software Solutions 

17 

Noise Reduction 

Clever software goes a long way toward banishing noise from digital images, although 

theoretically there is always a trade-off in using it. In practice, however, software such 

as Neat Image from ABSoft, Noise Ninja from PictureCode, and Image Doctor from 

Alien Skin can restore an otherwise unusable picture to publication quality. 

Noise reduction software is not very expensive but it can make a dramatic improvement 

to the image. The best packages are “edge aware,” meaning that they can detect and preserve 

the edges of objects depicted in the photograph. Every developer promises to 

“reduce noise while preserving fine detail,” but some are more successful at this than

206 

others. It is a competitive market, with claims and counter-claims, but all the major 

brands are effective whether they are wavelet-based or use alternative algorithms for 

finding and eliminating noise. 

Different brands may be either plug-ins for Photoshop or stand-alone packages. Some, 

like Neat Image, are available in both versions. Photoshop itself has noise reduction 

capabilities, but research into this topic is ongoing in many companies—hence the 

appearance of new solutions from time to time. 

Dfine 



Purpose: A set of tools for reducing noise and optimizing detail in digital images 

Figure 17.1 

Dfine is shown here denoising an image taken in poor light at ISO 800. 

Description 

The vendor makes noise reduction an easy-to-use, four-step process with Dfine, a package 

that lets you correct luminance noise, chrominance noise, and JPEG artifacts. It has 

fully professional features such as noise analysis, with optimization using camera-specific 

profiles. With these tools you can control the relationships between detail, noise, and 

color, thereby maximizing the quality of the image.

Dfine 2.0 allows you to apply noise reduction selectively, as it incorporates the vendor’s 

ingenious U Point technology. With this technique you select control points on those 

objects you want to adjust, and then use the slider controls that are overlaid on the 

image. Automatic camera profiling is another feature of version 2.0, making it unnecessary 

to purchase camera profiles separately. 

The 40-page User Guide is both comprehensive and useful. Among its good advice for 

keeping noise at bay, it mentions Four Golden Rules, as follows: 

■ Turn off in-camera noise reduction 

■ Turn off in-camera sharpening 

■ Use flash in low light 

■ Avoid above-average in-camera contrast settings 

Comments 

All software from Nik Software is highly regarded in the industry, especially Nik 

Sharpener Pro. This package provides some extremely powerful tools for dealing with 

noise, using the most efficient and up-to-date methods. It has been significantly 

improved in version 2.0 by the addition of U Point technology. There are one or two 

niggles with the interface: a less-than-perfect zoom tool that requires Ctrl> - to de-zoom, 

although it zooms to 100 percent and 300 percent with clicks on the image. But minor 

points aside, this is a superb tool for denoising those images that need it. 

Version: Dfine 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows Photoshop 7 and up, Photoshop Elements 2–4, Corel Paint Shop Pro and 

Painter, Ulead PhotoImpact; Mac Photoshop CS2 and above 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and later 





www.niksoftware.com 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM 

Chapter 17 ■ Noise Reduction 207 


Purpose: Reduces noise in both highlight and shadow areas without sacrificing image detail 

Description 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM (GEM stands for “Grain Equalization and Management”) is 

part of a suite of image-enhancement plug-ins that are sold separately, the others being

208 


DIGITAL SHO for fixing exposures, DIGITAL ROC to restore color balance, and the 

related DIGITAL GEM Airbrush Professional for removing skin blemishes. As well as 

noise reduction, DIGITAL GEM offers soft-focus effects and image sharpening, and lets 

you remove line-screening patterns from scanned images, and JPEG compression artifacts. 

The professional version of DIGITAL GEM is twice as expensive but adds a new 

grain/noise reducing algorithm, 16-bit support, and an improved user interface with a 

bigger noise preview screen. 

Comments 

DIGITAL GEM was developed originally by Applied Science Fiction of Austin, Texas, 

which Kodak acquired in 2003. There is always a danger that a small product (or even 

a whole product line) might get lost in a multi-billion dollar company, and certainly 

the branding of this one reduces it to the standard Kodak style. It should be more distinctive, 

having won both the DIMA “Innovative Product and American Photo Editor’s 

Choice Award” (Software) in 2003. Tests and reviews have shown it to be both effective 

and easy to use. 

Version: Kodak DIGITAL GEM 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5.0 and up; Photoshop Elements 1.0 and up; Windows only—Paint Shop 

Pro 7 and up 


RAM: 256MB 




www.asf.com 

Neat Image 

Vendor: ABSoft 

Purpose: Highly automated noise reduction software with device noise profiling 

Description 

Neat Image has some of the most advanced algorithms for noise reduction. The vendor 

claims it goes beyond even the relatively new wavelet-based methods offered by other 

vendors. The Neat Image software builds “device noise profiles,” thereby adapting noise 

reduction to the specific imaging device such as a DSLR or a scanner. These noise profiles, 

not unlike the concept of color profiles, are now available for many different devices 

including cameras from Canon, Casio, Contax, Epson, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Kyocera, 

Leica, Konika-Minolta, Mamiya, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Ricoh, Samsung, 

Sanyo, Sigma, Sony, and Toshiba.

Neat Image comes both as a stand-alone program and as a plug-in for innumerable 

image editors. For example, as a Photoshop plug-in it can apply noise reduction and 

sharpening in a layer, channel, or selection. There are three editions: Demo (freeware 

edition with limited functionality), Home (with support for 24-bit images), and Pro 

(with support for both 24- and 48-bit images). Both Home and Pro are also available 

with the Photoshop-compatible plug-in. 

Comments 

Just a glance at the samples given on the ABSoft Website indicates how effective is Neat 

Image, even without reading the endorsements by leading photographers. Neat Image 

can even clean up captured TV frames, completely removing color banding and other 

artifacts without destroying detail. Users have access to an extensive profile library where 

other expert users have donated the profile sets they have created. 

Version: Windows Neat Image 5.9 (2008); Mac 4.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7 and greater; Photoshop Elements 2 and greater; Ulead PhotoImpact; 

Serif PhotoPlus; Corel Paint Shop Pro; Microsoft Digital Image Suite and other image editors 

OS: Windows, all versions; Mac OS X 

RAM: 160MB or more 

Supported file formats: Stand-alone edition—TIFF, JPEG, and BMP; Photoshop plug-in—any 

format that can be opened by the host software, including PSD, JPEG 2000, RAW, and DNG 

Price level: Windows stand-alone Home version $30, with plug-in $50, Pro standalone $60, Pro 

version with plug-in $75, Mac Home plug-in $35, Mac Pro plug-in $60 

Address: info@neatimage.com 

www.neatimage.com 

Noise Ninja 


Vendor: PictureCode 

Purpose: Top-rated noise reduction software, with camera-specific profiles and a Noise brush 

Description 

Noise Ninja consistently rates as one of the best noise-reduction packages, and often 

occupies the top spot in comparative reviews. It strikes a good balance between noise 

suppression and detail preservation, which is one of the necessities of this software category. 

Its tools include automatic and manual noise analysis, camera-specific profiles, 

and a feature called the Noise brush, which lets you undo the global noise reduction of 

specific parts of the image. You can therefore restore fine detail without letting the noise 

creep back into the rest of the picture. 

Based on new advances in wavelet theory, Noise Ninja can produce a two-stop gain in 

image quality, allowing photographers to shoot at ISO levels they would not normally

210 


consider. The new algorithms have largely overcome the tendency of conventional 

wavelets to create artifacts like halos, ringing, or color bleeding in high-contrast edges. 

Noise Ninja achieves smooth results, even in low-ISO images. 

State-of-the-art noise reduction requires device profiling because noise differs from one 

device to another. Noise Ninja has all the necessary data to tell it how different cameras 

behave at various high-ISO levels, and it provides the correct filtering to counteract any 

tendency to accentuate noise at certain color frequencies. Equally, it provides separate control 

over color and luminance channels—another necessity for advanced noise reduction. 

Noise Ninja is available in stand-alone and plug-in versions. 

Figure 17.2 

Noise Ninja uses wavelet technology to reduce digital noise. 

Comments 

With over 450 authorized resellers, PictureCode is the market leader in noise reduction, 

and deservedly so. Founded by computer scientist Dr. Jim Christian, it has specialized 

in this one aspect of image enhancement with demonstrably great results. Noise Ninja 

is used by most of the major newspapers and has found a market among both professional 

photographers and top amateurs. 

Version: Stand-alone—Noise Ninja 2.1.1, plug-in—2.2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 7 and above; Photoshop Elements; compatible host applications 

OS: Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, and XP; Mac OS X (Intel and PowerPC); Linux x86

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and TIFF: Uncompressed 8- and 16-bit channels (24/48-bit 

pixels), RGB/monochrome 

Price level: Home stand-alone $35, Home bundle (plug-in) $45, Pro stand-alone $70, Pro 

bundle (plug-in) $80 

Address: PictureCode LLC, 7610-B Highway 71 West, Austin, TX 78735, United States 

www.picturecode.com 

Noiseware 



Purpose: Noise-reduction software with an intelligent batch-processing capability that learns as 

it processes 

Description 

The more you process images in Noiseware, the better it gets. This is because it has a 

learning capability that accustoms itself to the various types of picture taken by the 

photographer. Using Exif data it identifies image variables such as acquisition device 

parameters and shooting conditions, and then builds a noise profile that it constantly 

adjusts as it obtains further information from the images it processes. Over time, this 

self-learning feature significantly improves the quality of noise processing. 

Noiseware comes in both plug-in and stand-alone editions, the latter in three versions— 

Community (free), Standard (low-cost), and Professional (full featured, sub-$50). All 

versions can open the formats listed here, and the Pro edition can also save in these formats. 

Comments 

Noiseware has been highly acclaimed by magazine editors for its ease of use, speed, and 

effectiveness. It succeeds in reducing visible noise without discarding image detail. For 

photojournalists on a tight deadline, its batch processing capability is ideal. 

Version: Stand-alone Noiseware 2.0; plug-in v.4 (2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 7.0 and above; Photoshop Elements 2.0 and 3.0; Paint Shop Pro 

8.0 and 9.0; Ulead PhotoImpact 8.0, XL, and 10 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP, and TIFF files, in both 24-bit and 48-bit color 

Price level: Approx. $50, (Pro plug-in) $70 

Address: Imagenomic, LLC, 309 Yoakum Parkway, Suite 1501, Alexandria, VA 22304 United 

States 

www.imagenomic.com

212 


Figure 17.3 

Noiseware has the intelligence to improve as it gets to know your images. 

Picture Cooler 

Vendor: R. Kroonenberg 

Purpose: Noise reduction, sharpening and “camera unshake” software with batch processing 

Description 

Picture Cooler not only reduces noise but also provides sharpening options such as 

deconvolution and high-pass sharpening, and can help to minimize the effect of camera 

shake. It is not quite competitive with top commercial software on features, but has 

a highly competitive price. Features include a large preview window, toggling between 

preview and original image, and facilities to apply different levels of noise reduction to 

various parts of the image. Besides noise reduction it offers image sharpening and a 

“camera unshake” feature to remove blur. 

Comments 

Ronnie Kroonenberg’s Picture Cooler came in as the number five recommendation on 

Michael Almond’s list of 22 noise reduction programs. This is quite an achievement, 

given the stiffness of the competition. The poor presentation of the product online (do 

they have English spell-checkers in the Netherlands?) completely belies the efficiency 

of its easy-to-use interface and the quality of its output. It takes only a minute or two 

to download, install, and try—and it comes ready-loaded with a trial picture.

Version: Picture Cooler 2.51 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, BMP, and TIFF 8- and 16-bit 


Address: r.kroonenberg2@chello.nl 

denoiser.shorturl.com 

PureImage NR 



Purpose: Noise reduction that uses wavelet noise-reduction techniques, plus color matching and 

correction 

Description 

PureImage NR uses wavelet noise reduction to achieve a better result than you can get 

with older algorithms that were developed before digital cameras appeared. Its default 

mode lets you fine-tune the noise-reduction level and edge sharpness, but there are other, 

specialist modes for dealing with outdoor images, portraits, and very noisy images 

produced by high ISO settings. The program also works in scanner mode, removing 

moiré patterns from high-resolution scans. Its color matching and correction tools 

include adjustment for shadows and highlights, exposure compensation, color boost, 

and a color temperature filter. 

Comments 

If you are concerned about noise in your images, PureImage NR can deal with it. It 

adjusts its processing to each area of the image, applying stronger reduction to areas of 

smooth color (such as skies) than to textured areas (such as trees). The results are very 

good indeed. Used with the Portrait Mode preset, it can remove noise from portraits 

without giving the model a “face-lift” look. 

Version: PureImage NR 1.6 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, XP, and Vista (all native); Mac requires BootCamp, VMware Fusion, 

or Parallels 

RAM: 512MB (preferably more) 

Supported file formats: RAW, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and TGA 



www.mediachance.com

214 


Figure 17.4 

PureImage NR lets you fine-tune the noise reduction level and edge sharpness. 

Summary 

A single pixel may represent either noise or essential detail. Determining which one of 

these two categories it belongs to is the primary task of noise-reduction algorithms. If 

it represents noise, they switch it to another value. If it represents important detail, such 

as the edge of an object, they leave it well alone. Most modern noise reduction software 

has very advanced algorithms with the intelligence to preserve detail. Noise Ninja is the 

benchmark, but some photographers prefer Noiseware for its learning capabilities, or 

PureImage NR for its wavelet technology.

When a flash is mounted close to the lens, light can reflect from retinas of the subject’s 

eyes and show up as the “red-eye” effect in a photograph. Correcting for red-eye is one 

of the most common editing features, implemented directly in cameras as well as in 

most general purpose and “quick-fix” image editors. It is also a subject of scrutiny by 

researchers who are trying to find better ways of doing it. At its most advanced, modern 

software can locate the position of eyes automatically within the frame, and then 

replace the redness with a gray tone, and blend the edges to give an almost perfect fit. 

What it cannot do is guess what color the eyes should be (blue, green, black, or brown) 

or eliminate exaggerated examples of red-eye, sometimes called “demonic eye.” 

Tiny blood vessels in the retina are responsible for the redness of the red-eye effect in 

portraits of people. Animals have a different reflective layer behind the retina, called the 

“tapetum,” which enhances night vision. In dogs, for example, it can make eyes look 

blue, green, yellow, or white, depending on the angle of the head in relation to the flash. 

There is even specialist software for this application: Pet Eye Pilot from Russian developer 

Two Pilots (www.colorpilot.com). 

Red Eye Pilot 

Vendor: Two Pilots Software 

Purpose: Automatic red-eye removal software, with a choice of three methods 

18 

Red-Eye Removal 

Description 

Red Eye Pilot allows you to remove the red-eye from portraits with a high degree of 

automation. It provides three algorithms to determine the area of the eye that needs to 

be corrected, together with a control to change the brightness level of the substituted 

color. A Remove Border feature tidies up the edges.

216 


Figure 18.1 

Red Eye Pilot lets you treat one eye at time with great accuracy. 

The interface for Red Eye Pilot displays the image in a main panel, with panels to the 

right showing “source image” and “processed image” magnifications. Hot keys let you 

undo or redo the processing, whereas another feature lets you change the scale of the 

image by turning the mouse wheel. 

Red Eye Pilot is available in English and Hungarian. Other editions include a Mac version 

and a plug-in version for Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Photo-Paint, and other editors. 

Comments 

Red Eye Pilot does not automatically locate the position of the eyes, as does, for example, 

STOIK RedEye Autofix. But it does a reasonable job of isolating the pupils and 

making corrections. It uses a three-step method to “zero-in” on each eye individually 

and has good fine-tuning facilities so that you can make a smooth repair. Development 

has greatly improved it since its first appearance, and it works beautifully on pictures of 

Red-Eyed Tree Frogs from Central America. 

Red Eye Pilot is available in a stand-alone version for Windows and Macintosh and as 

a plug-in for Windows.

Version: Windows Red Eye Pilot 2.1, Mac 1.6 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows XP Photoshop; Photoshop Elements; Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo and 

Photo-Paint, Macromedia Fireworks MX 

OS: Windows 98, NT, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista; Red Eye Pilot for the Mac—OS X 

RAM: 64MB 

Supported file formats: BMP, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, PCX, and PSD 


Address: ul. Serdlova 39, 2 Bol’sherech’ye, Omsk, 646670, Russia 

www.colorpilot.com 

RedEyePro 


Purpose: Red-eye removal with novice and professional capabilities 

Chapter 18 ■ Red-Eye Removal 217 

Description 

RedEyePro offers professional-level red-eye removal (although you could argue that professional 

photographers should not be taking red-eye portraits in the first place). There 

is also a novice mode, and, most importantly, a pet mode to remove green-eye (and other 

colors) from images of pets. 

RedEyePro works on both RGB and CMYK images and has selective Unapply and 

Unpaint tools. It can also fix non-circular red-eye, a particularly vexing problem that 

many so-called solutions fail to fix. 

Comments 

The two good things about RedEyePro are its speed, and, with a little extra effort from 

the user, its ability to preserve glints and other reflections in the eye. It is not perfect, 

despite its price, but red-eye software will always suffer from an inherent inability to 

guess the eye’s original color. 

Version: RedEyePro 1.11 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows and Mac Adobe Photoshop 5.5 and up; Photoshop Elements 1.0 and up; 

compatible editors 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, ME, NT, and XP; Mac 9.x and OS X 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: RGB and CMYK formats 


Address: Andromeda Software, Inc., 699 Hampshire Rd Suite 109, Westlake Village, CA 91361, 

United States 

www.andromeda.com

218 


STOIK RedEye Autofix 


Purpose: Fast and fully automatic red-eye removal for home photographers 

Description 

STOIK RedEye Autofix can fix red-eye problems in photographs with the click of a button. 

It automatically detects the eye positions, and then removes the red effect and 

replaces it with a realistic eye coloring. It lets you deal with photos one at a time, or in 

batches. To use it, you simply right-click on any photo (or a selection of multiple photos), 

click Remove Red Eye, and the program does the rest. 

Comments 

STOIK RedEye Autofix is a small, specialist utility, but it works well and is certainly 

very fast. It usually removes all the red from the eyes, but can sometimes leave a trace 

that needs touching up in another program. The program has been subjected to rigorous 

study by other researchers (at EPFL, Switzerland) and found to err only on small 

blemishes or when the eye is too small within the image, such as on background figures. 

It is available on a free trial period without the batch capabilities. 

Version 3.0 of STOIK RedEye Autofix was launched without any intervening 2.0. The 

vendor says it has been completely rewritten to improve its detection rate, now said to 

be more than 80% with fewer than 5% false positives. A new manual mode allows you 

to eliminate all undetected red eyes. 

Version: STOIK RedEye Autofix 3.0 (as of 2008) 


RAM: 128MB 




www.stoik.com 

Summary 

Designed to correct one of the most basic faults in flash photography, red-eye removal 

is now firmly embedded in most image editors and processors. Yet there are still one or 

two dedicated programs for carrying out this task. RedEyePro from Andromeda 

Software offers professional, novice, and pet modes, the last of which (pet mode) refers 

to the subject rather than the user. The eyes of animals can reflect colors other than red 

in the brilliant light of a flash.

Human beings are highly sensitive to face color, perhaps, in evolutionary terms, because 

it can give an indication of whether a person is ill and therefore likely to communicate 

a dangerous disease. In portrait photography, we notice the slightest variation in skin 

tones whenever there is a chance to compare shots side-by-side. Yet there is a lot more 

to this subject than the phrase “skin tone” implies. With a modern DSLR and a powerful 

lens you can resolve every mole, wrinkle, freckle, blemish, and dermatological disorder, 

much to the dismay of the subject. Having put them in, the photographer needs 

to take them out. Skin tone enhancement software does the job. 

The software described in this category is mainly for professional use, but not exclusively. 

General-purpose image editors also have retouching tools suitable for dealing with 

occasional images that require skin tone adjustment, but if you make a living from portraiture 

you need all the help you can get from specialist software. Many photographers 

prefer to take precautionary measures at the capture stage, with subtle lighting and softfocus 

lenses, but it is useful to have a second option as a backup. Developers have 

invested substantial research into improving both the speed and quality of this type of 

software. The results of their labors are as follows. 

GinaPRO 

19 

Skin Tone Enhancement 


Purpose: Skin tone enhancement software to change skin color and saturation and add “glow” 

Description 

GinaPRO is a blotch-fixing, sharpening/blurring filter that specializes in making skin 

tones glow with health and vitality. Its interface has a stack of 18 slider controls arranged

220 


in three groups: Blotch Fixer, Skin Selection, and Skin Adjustment. As with the developer’s 

other products, you start at the top and work your way down the controls in a 

logical progression. 

Skin tones occupy a narrow band of the color gamut, yet even the smallest changes can 

be apparent. GinaPRO gives you a high degree of control over colorcasts from reflections 

and lets you make very minor adjustments to the specific hues and tones of human skin. 

Comments 

GinaPRO has one significant drawback—being a plug-in to BibblePRO, it has no way 

of directly accessing mouse positions, hence you cannot simply point to an area of skin 

and make corrections. Any parts of the image that have similar coloration to that of 

skin can therefore be affected inadvertently. However, if you recognize this limitation, 

the plug-in works well on many images. It is not as effective as SkinTune, but is only a 

quarter of the price. 

Version: GinaPRO 1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Bibble Pro (upgrade when Bibble upgrades) 

OS: As host (Windows, Linux, and Mac versions are in the same download) 

RAM: 256MB 




www.nexi.com 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM Airbrush 


Purpose: Software for correcting skin blemishes in portrait and wedding photography 

Description 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM Airbrush provides a quick way of smoothing skin without having 

to use complicated masking. It lets you control image detail at three levels: fine, medium, 

and coarse. It effectively preserves fine detail in the subject’s face, such as eyelashes and 

eyebrows, although there is inevitably (and deliberately) some loss of other detail such 

as wrinkles and blemishes. 

Designated as a “professional” plug-in, DIGITAL GEM Airbrush naturally works on both 

8-bit and 16-bit images, like the professional editions of DIGITAL ROC, GEM, and 

SHO. You can record a procedure as a Photoshop action and use it for batch processing 

many subsequent images. Also available are pre-written action scripts designed to supplement 

the product. The Air Dimensional script helps to bring back the dimensionality of 

the image by adding shadows without affecting the plug-in’s smoothing effects.

Comments 

This tool is aimed chiefly at wedding and portrait photographers, but amateur users 

may also find it useful. It creates a flattering look, regardless of the age or complexion 

of the sitter. 

Version: Kodak DIGITAL GEM Airbrush 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5.0 and up (full support for CS3); Photoshop Elements 1.0 and up; 

Windows only—Paint Shop Pro 7 and up 

OS: Windows 98 and up; Mac OS 8.6 and up 

RAM: 256MB 




www.asf.com 

LookWow! 

Vendor: LookWow, Inc. 

Purpose: Online service for making portraits more flattering 

Chapter 19 ■ Skin Tone Enhancement 221 

Description 

LookWow! is an online service (there is also a PC version) to which you can upload a 

nondescript portrait of yourself, however pallid or spotty, and get back a glamorized version—tanned 

and glowing with health. Its features are designed to make your features 

look good. For example, Enhance Lips will “brighten and plump your lips and define 

the mouth,” as the vendor puts it. The skin-smoothing algorithms reduce unwanted 

marks—goodbye to moles, scars, and wrinkles. You can even add a touch of mood, using 

the Candlelight Effect to give the photo a soft, romantic light. 

Other effects include flip, rotate, resize, remove red-eye, brighten smile, and whiten 

teeth. You can give an elegant, old-fashioned look to the image, make the whole picture 

broader (now who would want to do that?), or “thinnify” it, presumably to make yourself 

look thinner. 

There is one other important feature: Add Text. The vendor does not say what sort of 

text, but probably not: “I certify this is a true likeness of...” 

Comments 

On the Internet, no one knows you are a dog until you try to get a date and need to 

post a picture of yourself to tempt prospective partners. Apparently this is one of the 

primary applications of LookWow! Pity the prospective partner! Here is an online service 

that takes portrait flattery to new levels of mendacity. Yes, it works well, although

222 


red-eye removal is poorly implemented and the “suntan” effect gives a tan to the background 

as well as the person. But it requires no membership, no registration, and, being 

supported by advertising, is entirely “free.” 

Version: LookWow! 3.1 (2008) 

OS: Multi-platform Java-based; PC version XP and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Free (advertising-supported) 

Address: info@lookwow.com 

www.lookwow.com 

Portrait Professional 

Vendor: Anthropics Technology 

Purpose: Retouching software to fix blemishes, reshape faces, remove shiny highlights, and so on 

Description 

Portrait Professional is a package that allows photographers to make both subtle and 

dramatic changes to the sitter’s appearance in a portrait. With it, you can fix skin blemishes, 

remove wrinkles, grease, sweat, and shiny highlights, adjust lighting to make it more 

flattering, and perform routine tasks like red-eye removal and teeth/eye whitening. 

Built-in intelligence allows you to perform retouching operations without any special 

skills; the automatic airbrush “really does do all the hard work for you,” according to 

the vendor. It has a slider control interface, each slider being dedicated to a separate task, 

such as “Imperfections,” “Thin wrinkles,” “Fine shadows,” “Remove pores,” and “Tan.” 

Used to its full extent it will even make adjustments to a face’s underlying bone structure. 

There is a Max option in Portrait Professional that allows you to work directly with 16 

bits per color in TIFF or RAW format, straight from the camera. 

Comments 

Based at London’s Ealing Studios, the vendor of Portrait Professional is a commercial 

spin-off from the UK’s National Film and Television School. Portrait Professional is one 

of its main products: a sophisticated retouching package that is a lot easier to use than 

the equivalent tools in Adobe Photoshop. Where speed is essential, Portrait Professional 

is a viable option, although the results you can achieve with slider controls might never 

quite match Photoshop precision. 

Version: Portrait Professional 4.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, Server 2003, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 256MB

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG and TIFF 

Price level: Approx. $60, with Max option approx. $100 

Address: Anthropics Technology Ltd., Unit 1a, Walpole Court, Ealing Studios, Ealing Green, 

London, W5 5ED, United Kingdom 

www.portraitprofessional.com 

Portraiture 


Purpose: Intelligent smoothing for rapid retouching of portraits 

Chapter 19 ■ Skin Tone Enhancement 223 

Description 

Portraiture is software for retouching portraits the easy way, using intelligent routines 

to eliminate selective masking. It removes imperfections but retains skin texture so that 

the portrait still looks very natural. It also gives you a high level of control over how it 

treats details, allowing you to adjust for sharpness, softness, warmth, brightness, and 

contrast. 

The purpose of Portraiture is to achieve a great result as quickly as possible, hence it 

comes with predefined presets for one-click effects. Yet it is a fully professional tool in 

that it allows you to use custom presets that encapsulate your own actions. Its Auto- 

Mask feature lets you apply smoothing routines automatically and then fine-tune them 

with color tools and slider controls. Portraiture’s auto feature can recognize all skin types 

that may be present in the image. 

Comments 

For the busy portrait studio that needs rapid retouching for hundreds of images, 

Portraiture is a powerful tool. Sitters will rarely complain that all their skin blemishes 

have magically disappeared. One reviewer thought it would be good for fashion photographers 

“working with aging models,” but that may be going too far. Others have 

complained about the price, but for the intended market it seems to be a very good value. 

Version: Windows Portraiture 1.0.1; Mac 1.0.2 (as of 2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe CS and above; Photoshop Elements 3, 4, and 5 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3.x and 10.4.x 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Imagenomic, LLC, 309 Yoakum Parkway, Suite 1501, Alexandria, VA 22304 United 

States 

www.imagenomic.com

224 


SkinTune 


Purpose: Specialist skin color correction software for wedding, portrait, and fashion photographers, 

developed by PhotoTune, acquired by onOne, and now part of onOne’s PhotoTune 

package (see that entry in Chapter 9, “Quick-Fix Software”). 

Figure 19.1 

SkinTune technology is based on thousands of actual skin tone samples. 

Summary 

All aspects of photography are important to the person holding the camera, but to the 

person in front of the camera one aspect looms large: skin tone representation. Only 

those with a blemish-free skin are looking for complete accuracy in this respect, but skin 

color, too, is always noticeable and the slightest deviation will be apparent to many viewers. 

Many of the packages and plug-ins described in this chapter allow you to remove 

wrinkles and blemishes; some will accommodate even the most minor changes to skin 

color and saturation. Check out PhotoTune for its SkinTune technology, with its library 

of more than 125,000 skin colors (in Chapter 9, “Quick-Fix Software”).

Photo restoration software predates the digital camera revolution, having been developed 

for scanner input long before CCD and CMOS sensors in cameras created a 

demand for similar retouching. It has the capability of making old photographs look as 

good as new. 

Photoshop has comprehensive tools for retouching photographs, so why bother with 

other packages? As you will see, some of those listed in this chapter have facilities not 

found in any general-purpose image editor. The best known, Kodak DIGITAL ROC, 

is based on research into the problems surrounding the fading of color images. 

BlackMagic from NeuralTek uses neural net algorithms for automating the task of 

colorizing black and white images. PhotoFlair from TruView is based on Dr. Edwin Lang’s 

Retinex theory and comes to the professional or amateur restorer courtesy of NASA. 

Photo restoration has become a cottage industry with individuals offering to digitize, 

restore, enlarge, and print old or damaged pictures. It is a worthwhile task. If you, too, 

feel like rescuing the past, check out some of this software. 

AKVIS Alchemy 

Vendor: AKVIS LLC 

Purpose: A software bundle of photo correction and restoration tools 

20 

Photo Restoration 

Description 

AKVIS Alchemy is a software bundle that consists of several individual plug-ins priced 

separately in the $50–$120 range. Purchased together, they are half-price.

226 


The bundle includes Retoucher, Chameleon, Stamp, Enhancer, Coloriage, Noise Buster, 

Sketch, Decorator, and LightShop. Retoucher removes defects from damaged photos 

and reconstructs any missing parts by using information from the surrounding areas. 

Chameleon is a tool for photo collage creation. It allows you to copy an object and insert 

it into another image, and then it automatically adjusts the object to its new background 

(“as chameleons do”). 

Stamp is good at removing unwanted objects and image flaws such as spots, stains and 

dust, as well as working on portrait enhancements, removing wrinkles, scars, and 

scratches. It automatically adjusts patches to the color range, texture, and brightness of 

the target background, blending patch and background for an absolutely natural look. 

Enhancer brings out detail from underexposed, overexposed, and midtone areas by 

intensifying color transitions between adjacent pixels. Coloriage is a photo-colorizing 

program for adding color to black and white images or to hand sketch drawings. You 

can also use it to change the colors in existing color photos. 

Noise Buster reduces both luminance and color noise, showing both “before” and “after” 

images for comparison. 

Sketch converts photographic images into simulated pencil sketches and watercolor 

drawings. As well as working with still images, it lets you create comics from home videos. 

Decorator is a texture-mapping tool for adding patterns and colors to objects in a picture. 

LightShop is a specialist plug-in for creating light effects such as reflections, glows, and 

sparkle effects. You can add “the glow on smoldering wood in a fireplace” or “alien signs 

blazing in the night sky.” Use presets or make your own effects. 

ArtSuite lets you add decorative elements such as frames, textures, or color shades. You 

can experiment with ragged edges, scratched surfaces, and page curls, among many other 

effects. 

SmartMask makes object selection easy by offering three selection modes (sharp, soft, 

and complex) depending on the nature of the object in question. For example, the soft 

mode lets you isolate areas depicting fluff, hair, or fur. Switch to the complex mode for 

touching up fine detail. 

Comments 

This developer is based in the Russian city of Perm (twinned culturally with Louisville, 

Kentucky, and Oxford, England) and has a Canadian office in Vancouver. The Enhancer 

and Noise Buster plug-ins are available as a Photo Correction Bundle, whereas 

Retoucher and Stamp can be purchased economically as the Restoration Bundle. AKVIS 

has some original ideas worth investigating. Its English language Website has screenshots 

and output samples for every feature.

Version: Retoucher 2.9, Chameleon 5.0, Stamp 3.0, Enhancer 8.0, Coloriage 5.0, Noise Buster 

5.0, Sketch 6.5, Decorator 1.5, LightShop 2.0, ArtSuite 3.0, SmartMask 1.2 (as of 2008) 

Plugs into: Adobe Photoshop 5 and up, Photoshop Elements 1 and up, Ulead PhotoImpact 7 

and up, Corel Photo-Paint 11 and up, Painter 9+ and up, Paint Shop Pro 6 and up, ACD 

FotoCanvas 3, Picture Publisher Pro, and Bodypaint 2 and up 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, NT, and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: AKVIS LLC, Malkova str, 20-36, Perm, 614087, Russian Federation 

www.akvis.com 

BlackMagic 

Chapter 20 ■ Photo Restoration 227 

Vendor: NeuralTek 

Purpose: Colorize black and white, sepia, or infrared photos, or color-correct those with faded 

or inappropriate colors 

Description 

BlackMagic uses state-of-the-art neural net algorithms to bring further automation to 

the task of colorizing images. It allows you to select the “type of object” within the image 

to be colored, and then the software makes all the calculations to place realistic-looking 

color in place of the monochrome image. 

Rendering tools included with BlackMagic are Selector, Eraser, Smart Paint-brush, 

Selection-paint, and Magic Touch-paint. It is available in three editions: Home, 

Business, and Professional. They all have the essential neural net capability, but the 

Home Edition supports a maximum processing resolution of one million pixels. The 

Business Edition goes to four megapixels and the Pro version supports processing at any 

resolution. The more expensive editions also have additional functionality, tools, and 

palettes. 

Simple to use, BlackMagic is a Windows-only product. 

Comments 

Adding color to black and white photographs is an art in itself, once undertaken only 

by trained colorists who spent all their time tinting pictures with fine brushes and a 

steady hand. BlackMagic is genuine “expert software” in being able to make intelligent 

guesses about the correct way to colorize water, skies, faces, and so on, and to apply the 

color so that it looks reasonably natural. It is particularly good at imparting a “30s 

Hollywood” look to black and white portraits with fully saturated colors and lively hues.

228 


Version: BlackMagic 2.85 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and BMP 

Price level: Home edition $40, Business edition $100, Professional edition $200 

Address: NeuralTek, P.O. Box 582, North Ryde Business Ctr., NSW 1670, Australia 

www.blackmagic-color.com 

Image Doctor 


Purpose: Image correction filter set to remove blemishes, scratches, stains, and compression 

artifacts 

Description 

Image Doctor is an image repair kit, with lots of tools for removing blemishes such as 

moles, birthmarks, acne, and scars; and others for restoring old photographs that have 

been scanned into digital form. It makes it easy to mend even badly damaged pictures 

with scratches, tears, and creases, while also taking out any unwanted text, time codes, 

and dust marks. 

Among its tools are the following: 

■ Smart Fill covers up all traces of any object removed from the picture 

■ Scratch Remover repairs small defects 

■ Spot Lifter erases skin flaws, watermarks, or stains 

■ JPEG Repair lets you fix JPEGs that have been over-compressed 

Comments 

After using Image Doctor, one reviewer (a professional retoucher) wrote: “I think I’d 

better find another line of work.” It is so simple to operate and achieve first-rate results 

that anyone can use it. It is aimed at both professional and amateur photographers, 

photo editors, archivists, and graphic and Web designers. Rendering speed and quality 

have been significantly improved in version 2.0, together with even more facilities for 

removing blemishes and wrinkles. 

Version: Image Doctor 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 or later; Windows—Photoshop Elements 4.0.1 or later; Mac— 

Photoshop Elements 5.0 or later; Fireworks CS3 or later; Windows only—Paint Shop Pro Photo 

X2 or later 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.0 or later

RAM: 1024MB 





Kodak DIGITAL ROC 



Purpose: Software designed to restore the color of faded photographic images 

Description 

Kodak DIGITAL ROC (ROC stands for “Restoration Of Colors”) addresses the problem 

of color fading in photographs. Over time, both negatives and prints begin to 

acquire a distinct reddish or bluish tint, completely spoiling their aesthetic effect. After 

you have scanned the images into a computer, DIGITAL ROC can correct even extreme 

color fading, making them viewable again. 

Another application of DIGITAL ROC is to correct colorcasts on images taken more 

recently under tungsten or fluorescent lights with daylight film. These have a yellow or 

whitish color that may need to be removed. Again, the software performs this specialist 

task very efficiently. It works with images from any digital source, but black and white 

images should be scanned in RGB mode. DIGITAL ROC can restore density and contrast 

to black and white pictures. 

Comments 

There are countless millions of faded color prints languishing in albums and picture 

frames all over the world. People should scan them and correct their color before it is 

too late. Kodak DIGITAL ROC is an excellent product for this purpose. It has a long 

and distinguished history, based on technology developed by Dr. Albert Edgar and his 

team at Applied Science Fiction before passing to Kodak. 

Version: Kodak DIGITAL ROC 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5.0 and up; Photoshop Elements 1.0 and up; Windows only—Paint Shop 

Pro 7 and up 


RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Approx. $50, (Pro edition $100) 

Address: Kodak’s Austin Development Center (KADC), Austin, Texas, United States 

www.asf.com

230 


PhotoFlair 

Vendor: TruView Imaging Company 

Purpose: Revolutionary photo enhancement software based on the Retinex algorithm 

Figure 20.1 

PhotoFlair uses the Retinex algorithm for instant improvement of poorly exposed images. 

Description 

PhotoFlair has the ability to improve incorrectly exposed photographs with a single click. 

If this sounds like hype, please read on, because this underrated product is the real thing: 

a technology based on the almost subversive insights of the late Dr. Edwin Lang, the 

inventor of Polaroid photography. He rightly supposed that color perception is a combination 

of the eye’s retina (“retin-”) and the brain’s visual cortex (“-ex”), and he called 

his theory of two-channel processing the Retinex theory. 

Many years passed before NASA developed retinex algorithms that simulated the effects 

of Dr. Land’s experimental Retinex filters. These algorithms, which have been used to 

enhance space images, are now being marketed by a commercial firm as the PhotoFlair 

package. It is ideal for restoring detail in old photographs that have been digitally 

scanned. It also has forensic applications, enhancing images from surveillance tapes. 

PhotoFlair’s features in addition to Retinex include a levels dialog box for adjusting red, 

green, and blue channels and a composite channel, histogram equalization, gamma, 

sharpen, blur, despeckle, edge detection, three types of image resizing algorithm (pixel 

replication, gaussian, and cubic interpolation), cropping, grayscale conversion, and 

image rotation.

Comments 

PhotoFlair is a specialist product, but an outstanding one. TruView’s samples gallery is 

one of the most convincing demonstrations by a vendor of image enhancement software. 

Anybody who is in the business of restoring old photographs should definitely 

consider acquiring this software. 

Version: Windows PhotoFlair 2.2.2; Mac 2.2.3 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 5 and up; Photoshop Elements; Separate Windows-only edition, Premiere 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X (not Intel) 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Reads and writes JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PPM, and PNG; in batch mode, 

PCD is also supported 

Price level: Stand-alone version $70, Photoshop plug-in $40, Premiere plug-in $95 

Address: TruView Imaging Co., 10 Basil Sawyer Drive, Hampton, VA 23666-1393, United 

States 

www.truview.com 

VueScan 

Vendor: Hamrick Software 

Purpose: World’s most widely used scanning software, with restoration tools 


Description 

VueScan supports almost every scanner on the market and enables you to obtain scans 

that are demonstrably superior to those that can be obtained with the scanner’s own 

software. It does not rely on TWAIN or any other third-party scanner extensions and 

it works independently of the normal scanner application. For people who are restoring 

faded slides or prints it has two automatic features—Restore Colors boosts RGB 

values, and Restore Fading compensates for the fade-to-red effect in slides and the 

tendency of color negatives to acquire a bluish cast over time. 

VueScan can make images on badly scratched film appear as good as new by using a 

double-scan technique, first with a normal scan, second with infrared light to show up 

the imperfections. It combines the two images, producing a “nearly flawless” result. 

Other features include ICC and IT8 Target support, a RAW file save option for archiving, 

and batch scanning. 

A wizard-driven interface means that VueScan is simple for the novice to operate, but 

there are also manual controls for the expert, making it one of the key weapons in the 

restorer’s armory.

232 


Comments 

Over 5 million people have tried Ed Hamrick’s VueScan, and 140,000 have bought it. 

Unsurprisingly, it has been given attention by dozens of reviewers, among whom there 

appears to be general agreement that it provides the greatest level of control of any scanner 

software you can buy. The developer readily admits that putting the full set of controls 

into the hands of a novice can lead to uncertain results, but the presets are there 

to allow beginners to achieve good results at the outset. 

Versions: VueScan 8.4.64 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Vista, and x64; Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4 Intel and 

PowerPC; Linux 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major formats, including PDF output 

Price level: Standard edition $40, Professional edition with unlimited free upgrades $80 

Address: Hamrick Software, 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 70-F16, Phoenix, AZ 85048, United 

States 

www.hamrick.com 

Summary 

To restore old photographs you first need to digitize them by scanning, and then use 

one of the software packages described in this chapter. Some of these packages have a 

history that goes back to before the digital camera revolution, to an era when scanning 

was more popular than it is today. The problem of color fading in early color photographs 

made such technology essential, otherwise millions of images would have been 

lost forever. There is still time to rescue those that remain, and Kodak DIGITAL ROC, 

developed for this purpose, is available for the task. You can clean up damaged or 

scratched images with VueScan, or use PhotoFlair, based on Dr. Edwin Lang’s Retinex 

algorithm, to perform “quick-fix” style color corrections.

Part III 

Blending, 

Stitching, 

and Optical 

Correction

This part covers the following topics: 

Chapter 21 High Dynamic Range 

Chapter 22 Depth-of-Field Tools 

Chapter 23 Lens Distortion Correction 

Chapter 24 Panorama Software: Photo Stitching 

and Virtual Tours

21 

High Dynamic Range 

Dynamic range is the scale of values from the darkest dark to the brightest bright. All 

efforts to represent the real world, whether in painting, film, or digital photography, 

have to reduce the dynamic range to fit the capabilities of the medium. For example, 

reflective paper is bound to have a more limited dynamic range than a light-emitting 

screen, even if the manufacturer adds a lot of whitener to it. Most modern displays have 

a contrast ratio of around 1000:1 or 2000:1 (some are higher), but new displays developed 

by BrightSide Technology have a very high peak luminance (greater than 3,000 

candela/m2) and a contrast ratio better than 200,000:1. A high dynamic range (HDR) 

image of a landscape on this type of screen looks as if you could step into it. It is that real. 

In basic HDR photography, the photographer takes a series of shots of the same scene, 

using a tripod for absolute steadiness and exposing separately for the highlights and 

shadows. This can also be done automatically by bracketing if there is any movement 

in the scene. The next step is to use software to blend the images together in a process 

called contrast blending. 

Where true HDR differs from normal digital photography, however, is in the way it 

encodes the greatly increased number of tonal levels. It uses a 32-bit file format to specify 

floating-point numbers that can represent millions of levels if called upon to do so. 

Digital cameras are not yet able to bracket a sufficient number of exposures to make full 

use of this enormous range and no output medium, except specialist displays like those 

mentioned previously, can represent HDR adequately. Hence the brightness levels have 

to be squeezed together by “tone mapping,” available in HDR packages and in 

Photoshop CS2 and CS3.

236 


Some people believe that HDR is the way forward for digital photography, a reasonable 

prediction because the representation of dynamic range is one of its few weaknesses. 

Like 3D or panoramic photography, it makes a great hobby and has the potential to 

make a great business. To get started, check out the products listed in this chapter. 

Artizen HDR 

Vendor: Supporting Computers 

Purpose: All-in-one HDR and LDR solution for home and professional photographers 

Description 

Described by the vendor as “the first all-in-one HDR (High Dynamic Range) and LDR 

(Low Dynamic Range) solution for the home and professional photographer,” Artizen 

HDR brings many editing facilities to HDR photography. It has a metadata editor for 

Exif, GPS, and IPTC; color-correction tool with more than 20 options; an image 

browser for over 40 formats; batch processor; icon creator; RAW image editor with support 

for 11 RAW file formats; Web gallery creator; Web page generator; artistic painter; 

and a panoramic fisheye creator. 

Artizen HDR has the main functions you would expect of an HDR stand-alone program, 

including a merging tool with x,y alignment and masking support; a tone mapping application 

with 11 operators; and HDR x,y autoalignment. The image editor supports 8-bit 

(LDRi), 16-bit (LDRi), and 32-bit (HDRi) and has unlimited multi-processor support. 

The vendor has also taken the tone mapping functions, which are included with the 

main stand-alone package, and incorporated them into a Photoshop HDR plug-in package 

called Photoshop Tone Mapping Operator plug-ins or “TMO Bundle.” As an extra, 

the vendor has included the Orton artistic blending method that’s popular among HDR 

enthusiasts, along with the other plug-ins. 

Comments 

Artizen HDR has so many normal editing functions in addition to its HDR features it 

is almost a general-purpose editor. These multiple features are popular with reviewers, 

but less popular are the heavy demands it makes on system resources. Tone mapping 

algorithms, which make the HDR image displayable on LDR devices, can be very slow, 

as you can imagine, given the huge numbers they manipulate. However, the tone mapping 

is non-destructive and the results are first-rate. The price is also extremely competitive, 

making the package an excellent value for photographers who want a complete 

HDR solution. 

Version: Artizen HDR 2.5.29 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 SP3, SP4, 2003, XP SP1&2, and Vista; Mac OSX in development 

RAM: 512MB (3GB recommended)

Supported file formats: ATX (32–128 bit), BMP, DIB, EMF, GIF, HDR, ICB, ICO, JPG, JPE, 

JPEG, PBM, (Kodak Photo CD) PCD, PCX, PFM PGM, PNG, PPM, PSD (v4–CS2 with layers), 

PSP (v5–7 without layers), RLE, SGI, TGA, TIF, TIFF, VDA, VST, WBMP, and WMF; (export) 

ATX (32–128 bit), BMP, Wireless BMP, HDR, TIFF, Targa TGA, JPEG grayscale, JPEG low, 

JPEG mid, JPEG high quality, PFM, PNG 24 bit, and GIF Web safe colors. 

Price level: Artizen HDR approx. $45, Tone Mapping Plug-ins for Photoshop approx. $35 

Address: Supporting Computers, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

www.supportingcomputers.net 

FDRTools 

Chapter 21 ■ High Dynamic Range 237 

Vendor: Andreas Schömann 

Purpose: Merge tools for combining differently exposed shots into a single high dynamic range 

(HDR) image 

Description 

FDRTools enables you to create high dynamic range images by merging several exposures 

into a single image, at the same time converting the result to tone-mapped output 

for display on conventional devices. Unlike other HDR merge tools, it brings merging 

and tone mapping closer together by allowing you to look at the final output in real time. 

It offers control of blackpoint and whitepoint, saturation and gamma, provides a histogram 

view of the HDR image, and eliminates noise as a by-product of the process. 

FDRTools has an integrated RAW converter and comes in different editions: Basic and 

Advanced. The Advanced version has three tone-mapping methods instead of two and 

facilities for creating camera specific profiles for photogrammetric HDR images. Both 

versions have automatic compensation to correct slight camera vibrations. Also available 

is FDRCompressor, a Photoshop tone-mapping plug-in. 

Comments 

This is a good way to get started in HDR because FDRTools Basic is freeware, aimed 

at whetting your appetite so that you purchase the (low-cost) advanced package. Ferrell 

McCollough, in the Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography (Lark 

Photography, 2008), has rightly praised the high level of interactivity in FDRTools, noting 

that it effectively bridges the gap between merging and tone mapping. It allows you 

to edit the merging of source images in real time while making adjustments in the relative 

contribution of each image to the final result. 

Version: FDRTools 2.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 and up; Mac OS X 10.3.9 and up 

RAM: 512MB

238 


Supported file formats: Imports RAW formats (nearly all), JPEG, 24-/48-bit TIFF (uncompressed, 

LZW, and ZIP), Radiance RGBE, and OpenEXR; exports Radiance RGBE, OpenEXR, 

24-/48-bit TIFF, BMP, OS2, PPM, and TGA 

Price level: Basic version is freeware, FDRTools Advanced approx. $75, FDRCompressor plugin 

$45 

Address: kontakt@andreas-schoemann.de 

www.fdrtools.com 

HDR Shop 

Vendor: USC Institute for Creative Technologies 

Purpose: Package for viewing and manipulating high dynamic range (HDR) images 

Description 

HDR Shop is a processing and manipulation package that allows you to import RAW 

data files or low dynamic range files and combine them to form HDR images. Rather 

than storing each pixel’s on-screen color, HDR Shop uses floating point numbers to 

store the amount of red, green, and blue light that the pixel represents. The computations 

involved are necessarily more complex—instead of 0, 1, 2, 3...254, 255, the 

numbers can be something like 0.01534, 1.0500, or 1,356,035.0253. Note the huge 

range, because these numbers represent real light levels, however many times brighter 

the light from (say) an open window in an otherwise dark interior. 

HDR Shop accepts plug-ins, including LightGen and Median-Cut (lightprobe sampling); 

and Reinhard Tone Mapping (converts HDR to low dynamic range images). 

Version 2.0 included many new features, including support for multi-threaded operations 

and the ability to assemble HDR direct from Canon RAW images. 

Comments 

If you want to become involved with HDR, HDR Shop’s Internet home has many tutorials 

and is a good place to start. Version 2.0 is significantly faster than its predecessor, 

while offering several more features, not least of which is the ability to load and process 

digital camera RAW files. Although only Canon RAW is guaranteed to work fully, support 

for other formats is included. The software is not inexpensive and requires study 

of the tutorials to get the best results. 

Version: HDR Shop 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows only 

Supported file formats: Radiance HDR format (RGBE), 16-bit or floating point TIFF, Portable 

Float Maps (PFM). With plug-in, supports OpenEXR HDR file format developed by Industrial 

Light and Magic

Price level: Approx. $400 (single user) 

Address: info@hdrshop.com 

www.hdrshop.com 

Photomatix Pro 


Vendor: HDRsoft SARL 

Purpose: Merge tool for high dynamic range (HDR) image creation using bracketed exposures 

Description 

A stand-alone program for Mac and Windows, Photomatix Pro enables you to create 

images with a high dynamic range using a combination of auto-bracketing at different 

exposures and merging. Its features include automatic blending, unlimited stacking, 

easy comparison of results, and batch processing. 

Photomatix can merge any number of bracketed photos, a process that also eliminates 

noise in the final image, adding further to image quality. The vendor also recommends 

it for creating panoramas, which are nearly always composed of high contrast scenes 

owing to the extra-wide angle of view, towards and away from the sun. 

To reduce the extreme tonal range so that you can use conventional output such as 

prints, there is a tone mapping tool that’s also available separately as a Photoshop CS2/3 

plug-in. 

Comments 

The vendor illustrates Photomatix Pro’s capabilities with images that are both beautiful 

and surreal. Low cost, effective, quite fast, but perhaps needing a better interface, this 

package is a very good introduction to HDR imaging. As with most HDR software, 

you must be prepared to examine the documentation and observe good practice by using 

a tripod, rather than rely on the program’s image alignment facilities. If the right procedures 

are followed, the results should exceed those obtainable with Photoshop’s “local 

adaptation” method. 

Version: Photomatix Pro 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, or Vista; Mac OS 10.3.9 or higher 

RAM: 256MB or more 

Supported file formats: Opens and saves JPEG, TIFF (8-bit, 16-bit and Floating Point), Radiance 

RGBE, and OpenEXR; Reads only BMP, PNG (Mac OS X version only), and PSD 

Price level: Approx. $100, Tone-mapping plug-in for CS2 and up $70, Bundle $120 

Address: HDRsoft SARL, 10 av. du professeur Grasset, Bat. B, 34090 Montpellier, France 

www.hdrsoft.com

240 


Dynamic Photo HDR 


Purpose: HDR-style image creation, with pin-warping, anti-ghosting, and color-matching 

features 

Figure 21.1 

Dynamic Photo HDR can give your photos the HDR “look” without using multiple images. 

Description 

Dynamic Photo HDR (DPHDR) is a relatively new package for creating HDR-style 

images, offering an easy-to-use interface, but with plenty of features to create expressive 

work. One of its key features is pin warping, which corrects most types of misalignment, 

including camera roll, pitch, and yaw. Its anti-ghosting mask eliminates ghosting of 

moving objects. In addition it has various tone-mapping procedures for creating a whole 

range of images, from smooth photographic tone mapping to more extreme images that 

go well beyond natural appearances. 

DPHDR works with most RAW camera formats; supports 360-degree panoramic 

images; has batch processing facilities that allow you to queue images and process them 

in one go; and has a live HDR preview that lets you see a tone-mapped preview before 

you create the master HDR file. 

DPHDR gives you plenty of control over the effects of dramatic lighting, enabling precise 

adjustment by means of the Light Tuner feature that comes with its own real-time 

Light Tuner window. When accessed, it displays a light orb that shows the distribution

of light intensities and offers full control over their parameters. You can increase the 

strength and the light radius, with immediate effect. Too high a radius can make the image 

look less photographically believable, but even small changes can impart a dramatically 

different “feel” to the image. 

Note: Also available is the ReDynaMix Adobe Photoshop plug-in, which uses the DPHDR 

Pseudo HDR algorithm (FITYMI) to create HDR-style images from a single JPEG file inside 

Photoshop. 

Comments 

In the right hands, Dynamic Photo HDR can be a very helpful tool because it comes 

with a host of filters including Black/White Heavy Sky, Black/White Hard Light, Orton 

Effect, Sepia, Vignette, and Mysterious Light, together with various non-photorealistic 

settings for producing graphic-style images. For example, the Manga filter simulates the 

way Manga is drawn, whereas a Comic filter simulates comic strips by creating detailed 

outlines and solid pattern fills. What do these have to do with high dynamic range? The 

vendor explains that “dramatic light” is necessary to enhance the details, making the 

graphic images more exciting visually. This is true, as the vendor’s examples demonstrate, 

but not all potential users will think of looking at HDR packages for these effects. 

Version: Dynamic Photo HDR 3.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, XP, 2000, and Vista; Mac via BootCamp, VMware Fusion, or Parallels 

RAM: 256MB 





Summary 


In digital photography, dynamic range is the ratio between the brightest and darkest 

parts of a scene and the ability of a sensor to gather detail within these areas. Whereas 

monitors can display images with an extended dynamic range, sensors have difficulty 

in matching the same performance. Conventional paper output, too, is limited in its 

ability to reproduce it. Software developers have risen to these challenges, devising ways 

of combining several images to create a single image with high dynamic range. This can 

be displayed on special monitors or converted for printing by the process of tone mapping. 

Keen photographers can start with FDRTools before moving on to HDR Shop 

or another commercial package. It is worth bearing in mind that some HDR effects can 

appear unduly dramatic, like El Greco’s “The View of Toledo,” with its stormy clouds 

on an otherwise bright and sunny day.


Two types of depth-of-field tools are represented here: those that bring the entire scene 

into focus in a composite image and another that does the opposite in creating out-offocus 

backgrounds in order to heighten the dimensionality of the subject. 

There was a time when most photographers wanted everything to be in sharp focus, so 

tilt-shift lenses were invented to help achieve it. Later, the fashion changed, even in food 

and product photography, in favor of getting good bokeh, the blurred effect of an outof-focus 

background complete with polygonal highlight flaring. Now, with powerful 

software, photographers have the option to do whatever they like, using an ordinary 

DSLR camera. It is quite feasible to get infinite depth-of-field by taking a series of shots, 

changing the focus each time, and then compositing the in-focus areas of each. 

The products in this category are specialist tools, certainly not intended for home users. 

There are cheaper and less complicated methods of achieving reasonable depth-of-field, 

such as stopping down the lens or switching to wide-angle. When you tire of such mundane 

techniques, it’s time to acquire some new tools. They can help you produce really 

stunning images. 

Depth of Field Generator PRO 

Vendor: Richard Rosenman 

Purpose: Creates depth-of-field and bokeh effects as a post-process 

22 

Depth-of-Field Tools 

Description 

Depth of Field Generator PRO lets you add depth-of-field and bokeh (blur) effects, 

giving you full control over the whole process. It is available in two versions—1.5 with 

a limited set of features for photographers and digital artists who are working on single

244 


frames, and 3.0 for those who want greater control or need to work on images for animation, 

video, film, or print. 

With Depth of Field Generator PRO, you can simulate all the different kinds of bokeh 

effect that are normally caused by the individual shape of a lens’s aperture: pentagonal 

highlights from apertures with five blades and round highlights from those with seven or 

eight blades. It also provides depth-mapping tools so that you can create hand-made depth 

maps for photographic images, emulating a technique used in 3D computer graphics. 

Comments 

For creating out-of-focus effects, Depth of Field Generator PRO has no equal. It even 

lets you add different types of spherical aberration to your artificial bokeh and has an 

advanced pixel grain-rendering engine for simulating grain and noise in the defocused 

image areas. The plug-in, which is PC-only, is supported by online tutorials and a forum. 

Version: Depth of Field Generator PRO 1.5 and 3.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 4.0 or higher 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP (no Mac compatibility) 

RAM: 256MB (recommended) 

Supported file formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and TGA 

Price level: Version 1.5 $30, version 3.0 $60 

Address: richard@richardrosenman.com 

www.dofpro.com 

Focus Extender 

Vendor: Reindeer Graphics 

Purpose: Pro-level blending tool for combining images to create greater depth-of-field 

Description 

Focus Extender allows you to create images with extended depth-of-field (DoF). It lets 

you combine a series of photographs, selecting the in-focus area from each one. The result 

is a single in-focus image that can be used in science for analysis and measurement. 

Focus Extender plugs into both Photoshop and Image-Pro Plus image processing and 

analysis software from Media Cybernetics. It is especially useful for close-up photography 

where DoF is limited. Actions are fully recordable so that you can treat other images 

in a similar fashion. 

Comments 

An expensive tool, Focus Extender justifies its price by being very accurate. Aimed primarily 

at scientists and engineers, it is not intended for the general photographic market. 

Version: Focus Extender 1.0 (2008)

Plugs into: Photoshop 5, 6, 7, CS, or compatible; Image-Pro Plus 4.2 or later 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4, 2000, and XP; Mac 9.x and OS X 10.2 and up 

RAM: 64MB (minimum) 



Address: Reindeer Graphics, Inc., P. O. Box 2281, Asheville, NC 28802, United States 

www.reindeergraphics.com 

Helicon Focus 

Chapter 22 ■ Depth-of-Field Tools 245 

Vendor: Helicon Products 

Purpose: Enables you to achieve infinite depth-of-field in macro- and micro-photography 

Figure 22.1 

Helicon Focus can retouch individual images for perfect blending to create extended DoF. 

Description 

Helicon Focus allows you to achieve infinite focus throughout the whole picture 

by using a series of images with overlapping focal ranges. Especially suited to macro 

photography where DoF is often very limited, it can produce some stunning images. 

The only drawbacks are the extra time involved in capturing the initial images and the 

difficulty of dealing with any movement that takes place within the image from one 

frame to the next.

246 


Helicon Focus is highly automated. It automatically adjusts/resizes images, places no 

limitation on image resolution, and processes an unlimited number of images in the 

stack. It also supports dust mapping to remove black marks from the resulting images. 

There are three editions: Helicon Focus Lite, Pro, and Multiprocessor, the Pro version 

having additional retouching functions. Lite is available as a 30-day evaluation. 

Comments 

Depth-of-field is often severely limited in close-up photography, creating a genuine need 

for this type of software. Using it is extremely easy, but taking the pictures can be more 

demanding. Special equipment such as the Manfrotto macro rail can help you advance 

the camera by tiny increments (1.25mm for every full turn of the crank). 

However, you do not have to restrict yourself to macro- or micro-photography in order 

to get benefits from using Helicon Focus. It is superbly designed, with an interface that 

is highly sympathetic to its users. For example, it allows you to add images at any time 

to the stack and lets you switch individual images on or off to see if the overall effect 

can improved. One of its best features is the provision of retouching tools that enable 

you to remove unwanted artifacts that can occur when there is shadow movement from 

one image to the next (see Figure 22.1). Above all, it is great fun to use and the results 

can be outstanding. 

Uniquely, the vendor offers a free license if you send an instructive tutorial with tips on 

how to use the product; this means that many helpful tutorials are available. 

Version: Windows Helicon Focus 4.46, Mac 3.79 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Vista64; Mac OS X 10.3 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Reads RAW, 8-bit and 16-bit TIFFs, JPEG, JPEG 2000, and BMP; writes 

8-bit and 16-bit TIFFs, JPEG, JPEG 2000, and BMP 

Price level: In the range of $30–$250 

Address: Helicon Soft Ltd., per. Mekhanichesky 4, 61068 Kharkov, Ukraine 

www.heliconfilter.com 

Summary 

Like high dynamic range (HDR), depth-of-field tools use the technique of combining 

multiple images into a single image. The objective in this case is to extend the depthof-field 

beyond the capabilities of the camera/lens combination. In close-up photography 

especially, depth-of-field is often very limited, making it impossible to capture the width 

of a blow-fly or the length of a wasp in a single shot. Using software like Helicon Focus 

enables you to achieve stunningly sharp results in macro- and micro-photography, 

whereas other software like Depth of Field Generator PRO lets you move in the opposite 

direction and create selective bokeh (out-of-focus) effects.

23 

Lens Distortion Correction 

Lens and perspective distortion are among the most common “errors” in photography. 

In one sense they are not really errors at all because they are almost impossible to avoid 

completely. Tilt the camera up and you get parallel lines converging toward the top of 

the image, tilt it down and you get keystone distortion. If you fit a wide-angle lens, especially 

on a full frame DSLR, you will undoubtedly see some barrel distortion at the 

edges. Lens manufacturers make corrections to barreling and its opposite pincushion 

effect using aspherical elements, but sometimes this results in a double-whammy, in socalled 

“complex distortion,” which can create a wavy image not unlike the shape of Sir 

Arthur Conan Doyle’s moustache. 

The most extreme distortion comes from the use of ultra-wide-angle or fisheye lenses. For 

these 14mm and smaller focal length lenses, manufacturers have dropped any pretense of 

eradicating the distortion and so it becomes an integral part of the image. At least, in precomputer 

days, that is how it was treated—as a dramatic effect to show (for example) the 

supposedly gigantic pair of feet of someone lying down, head away from the camera. But 

now that the computer can unwrap the image to give it a true perspective, the use of ultrawide 

and fisheye lenses has changed completely. You can photograph an interior with a 

fisheye and make it suitable for the human eye in, almost, the blink of an eye. 

For very rapid results, the software ideally needs access to specific data about the 

lens/camera combination used for taking the image. Armed with this information, it 

can easily make corrections by running the right set of numbers. Without it, you have 

to start using slider controls while judging the results in real-time. 

Correcting geometric errors can make an improvement to the image equal to that of 

exposure correction or white balance. It is so important it should not be left to the standard 

tools of an image editor although good facilities are available in Photoshop CS2 

to CS4 and Paint Shop Pro. Specialist packages are listed in this chapter. You will also

248 


find distortion correction tools in kits that are listed under other categories, such as 

PowerRetouche Lens Correction, 55mm Lens Correction, and The Imaging Factory 

Debarrelizer. See also Acolens, from Nurizon Software (in Chapter 37, “Analysis and 

Diagnostics”). 

DxO Optics Pro 

Vendor: DxO Labs 

Purpose: Geometry correction and image enhancement for advanced amateur and professional 

photographers 

Figure 23.1 

DxO Optics Pro provides total control over geometric distortion. 

Description 

DxO Optics Pro is one of the most powerful packages for correcting errors due to lens 

distortion, vignetting, lens softness, keystoning, horizon leveling, and chromatic 

aberration. Now in its third generation, its core routines are based on sophisticated 

models of camera and lens performance. Many other features have been added, making 

the software an all-round image-enhancement package, capable of performing RAW 

conversion and color conversions that exploit the full range of available color space for 

RAW or JPEG files. It also has many lighting and denoising techniques.

Figure 23.2 

You can use DxO Optics Pro correctively or creatively. 

Chapter 23 ■ Lens Distortion Correction 249 

Adding DxO FilmPack, a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop and DxO Optics Pro, brings a 

capability to achieve the look of famous silver halide films such as Velvia, Ektachrome, 

and Kodachrome, together with many more Fuji, Kodak, and Ilford black and white films. 

Comments 

Although it requires substantial system resources and takes a long time to download and 

install, DxO Optics Pro is a brilliant application, well worth the wait. It is also surprisingly 

easy to use, at least for making basic viewing angle corrections. It gives you complete 

control over the projection of the image on a two-dimensional surface. All kinds 

of creative effects are possible if you use the tools provided to generate rather than eliminate 

distortion. 

DxO Labs hit the ground running in 2002 as a spin-off from the computer vision company 

Vision IQ. Backed by substantial funding, it employs around 60 people at its headquarters. 

Not surprisingly, product development is brisk, with emphasis being placed 

consistently on image quality. New features in version 5.0 include an improved RAW 

converter, noise removal technology for RAW images, a dust removal tool, and a new 

user interface. DxO Optics Pro is a great product to serve as a flagship, but many others 

will follow it from the same team. Watch this space.

250 


Version: DxO Optics Pro 5.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP SP2, Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.x and later 

RAM: Standard 1GB, Elite 2GB 

Supported file formats: Nearly all RAW nearly all formats and JPEG 

Price level: Standard edition approx. $170, Elite edition approx. $300, FilmPack approx. $100 

Address: DxO Labs, 3, rue Nationale, 92100 Boulogne, France 

www.dxo.com 

Lens Corrector PRO 

Vendor: Richard Rosenman 

Purpose: Lens distortion correction 

Description 

Lens Corrector PRO is a versatile lens correction plug-in that not only corrects common 

lens distortions such as barrel and pincushion effects, but also can scale, skew, taper, 

shift, flip, and rotate an image and make precise perspective adjustments. 

Comments 

With excellent lens correction facilities in Photoshop and being overshadowed by specialist 

package DxO Optics Pro, Lens Corrector PRO has never obtained a large market 

share. Yet it has many facilities; users have commented favorably on it in forums. There 

were a mass of improvements in version 1.1, including automatic fitting of corrected 

images to window size; sub-pixel filtering for sharper rendering; new presets for common 

camera lenses and their correction settings; image rotation; and horizontal and vertical 

precision image scaling, shearing, curved tapering, perspective adjustment, and shifting. 

Version: Lens Corrector PRO 1.2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 4.0 or higher 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP (no Mac compatibility) 


Supported file formats: RGB formats only 


Address: richard@richardrosenman.com 

www.richardrosenman.com 

LensDoc 


Purpose: Corrects barrel, pincushion, rotation, and perspective distortions

Description 

LensDoc is a plug-in that corrects barreling and pincushioning distortions produced by 

many zoom and wide-angle lenses. It is very easy to use: you simply identify two lines 

that are meant to be straight, place target points as guides, and then let the software do 

the rest. 

Generic lens correction curves are supplied with the software, but there are also facilities 

for users to create their own. It is particularly good at correcting images that are 

“just a little off,” with the use of its Make Rectangle feature. 

Sixteen-bits-per-channel output is available for high-quality results. 

Comments 

Nothing spoils an image more than small but highly unpleasant lens distortions, especially 

those that bend verticals very slightly. Andromeda LensDoc is more than a match 

for this kind of problem. It has a step-by-step interface for novice users, but also an 

expert mode with generic correction options and slider bar adjustment. Several reviewers 

have looked at it in depth. The editors of Imaging Resource (www.imaging-resource.com), 

for example, found it to be one of the most valuable editing tools. 

Version: LensDoc Plug-In 3.1 (2008) 


OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 9.x 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: Andromeda Software, Inc., 699 Hampshire Rd. Suite 109, Westlake Village, CA 91361, 

United States 

www.andromeda.com 

PTLens 


Vendor: ePaperPress 

Purpose: Corrects lens pincushion/barrel distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberration, and 

perspective 

Description 

PTLens is a low-cost utility that corrects most kinds of lens distortion for images taken 

with point-and-shoot (P&S) cameras for which lens profiles are available. It makes excellent 

corrections to the three main types of distortion: barrel distortion, pincushion 

distortion, and complex distortion.

252 


Figure 23.3 

PTLens has tools to deal with vignetting, perspective distortion, and chromatic aberration. 

Complex distortion is a combination of the other two main types and is normally hard 

to correct. PTLens makes a better job of it than most image editors, providing one slider 

control to correct barrel distortion at the center of an image and another to correct pincushion 

problems at the edges. 

PTLens comes in stand-alone and plug-in editions, the latter having 16-bit and TIFF 

and RAW support. 

Comments 

Many amateur photographers with P&S cameras will find this is all they need to make 

dramatic improvements to their photographs. Although it lacks many of the features of 

DxO Optics Pro, it comes at a fraction of the price. However, for DSLRs with their 

detachable lenses the DxO product is more accurate. 

Version: PTLens 8.6.4.8 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows and Mac—Photoshop 6 and above, Photoshop Elements, and the German 

FixFoto; Mac only—Aperture 2.1 or later, Lightroom 2.0 or later 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.5.2 or later

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG; plug-in edition also TIFF and RAW 


Address: Tom Niemann, Portland, Oregon, United States (form contact only) 

www.epaperpress.com 

LensFix CI 

Vendor: Kekus Digital 

Purpose: Makes individual image distortion corrections for Mac users 


Description 

LensFix CI is an automatic image correction package that contains a database of correction 

settings for over 500 popular cameras and lenses. In manual mode, it also allows 

you to fix chromatic aberrations and vignetting, and to alter the image perspective. It 

is available as both a stand-alone program for use with Adobe Lightroom and Apple’s 

Aperture and as a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. 

Perspective controls allow you to change the viewing angle of the image with ease. Its 

extensive range of camera settings is supplemented by those in the PTLens database 

from epaperpress.com, which is supplied under license. Being a universal binary, LensFix 

CI runs natively on Power PC and Intel Macs. 

Comments 

Described as “simple but powerful” by one reviewer on the Mac community Website 

MacUpdate, LensFix CI is an improved version of the earlier LensFix software. It has 

been widely tested and enjoyed by many enthusiasts, who report good results from it. 

It is fast, as it uses the video card for processing when supported by the host computer, 

and the plug-in version has full 16-bit support. Since LensFix was first introduced a few 

years ago, distortion correction has become commonplace, but the software is still 

useful if you need to make a lot of corrections on images taken by the camera/lens combinations 

held in the databases supplied with it. 

Version: LensFix CI 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4 and later 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: As host; stand-alone version JPEG, many common RAW formats 


Address: help@kekus.com 

www.kekus.com

254 


Rectilinear Panorama 

Vendor: Altostorm Software 

Purpose: Corrects any geometric image distortion and restores the natural look of images 

Description 

Rectilinear Panorama corrects geometric distortions in both panoramic and conventional 

images. It makes multiple transformations of the image in a single pass; hence 

it does not unnecessarily degrade picture quality. It corrects for barreling and pincushioning, 

perspective shift and image skewing, image rotation, panorama distortion, 

and curved horizons. 

Rectilinear Panorama has an easy-to-use wizard interface that takes you through four 

steps: 

■ Identify distorted lines in the image 

■ Choose what will happen to them after processing 

■ Define parameters to compensate for the change in object size 

■ Define the cropping area of the finished image 

The Professional edition of the product supports both 8- and 16-bit images in RGB, 

CMYK, Lab, and grayscale (Home edition is 8-bit only). 

Comments 

Reviewers have found Rectilinear Panorama easy to learn and use, although the manual 

has been criticized for not being sufficiently explicit. It makes an excellent job of 

correcting for tilt and keystoning, but does not use lens data for automatic correction 

of lens distortion. 

Version: Rectilinear Panorama 1.2.2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 4 and later, Photoshop Elements 2-5, and many other editors, tested for 

compatibility, including ImageReady, Corel Photo-Paint, Photo-Impact, Painter, and Paint Shop 

Pro, Fireworks MX, PhotoLine 32, Microsoft Digital Image, and Xara Xtreme 




Price level: Home edition $70, Pro edition $180 

Address: Altostorm Software, Simonova st., 34-115, Volgograd 400137, Russian Federation 

Pacific Business Centre, c/o Altostorm Software, #101 - 1001 W. Broadway, Suite 381, Vancouver, 

BC V6H 4E4, Canada 

www.altostorm.com

Summary 


No lens is perfect, but even a perfect lens would project perspective distortion if you 

were to point it up toward the top of a tall building. Special software exists for correcting 

all kinds of lens distortions, from chromatic aberration and vignetting to the perspective 

effects mentioned in this chapter. DxO Optics Pro is the leading package for 

geometry enhancement, but make sure your lenses are profiled in its database. It is a 

dream to use, and excellent value, but if all you need is a low-cost utility, consider 

PTLens at a fraction of the price.


The market for photo stitching and panoramic software has polarized between two 

extremes. At one end, the main users are real estate agents and their suppliers who want 

a quick and convenient way of creating virtual tours of houses and property developments; 

at the other end are experimental photographers who want to show the world 

in a new way. Quite a few companies and their panoramic products fell through the gap 

in the middle when these two extremes suddenly drifted apart. 

Special Equipment 

24 

Panorama Software: 

Photo Stitching and 

Virtual Tours 

Although some of the software described here can make a reasonable job of stitching 

hand-held photographs, the technique really requires the use of a special pano head on 

a firm tripod. The head makes the camera pivot around a point within the lens in such a 

way that all the images appear to have been taken from the same location. Even the 

slightest error can cause ripples in the finished panorama. 

A pano head costs a few hundred dollars and is something that only the enthusiast or 

professional tends to buy. With it you can take dozens of pictures for a single composite 

image, using a standard or even a telephoto lens. The resulting panorama does not have 

to be 360 degrees, but can be simply a large planar image at extremely high resolution. 

Photo stitching is a good way of turning a relatively low-res camera into an ultra-high-res 

tool.

258 


Stitching dozens of overlapping pictures together can be time-consuming unless the 

stitching software can do much of the work automatically. This is something that computers 

are very good at—detecting unique groups of pixels and identifying them as control 

points. It is much easier for a computer than for the human eye, so you should 

ensure that the software has an excellent auto-stitching mode before committing to it. 

Commercial software for real estate suppliers cannot normally have the luxury of using 

too many images for each panorama. It would take far too long to acquire the input. 

Hardware companies have invented other ways of solving this problem: for example by 

“one-shot” camera systems that use a 360-degree mirror to capture the entire scene in 

a single take. More common is the use of fisheye lenses to take either two or three (three 

is better) hemispherical shots that can be stitched together to make a complete 

panorama. The fewer images you have to input to the software, the faster it will generate 

the output. 

Virtual Tours 

For creating virtual tours, software requires many additional features. It links together 

panoramas of (for example) individual rooms to give the impression that the viewer is 

taking a walk around the building. It may also add other information, in text or video, 

plus a soundtrack. There is really no limit to the degree of complexity you can introduce 

into a full multimedia presentation. Most companies package their stitching software 

separately from their virtual tour features, often making both available as a suite 

at a slightly reduced price. 

Display Options 

The two main methods of displaying panoramas, and indeed virtual tours, are Apple’s 

QuickTime VR (QTVR) and its variations, or the use of a Java player. Both options 

give very good results, QTVR being especially suited to displaying virtual reality (VR) 

with a cubic projection. Developers have performed miracles with Java code, enabling 

panoramic images to be displayed instantly in full-screen mode on practically any computer. 

Some of the latest and most exciting developments involve the display of special 

effects within a basic panoramic image, such as moving an object independently of the 

pan. Another is the use of Adaptive Dynamic Range (ADR) to solve one of the key 

panoramic problems: how to cope with the extreme exposure range encountered in 

360 degrees with fields of view both towards and away from the light source. (See the 

section “SPi-V,” later in this chapter).

3DVista Stitcher 

Chapter 24 ■ Panorama Software: Photo Stitching and Virtual Tours 259 

Vendor: 3DVista España 

Purpose: Image-stitching software for creating large images or panoramas 

Figure 24.1 

3DVista Stitcher’s Optics Selection panel offers a full range of projections. 

Description 

3DVista Stitcher is the stitching package in a suite of photographic VR software that 

includes 3DVista Publisher and 3DVista SHOW. The vendor also offers Skin Editor, 

for customizing the “skin” of a virtual tour; and Floorplan Maker to design how a tour 

fits together. 

3DVista Stitcher, the essential workhorse of the suite, can be purchased separately. It 

copes very well with standard images and “one-shot” lens images (from special mirrored 

devices), and it also handles several types of image from fisheye lenses, including rectangular, 

hemispheric (360×180 degrees) and near-hemispheric (360×150 degrees). Its 

cubic stitching (360×180 degrees with flat projections) is first rate. 

■ 3DVista Publisher lets you go on to create virtual tours with output to Flash, Java, 

Apple QTVR, or high-quality 3Dvista ActiveX. 

■ 3DVista SHOW has a greatly extended range of effects for tour creation, including 

streaming audio and video. 

■ 3DVista Real Estate is an all-in-one property presentation and management tool 

for realtors. It includes the Stitcher module, slideshow, and video clip facilities; Web 

page template online map locator; and a hosting service.

260 


Comments 

Started by a group of amateur photographers, 3DVista España hired in programmers 

to produce Stitcher and the other programs mentioned here. They are gradually putting 

them all together as integrated packages, the configuration of which is subject to 

change. Independent users have reported good results from 3DVista Stitcher, praising 

the support for many different kinds of optics. It stitches quickly, has a clean interface, 

and is packed with features including image-enhancement tools. 

Version: 3DVista Stitcher 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, 2003, and XP 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Saves to JPEG, BMP, and PSD 


Address: 3DVista España S.L., Granada, Spain 

www.3dvista.com 

ArcSoft Panorama Maker 


Purpose: Pro-quality photostitching with extensive RAW support 

Description 

ArcSoft Panorama Maker is an automatic image stitcher that allows you to create 

horizontal, vertical, 360 degree, and tile (4×4) panorama pictures. It has additional manual 

controls for aligning the stitching points and adjusting the stitching path. It provides 

brightness and contrast controls, tools for cropping and straightening, and it lets you 

add frame, title, and copyright information to the finished image. 

Among ArcSoft Panorama Maker’s pro features is support for major RAW formats and 

printing on multiple sheets using borderless banner paper. 

Comments 

Most reviewers have found ArcSoft Panorama Maker quick and intuitive to use, with good 

color matching and accurate fine-tuning of image alignment. However, the source images 

need to be free from too much parallax error, preferably taken with the use of a tripod and 

a proper pano head. If you follow some basic rules during shooting (such as keeping the 

camera level, avoiding changes to focus and white balance, and overlapping images by at 

least 30 percent), you should get excellent results. Ongoing development has greatly 

improved this product, bringing it up to standard for many professional applications. 

Version: ArcSoft Panorama Maker 4 Pro (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 and 10.4

RAM: Windows 128MB (768MB recommended); Mac 512MB (768MB recommended) 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats, JPEG, and TIFF; outputs JPEG and TIFF; BMP, 

TGA, MOV, PTViewer HTML, and Flash HTML 



States 


Autopano Pro 

Vendor: Kolor 

Purpose: Creates panoramas automatically, and even selects the right pictures from folder 

Figure 24.2 

Autopano Pro’s Render dialog box. 


Figure 24.3 

Autopano Pro’s Settings dialog box. 

Description 

Autopano Pro brings a high degree of automation to the process of creating panoramas. 

It begins by selecting the appropriate pictures from a folder, ignoring any that do not 

contribute to the scene. You just select Detect Panorama and the program does the rest. 

You can fine-tune the result using a Vertical tool and an Auto Leveling tool. Other key 

features include color correction and full HDR stitching.

262 


Autopano Pro uses a proprietary and patented algorithm called SIFT, which detects 

matching areas automatically—far better, says the vendor, than the human eye. It also 

has integrated “Smartblend” technology to remove ghosting effects. Another exclusive 

feature is the color-correction scheme, which equalizes the color and exposure of the 

component images. 

Comments 

One of the newest panoramic stitchers, Autopano Pro takes automation a step further 

with its ability to select the component images as well as stitch them. Panoramic photography 

is popular in France, where Autopano Pro is under intensive development. One of 

its most remarkable abilities is its “unlimited” capacity for component images. The vendor 

mentions that one panorama has been created with 300 pictures “without any issue.” 

You can even create a 90-gigapixel panorama without needing a huge amount of RAM 

(just a large hard drive). Autopano Pro is extensively documented, with its own Wiki. 

Version: Autopano Pro 1.4 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5; Linux kernel 2.4 or higher 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Hundreds of formats; exports JPG, TIFF, PNG, HDR, Adobe Photoshop 

PSD, and PSB 

Price level: Approx. $120 (includes free updates for one year) 

Address: Kolor, 204, Avenue du parc, 73190 Challes les eaux, France 

www.autopano.net 

ImageAssembler 

Vendor: PanaVue 

Purpose: Image-stitching software for creating panoramas, with fisheye lens support 

Description 

ImageAssembler is image-stitching software for joining separate, overlapping images 

into multi-row mosaics or panoramas. It comes in three editions: Standard, with basic 

tools for the enthusiast; Professional, with the power to make really large images; and 

Enterprise, with batch processing facilities. 

With ImageAssembler, you can easily create a montage from aerial and satellite photos, 

as well as landscape panoramas, maps, medical imagery, or large composite images from 

multiple photos of a painting. Its interface allows you to position little flags or markers 

to indicate stitching points—a precise method that allows you to tilt the camera and 

get away with it. It can warp and blend images as well as adjust their color. There is also 

an automatic mode that positions all the images without manual intervention.


Figure 24.4 

PanaVue ImageAssembler provides a five-tab Project wizard for easy pans. 

ImageAssembler adjusts itself to lenses of different focal length, including very wide 

angle or fisheye lenses with a focal length above 10.4mm. 

Comments 

PanaVue ImageAssembler is a popular product, much admired for its efficient automatic 

stitching and ability to compensate for lens distortion. Although it does not stitch full 

spherical panoramas, it deals effectively with 360-degree versions. The Pro version has 

a maximum side length limitation of 100,000 pixels, big enough for most applications. 

Version: ImageAssembler 3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, and Vista x64 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: BMP, JPEG, uncompressed TIFF, TGA, PCX, PSD, PICT, PhotoCD, 

and FlashPix 

Price level: Standard edition approx. $65, Pro edition approx. $130, Enterprise edition approx. 

$200 

Address: PanaVue, 616 boul. René-Lévesque Ouest, QC, Canada G1S 1S8 

www.panavue.com

264 


PanoPrinter 

Vendor: ImmerVision 

Purpose: Dedicated software for printing panoramic images 

Description 

PanoPrinter is a tool for editing, retouching, and printing all photographs and 

panoramic images. It allows you to fit a panorama to the page, adjust color, brightness 

and contrast, change the viewpoint, and crop the image. It supports extra-large prints 

of up to 15 meters, making it suitable for creating stunning wall decorations. Special 

effects include sepia, etching, paint, and lens flare. 

PanoPrinter supports all paper formats and can print out assembly information such as 

page numbers, alignment marks, and margins so that multi-page printouts can be easily 

reconstructed. It is designed specifically for print use, not for creating the sort of Web 

panoramas you often see on real estate sites. You can use a standard inkjet printer to 

produce the output. 

Comments 

Printing out panoramic material presupposes that you have some kind of threedimensional 

structure on which to fix it, otherwise the projection distorts the image so 

dramatically it makes very little sense. PanoPrinter tiles the image so that it gets printed 

on multiple sheets of paper that can be fitted to a curved wall. At the time of writing, 

this package is the only one dedicated to panoramic printing. The vendor is primarily 

a supplier of panomorph lenses, CCTV equipment, and plug-ins for 360-degree 

video/IP surveillance. 

Version: PanoPrinter 1.1 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: IVP (ImmerVision panoramas file format) and standard image formats 


Address: ImmerVision Inc., 2020 University, Suite 2420, H3A 2A5 Montréal, QC, Canada 

www.immervision.com 

PanoStitcher 

Vendor: Pixtra Corp 

Purpose: Create a 360-degree panorama from a row of images, with or without a tripod

Description 

PanoStitcher lets you create 360-degree panorama from overlapping photos taken from 

the same fixed location, with or without a tripod. It offers both manual and automatic 

stitching; allows you to add or remove component images at any time; can stitch images 

that have been zoomed to different lengths; automatically balances brightness levels 

between images; and can output the final image for the Web or for print. 

The PanoStitcher online tutorials (five of them) are very helpful in explaining the whole 

procedure of creating a panorama, step-by-step. The vendor also supplies a long list of 

advanced topics, with in-depth discussion of each. By going through this material, you 

will come across all the issues that face the panoramic photographer, from straightening 

the horizon to coping with the movements of people within the scene. 

Note: In “minimum requirements,” the developer lists a tiny amount of necessary RAM, quite 

inadequate for dealing with large images (as actually explained in Advanced Topic 10). 

Comments 

PanoStitcher is a very competent, highly forgiving image-stitching package. The automatic 

stitching facility is not foolproof, but is not markedly worse than the same facility 

in other stitching software. It gives a choice of manual stitching methods to 

compensate for any errors that occur automatically. Version 1.5 includes a free virtual 

tour authoring feature powered by a Java applet called PixtraTour. If you are looking 

for a low-cost entry level package for stitching large images (not necessarily panoramic 

ones), PanoStitcher is well worth trying. 

If you are more ambitious and want to move beyond 360-degree panoramas to 360×360 

“omnirama” images, you will need the vendor’s alternative product OmniStitcher. This 

will allow you to stitch full spherical panoramas from images taken by regular cameras. 

Version: PanoStitcher 1.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT, ME, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 16MB (see note) 

Supported file formats: Inputs JPEG, BMP, and TIFF; outputs JPEG, TIFF, and QuickTime 


Address: info@pixtra.com 

www.pixtra.com 

Panoweaver 


Vendor: Easypano 

Purpose: Pro-level stitching software to combine two hemispherical fisheye images into a 

360-degree spherical panorama

266 


Description 

Panoweaver takes around three minutes to stitch two hemispherical fisheye images into 

a 360-degree spherical panorama. It is aimed at photographers, Web designers, realtors, 

and project managers who have a busy workflow. The vendor has related products, 

including Tourweaver to link the images from Panoweaver together to create virtual 

tours, and Easypano Studio, which bundles the two packages together. 

Panoweaver is limited to stitching fisheye images, but can deal with three types: drum 

images (120×180 degrees), full frame (rectangular) images, and full circular images. 

Typical equipment needed is a good quality pano head on a tripod and a DSLR 

equipped with a fisheye lens such as the Sigma 8mm. 

Comments 

All the Easypano packages are easy to use (as the brand name suggests), but they are 

priced at a professional level and demand the use of proper equipment to take the original 

images. There is little leeway for error when you are working with only two images 

and need to make them match perfectly to create a sphere. A better result is achieved 

with three full circular images. Drum and full frame stitching require several more shots 

and take longer to stitch. 

Panoweaver 5.0 supports the creation of high dynamic range (HDR) images and converting 

them to LDR, a feature that overcomes the flare problem, which tends to affect 

many panoramic images. 

Version: Panoweaver 5.0 (2008) 

OS: Window 98 ME, NT4.0, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2 or later 

RAM: 512MB (1GB RAM or more is recommended for pans over 6,000×3,000 pixels) 

Supported file formats: Major image formats and QTVR 


Address: Easypano Holdings Inc., Room 21204, 498 Guo Shoujing Road, Pudong New Area, 

Shanghai, 201203 China 

www.easypano.com 

Photovista Panorama 

Vendor: iseemedia 

Purpose: Popular 360-degree panorama software for real estate tours and other uses 

Description 

Photovista Panorama is a widely used package for creating 360-degree panoramas and 

real estate tours. It has dozens of features, including automatic lens detection, 2D vertical 

stitching, and a Java viewing tool with full customization.

Photovista Panorama comes in several editions—Home, Pro, and International—all 

with broadly similar features. The International edition is available in French, Italian, 

German, and Spanish. It also forms part of the Reality Studio professional multimedia 

toolkit, which includes the vendor’s Photovista 3D Objects software for creating detailed 

photo-realistic 3D image objects. 

Comments 

Virtual tours are a popular way of presenting properties on the Internet, a market where 

iseemedia has a significant share. With automatic warping, aligning, and blending, it is 

a very capable package that anyone can use. Enthusiasts will not find it very challenging, 

but it aims to be a low-cost solution for the use of realtors. 

Version: Photovista Panorama (Windows) 3.5, (Mac) 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows ME and XP; Mac OS 9.1 and OS X 10.2 


Supported file formats: GIF, JPEG, BMP, and FPX 

Price level: Approx. $100, Professional edition $200 

Address: Iseemedia, Inc., 180 Jardin Drive, Suite 6, Concord, Ontario, L4K 1X8, Canada 

www.iseephotovista.com 

PTGui 


Vendor: New House Internet Services 

Purpose: A graphical front-end for PanoTools, to stitch planar images, cylinders, spheres, and 

cubes 

Description 

PTGui stands for “graphical user interface for panorama tools,” the latter being the early 

set of stitching tools created by Helmut Dersch. Although Dersch’s tools were capable 

of handling most lens types and could cope with many different formats and projections, 

they were difficult to use without an additional interface. Dutch developer Joost 

Nieuwenhuijse wrote PTGui as a graphical front-end that would enable anyone to use 

the tools, including those for correcting lens distortion. 

PTGui can stitch planar images, cylinders, spheres, and cubes. It supports both rectilinear 

and fisheye lenses and several image file formats. It obtains lens details by reading 

Exif information. In earlier versions, it required you to insert control points (called 

“flags”) manually in order to align the images, but it is now completely automatic, with 

manual fine-tuning. Once alignment has been done, it quickly stitches the images 

together ready for output to many additional formats. PTGui Pro has exposure correction, 

automatic vignetting and white balance correction, HDR support, plus many other 

features.

268 


Figure 24.5 

PTGui makes easy work of stitching even hand-held images. 

Figure 24.6 

PTGui sets control points automatically, with close-up inspection on demand.

Comments 

Over a period of several years, Joost Nieuwenhuijse has developed and refined PTGui 

to make it what it is today:—a stable, reliable product with very good image quality and 

enough features to keep most photographers happy. It will not yet help you create virtual 

tours, but it allows you to save settings to a template so that you can batch process 

subsequent images. 

PTGui is wonderfully accommodating, making it easy to create high-res composite 

images or panoramas without compelling you to buy a specialized “pano head” for the 

tripod. If alignment is not quite up to scratch, it tells you so. It also blends the final 

image so that any inconsistencies are seamlessly smoothed. Well documented and supported 

by vigorous ongoing development, for the keen photographer PTGui is one of 

the most rewarding products to use among all those discussed in this book. 

Version: PTGui Pro 7.8 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and up 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Inputs JPEG, BMP, PNG, and TIFF; outputs BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, 

VRML, PSD (layers or merged), iMove PAN, and IVR 

Price level: (PTGui) approx. $100, (PTGui Pro) approx. $225 

Address: New House Internet Services B.V., Rotterdam, The Netherlands 

www.ptgui.com 

Pure Starter Toolkit 


Vendor: ImmerVision 

Purpose: A toolkit that has everything to get you started in panoramic image publishing 

Description 

Pure Starter Toolkit has all the basic tools you need for editing and publishing panoramic 

images. It has five modules: 

■ Panorama Image Extractor, which extracts panoramic images created in formats 

such as IMP, ImmerVision IVP, and QTVR JPEG. 

■ Panorama FileMaker, which generates IVP and QTVR file formats from images in 

cubical, cylindrical, or spherical formats. 

■ Lensflare Creator, which creates lensflare effects for enhancing panoramas created 

with Panorama FileMaker. 

■ Package Maker, which creates convenient IVP file bundles for easy publishing. 

■ Package Crypter, which encrypts IVP file packages with security codes.

270 


Designed with the objective of making panoramic publishing easier and quicker, Pure 

Starter Toolkit creates files that are compatible with the vendor’s Java-based PURE 

Players and QTVR. Panorama FileMaker accepts spherical, cylindrical, and cubical projection 

JPEGs and TIFFs as well as QuickTime VR JPEGs (cylindrical and cubical). Its 

editing functions allow you to calibrate the angle limits of the projection, define an entry 

point and the panorama’s field of view (FOV) limits, create an automatic horizontal 

movement, block the nadir and zenith, and add metadata with author, copyright, and 

licensing information. 

The Lensflare module adds drama by creating flare effects when a light source appears 

in the camera’s field of view. It has 16 customizable halo effects. Package Maker puts 

the files together so that they are compatible with the vendor’s PURE Player viewing 

software, optimizing them for the fastest possible downloads over the Web. Package 

Crypter protects the files with simple, localized, or temporal encryption. 

Comments 

With its five modules, the Pure Starter Toolkit is an exceptional value. Java-based VR 

gives the smoothest and most rewarding viewing experience. Download times are very 

reasonable, especially now that most people have broadband connections. Note: This is 

a publishing toolkit, not an image creation kit. It prepares immersive VR images for 

display, and does it very well. 

Version: Pure Starter Toolkit 1.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X 10.2–10.5 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Extracts from ImmerVision packages (IVP, IVL, IVU, and IVI), IMP, 

and QTVR with JPEG compression, plus formats that integrate images using JPEG, GIF, TIFF, 

and PNG 


Address: ImmerVision Inc., 2020 University, Suite 2420, H3A 2A5 Montréal, QC, Canada 

www.immervision.com 

Autodesk Stitcher 

Vendor: REALVIZ (now part of Autodesk) 

Purpose: Image stitching and 360-degree panorama creation software 

Description 

The Autodesk Stitcher product range represents a comprehensive approach to 

panoramic imaging, including the production of high-quality panoramas for the Web, 

film, print, and 3D. Whether you want to produce large format prints or create a virtual 

tour for an estate agent, this software has the answer.

It comes in two editions: 

■ Stitcher Express 

■ Stitcher Unlimited 


Stitcher Express has many of the features of the more expensive Stitcher Unlimited, 

including automatic stitching of photos of any resolution, a full 3D interface with dragand-drop 

operation, vignette removal, light equalization, and real-time preview. It is 

aimed at the hobbyist, but professional photographers will find this is a good package 

with which to start. 

When you get serious about panoramas it is time to move up to Stitcher Unlimited with 

16-bit support, which produces output ready to be printed on professional printers. It 

will also package 360-degree panoramas for virtual tour businesses. 

With Stitcher Unlimited you move beyond QuickTime VR to publishing for Java-based 

and Shockwave-based viewers. This is the package for businesses that produce a lot of 

high-quality panoramic images and provide specialist virtual tours with hot spots 

(embedded information). 

Comments 

Stitcher Unlimited won a maximum six stars from James Rigg, who specializes in reviewing 

and explaining panoramic technology on his Panoguide Website (www.panoguide.com). 

In fact, it is hard to think of anything that is obviously missing in this top-of-the-range 

package. Its core features are shared by the other, cheaper editions, but if you want support 

for fisheye lenses, cubic image output, and publishing facilities for ImmerVision’s 

Java-based PURE Players, you need Unlimited. 

Belgian photographer Tito Dupret has used (what is now called) Autodesk Stitcher to 

great effect since 2001, as is demonstrated in his shots of the 80 new World Heritage 

sites depicted on WHTour.org (www.world-heritage-tour.org). 

Autodesk, the world leader in 2D and 3D design software, acquired REALVIZ in 2008 

with the objective of adding the French company’s technology to Autodesk’s modeling, 

visual effects, and animation products. As a result, the Stitcher line has been rationalized 

to the two products described here. An intermediate Pro version has been dropped, 

as has a Student version, but an Education version is still available at the time of writing. 

Version: Stitcher Express 2.5, Unlimited 5.7 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP; Mac OS X 10.4 


Supported file formats: Inputs Cineon, JPEG, Maya, PNG, Portable Pixelmap, SGI, Softimage, 

TIFF, TGA, and BMP; outputs PSD, Maya, PNG, Portable Pixelmap, SGI, QuickTime, TIFF, 

TGA, Shockwave, and VRML

272 


Price level: Express version $80, Unlimited version $350 

Address: AutoDesk, Arep Center, 1 Traverse des Brucs, 06560 Sophia Antipolis, France 

www.stitcher.realviz.com 

Serif PanoramaPlus 

Vendor: Serif 

Purpose: Image-stitching and panorama-creation software, in three easy steps 

Description 

Serif PanoramaPlus lets you create panoramas in three easy steps: import, edit, and 

export. The import procedure allows you to bring in movie frames as well as standard 

images, preview them, and then stitch them automatically. Edit functions permit adjustment 

of the horizon line, autocropping, and rotation. You can dip in and out of Serif 

PhotoPlus, the vendor’s image editor, for further modifications. The transparency option 

allows you to place the panorama against any background. Export can be high quality 

for print, or compact size for the Web. There is a QuickTime VR option for 360-degree 

panoramas, and you can even save to PDF, a great format for printing. 

Comments 

PanoramaPlus is a very competent image stitcher from a long-established software 

company that has loads of experience in the graphic arts. It is highly automated and can 

cope with component images that other stitchers find hard to handle. The vendor provides 

a demo version that works well, but the reduced output quality makes it hard to 

evaluate the purchased product. 

For the image editor, you can buy the latest version (PhotoPlusX2) on the main Serif 

site, or an earlier, free version at www.freeserifsoftware.com. 

Version: PanoramaPlus 3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and Vista 


Supported file formats: Standard formats including JPEG, TIFF, and GIF 


Address: Serif, Inc., 13 Columbia Drive, Suite 5, Amherst, NH 03031, United States 

Serif (Europe) Ltd., The Software Centre, Unit 12, Wilford Industrial Estate, Nottingham, 

NG11 7EP, United Kingdom 

www.serif.com

SPi-V 


Vendor: fieldOfView 

Purpose: Hardware-accelerated panoramic viewing engine, built on Shockwave 3D 

Description 

SPi-V (pronounced “spiffy,” and short for Shockwave panorama viewer) is a panoramic 

viewing engine that requires an up-to-date video card with plenty of RAM and the 

Adobe Shockwave plug-in. Its purpose is to provide the smoothest and best VR viewing 

experience, but it does more than that. The SPi-V viewer is configured through 

XML files so that it can display special effects in addition to the normal panning and 

zooming of a panoramic image. 

For example, SPi-V can show animated time-lapse photography combined with 

panoramic viewing: most of the image remains static, but a figure in it can move. Even 

more impressive is its implementation of Adaptive Dynamic Range (ADR), a technology 

that adapts the tonal levels according to the part of the image currently displayed. 

(Pan to an open window and the displayed image stops itself down automatically.) In 

another technique, Focal Blur, panning the image makes the edges go out of focus but 

sharpens the central field of view, giving a strangely realistic simulation of how we actually 

see the world around us. These and other effects make SPi-V the most capable of 

all VR viewers currently available. 

Comments 

Available for licensing to panoramic photographers and Website developers, SPi-V was 

made originally for the vendor’s own customers. The images it displays are among the 

most innovative of all those on the Web, but to appreciate them you need to view them 

online rather than in print. SPi-V for Flickr is a useful tool for placing the images onto 

the Flickr photo-sharing site. At the time of writing SPi-V is still in development, but 

promises to be a revolutionary means of viewing photographs on a computer. 

Version: SPi-V 1.4.6 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 and up; Mac OS 9.x and OS X 

RAM: Hardware-accelerated 3D card with 32MB RAM 

Supported file formats: XML plus standard graphics formats 

Price level: With fieldOfView branding free, without branding approx. $50 

Address: Aldo Hoeben/fieldOfView, Lange Nieuwstraat 23 b1, 3111 AC Schiedam, 

The Netherlands 

www.fieldofview.com

274 


STOIK PanoramaMaker 


Purpose: Photo panorama software based on advanced mathematical techniques for image 

matching 

Description 

STOIK PanoramaMaker can turn any group of overlapping images into a high-quality 

panorama. It uses the most advanced type of image matching, a technique that looks 

for approximate correspondences in high dimensions, in what mathematicians call 

128-D features space. For the user it provides a step-by-step procedure for creating the 

final image, and can be operated in automatic or manual mode. 

STOIK PanoramaMaker can correct minor differences between component images of 

the panorama, in brightness, color balance, and camera tilt angle. As a result, says the 

vendor, many stitching defects that are typical of other panorama stitching applications 

are either minimized or avoided altogether. The software also offers various printing 

options, such as printing across multiple sheets of paper, borderless printing, banner 

printing, and printing with overlap for easy assembly. 

Comments 

Any new product from STOIK Imaging is worth noting, as this award-winning company 

often works on an OEM basis for other firms. PanoramaMaker joins a growing 

list of auto-stitching software and brings the latest techniques to it. 

Version 2.0 has a new algorithm to make tiled panoramas by stitching multiple rows of 

photos, including images taken with different levels of zoom. Other new features include 

viewpoint correction, with Elevation, Azimuth, and Tilt controls to change viewpoint 

and compensate for geometrical distortions. 

Version: STOIK PanoramaMaker 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 SE, 2000, XP, and Vista 


Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, and JPEG 2000 



www.stoik.com 

The Panorama Factory 

Vendor: Smoky City Design 

Purpose: Creates high-quality panoramas from a set of overlapping digital images

Description 

The Panorama Factory lets you stitch overlapping images to create full 360-degree 

panoramas. Its rich feature set includes a wizard interface, automatic detection of focal 

length, detection of camera rotation and tilt, easy rotation of imported images, and automatic 

and manual correction for barrel distortion, brightness falloff, and ghosting. 

The Panorama Factory accepts 24-bit and 45-bit color images (15 bits each for red, 

green, and blue), has a library of over 800 digital camera models including DSLRs, 

exports to layered Photoshop image format, and includes 64-bit processor support. 

Comments 

The fact that The Panorama Factory is available in English, French, Italian, German, 

Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Chinese, Slovak, and Russian is a 

sure sign that users have rallied around the product. Developed by recumbent biker 

John Strait, it started out as freeware—and look at it now! People love the way it joins 

images automatically and blends them seamlessly together. It lets you create autopanning 

virtual tours, with hotspots and Web page creation. Version 5 brought the product to the 

Macintosh platform, complete with Cubic QTVR import and export. Professional users 

can now enjoy a color-managed workflow, with read/write of embedded color profiles 

and ColorSync (Mac) or Image Color Management (Windows) to control color in 

printing and display. 

Version: The Panorama Factory 5.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 or newer; Mac OS X 10.3.9 or newer 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Reads/writes BMP, JPEG, TIFF, and PNG; outputs QTVR, IVR, 

PTViewer, and HTML image map format 


Address: Smoky City Design, 1017 N. Sheridan Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206-1718, United States 

www.panoramafactory.com 

Summary 


Creating panoramas has become almost a subset of digital photography, with specialist 

hardware such as “pano heads” plus a whole range of software aimed at different sectors 

of the market. This chapter described packages for making high quality, artistic panoramas, 

together with others that address the needs of real estate agents and holiday companies 

who want to offer virtual tours of their properties online. Photographers wanting 

to experiment with these techniques can start with PTGui and stitch images together 

from a standard camera/tripod combination. The best results, however, will be obtained 

by using the right hardware and an advanced package like Autodesk Stitcher Unlimited.

276 


Before investing any money, check out what other people are achieving in this field. See, 

for example, Eric Rougier’s FromParis.com, a truly outstanding collection of images, 

with plenty of technical information.

Part IV 

Presenting 

Your Images


Chapter 25 Digital Scrapbooking 

Chapter 26 Photo Album Creation 

Chapter 27 Slide Show Creation

25 

Digital Scrapbooking 

In the United States, scrapbooking is more popular than golf. This is a fact, established 

in a survey by Creating Keepsakes magazine. Whereas 28.5 million people over the age of 

18 play golf, scrapbooking is enjoyed by 32.1 million, or by someone in 1 in 4 American 

households, as opposed to 1 in 5 households for golf. Apparently, three-quarters of scrapbookers 

actually set aside part of the home as a place where they can perform their hobby 

without interference. Novice, intermediate, and dedicated scrapbookers spend $1,000, 

$1,700, and $2,300 respectively every year on their hobby, which, as software developers 

cannot have failed to notice, is becoming increasingly mechanized with the use of 

computer software. 

Make no mistake: this is a very important category of photographic software, commercially 

perhaps the most important in this entire book. It seems to attract large corporate 

developers, companies with parent companies—always sign of success. It also makes it 

more difficult for smaller firms to break into the market, because, as you will see, the 

large companies have a tendency to blitz the customer with thousands of designs, clipart, 

templates, and fonts. If one of them offers 40,000 graphics, another will respond with 

55,000. They make you an offer you can scarcely refuse, but is the simple three-step 

scrapbooking program really what people want? Some scrapbooking magazines go 

the opposite extreme and publish how-to articles based on using the full version of 

Photoshop. Other approaches are pitched sensibly somewhere between these two 

extremes of user ability. 

Two of the most popular software packages for scrapbooking are discussed elsewhere in 

this book: Adobe Photoshop Elements and Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo. It is the liveliness 

of the scrapbooking market that has changed Photoshop Elements into what it is 

today, not a cut-down version of Photoshop but a program designed to appeal to people

280 


who want to create scrapbooks and albums. Even so, it must surely appeal more to the 

dedicated scrapbooker than to the novice. Not everyone wants to make the transition 

between paper and scissors to keyboard and monitor, and for many people the jump 

from the physical to the virtual method is simply too great when the program has 

the flexibility and versatility of Photoshop Elements. Nowhere is the trade-off between 

ease-of-use and number of features better demonstrated than here, among the different 

types of scrapbooking software. 

There is one online service listed here (Smilebox), plus one multimedia kit 

(MemoryMixer) for creating digital slide shows. MemoryMixer is included because it 

is aimed specifically at the scrapbooking sector, whereas other slide show software has 

a broader appeal. If you want to turn scrapbooking into a multimedia experience, you 

should certainly look at some of the products described in the slide show category. 

The trend towards “openness,” seen in photographic software generally, is one that is 

likely to gather steam in scrapbooking. After all, no one wants to have personal choice 

restricted by someone else’s idea of his or her chosen art form. Even when there are thousands 

of graphics available, it is little comfort if they all look vaguely the same. It is much 

better to have a program that will take input from many suppliers, allowing you to 

choose from a wider range of styles and approaches. One indication of openness is the 

number of alliances, partnerships, and affiliations that are formed in the scrapbooking 

industry. For example, 30 independent retailers in Southern California have formed the 

Southern California Scrapbook Retailers Association, and similar link-ups have been 

spearheaded by software companies like Lumapix. Whether these will lead to improved 

usability and better-quality graphics remains to be seen. Watch this space (or, conversely, 

drag-and-drop an Easter bunny into it). 

Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory Deluxe 

Vendor: Nova Development 

Purpose: Drag-and-drop scrapbook creation with thousands of templates, fonts, and clipart 

Description 

Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory Deluxe (AESFD) could scarcely be easier to use: from 

a selected category you choose an event, occasion, or theme from 6,000 designs; you 

personalize it with your own photos, captions, and embellishments; and finally you print 

it on any printer. Another output option is to convert the page to PDF for sending to 

friends and family. 

The key selling point of AESFD is the bewildering quantity of templates, graphics, and 

fonts that come with the software. There are 60,000 graphics, consisting of watercolors, 

illustrations, vector drawings, fine art, and other styles, any of which you can use 

in your scrapbooks. 6,000 projects are categorized into Special Occasions, Family and

Friends, Journals, Holidays (no concessions to UK users: Holidays are Halloween, 

Christmas, and so on, nothing to do with the beach), Vacations (that’s the beach), 

Albums and Bragbooks, Paper Crafts, Iron-On Projects, Photo Frames and Calendars, 

and the intriguingly named Spectacular Scrapbook Additions. And Much More. 

If all this is not enough, the vendor has thrown in another 5,000 “photorealistic embellishments” 

consisting of buttons and bows, alphabets, tags, charms, and other decorations. 

There is also a built-in digital photo editor and support for traditional 12"×12" paper. 

Comments 

Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory Deluxe took top honors in an online comparative 

review of the top ten scrapbooking software packages organized by TopTenREVIEWS. 

There is no doubt that loading the user with lots of templates and fonts is often going 

to win against better photo enhancement or superior layout facilities. In this case, the 

vendor can be excused as it also offers an image editor called Photo Explosion Deluxe 

to take care of picture quality, cropping, and so on. AESFD tends to do whatever it 

thinks is best for the user, such as compressing JPEGs automatically to a mid-range value 

when saving—but there is an override to maximize quality (if you know about it). The 

program and its truckload of artwork will keep scrapbookers happy for hours and is a 

lot easier to use than Photoshop. 

Version: Scrapbook Factory Deluxe 4.0 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, PDF, and five other major formats 


Address: Nova Development Corporation, 23801 Calabasas Road, Suite 2005, Calabasas, CA 


www.novadevelopment.com 

Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer 

Chapter 25 ■ Digital Scrapbooking 281 

Vendor: Encore 

Purpose: Three-step scrapbook creation in different editions with up to 55,000 images 

Description 

Like Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory Deluxe, which it much resembles, Creating 

Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer offers a three-step process for creating scrapbooks—you 

select a design, personalize it by importing photos and graphics, and then save it as a 

PDF file to send to friends, print it, or burn it to CD for safekeeping.

282 


It comes in two editions: 

■ Scrapbook Designer Deluxe v.2—Contains 7,500 professionally designed pages and 

500 layouts from Creating Keepsakes magazine 

■ Scrapbook Designer Platinum—Contains 5,000 project designs, 55,000 “irresistible” 

images, and over 1,200 fonts 

Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer is developed by Broderbund (a trademark of 

Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited) for PRIMEDIA Special Interest Publications, 

the publisher of Creating Keepsakes magazine. 

Comments 

With so many images, it can be difficult to find what you are looking for, so there must 

surely come a point when the “pile ’em high” policy starts to have a negative effect. 

Nonetheless, this is a very popular range, with (arguably) superior graphics to Art 

Explosion and the same ease-of-use. Most users report good results with it, apart from 

one or two minor niggles like having to rotate images manually before inserting them 

into tilted frames. Fortunately, the pros outweigh the cons in what is a very strong brand, 

with enough features to make anyone feel creative. Creating Keepsakes has its own 

Website and online community at www.creatingkeepsakes.com. 

Version: Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer Deluxe Version 3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98SE, ME, 2000 SP4, and XP (Home and Pro) SP1 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and PDF 

Price level: Scrapbook Designer Deluxe v.3 approx. $20, Scrapbook Designer Platinum approx. 

$40 

Address: Riverdeep, Inc., 71 Stevenson Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States 

www.broderbund.com 

FotoFinish 

Vendor: SmartDraw.com 

Purpose: Edit digital images, create collages and scrapbooks, and print the results 

Description 

FotoFinish is an image editing, designing, and printing application that is packaged as 

three editions. 

■ FotoFinish BASIC, for either printing or emailing images, but without editing or 

design features

■ FotoFinish STUDIO, which adds editing facilities such as crop, resize, and rotate; 

plus borders, floating text, and special effects 

■ FotoFinish SUITE, not only printing and editing, but also design and layout 

The top edition of FotoFinish, which offers facilities for designing cards, invitations, 

even business brochures, is especially popular with users who create collages and scrapbooks. 

Both the Studio and Suite editions have extensive editing capabilities, with color 

control, exposure adjustment, and retouching tools. Everything is implemented in an 

easy-to-use way. 

Comments 

FotoFinish comes from a top vendor of business graphics software, a company that 

deliberately applies a “keep-it-simple” philosophy to its products. Of the three editions, 

FotoFinish SUITE is surely the best value with its layout facilities, professionally 

designed templates and royalty-free graphics. Reviewers have given it full marks for its 

photo-sharing options, but have found the editing facilities somewhat limited. This is 

true, but it has enough tools for its intended market, and, by all accounts, the help and 

support are terrific. The vendor offers discounts to students and academic institutions. 

Versions: FotoFinish1.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP 

Supported file formats: SPH (FotoFinish), JPEG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, PNG, and PSD 

Price level: Basic edition $70, Studio edition $ 100, Suite $130 

Address: SmartDraw.com, 9909 Mira Mesa Blvd., Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92131, United 

States 

www.fotofinish.com 

LumaPix FotoFusion 

Vendor: LumaPix 

Purpose: Collage creation, with automatic layout and fine-tuning 


Description 

LumaPix FotoFusion is a fast tool that lets you create collages in any style rather than 

constraining you with templates, although templates are available if you need them. It 

comes in three variants—Essentials, Enhanced, and Extreme (formerly called Standard, 

Pro, and Studio)—with significantly different levels of functionality from one to the other. 

Only the Extreme edition offers multi-page support for composition and printing. 

FotoFusion has useful photo organizing and grouping facilities that allow you to prepare 

a selection of pictures for your project. Autocollaging has been improved in version 

4.0, with ordering (arranging) by filename, file date, Exif date, or in random order.

284 


You can make an image fill a page (a great advantage over other, more restrictive scrapbooking 

programs that squeeze photos into tiny spaces) and ensure that it retains its 

proper aspect ratio. 

Color-editing features are available in the Enhanced and Extreme editions, but are very 

limited in the Essentials program. Notably absent are the thousands of clipart images, 

embellishments, and fonts that are common in many scrapbooking programs. Arguably 

these are two-a-penny, with many available free online, and there is nothing to stop you 

adding any image in JPEG format to your FotoFusion pages. 

Comments 

Although LumaPix FotoFusion Essentials does not go far beyond making collages, it is 

a true scrapbooking tool that has become the focus of an industry consortium called 

the dotScrap Alliance (www.dotScrap.com). This imaginative business venture ties in 

physical scrapbooking tools and materials with digital creation, under the banner “All 

the Fun, None of the Fuss.” Participating companies, besides Lumapix, are All My 

Memories, Autumn Leaves, Creative Imaginations, Daisy D’s, DMD, K & Company, 

KI Memories, L’il Davis Designs, LineCo, Rastar, Scrapbook.com, Scrapjazz.com, SEI, 

and Westrim. None of this would have been possible if FotoFusion was not a first-rate 

tool, able to produce original and satisfying layouts with great ease of use. 

At the time of writing there is no Macintosh version of LumaPix FotoFusion, although 

it runs in VMWare and Parallels mode on Intel Macs. Nonetheless, the Extreme version 

is the only product in this chapter that is highly rated by professionals. For example, top 

wedding photographer David A. Ziser (www.davidziser.com), who teaches digital master 

classes in Ohio, tells me informally that it’s “the best design software on the planet 

Earth.” A subjective judgment? Possibly. But it clearly helps him get the job done. 

Version: FotoFusion 4.2 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG, GIF, PSD, and PDF 

Price level: Essentials version $40, Enhanced version $120, Extreme version $300 

Address: LumaPix, 195 Louis-Lalande, Boucherville, QC, J4B 6P6, Canada 

www.lumapix.com 

Hallmark Scrapbook Studio 

Vendor: Creative Home 

Purpose: Scrapbooking software with templates, graphics, fonts, and a photo editor

Description 

Hallmark Scrapbook Studio is another easy-to-use scrapbooking utility with more 

than 1,200 templates, over 7,000 graphics, over 500 fonts, over 1,000 embellishments, 

and a built-in digital photo editor. Like its competitors Art Explosion and Creating 

Keepsakes, it provides a three-step process for putting scrapbooks together—you can 

start from scratch or use a Hallmark template; add your own photos and personalize 

the pages with words and graphics; and then preview and print on any printer. The difference 

is in the graphics. If you like the Hallmark style, go with this one. 

Photo editing includes red-eye removal, correction for brightness, contrast, and color, 

and resize, rotate, and crop facilities. The templates are professionally designed, with a 

layout for every occasion. Graphics are invariably cute to give a cheerful accompaniment 

to your pictures. There are plenty of frames to choose from, plus journals, family 

trees, and photo cards. One special feature is hundreds of paper doll accessories, but 

there are many others, all designed to delight the avid scrapbooker. 

Hallmark Scrapbook Studio is sold through resellers such as Wal-Mart, Staples, and 

Amazon.com, and online at the Hallmark Software store. 

Comments 

The Hallmark product is particularly strong on special effects, offers hundreds of designs 

with a wide choice of themes, and provides good photo-editing facilities with PhotoLab. 

Some reviewers have complained that it is “complex and challenging” to use, but this is 

a standard comment for any program that offers even basic image-adjustment features. 

Photo editing is essential: grandchildren should have red eyes only if they happen to be 

a particular species of lemur or tree frog. Hallmark’s software developer has done a fine 

job of putting together a sensible and fun-to-use package. 

Version: Hallmark Scrapbook Studio Deluxe 3.0 (2008) 


RAM: 64MB 

Supported file formats: Imports major image formats; exports proprietary format only 


Address: Creative Home, 23801 Calabasas Road, Suite 1018, Calabasas, CA 91302-1547, 

United States 

www.hallmarksoftware.com 

MemoryMixer 


Vendor: Lasting Impressions 

Purpose: Create a multimedia digital scrapbook, with images, video, and sounds

286 


Description 

MemoryMixer adds a few levels of sophistication to the concept of family slide show 

software by adding video overlay on top of your slides and include voice narration that 

can interrupt any background audio. All of these features are wrapped up with 

“Embellishments & Backgrounds,” with ribbons and bows and textures. 

It comes in two editions—MemoryMixer Lite, with 100 backgrounds and more than 

375 embellishments; and MemoryMixer, with 400 backgrounds and more than 1,200 

embellishments. 

You can also create printed albums with this product as it ships with more than 30 professionally 

designed albums and many more are available from professional designers. 

The vendor has a photo-processing service with delivery to the door. 

Comments 

MemoryMixer has been vigorously promoted to become one of the leading brands in 

this sector. It is sold in the online Apple shop, which gives it a kind of official seal of 

approval, but it remains a basic program that places a lot of emphasis on decoration, 

but comparatively little on photographic quality. However, that is par for the course 

with most scrapbooking provision and MemoryMixer is no worse in that respect. 

To use MemoryMixer you have a choice of three modes—InstaMix, which allows you to 

select background and photos and then the program automatically puts the pages together; 

QuickMix, where you start with a professionally designed album into which you insert 

your photos individually; and From Scratch, with which you can customize the various 

elements. This is a good approach as it caters for all levels of expertise. The vendor also 

offers a photo-processing service for printing album pages to the size you want. 

Versions: MemoryMixer 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB (512 or more MB recommended) 

Supported file formats: Major image, video, and sound formats 

Price level: Lite version $35, Full version $80 

Address: Lasting Impressions for Paper, Inc., 2441 South 1560 West, Woods Cross, UT 84087, 

United States 

www.memorymixer.com 

PhotoELF 

Vendor: Landofcom Software 

Purpose: Photo printing and editing software, with organizing and batch facilities


Figure 25.1 

PhotoELF lets you browse and manage images as well as make slide shows and albums. 

Description 

Having the tagline “The Digital Camera Companion,” PhotoELF is a versatile tool that 

works as an image organizer, editor, and print utility. Its appeal is primarily to home 

users who want to improve family photographs and create albums, slide shows, and 

cards for Christmas and birthdays. However, it also has extensive batch facilities for such 

tasks as renaming, resizing, rotation, and compression—which tends to place it in a 

slightly different category. For example, it would appeal to anyone who has responsibility 

for editing and distributing community sports images. 

As a print utility, PhotoELF offers many features, such as printing up to 64 photos on 

the same page, printing to specific sizes such as 8"×10", 5"×7", 4"×6", and 3"× 4", 

borderless printing, duplicates, template creation, add-text, add-captions, and large-size 

poster printing. It also allows you to create browser-based photo albums to which you 

can add music in the form of MP3 and WAV files. It has sequential and random slide 

show options, plus a feature that allows you to publish albums direct to the Web or burn 

them to CD-ROM. 

PhotoELF works with all printers, including Olympus P400, Hewlett Packard, Epson, 

Canon, Lexmark, Compaq, and Xerox.

288 


Comments 

PhotoELF is not aimed specifically at the scrapbooking market. Far from it: the vendor 

mentions possible use by insurance and real estate agents. Yet it has most of the facilities 

that scrapbookers demand, apart from clipart (which is readily available elsewhere). 

Reasonably priced, it offers image adjustment as well as editing, while being strongly 

oriented towards output with its multiple print options. If you are tired of decorating 

your work with cute rabbits, PhotoELF can conjure up a slick layout in no time at all. 

Version: PhotoELF 4.0 (2008) 


RAM: 32MB 

Supported file formats: Saves to 60 formats; views 17 formats: BMP, CLP, CUR, EMF, FPX, 

ICO, IFF, JPEG, PCT, PCX, PNG, PSD, RAS, SGI, TGA, TIFF, and WMF 

Price level: CD version approx. $40 

Address: Landofcom Software, 17845 211th Ave., Big Lake, MN 55309, United States 

www.photoelf.com 

PhotoMix 

Vendor: fCoder Group 

Purpose: Digital scrapbook and collages software, with monthly add-ins 

Description 

PhotoMix lets you take either scanned photos or images direct from a digital camera 

and then create scrapbooks and collages using themed “graphic kits” or templates. When 

completed you can print the pages on glossy paper or surround them with virtual frames 

and add them to your digital scrapbook collection. 

Creation of scrapbook pages with PhotoMix is a simple drag-and-drop affair. You can 

zoom into any of the images, add text and graphics, and finally email, print, or store 

the result. The vendor makes great play of the program’s simplicity, saying that the learning 

curve is “not a curve but rather a short straight line.” 

There are both free and commercial add-ins (additional graphics kits), with seasonal 

and special interest themes. They include a military add-in designed especially “for military 

people and patriots.” There are also dozens of Amy Teets designs of a general nature 

with titles like “Sophisticated,” “Extraordinary,” “Showdown,” and “Sublime.” 

Comments 

Attractive templates, easy operation, plenty of updated graphics, and useful tutorials 

help to make PhotoMix an above-average, even classy, scrapbooking option. It lacks proper 

photo-editing tools, but maybe editing is a task that is best done in a specialist program.

In fact, it is quite likely that a different family member will process the images and then 

pass them to the scrapbooker for layout and text. Unlike photo editing, PhotoMix needs 

no computer literacy skills, yet good results can be achieved if you work with welladjusted 

images. 

Version: PhotoMix 5.3 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Imports and exports major graphics formats 

Price level: Approx. $30, add-ins are $5 each 

Address: fCoder Group, Inc., Pacific Business Centre, #101 - 1001 W. Broadway, Suite 381, 

Vancouver, BC V6H 4E4, Canada 

www.photomix.com 

Smilebox 


Vendor: Smilebox, Inc. 

Purpose: Online scrapbooking application—download a design, personalize it, email it 

Figure 25.2 

Smilebox puts the whole process of slide show creation online.

290 


Description 

Smilebox is an online service that lets you create animated scrapbooks, photobooks, 

slide shows, postcards, and greetings. To use it, you download a design, personalize it 

for the occasion you have in mind by adding images, video, music and captions, and 

then email it to the recipient. 

There are three levels of service: a basic, free design; a premium design; and a club subscription. 

Comments 

Smilebox may very well appeal to scrapbookers. It has a huge number of cheerful designs 

with a seasonal emphasis that changes as the year progresses. Unfortunately, it does not 

give you enough control and tends to put your scrapbook together as it thinks best, 

loading pictures automatically from your Windows folders. It needs a fast broadband 

connection as it sends you a substantial amount of images and code. There is an initial 

wait even with a 8Mbps connection. 

Versions: 1.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Limited formats 

Price level: Premium designs $2 each, subscription $5/month or $40/year 

Address: Smilebox, Inc., 8201 164th Ave NE, Suite 305, Redmond, WA 98052, United States 

www.smilebox.com 

Summary 

More than a hobby, scrapbooking is an activity that celebrates family life, preserving its 

special moments for later enjoyment. Its modern version is digital scrapbooking, either 

in virtual form for sharing online or else as a design tool for printing physical scrapbooks, 

often in their traditional square format. Most scrapbooking software contains 

vast quantities of clipart, mainly because developers believe this is what the market 

demands. Not all of it would pass muster in a design contest, but the homespun nature 

of scrapbooking makes it readily accepted. Developers have kept layout and image 

manipulation as easy-to-use as possible, but dedicated scrapbookers always have the 

option of moving up-market to Photoshop Elements or Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo. 

Another option is to use an online service such as Smilebox, but ultimately there is no 

substitute for using good photographic skills at the point of origination.

26 

Photo Album Creation 

Album software often forms part of a larger program, a good example being Apple’s 

Aperture, which gives Mac users all the tools they need to create digital albums. You 

should therefore also check out some of the image editors and image viewers for programs 

like Adobe Photoshop Elements or Google Picasa, which are renowned for their 

photo album capabilities. This chapter covers several other packages that are dedicated 

to helping you prepare images for showing on the Web. Most come with an integral 

FTP client to save you the trouble of acquiring CoffeeCup, CuteFTP, or other specialist 

uploading software, and several have basic editing features like cropping and rotation. 

Some provide layouts that are also suitable for printing: the pages forming a real album 

when bound together. That said, most of them are fairly basic in what they have to offer. 

Photo album software is generally less fussy than digital scrapbooks in its approach to 

displaying images. Whereas scrapbooks place emphasis on decorative graphics, album 

software tries harder to show your images to their best advantage. This is not to say that 

album software never ventures into the realms of storytelling or special effects. It does. 

But its primary objective is to get your pictures organized on the page for browsing 

online. A good argument can be made in favor of the simple approach: the simpler the 

better. 

Two packages that exemplify the simple approach are Quixhibit from WilyBeagle 

Software and Diji Album from Xequte Software. Either one is capable of creating a 

photo gallery that will display your images with clear navigation and acceptable layout. 

Often using Flash, far too many photographers attempt to create elaborate Websites 

that are slow to respond and challenging to navigate. The advantage of Flash lies in the 

extra protection it gives to your images, making it difficult for people to save them to 

their computers. Album Creator is a viable option if you really want to use Flash.

292 


From among the larger corporations, Serif’s AlbumPlus is one of the easiest packages 

to use, but you may need one of the vendor’s other programs for editing. From the 

biggest company of all, there is Kodak EasyShare, part of an extensive system composed 

of camera, dock, online gallery, and print service. 

It is logical to combine album creation software with online services, and the Kodak 

offering is comprehensive. It may be too consumer-oriented for some tastes, but a good 

level of print quality is always maintained. An alternative for those who simply want a 

convenient online presence is SendPhotos, a two-in-one software/service solution that 

comes with free Web space. With the vendor’s ongoing development, you can load pictures 

direct from your mobile phone as well as from your PC. 

Album Creator 

Vendor: FirmTools 

Purpose: Generates professional-looking Flash and HTML image galleries 

Description 

Album Creator lets you create online albums in Flash or HTML, using specially 

designed templates to give the pages a professional look. It gives you the flexibility to 

customize the templates, plus the option of designing your own. 

Additional, themed templates are available for download, several new ones being released 

every month. For example, “Dotted Frames” has a dark gray color scheme and a new 

font (Candara), and is ideal for showing images to their best advantage. Another, “Paper 

Album,” has a page-turning, corner-dragging feature with the option of setting your 

own texture image for the pages or the album cover. 

As well as album creation, the software has editing tools to enhance photos, remove redeye, 

adjust colors, and apply watermarks. It has support for Exif and IPTC metadata 

and includes FTP facilities for uploading to a Website. 

Album Creator comes in three editions: Lite, Basic, and Pro. 

Comments 

Well presented and carefully explained, Album Creator has the look and feel of a mainstream 

product, despite its relatively low cost. Since it was launched in 2003, its templates 

have become increasingly well designed, some of the latest being outstanding. If 

you prefer to place albums on your own Website rather use Flickr or another online 

service, Album Creator is an effective tool that gives you plenty of creative freedom. The 

developers are enthusiastic users of digital cameras—and they have put their experience 

to good use in this product.

Version: Album Creator 3.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, and 2003 Server 


Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, PSD, BMP, GIF, PNG, ICO, WMF, EMF, and EMF+ 

Price level: Lite version $15, Basic version $25, Pro version $40 

Address: FirmTools, 46 Tkatskaya Street, Suite 25, Moscow, 105187, Russian Federation 

www.firmtools.com 

AlbumPlus 

Chapter 26 ■ Photo Album Creation 293 

Vendor: Serif 

Purpose: Digital media manager to organize, browse, search, and locate photos, movies, and 

sounds 

Description 

AlbumPlus is a comprehensive package for creating digital photo albums, with features 

that allow you to organize, browse, search, and locate your images and other multimedia 

files. Having found the right images you can go on to create screensavers, personalized calendars, 

greetings cards, multimedia slide shows, and, obviously (given the name) albums. 

AlbumPlus lets you create an unlimited number of tag categories which you can then use 

to tag your images with keywords. It also has plenty of alternative search options, including 

“my projects,” star rating, import history, and text searching. It allows you to edit 

Exif, XMP, and IPTC metadata—a feature that many people missed in earlier versions. 

Photo enhancement options include rotate, crop, sharpen, red-eye removal, and adjustment 

of lightness, darkness, brightness, contrast, and color. If you need more advanced 

tools, you can link directly to the vendor’s PhotoPlus software. 

Comments 

Reviewers have given AlbumPlus full marks for ease-of-use but have tended to be critical 

of its price after comparing it with free offerings from Google (Picasa) and Kodak 

(EasyShare). There is some truth to this observation, although AlbumPlus does have a 

unique personality of its own. It has been put together very professionally with a full 

set of output options that includes the ability to send images to mobile phones. Its search 

facilities are especially strong and it is very well supported with guides, updates, and free 

user forums. 

Version: AlbumPlus X2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, or Vista (certified) 

RAM: 128MB (512 recommended) 

Supported file formats: Major image formats

294 



Address: Serif, Inc., 13 Columbia Drive, Suite 5, Amherst, NH 03031, United States 

www.serif.com 

Biromsoft WebAlbum 

Vendor: Biromsoft 

Purpose: To create professional-looking online photo albums with thumbnail galleries 

Description 

WebAlbum lets you create fully customizable Web albums without any knowledge of 

HTML or programming techniques. A wizard-like interface guides you through the 

process, allowing you to play with different themes, such as birthday, Christmas, and 

office-related themes, games, kid themes, leisure-related themes, military themes, nature 

themes, science themes, sports, travel, and wedding themes, while also providing the 

option to create some themes of your own. 

Once you have created them, you can serve the albums from any Web server, local hard 

disk, or writable CD. A built-in FTP client then makes it easy to upload albums to the 

Web. 

Comments 

All the emphasis is placed on ease-of-use in Biromsoft WebAlbum (not to be confused 

with Mac software of the same name). Nonetheless, an advanced user can edit page layouts 

and style sheets and produce a slightly more individual look to the finished result. 

The vendor has created a clean interface with large tabs to make the “next step” fairly 

obvious. It is ideal for beginners, but lacks features for other users. The same product 

is sold by Sarm Software as “WebAlbum.” 

Version: Biromsoft WebAlbum 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT4, ME, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major formats such as JPEG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, TIF, and PNG 


Address: Biromsoft, 555 8th Ave #1001., New York, NY 10018, United States 

www.biromsoft.com 

InAlbum 

Vendor: IncrediTools 

Purpose: Turns digital photos and videos into photo albums, with 100 or more ready-to-use 

templates

Description 

InAlbum is template-based software that lets you turn your digital photos and videos 

into albums for printing or online hosting. You choose a template from over 100 designs, 

and then combine, mix, and match background animations, buttons, photo frames, 

fonts, and transition effects to create a complete presentation. You can add videos and 

apply video effects such as motion blur, emboss, sepia, “mozaik,” and oil painting. There 

are also facilities for voice recording (and converting your voice using various effects 

such as “ghost,” “girly sound effect,” and so on), plus animated clipart for decoration, 

and clickable speech bubbles. 

Comments 

Designed to be fun to use, InAlbum has plenty of features to keep the most active user 

interested, including one that will “morph your friend’s face into apes, aliens, birds, and 

a lot more!” If this sounds a little gimmicky, it is, but the examples given are skillfully 

done and very amusing. Version 3.0 added CD/DVD burning, playable on TVs, helping 

to combat the criticism of reviewers that it did not have enough features. In fact, it 

is now very capable, easy-to-use, and has excellent picture quality. It could have been 

included in Chapter 27, “Slide Show Creation.” 

Version: InAlbum 3.0 Deluxe (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, XP, and 2000 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and PNG; Imports Windows video files (AVI, WMV, and ASF); 

MPEG video files (MPEG, MPG, and MPV); QuickTime video files (QT and MOV); exports 

Flash, HTML, and AVI movie files 


Address: IncrediTools 

www.inalbum.com 

Dg Foto Art 

Vendor: PXL Soft 

Purpose: Pro-level digital album creation tool with more than 1,000 ready-to-use templates 

Description 

With two editions and a huge template collection, Dg Foto Art is a comprehensive 

solution for creating photo albums of all kinds, especially for weddings and special 

occasions. The editions are: 

■ Essentia, for quick album creation 

■ Gold, with all the tools 

Chapter 26 ■ Photo Album Creation 295

296 


Brightness, contrast, gamma, and sharpness controls are included in both editions, along 

with resizing and cropping. Only the Gold edition has rotation, curves, and color correction. 

You can resize the pages inside an Album, but not in the Essentia edition, and 

swap photos instantly (but only in Gold). By far the best results are achievable with the 

significantly more expensive Gold edition, which includes guidelines for accurate composing 

together with automatic color and contrast adjustment. An intermediate, Classic 

edition has been discontinued but is still supported. 

Comments 

Dg Foto Art comes from a respected team of developers in India, the company having 

been founded by Viren Satra, the father of videography in the subcontinent. As a result, 

many of its designs lean towards Bollywood taste, with clashing colors and lively 

layouts. Among its best designs are some superb Indian wedding templates, which 

require separate purchase from the Dg Foto Galleria collection but are very tasteful by 

comparison. Dg Foto Art would be a natural choice for anyone making albums for 

an Indian wedding. The product is widely available—dealers in the U.S. include Alkit 

(www.alkit.com) and B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com). It comes with a USB dongle to 

combat software piracy. 

Versions: Dg Foto Art 5.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP with SP2; Mac OS X 10.4.x and above 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Major graphic formats, such as JPEG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, PNG, MGF, 

and TGA 

Price level: Essentia $150,Gold $650, Dg Foto Galleria templates $5 each 

Address: PXL Soft LLC., B-204, Master Mind III, Royal Palms, Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon 

(East), Mumbai-400065, India 

www.pxlsoft.com 

Diji Album 

Vendor: Xequte Software 

Purpose: Wizard-based creation of albums with images, rich text, and multimedia 

Description 

Diji Album lets you create electronic photo albums that look like real albums, right 

down to the optional photo corners. Its tools give you complete control over layout, 

using multiple images, headings, rich text, and multimedia. It lets you paste text and 

images from editing applications or drag and drop them from Explorer. One key feature 

is full text searching within your album, enabling you to locate specific pages.

Figure 26.1 

Diji Album lets you place images and text with precision. 


Common image-editing functions include rotation, cropping, and red-eye removal. You 

can send a Diji Album to friends as a self-extracting file, distribute it on self-booting 

CD-ROMs, or post it to a Website using exported HTML. There is also the option to 

display the album as a slide show, complete with background music, page flips, and 

other effects. 

Comments 

A rave review for Diji Album on Great Canadian Reviews said it “should be triple the 

price,” and other reviewers have also written warmly about the product. It even won 

five stars in the UK Sunday Times. They are right. Although it is not a “designer 

product” with slick graphics and an ultracool interface, it gets the job done in a straightforward 

way, without clutter or too many options. The end result is very acceptable and 

should appeal to a very wide market. 

Version: Diji Album 7.0 (2008) 


RAM: 32MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, WMF, AVI, MPEG; MP3, WMA, WAV, and 

HTML 


Address: Xequte Software, PO Box 83-087, Johnsonville 6440, New Zealand 

www.xequte.com

298 

JAlbum 


Vendor: JAlbum 

Purpose: Free gallery software for publishing images to any Web page or sharing directly from 

your computer 

Figure 26.2 

JAlbum offers an instant preview of your virtual gallery. 

Description 

JAlbum is a popular program for creating online galleries that you can post to any 

Website, together with text and comments. It lets you choose color themes, layouts, picture 

and thumbnail sizes, music, and method of navigation. A freshly designed interface 

makes it easy to find your images and then place them using drag-and-drop tools. 

You can also edit comments, rotate images, and run slide shows directly from your local 

hard disk. 

To the albums you can add any file type, not just images, together with icons to link to 

the appropriate resource on the user’s computer (such as a PDF reader for PDF files). 

It also lets you plug in image filters to add watermarks and logos; Exif and IPTC support 

are standard.

Comments 

After two million downloads, it is clear that the developer is doing something right. The 

fact that JAlbum is free may account for some of its popularity, but not all of it. Users 

particularly like the way it allows you to make your own “skins” (everything that frames 

the image). It is easy to learn, looks better on a PC than on the Mac, and has templates 

that were considered by some to be better than its interface until the 2008 redesign. 

The vendor gives many good examples of creative uses for outstanding snaps, showing 

how easy it is to make a printed-and-bound book from your album pictures by following 

the links to the appropriate supplier. Likewise, from partner bagsnatcher.com, there 

are cushions, bags, placemats, wallets, and pillowcases to be had. Clearly, JAlbum does 

not mean “just albums” (the J, of course, being Java—a language that enables the vendor 

to keep the service always up-to-date). 

Version: JAlbum 8.0 (2008) 

OS: Any platform that supports Java 1.4, such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, AIX, 

and OS/2 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, GIF, and PNG 


Address: JAlbum AB, Solna strandväg 96, S-171 54 Solna, Sweden 

www.jalbum.net 

Kodak EasyShare 


Vendor: Eastman Kodak 

Purpose: Software component of system that includes camera, dock, online gallery, and print 

service 

Description 

Kodak EasyShare (or EASYSHARE, as the vendor insists on shouting) is free software 

that lets you prepare your images for printing or sharing online. It is part of a larger system 

that consists of a choice of Kodak digital cameras, a docking station, an online 

gallery (www.kodakgallery.com—formerly Ofoto), greeting card software, and a comprehensive 

printing service that offers an excellent range of real photo albums. 

If you use the EasyShare dock, your pictures are transferred to your computer automatically. 

There, the EasyShare software takes over and lets you organize your photos 

by date, caption, or favorites. You can use the Creative Projects tab to personalize photo 

cards, books, and gifts. Editing includes enhancement, cropping, and red-eye reduction 

with a single click.

300 


For output you can use Quick Print for one-click printing or share your pictures with 

others on the EasyShare gallery. At the gallery there is an extensive shop where you can 

purchase albums, clothes, calendars, frames, prints, and more, much more. 

Comments 

Somehow, it all fits together, although Kodak’s online explanation is a triumph of marketspeak 

over useful information. The Kodak EasyShare gallery is said to contain over two 

billion images (or does that include other parts of the organization? Again, the information 

is unclear). The registration page has a picture of a mug with a dog on it—and 

that is really all you need to know. Give it a try. The printing is fine and you get free 

prints when you join. 

Version: Kodak EasyShare 7 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 and up 


Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, BMP, Flashpix, GIF, JFIF, PICT, PNG, Photoshop (with 

layers), SCI, Targa, MacPaint, RAW (.KDC), MOV, and AVI 


Address: Kodak Imaging Network, 1480 64th St., Suite 300, Emeryville, CA 94608, United 

States 

www.kodak.com 

Quixhibit 

Vendor: WilyBeagle Software 

Purpose: Image gallery building in minutes with “Quick Exhibit” tools 

Description 

Quixhibit allows you to download images to your computer, arrange them into photo 

galleries, and then upload them to the Web. Its name elides “quick” and “exhibit,” 

emphasizing that this is a speedy way to put images online. 

Among Quixhibit’s growing number of features are styling tools that enable you to 

choose a basic text index, a “contact sheet” of rows/columns, or scrolling navigation 

bars. You can choose font, background color, background image, page layout, and dropshadows 

to add to the basic style. The optional captioning facility includes spell checking, 

whereas other features include cropping, rotation, and sorting. There is an 

integrated FTP client for uploading the gallery, plus context-sensitive help to guide users 

through the whole process.

Comments 

Although this is (currently) a very basic program, it produces a clean, effective result 

that is likely to appeal to photo enthusiasts. After all, a gallery needs only to have sensibly 

arranged thumbnails, a large central display area, and good navigation. Using 

Quixhibit, you can create a scrolling navigation bar along the top of the frame and see 

the images displayed below—just like the layout on DPReview.com. Check it out; it 

may be all you need. 

Version: Quixhibit 3.2.12.85 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: WilyBeagle Software, 100 Beagle Way, Raleigh, NC 27613, United States 

www.quixhibit.com 

SendPhotos 


Vendor: Avanquest Software 

Purpose: Organizes pictures on your PC; comes with Web space for uploading 

Description 

This is a two-in-one solution: PC software that lets you create albums on your PC, but 

with the purchase comes some Web space to which the software can upload the albums. 

What is more, friends and family can view your online photos as well as add their own. 

Among SendPhotos’ many features are over 200 theme templates, a wide choice of 

frames, colors, and caption styles, and various design tools with drag-and-drop placement 

of images. One key feature is the facility to create online photo stories, with text 

and images, along the lines of “Hi, Grandpa! Look what I’ve been doing...” 

SendPhotos can synchronize your PC albums with those online, while also scheduling 

automatic uploads so that photos are always backed up online and on the PC. Printing 

options include six formats, enabling you to print one large picture or several small ones 

on each page. 

Comments 

The combination of desktop software and online service is a winner for many users. 

SendPhotos does it very well and has earned the plaudits of reviewers and users alike. 

Avanquest is a large, international software company that has big plans for this product, 

including integration with a new mobile phone application called SendPhotos

302 


Mobile (shortly to be released at the time of writing). With this new product, you can 

browse your galleries and upload pictures from your mobile phone directly to your 

online locker. 

Version: SendPhotos 5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 or XP 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Includes 2GB online storage, approx. $30 

Address: Avanquest Software USA, 1333 West 120th Ave., Suite 314, Westminster, CO 80234, 

United States 

www.sendphotos.com 

Virtual Album 

Vendor: Radar Software 

Purpose: Organize, protect, and share your photographs 

Description 

Virtual Album lets you create albums from images direct from a digital camera or 

scanned into your computer. It has an option for presenting full-screen slide shows complete 

with descriptions, while making it easy to add the descriptions with simple mouse 

clicks. One unusual feature is “Point a Person,” which allows you to list people’s names 

in your photos and point each person out. 

Easy to use, Virtual Album lets you create an unlimited number of sub-albums, attach 

background music, and perform image transformation using photo-optic tools. Output 

can be to the Web or you can burn your exported albums to CD. It also gives you the 

option of printing 1, 4, or 24 photos per page. 

Comments 

From a design point of view, Virtual Album looks a little homespun, although some 

users actually like their software to have a friendly and non-threatening appearance. For 

example, the “Point a Person” feature is a good idea, but the lists of names take up almost 

as much room as the images. The vendor aims the product at the home user and also 

sells useful hardware to connect a PC to a TV so that you can see your albums in a family 

viewing area. 

Version: Virtual Album 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, ME, and XP 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: Major image formats


Address: Radar Software, Inc., 7027 W. Broward Blvd. #400, Plantation FL 33317, United States 

www.albumsoftware.com 

Summary 


Photo album packages are essentially digital scrapbooks minus the Easter bunnies and 

all the other clutter that interferes with the clean presentation of images. At their best 

they help you produce stunning books of images, organized with attractive layouts, tasteful 

borders, and discreet captions. Alternatively, your book can be a virtual album that 

exists only online or in the computer. Page turning can be perfectly simulated, so there 

is really no need to chop down a forest for physical materials. It is a very popular category 

of software, hence only a selection has been described in this chapter. Examples 

range from the free Swedish product JAlbum to the wizard-based Diji Album from New 

Zealand. Millions of people use Google’s Picasa (see Chapter 2, “Image Viewers”) and 

Kodak’s EasyShare, whereas Apple’s Aperture also has excellent album creation facilities 

(see Chapter 38, “Two Featured Products”).


27 

Slide Show Creation 

What passes for slide show creation in most image viewers and editors is little more than 

the automatic cycling of images with a brief dissolve in between them. This may be 

acceptable on some occasions, but it is scarcely the kind of show we remember from the 

great days of audio/visual presentation using real slides on computer-controlled banks 

of Kodak Carousel projectors. Even in the Victorian era, traveling showmen put on great 

entertainment with magic lanterns that took slides with moveable picture elements. The 

visual effects they created were more complex than those in the first edition of Adobe 

Lightroom’s slide show module. Did you ever see the one of a man swallowing a rat? 

Specialized slide show software goes a long way beyond what is offered in standard image 

editors. For a start, it needs to accommodate a synchronized soundtrack, the one element 

that is most likely to create a memorable experience, apart from the images themselves. 

Second, it needs to have the ability to pan and zoom the images and record these 

effects for automatic playback. Plenty of transition effects is a given—and here some 

developers go way over the top in providing visually irritating transitions along with the 

good ones. Finally, it needs to have an interface that makes it easy for you to organize 

images and set timings, and synchronize transitions to the soundtrack. Surprisingly, very 

few software packages meet these criteria. 

Unlike some of the other categories in this book, the slide show software listed in this 

chapter is a rag-bag collection of packages with very different personalities. They range 

from the no-nonsense Soundslides, favored by journalists, right up to ProShow Producer 

for making professional shows. In a determined effort to mix media as much as possible, 

Slideroll lets you create a slide show online, download it as a QuickTime movie, 

and then email it to your friends. If it can be done, you know there is a developer out 

there who will attempt to do it.

306 


ImageMatics StillMotion Professional 

Vendor: NetCorporation 

Purpose: Professional pan and zoom animation tool for “Ken Burns” effects 

Description 

ImageMatics StillMotion lets you create sophisticated slide shows in Flash or video by 

zooming and panning within high-res images, in the style of American documentary 

filmmaker Ken Burns. Most documentary films now use this technique, but Ken Burns 

made it popular in such films as The Civil War (1990) and Baseball (1994). By introducing 

motion to still images—for example, by zooming in to one particular face in a 

group shot—he showed how you could hold the audience’s attention and create compelling 

footage. 

You can use ImageMatics StillMotion for creating virtual tour segments or still image 

animation for commercials, news, documentaries, wedding and event videos, and many 

other applications. Saved in the Flash format as SWF (pronounced “swiff”) files, the 

animations take up very little bandwidth online. In fact, a full minute of animation 

requires only 600 bytes in addition to those needed to show the original image. As the 

vendor points out, 98% of all browsers in current use can support Flash. 

ImageMatics StillMotion comes in two editions: StillMotion Personal Edition-II and 

StillMotion Professional. Personal Edition-II supports single-click publishing output 

such as auto-play CD-ROM, video for DVD and YouTube, Web pages, SWF files, and 

self-extracting movies. The Pro edition adds facilities for Web page navigation, thus 

enabling you to create linked content. 

Comments 

The vendor describes this product as “an essential tool for any digital photographer,” 

and it is hard to disagree. Yes, it removes a vital quality (the “stillness” of still photography), 

but in doing so it brings movement, which is essential if you are using your 

images to tell a story, create a slide show, or form an insert to a video. The history of the 

product dates back to founder Bill Strum’s long-term relationship with StageTools 

(www.stagetools.com), a creator of professional film animation software. By bringing 

this technology to a wider market, ImageMatics made a serious contribution to the art 

of digital photography. It should be noted that other slide show software (such as 

Canopus Imaginate) now offers panning and zooming as standard effects. StageTools 

itself also markets these techniques to the prosumer as a plug-in to Adobe Premiere, 

After Effects, and other multimedia software. 

Version: ImageMatics StillMotion Professional (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, and Vista

RAM: 64MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, TGA, and BMP (see description) 

Price level: Personal Edition-II (PE) $50, Professional (Pro) $100 

Address: NetCorporation, 5405 Tuckerman Lane, #407, North Bethesda, MD 20852, 

United States 

www.imagematics.com 

DVD Slideshow Builder 

Chapter 27 ■ Slide Show Creation 307 

Vendor: Wondershare Software Co. 

Purpose: Creates professional DVD slide shows and home movies using digital photos and videos 

Description 

DVD Slideshow Builder is a versatile package for creating slide shows on DVD, using 

either your digital stills images or videos. It is very up to date, with support for the latest 

HD formats, and enjoys ongoing development by the vendor. It lets you add background 

music, transition effects, captions, and DVD menus, and allows you to crop or 

edit your photos/videos, and add text, effects, and clipart. It is ideal if you want to export 

the result to a mobile device, such as an iPod, iPhone, Zune, or cell phone. 

Comments 

Easy to set up and use, DVD Slideshow Builder has most of the features needed for creating 

basic slide shows on DVD. It lacks voice recording facilities, but this will almost 

certainly be added in later versions. It boasts a storyboard and a timeline, with editing 

tools to make your slides match the music. There are plenty of transition effects and 

timing controls, all of which are easy and intuitive to use. Themes include baby, nature, 

occasions, sport, travel, wedding, and professional. It is hard to think of a better toe-inthe-water 

introduction to multimedia authoring; it’s simple but effective. 

Version: DVD Slideshow Builder 4.1 (2008) 



Supported file formats: Inputs TIF, TIFF, FAX, G3N, G3F, JPG, JPE, PCX, BMP, DIB, RLE, 

ICO, CUR, PNG, WMF, EMF, TGA, TARGA, VDA, ICB, VST, PIX, PXM, PPM, PGM, 

PBM, JP2, J2K, JPC, and J2C; audio formats are WAV, MP3, and OGG; video formats are AVI, 

MPG, MEPG, and QuickTime; outputs disc export (VCD, SVCD, DVD, Blu-ray discs, and 

HD-DVD) and video export (AVI, WMV (Zune), MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4 (iPod)) 


Address: Wondershare Software Co. Ltd., 3/F, Fucheng Hi-Tech Building, Gaoxin Ave.1.S., 

Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, PR China 518057 

www.wondershare.com

308 


Imaginate 

Vendor: Canopus 

Purpose: Creates animation from still images by zooming, panning, rotating, and skewing 

Description 

Imaginate creates slide shows that look like movies, using still images and “virtual camera” 

movements. You can pan, zoom, rotate, or skew an image in order to get movement 

into the show. It has a Scene Wizard and Storyboard mode for putting the show together 

quickly, complete with synchronized music and real-time preview. For fine-tuning the 

timings and transitions, there are keyframing options, making it possible to create complex 

productions. You can make intricate motion sequences using the Anchor and Spline 

controls for precise camera positioning. 

On completion, an Imaginate show can be exported to video formats for editing and 

to VideoCD/DVD for storage and distribution. It works as a stand-alone product and 

as a plug-in for various video editors. 

Comments 

Reviewers found Imaginate to be suitable for both hobbyists and professionals, the 

latter including event and corporate videographers who need to include still image 

content in their productions. EMediaLive (www.emedialive.com) definitely considered 

it to be “powerful enough for pros” on account of its 3D controls, spline editor, and 

customization options. Also worth noting is the excellent quality of rendered output, if 

you work with medium- or high-res images. 

Version: Imaginate 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Grass Valley EDIUS Pro, Canopus Edit, Canopus Let’s EDIT 2, and Adobe Premiere 

Pro 1.x 

OS: Windows 2000 Professional and XP Home or Professional 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: BMP, JPEG, TGA, PSD, JNG, PNG, TIFF, IFF, MNG, PCD, PCX, 

WAV, MP3, WMA, WMV, AIFF, AVI, MPEG, MPEG-2, and ASF; video formats include 

uncompressed RGB AVI (PAL/NTSC, 16:9/4:3), Microsoft DV (PAL/NTSC, 16:9/4:3), and 

DirectShow AVI codecs 


Address: Canopus Corporation, 711 Charcot Ave., San Jose, CA 95131, United States 

www.canopus.com


MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6 

Vendor: MAGIX 

Purpose: Turns digital images into slide shows with a soundtrack, for TV display 

Description 

MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6 lets you turn digital images into a slide 

show, complete with a soundtrack, for burning to disk and displaying on all types of 

monitors, including 16:9 widescreen TVs. 

The software puts a collection of images together as a slide show almost instantly, but 

you have to add text, fades, and zooms in the appropriate places. Beyond that, it offers 

a wide range of features, with editing functions that include auto-exposure/color, redeye 

correction, and white balance. A key feature is the capacity to add a recorded commentary 

synchronized to the pictures. 

Dozens of special effects are inevitable in good slide show software and PhotoStory does 

not disappoint in this department, with dozens of transitions, including a 3D page 

turner, morphing, and picture-in-picture effects. It can simulate video camera movements 

with zooms and pans. Neither does it lack “fun elements” like speech bubbles 

and cartoons. Output is to CD or DVD, or to the MAGIX Online Album, a free 

Website for online slide shows and streaming videos. It creates CDs with SCSI or IDE 

CD-R(W) burners and DVDs with DVD+/-R(W) burners. 

Comments 

One line of the vendor’s advertising reads: “Never have boring slide show evenings ever 

again!” The problem is that unless the photographs are so good they speak for themselves, 

no one will ever create an interesting slide show without considerable effort. 

Transitions require a sense of timing; soundtracks a sense of theater. However, if you are 

a good photographer with a flair for drama and time on your hands, MAGIX Xtreme 

PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6 is a great product. Latest features include the ability to 

enhance portrait pictures with creative effects, use animated Web graphics as decorative 

elements, and add Flash movies to HTML Websites. 

Version: MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PSD 

Price level: Download approx. $20, box approx. $25 

Address: MAGIX AG, Friedrichstraße 200, 10117 Berlin, Germany 

www.site.magix.net

310 


ProShow Producer 

Vendor: Photodex Corporation 

Purpose: Professional slide show creation software 

Description 

ProShow Producer is a professional-grade package for making slide shows. Unlike simpler, 

consumer-grade software, it offers a very full feature set and handles over a hundred 

file types, including video formats. It lets you add any number of layers to any slide, with 

full masking capability so that you can reveal underlying layers. There is a full range of 

transition effects between layers and between slides. You can also use interactive slide 

actions to launch PDFs, spreadsheets, and Web pages at any point in the presentation. 

Editing and captioning features are equally extensive. You can adjust the color and opacity 

of a shadow on any layer, and crop and rotate the images (and indeed the videos) 

with precision. A new feature in the latest version lets you animate captions and create 

multiple caption motion effects on a single slide. The soundtrack has not been neglected, 

either, as it often is in less sophisticated slide show software. ProShow Producer 

provides an Audio Trimmer to crop the audio and set fades, and there is now a built-in 

soundtrack waveform in the slide list. 

Besides ProShow Producer there is also ProShow Gold (“for enthusiasts”) and ProShow 

Standard (“for beginners”), but these versions have reduced functionality. 

Comments 

The average middle manager with a busy job may find ProShow Producer a challenge 

after using PowerPoint, but this is a professional tool aimed at those who have the time, 

knowledge, and skill to create great presentations. However, there are very extensive 

training materials available, including videos, “how-to” guides, and a tips library, all of 

which make it possible for anyone to learn to use it. Slide show templates get you up 

and running quickly and boost productivity. Finally, there is a whole gallery of other 

people’s work that you can eyeball enviously. Make no mistake—this is the top slide 

show creation package. In 2008, it won its second “Hot One” award from the 

Professional Photographers of America, in the Presentation Software category. 

Version: ProShow Producer 3.2 (2008) 


RAM: 1GB 

Supported file formats: More than 100 file types, including RAW 

Price level: Producer edition approx. $250, Gold edition approx. $70, Standard edition approx. 

$30 

Address: Photodex Corporation, 925 Westbank Drive, Austin, TX 78746, United States 

www.photodex.com

Soundslides 

Vendor: Soundslides, LLC 

Purpose: Production tool for still image and audio Web presentations, favored by journalists 

Figure 27.1 

Soundslides is a basic but effective tool for creating slide shows rapidly. 


Description 

If you need a really quick tool for putting together a slide show of photojournalistic 

images and voiceover, Soundslides is the ideal solution. It makes SWF (Flash) files, 

together with the HTML needed to display them. It does not come with any Web hosting 

services but conveniently exports a folder so that you can upload the show to your 

server without additional work. Although it is optimized to work with fewer than 200 

images, there is no fixed upper limit. 

A new professional version called Soundslides Plus introduces image movement in the 

form of panning and zooming. It also includes image-only click-through slide shows, 

individual transitions, built-in lower-third subtitles, and built-in thumbnail menus. 

Comments 

Soundslides is a basic utility, without any editing facilities for audio, but it produces 

clean and attractive results very quickly. That is probably why journalists like it so much.

312 


It is essential to perform pre-prep on the slides before loading them into Soundslides 

and to create and edit a soundtrack. A typical journalist’s workflow is to tone, crop, and 

caption the images in Photoshop; convert them to generic RGB with a longest dimension 

of 1,000 pixels; sharpen the images; save them as JPEG on 12 or Maximum (top 

quality/lowest compression); and then finally import them to Soundslides. At the vendor’s 

Website there is a lively forum where you can see many great shows made with the 

software, plus get help and search the knowledge base. 

Version: Soundslides 1.8 and Soundslides Plus 1.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG and MP3 audio 

Price level: Approx. $40, Soundslides Plus $70 

Address: Soundslides, LLC 

www.soundslides.com 

Slideroll 

Vendor: Geoffrey P. Gaudreault 

Purpose: Slide show creation/publishing online service, with Flickr import 

Description 

Slideroll is an online service that allows you to upload images or import them directly 

from a Flickr account, and then create and display a slide show. It has several features 

that you would expect from specialist desktop software, with pan and zoom, text overlay, 

and a recently added capability for a soundtrack. 

There are two editions: Basic, limited to 100 uploads/10 slide shows, and Pro, with 

5,000 uploads (may be increased in the future) and unlimited slide shows. 

Comments 

Once you have created a slide show online, you can download it as a QuickTime movie, 

post it to your Website, put it on MySpace or YouTube, or email it to friends. It is all good 

fun, although the end result may have limited entertainment value unless you are exceptionally 

gifted at packing a punch in a tiny format. In fact, this software was created by an 

accomplished interactive designer whose work sets an excellent example. Putting a show 

on to Slideroll would make a good class exercise for first-year media students. 

Version: N/A (online application) 

OS: Browser-based access 

RAM: N/A 


Price level: Basic edition free, Pro edition by subscription

Address: Geoff Gaudreault, www.gaudreault.org 

www.slideroll.com 

Slide.com 

Vendor: Slide, Inc. 

Purpose: A set of online services for making and publishing slide shows 


Description 

Slide.com is the top online service for making and sharing slide shows. It comprises 

more than one product. It includes Slideshows, FunWall, and SuperPoke!, which are all 

popular widgets used on social networking and blog platforms such as MySpace, 

Facebook, Bebo, Hi5, Friendster, Tagged, and Blogger. Itself dubbed the “$500 Million 

Widget” by BusinessWeek on account of its spectacular growth, Slide.com has leveraged 

the success of these sites, adding animation and decorative elements to make ordinary 

images look more fun. 

Slide show creation is available in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified and 

Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Korean. Once you have uploaded images you 

can select from Styles, Skins, Themes, Music/Video, Background, Effects, Size, and 

Privacy (public or private viewing permission). The video selector lets you play a popular 

music video as a thumbnail in a corner of the show. 

Among Slide.com’s other applications, FunPix allows you to personalize images with 

stickers, graffiti, thought bubbles, and so on. SkinFlix lets you frame YouTube videos 

with skins such as diamonds or a plasma TV. 

Comments 

A business created by PayPal co-founder Max Levchin, Slide.com has created a new 

breed of online applications that offers few instructions; it just lets you upload images 

and click some buttons to add the effects. The Slide.com widgets are not intended to 

exist independently of the social networking sites to which they add substantial functionality 

and value. However, you can go directly to the Slide.com site and make a slide 

show, adding images from any of the previously mentioned sites as well as Flickr, 

PhotoBucket, or any other site. 

Version: N/A (online application) 

OS: N/A 

RAM: N/A 


Price level: Free (advertising supported) 

Address: Slide, Inc., 612 Howard Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States 

www.slide.com

314 


Animoto 

Vendor: Animoto Productions 

Purpose: Automatic, online slide show creation utility; makes videos from uploaded images 

Description 

Animoto generates synchronized slide-sound videos from uploaded images, entirely 

automatically. It lets you choose or upload music of your choice, and then analyzes both 

the images and the music before rendering a slick video presentation. Simple to use, it 

has proven to be a great hit on the Internet, enabling many thousands of users to make 

slide shows from their images stored on Flickr (or other photo-sharing sites), and then 

upload them to YouTube with a click of a button. 

For successful results, you need to “tell a story” with your images, not least by taking 

plenty of them. Instead of trying to capture individual moments, you should aim at 

capturing a whole experience, whether it be a trip to the coast, a walk in the park, or a 

visit to Disneyland. The developers refer to the “brains” behind Animoto as “Cinematic 

Artificial Intelligence technology,” an expert system that takes into account of the structure, 

rhythm, instrumentation, and other qualities of the song or instrumental music 

chosen to accompany the images. It uses dozens of neat editing tricks, like duplication 

of images, on-screen displacement, and cuts and fades, to match the mood and pace of 

the soundtrack. 

The end result is a professional-looking music video, no two of which are ever the same. 

In fact, you can use a different choice of music with the same set of images to create 

videos that are entirely dissimilar in their impact. 

Comments 

Often cited as a classic “Web 2.0” application that maximizes the use of “cloud computing” 

resources, Animoto was created by TV/film producers who had made professional 

videos for MTV, Comedy Central, and ABC. A little bit of lateral thinking led 

them to encapsulate their skills in software that is both time-saving and fun to use. Its 

outstanding success as a Web service owes much to its efficient use of Internet infrastructure, 

enabling it to accept 20,000 new users per hour following its appearance as 

a Facebook application. As its developers point out, it opens up YouTube as a potential 

showcase for people who prefer to take only digital stills rather than movies. Animoto 

was the winner of the Film/TV category at the 2008 SXSW Interactive Festival 

(2008.sxsw.com). 

Version: N/A (Web application) 

OS: N/A 

RAM: N/A

Supported file formats: JPEG or GIF (smaller than 3MB); MP3 

Price level: Free to users 

Address: New York, NY, United States 

www.animoto.com 

Note 

SWF ’n Slide 


It is essential to reduce the size of your images to 3MB or smaller before attempting 

to use Animoto. For Macintosh users, the developers recommend the free DroPic! 

utility (www.kreynet.de/dropic/). Windows users can use VSO Image Resizer 

(www.vso-software.fr). However, there are many other, similar utilities that perform 

the same task. 

Vendor: Vertical Moon 

Purpose: Create photo slide shows in Flash with your digital images and audio 

Description 

SWF ’n Slide is a program that lets you put your slides and some music together into a 

professional-looking slide show in Adobe’s Flash file format. It will also output HTML 

so that you can create a Web page on which you can place the show. 

SWF ’n Slide comes in two editions—Standard and Professional. The Professional edition 

has a WYSIWYG workspace and more viewing types including scrolling thumbnails 

and a 3D Album (a page-turning simulation). The program lets you add sound 

effects, narration, or background music, together with playback control buttons so that 

the viewer can pause or play the slide show. There are over 150 transition effects, special 

effects such as fireworks, falling snow, and hearts that can be superimposed on the slides, 

pan and zoom camera effects, plus resize, crop, rotate, and flip. You can even add a preloader 

to enable smooth playback over the Internet. 

Comments 

Created by Flash specialists who know what they are doing technically, SWF ’n Slide is 

a versatile and reliable application that is great fun to use. Reviews have been highly 

favorable, mentioning that it is well laid-out, easy-to-use, and has excellent file handling 

facilities. So far, so good—but the name? The vendor points out that 97% of browsers 

have Flash playback facilities. This is true, but what percentage of users knows that SWF, 

the Flash file format, is pronounced “swiff”?

316 


Version: SWF ’n Slide Pro/Win 1.024, Pro/Mac 1.026 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP; Mac OS X (recommended, essential for Pro edition) or later 


Supported file formats: Imports BMP, GIF, JPEG, PDF, PSD, PICT, PNG, TGA, TIFF, AIFF, 

MP3, System 7 Sound (Mac only), WVA, TXO (Text-Osterone text effects), and LKL; exports 

Flash SWF, Macintosh Flash Projector, Windows Flash Projector, QuickTime .mov, Screen Saver, 

and HTML 

Price level: Approx. $90, Pro approx. $110 

Address: Vertical Moon, PO Box 9881, Brea, CA 92822, United States 

www.verticalmoon.com 

Summary 

Slide show creation is one of the most demanding branches of media, desperately dull 

when misconceived or poorly executed, but utterly inspiring when somebody does it 

correctly. The three main elements are images, words, and music, all of which need to 

be synchronized if the show is to make any sense. Several compelling art films have been 

essentially slide shows transferred to continuous celluloid, like Chris Marker’s memorable 

1962 movie La Jetté, or, more recently, Patryk Rebisz’s prize-winning 2005 short 

film Between You and Me, shot entirely with a Canon DSLR. Among the software 

described in this chapter, ProShow Producer is the professional-grade package for making 

the most sophisticated shows, but photojournalists love Soundslides for its simplicity 

and speed.

Part V 

Preparation 

for Printing


Chapter 28 Image Rescalers 

Chapter 29 Color Management 

Chapter 30 Color Tools 

Chapter 31 RIP Software 

Chapter 32 Virtual Proofing

28 

Image Rescalers 

After their first experience of sending a digital image to a print shop for enlargement 

and printing, many people express astonishment at the high image quality 

obtained by a professional service. The original image may have been only 8 

megapixels, but when it comes back it looks like 16 megapixels or more. How did 

the extra resolution come to be there? The answer is through interpolation. This 

process runs complex routines that place additional pixels in between the existing 

ones, at the same time taking into account the existence of edges and fine detail. 

This process is called, colloquially, up-rezzing. 

Image rescaling (to give it a more formal name) is a lucrative market for software 

developers because so many companies and individuals need to print high-quality 

digital images. There has been intense competition to create the best possible 

method, using interpolation routines with exotic names like “bilinear,” “bicubic,” 

“B-spline,” “sinc,” or “Lanczos.” Broadly, rescaling algorithms fall into “non-adaptive” 

types, like those just mentioned, and “adaptive” types, which are much 

smarter because they give special attention to edge-defining pixels. If a developer 

wants to make an impression with a new brand of rescaling software, it has to be 

based on a very fancy adaptive algorithm. A good example is the adaptive S-Spline 

XL algorithm in BenVista’s PhotoZoom Pro, but others produce comparable 

results, depending on the required magnification. 

The price range for image rescaling software is relatively high: $150–$450. 

Photoshop and other editors have rescaling facilities, so is an alternative method 

worth the extra expense? The answer is absolutely, if you want to print enlargements 

beyond 8"×10". All the packages listed in this chapter will make significant 

improvements.

320 


BlowUp 


Purpose: Image rescaling to 3,600 percent (six times) with no noticeable artifacts 

Description 

BlowUp is an “up-rezzer” that enlarges digital images in preparation for printing. It is 

effective at enlarging images containing clear outlines, such as those taken by a fast lens 

to blur the background and isolate the subject. BlowUp detects these edges and then 

scales the areas bounded by them using vector-style techniques, eliminating jagged artifacts 

in 6x enlargements. 

The vendor is so confident about BlowUp’s capabilities, it claims that graphic designers 

can scale Web graphics up to print resolution. BlowUp has a 30,000-pixel size limitation, 

which fortunately is not total pixels but refers to the maximum number of pixels 

in width or height (billboards and buses are out). Features include photo grain controls, 

enlargement-specific sharpening, and support for several image modes, including 

CMYK. 

Comments 

Alien Skin maintains its reputation for great plug-ins with BlowUp; all reviewers find 

it the winner in comparative tests with standard Photoshop techniques. However, it is 

hard to say whether output is better or worse than that of its great rival Genuine Fractals 

because subjective taste is a factor. Images upscaled in Genuine Fractals tend to have 

sharper outlines but more geometric artifacts in areas of color. Take a look at samples 

from both packages before purchasing. 

Version: BlowUp 1.1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows Photoshop CS or later and Photoshop Elements 3 or later, Mac CS2 9.0.2 

or later and Photoshop Elements 4.0.1 or later 


RAM: 512MB 





Genuine Fractals 


Purpose: Image rescaler for creating high-quality, print-ready enlargements

Chapter 28 ■ Image Rescalers 321 

Description 

Genuine Fractals lets you make images many times bigger without noticeable loss of 

quality. By analyzing the image prior to scaling it, Genuine Fractals can make sure that 

the color values of newly created pixels are appropriate to the image. In early versions 

of the software, you had first to save your files in the .STN (“sting”) format, but now 

files opened in Photoshop can be scaled in a single step. The improved sharpness and 

overall quality of the “rezzed up” image achieved by using fractal techniques is demonstrable, 

especially for natural forms. 

Genuine Fractals generates a scalable, resolution independent format to which any image 

may be converted. It lets you scale your images by up to 1,000 percent. The vendor suggests 

a number of other ways in which it can be used. For example, you can save time 

and money if you scan images at a lower resolution, and then scale them later with the 

fractal software. You can also save storage space by up to 50 percent if you use the 

Visually Lossless encoding option. 

Those who work in a strict CMYK color workflow will need Genuine Fractals Print 

Pro, which adds support for scaling CMYK images as well as RGB and grayscale. 

However, if you are using inkjet printers and work in sRGB, Adobe RGB, or the Pro 

Photo color workspaces, the Standard edition is completely adequate to your needs. 

Comments 

However much you magnify a true fractal pattern, it always seems to have the same 

shape. It was therefore only a matter of time before someone harnessed this mathematical 

phenomenon and hitched it to the cause of enlarging photographs. Genuine Fractals 

has a colorful history, having been developed by Altamira, sold to LizardTech, developed 

up to version 4.0 in 2005, and then sold again by LizardTech’s parent company 

Celartem to onOne. When it first appeared, some reviewers were so enthusiastic about 

it they were accused of bias, but this was not the case. Genuine Fractals is a genuinely 

effective product, a massive step beyond traditional bicubic interpolation. 

Version: Genuine Fractals 5 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 9.0.2 and CS3 and Photoshop Elements 4 or later 

OS: Windows XP SP2 and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later 

RAM: 512MB 


Price level: Approx. $160, Pro version $300 

Address: onOne Software, 15350 SW Sequoia Pkwy., Suite 190, Portland, OR 97224, United 

States 

www.ononesoftware.com

322 


PhotoZoom Pro 


Purpose: Image magnification for printing using an adaptive S-Spline XL algorithm 

Description 

PhotoZoom Pro is an image-magnification package that uses an adaptive S-Spline XL 

algorithm (another spline variant) to achieve high-quality interpolation. In this technique, 

the algorithm deals with actual pixel values—not just their position in the 

image—to derive different weights for calculating new pixels. The image remains sharp 

and focused but avoids jagged edges and the slightly artificial look associated with some 

forms of enlargement. PhotoZoom Pro supports 48- and 64-bit images and contains 

some fine-tuning tools to maximize the quality of the upsized image. 

Comments 

The developer, Rogier Eijkelhof, is sufficiently confident to allow you to flip between 

images processed by PhotoZoom and other packages and to examine the results in closeup. 

Reviews have been very positive, several of them saying this is the best image rescaler 

available. That may be going too far, given the quality of the competition, although the 

results are clearly very pleasing. The product is marketed by Shortcut Software 

(www.shortcutinc.com) in the United States. 

Version: PhotoZoom Pro 2.3.2 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows Photoshop 6 or higher, Corel Paint Shop Pro and Photo-PAINT; Mac 

CS2/CS3 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT4, 95, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5 

RAM: Windows 64MB; Mac 128MB 



Address: Shortcut Software Europe Ltd., Meander 251, 6825 MC Arnhem, The Netherlands 


Liquid Resize 


Purpose: Content-aware image resizing plug-in that minimizes geometric distortion when the 

aspect ratio changes 

Description 

Liquid Resize is a “content-aware” image-resizing application that allows you to change 

the aspect ratio of an image without distorting the contents. At the time of writing it is 

still in early development, but the vendor has made a preview version available to anyone


Figure 28.1 

Liquid Resize can shrink the background while leaving one or more objects untouched. 

Figure 28.2 

Note how the pillar in the center is unaffected by squeezing the image horizontally.

324 


who wants to try it. It is intended to become a Photoshop plug-in, but until then it is 

being offered for trial as a stand-alone application. 

Not a conventional rescaling or interpolation product (for that, the vendor recommends 

its Genuine Fractals software), Liquid Resize lets you mask areas of the image for protection 

or deletion, while providing two key controls for height and width. If you check 

the “animated retargeting” box, you can see the resizing take place in real time, although 

this slows the process on all but the fastest machines. 

Comments 

Always on the lookout for great new ideas, onOne Software purchased Liquid Resize in 

early 2008 with a view to making it a Photoshop plug-in. Developed by the Austrian 

husband-wife team of Ramin Sabet and Irmgard Sabet-Wasinger, it had already made 

a big impact at SIGGRAPH 2007, where its unique capabilities were demonstrated. 

However, it is not yet clear whether there will be a big demand for it, because most photographers 

and layout designers are quite capable of preserving correct proportions 

within the image, when they put their minds to it. For lazy Web designers, obliged to 

squeeze images into odd shapes, it may be a blessing. It is certainly a remarkable and 

intelligent tool, with an uncanny ability to preserve the proportions of individual 

objects, whatever the shape of the frame. 

Version: Liquid Resize Product Preview (2008) 

OS: Windows XP SP2 and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.10 or 10.5 


Supported file formats: 8-bit JPEG (final version will support all major image formats) 

Price level: Free public beta 

Address: onOne Software, 15350 SW Sequoia Pkwy., Suite 190, Portland, OR 97224, United States 


SizeFixer 

Vendor: FixerLabs 

Purpose: Image rescaling without loss of sharpness; also available as a Web service 

Description 

SizeFixer is an image rescaler that can enlarge images for printing without loss of sharpness. 

It comes in three main editions: 

■ SizeFixer Home, for quadrupling the number of pixels from a digital camera or 

camera phone. 

■ SizeFixer SLR, for enlarging images up to 68 megapixels. 

■ SizeFixer XL, for enlarging to 500 megapixels and beyond.

SizeFixer works on both 8-bit (24-bit RGB) and 16-bit (48-bit RGB) images and uses 

what the vendor calls “Super-Resolution Technology” to enlarge while preserving fine 

detail. 

To introduce SizeFixer to the photographic world, the vendor originally offered it as an 

online service as well as a software application. But now the software has become established, 

the service has been dropped. Enlargement is to A0 (33"×46") size or larger. It 

requires an uncompressed, unsharpened TIFF image from a quality camera, complete 

with attached Exif data. The software uses information in the Exif data to optimize the 

image. 

Comments 

SizeFixer is the vendor’s flagship product: stand-alone software that “up-rezzes” for printing 

more effectively than any standard image editor, including CS3. It is certainly one 

of the most effective rescalers currently available. Macworld mentioned its relative slowness 

(it is now five times faster on an Intel Mac) but gave it a glowing review for the 

quality of its output. SizeFixer uses the LensFIT technology that is also available in the 

vendor’s plug-ins (FixerBundle) to customize sharpening for the particular camera used 

for taking the original. It preserves an exceptional level of detail, making it ideal for anyone 

preparing exhibition-quality prints. 

Version: SizeFixer SLR 1.3.0r9, SizeFixer XL 1.3.3r9 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X (Mac version of Home product in development) 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: RGB, TIFF, and JPEG 

Price level: Home version $60, SLR version $120, XL version $200 (all approx.) 

Address: FixerLabs, Watford, United Kingdom 

www.fixerlabs.com 

Summary 


Image rescaling (or up-rezzing) is a process that increases the number of pixels used for 

representing an image, prior to printing. Without rescaling, the pixels themselves can 

become visible to the eye, but the process ensures this does not happen. Many different 

and competing algorithms have been developed for this purpose, the most popular 

of which are now the intelligent, “adaptive” algorithms. These adaptive algorithms can 

detect the edges of objects and treat them differently from the rest of the image. 

Professional print shops use products such as Genuine Fractals or BlowUp to rescale 

images when making poster-sized prints.


29 

Color Management 

Whenever an artist in ancient Rome wanted to represent the color of clotted blood, he 

reached for his jar of Tyrian purple, made from the secretions of a marine snail. This is 

an early example of color management. We have come a long way since then, but the 

example certainly illustrates that the concept is not new. In Roman times, color management 

was “pigment dependent,” hence somewhat limited. In our times, until very 

recently, it was “device dependent,” meaning that you could control the color of the end 

product providing you used equipment designed specifically to work together. But now, 

color management has taken a giant leap forward. The human perception of color has 

been codified in such a way that each stage of color reproduction, from capture to print, 

can be done “to the numbers.” You can use any camera, monitor, or printer, as long as 

each one has a color profile that can be passed across to the other devices. After starting 

at a snail’s pace two thousand years ago, color management has finally arrived. 

Overseeing the growth of color management is the International Color Consortium 

(ICC), a body formed in 1993 by a small group of manufacturers, including Apple, 

Adobe, and Eastman Kodak. Their aim from the outset was to create an open architecture 

based on international color standards that would allow color-management systems 

to work with all devices, even those that, at the time of image input, have not yet been 

chosen for the output. The work of the ICC, now a body with more than 70 members, 

has been outstandingly successful and its profile specification (V4 at the time of writing) 

has been approved as an International Standard, ISO 15076.

328 


ICC Profiles 

A color profile is a description of the color characteristics of the device in question. In 

structure, it consists of matrices, tone curves and lookup tables (LUTs) that describe 

characteristics such as “blackest black” or “most saturated blue” in their respective color 

spaces. Profiles can be passed in both directions of the workflow. For example, you can 

obtain the ICC profile of an intended printer and use it to adjust the printer input. 

Calibration 

If color management is to work properly, every device in the chain needs to be calibrated 

regularly, especially the monitors and printers. Color management software usually 

comes with a color-measuring device for this purpose. Monitors require a colorimeter 

to measure the color of emitted light; printer output needs a slightly more expensive 

spectrophotometer to measure reflective light. Once used exclusively by professionals, 

this type of hardware is now within reach of the amateur—a sure indication that color 

management has come of age. 

Software 

Listed in this chapter is a selection of color management software, chiefly from the two 

manufacturers, X-Rite and Datacolor, which dominate the market. X-Rite in particular 

has a huge, and some would say, bewildering range of solutions that has undergone 

re-naming and reorganization following the acquisition of Monaco, GretagMacbeth, 

and Pantone. Not listed here are any of the consultancies that have sprung up to help 

companies implement color management, a discipline that is not as hard as it seems on 

first acquaintance. Although the color science underpinning the software requires 

lengthy study to be fully understood, using the software is relatively easy. No one should 

be put off using it because of its supposed difficulty. 

PANTONE huey 

Vendor: Pantone, Inc. 

Purpose: Monitor calibration system, with colorimeter and software 

Description 

PANTONE huey is a popular monitor-calibration system that comes in a package containing 

a slim colorimeter and accompanying software. It is used for calibrating all types 

of monitors: CRTs, LCDs and laptop screens. When it’s not being used for this purpose 

the colorimeter sits in a stand, measures ambient light, and adjusts the monitor accordingly. 

It is aimed chiefly at consumers and photo enthusiasts.

Chapter 29 ■ Color Management 329 

Figure 29.1 

PANTONE huey comes with monitor-calibration software and a compact colorimeter. 

PANTONE huey reminds you every two weeks that it is time to recalibrate the monitor. 

Having a wizard-driven interface, it requires no formal understanding of color management. 

You just follow the step-by-step procedure. It takes five minutes to calibrate a 

monitor, ensuring accurate color to ICC standards. 

Comments 

Every so often a product comes along that captures people’s imaginations, and PAN- 

TONE huey is such a product. The physical shape of the colorimeter, its dual purpose, 

and the ease of operation all combine to make this a winner. Most reviewers have commented 

on its ease of use and most have confirmed that you get a distinct improvement 

in display quality as a result of using it. Other reviewers have warned that this is strictly 

a consumer product and should not be used by professionals trying to cut costs. Pro 

photographers need the marginally more expensive PANTONE hueyPRO, which offers 

better control over calibration and output matching. User-defined white point and 

gamma combinations, plus higher-grade optical sensors, make the Pro version the better 

investment of the two products. 

Versions: PANTONE huey 1.0.5 and PANTONE hueyPRO 1.5 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB

330 



Price level: huey approx. $90, hueyPRO approx. $130 

Address: Pantone, Inc., World Headquarters, 590 Commerce Blvd., Carlstadt, NJ 07072-3098, 

United States 

www.pantone.com 

Kodak Profile Wizard Mio 

Vendor: Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group 

Purpose: Create and manage monitor, input, output, and DeviceLink ICC profiles 

Description 

With Profile Wizard from Kodak you can create and manage device and DeviceLink 

ICC profiles for three to seven color devices. It also has comprehensive ICC profile editing 

capabilities with control over gradation, luminance/saturation, gray balance, black 

hue, white point, and color correction. It supports a large variety of spectrophotometers 

and spot color matching. It can also preserve black channel separation across the 

entire color space. 

As its name suggests, Profile Wizard has a wizard interface that makes the whole process 

of creating ICC profiles relatively easy. With its comprehensive set of ICC profile editing 

features, you can interactively preview and edit destination and DeviceLink profiles 

in HLS, CMYK, and CIE L*a*b modes. 

Version 4.0 of Kodak Profile Wizard Mio generates monitor profiles in ICC 4.0, input 

profiles in ICC 2.0, output files in ICC 2.0 and 4.0 according to the selected option, 

and DeviceLink profiles in ICC 2.0 and 4.0. 

Kodak Profile Wizard Mio is aimed at the commercial, newspaper, packaging, digital 

print, and creative markets. There are other editions of the software for specialist applications 

such as document printing with Xerox DocuColor presses. 

Comments 

Print providers can improve the predictability of their print jobs with Kodak Profile 

Wizard Mio. This product is designed to increase productivity by minimizing the time 

spent on redoing the work, while at the same time keeping costs down by saving on 

materials. 

Version: Kodak Profile Wizard Mio 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X 10.3 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Works in LCH, CMYK, and CIE L*a*b* modes 

Price level: On application

Address: Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, 343 State Street, Rochester, NY 14650, 

United States 

www.graphics.kodak.com 

ColorMunki Photo 

Vendor: X-Rite 

Purpose: Professional color-management solution for photographers 


Description 

Aimed primarily at wedding and event photographers who need precise control over 

color all the way from screen to print, ColorMunki Photo is an integrated hardware/software 

kit that consists of a spectrophotometer, the ColorMunki profiling software, plus 

color creation and communication tools. Among the latter is DigitalPouch, a tool for 

ensuring that the client sees exactly the same colors, regardless of the device that reproduces 

them. 

ColorMunki’s Swiss-engineered spectrophotometer serves multiple purposes, calibrating 

not only monitors but also projectors and printers. It measures and compensates for 

ambient light, while also offering spot color measurements when you need to build 

palettes or color schemes. The accompanying software takes you step-by-step through 

each process, prompting with simple selection choices such as “match my printer to my 

display.” There are also advanced modes that give experienced users greater control. 

ColorMunki’s printer profiling technology lets you work in RGB or CMYK, and it also 

has the ability to optimize specific colors, black and white shades, and flesh tones. The 

kit handles printer profiling with ease, rapidly scanning test charts in less than a minute, 

saving you the chore of reading individual color patches. It all comes with the necessary 

power cord, start guide, and protective bag that doubles as an integrated monitor holder. 

There are other ColorMunki solutions aimed at designers, including the low-cost 

ColorMunki Create, which offers palette software and display profiling, but lacks the 

printer profiling and communication facilities of ColorMunki Photo. 

Comments 

Extremely well thought-out, the key item in this kit is the all-in-one spectrophotometer, 

which represents a significant advance over earlier instruments. Everything about it says 

“precision.” If you want to make a spot color measurement of a real-world object, you 

can release a guide, which flips down to ensure correct positioning. With the included 

Photo Color Picker you can then create custom palettes that will exactly match the setup 

you are shooting. The software alerts you if colors are outside gamut and unlikely to 

print correctly. Another included application is Digital Pouch, which acts as a “digital 

wrapper” when you send images to a client. This is a self-executable application that

332 


checks for appropriate viewing conditions at the receiver side, enabling the receiver to 

view the images without the full ColorMunki software. The whole product is definitely 

a step beyond huey, which X-Rite has now consigned to its Pantone subsidiary. 

Version: ColorMunki Photo 1.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and later 

RAM: 512MB 



Address: X-Rite Incorporated, 4300 44th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, United States 

www.colormunki.com 

EZcolor with i1Display 2 


Purpose: Entry-level color-management kit for making color profiles, with supplied IT8 target 

Description 

This is a bundle that contains three color-management essentials—a versatile colorimeter 

for calibrating displays, scanner-based color-management software to ensure 

correct color printing, and a scanner target. The colorimeter is i1Display 2 (formerly 

Eye-One Display 2); the software is EZcolor (formerly MonacoEZcolor); the IT8 scanner 

target completes the bundle, which is aimed at photographers, creative directors, 

publishers, and designers who need “reliable and affordable color.” 

The USB-powered i1Display 2 is a compact tool for taking measurements on emissive 

LCD, CRT, and laptop displays. It has a detachable ambient light head that doubles as 

a dust protector. A built-in counterweight makes it easy to attach to the monitor. Its 

push-button method of calibration is easy to use and requires no special expertise. 

Creating printer profiles can be time-consuming if you have to scan in thousands of 

patches using a spectrophotometer. EZcolor, however, provides a shortcut in allowing 

you to use a flatbed scanner into which you input both the test target and the printed 

version at the same time. You still need to create a separate profile for each combination 

of media (paper), resolution, and printer settings you intend to use. 

EZcolor software can be purchased separately, but is normally acquired as part of a bundle 

with the colorimeter. Color management then becomes a simple three-step procedure. 

The first step is to profile the monitor, calibrating luminance, gamma, and white 

point to match standard viewing conditions. Next, you go on to create custom profiles 

for your scanners and printers, using the included IT8 scanner target. Then, in the final 

step, you apply the results, using the color profiles to generate accurate prints or to display 

“soft proofs” on the screen.

Comments 

The key to accurate color is the relationship between monitor and printer. If you get 

this right, 90 percent of the task completed. EZcolor helps you do this very accurately, 

to a tolerance of 0.003 chromaticity using the supplied OPTIX colorimeter. The software 

has basic profile editing and makes a first-rate printer profile that will satisfy most 

users. However, many professional photographers will still find they need a spectrophotometer-based 

package—and that means spending quite a lot more money. 

Version: EZcolor 2.6 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2 or later 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: TIFF 

Price level: EZcolor with i1Display 2 Bundle approx. $520 


www.xrite.com 

i1 Solutions 


Purpose: Comprehensive range of color-management solutions 


Description 

Photographers, designers, and printers have varying degrees of need for color management, 

ranging from basic reliance on the controls provided by device manufacturers, all 

the way up to full-blown ICC profiling of every device in the chain. X-Rite’s i1 Solutions 

(pronounced “Eye One”) comprise a comprehensive range, aimed at satisfying the colormanagement 

needs of all professionals in the graphic arts industry. To understand this 

complex range, you need first to see how it all fits together, from simple calibration of 

monitors (i1Display LT) to the all-singing-dancing i1XT, a solution that contains all 

the available modules. 

There is a hardware component to each solution: the i1Display 2 color measurement 

device for monitors or the accelerated i1Pro spectrophotometer, which measures not 

just monitors but many other devices. 

Common to all the solutions is i1Match software, only part of which is made available 

at the lower end of the range. When you pay for an upgrade to add functionality, the 

vendor sends you a code to unlock the additional functions. i1Share freeware also comes 

with every solution, enabling you to measure ambient light and spot colors, plus access 

to the full Pantone library.

334 


The solutions are as follows, beginning with the most basic: 

■ i1Display LT: Compact monitor profiling solution. For photographers, creative 

directors, publishers, and designers. 

■ i1Display 2: The i1Display LT, with additional capabilities such as workgroup 

match and RGB controls. 

■ i1Design LT: For freelance designers, small creative firms, and print shops. 

■ i1Photo: RGB workflow solution from camera to printer. Includes i1Editor. For 

photographic professionals. 

■ i1Photo SG: As i1Photo, plus the Digital ColorChecker SG. For photographic professionals. 

■ i1Proof: CMYK output profiling. Ensures accurate color from scan to monitor to 

proof and final print. For print shops and design firms. 

■ i1XT: The bundle “for those who want it all.” Covers scanners, cameras, displays, 

RGB and CMYK printers, projectors, and profile editing and measurement of light, 

spot, and Pantone colors. 

Comments 

It is hoped that the summary provided here will help potential users cut through the 

complexity of X-Rite’s more detailed explanations. One or two distributors, such as 

UK-based Colour Confidence (www.colorconfidence.com), have succeeded in describing 

the range in intelligible terms. In professional studios around the world, i1 Solutions 

have become a standard for photographers seeking color management. The vendor’s 

entry-level product i1Photo LT has been replaced by ColorMunki Photo, coming in at 

a lower price point. The product lineup is subject to frequent changes, with some products 

still being available from dealers long after the vendor has upgraded them. At the 

time of writing (mid-2008), i1Photo and i1Photo SG are still officially listed, but who 

knows? Changes are inevitable when companies merge. There is copious documentation 

on the vendor’s Website, and if it all seems too much, you can take up the offer of 

a personalized one-hour remote session with an X-Rite Personal Color Trainer (PCT). 

Version: i1Match 3.6.2; i1Share freeware 1.4 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 


Price level: i1Display LT $180, EZcolor with i1Display 2 Bundle $500, i1Design LT $1,200, 

i1Photo $1,700, i1Photo SG $1,900, i1Proof $1,650, i1XT $1,700 (all approx.) 


www.xrite.com

MonacoPROFILER 


Purpose: Color profile creation and editing for photo labs, repro shops, and high-end commercial 

photographers 

Description 

MonacoPROFILER from the market leader in color management is the most comprehensive 

software bundle for creating ICC profiles, not only for monitors, scanners, and 

printers, but also for digital cameras (Platinum edition). It is supported by a good deal 

of literature, help, tutorials, and events. 

The latest version of MonacoPROFILER includes options for multi-ink profiles and 

calibration for LCD monitors. It also supports X-Rite’s IntelliTrax auto-scanning system, 

which helps when you have to scan up to 3,000 patches while building a profile. 

Among the editing options are manipulation of lightness, saturation, and output curves, 

plus the ability to make selective color adjustments. In common with industry practice 

it lets you relinearize an output device such as a printer without having to make fundamental 

measurements each time. 

Comments 

Overkill for most photographers, MonacoPROFILER is the software used by most 

newspapers and large print suppliers. The top, Platinum edition supports true hexachrome 

and spot-color palettes. More powerful than the i1 solutions, MonacoPROFILER 

is compatible with instruments used in that range, such as the i1Pro spectrophotometer 

and the i1iO automated scanning table. 

Version: 4.8 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X.10.2 

RAM: 512MB 


Price level: Gold approx. $3,000, Platinum approx. $4,400 

Address: X-Rite Inc., Kentwood, Michigan, United States 

www.xrite.com 

PictoColor inCamera 



Purpose: A quick, easy way to create ICC profiles for digital cameras and scanners

336 


Description 

PictoColor inCamera is a “no-nonsense” tool that provides a quick way to achieve consistent, 

predictable color in a photographic workflow. It works with standard charts like 

X-Rite GretagMacbeth ColorChecker, or Digital ColorChecker SG, but these are not 

included. Using it is a simple five-step process: 

1. Open an image that includes one of the supported charts. 

2. Select inCamera from Photoshop’s Filters menu. 

3. Align a flexible template over the chart in the image. 

4. Click OK to save the profile. 

5. In Photoshop, assign this profile to all other images taken under the same lighting 

conditions. 

Comments 

PictoColor specializes in easy-to-use software (like iCorrect EditLab), and this could 

scarcely be easier. It is robust and has a “check capture” feature to analyze the quality of 

the original image. Reviewers have found it flexible and accurate, one of them admiring 

its ability to avoid being confused by the glossy parts of a test card. The key to using 

it is to calibrate the camera under the same lighting conditions that you intend to use 

for your shots. It is not a one-time-only process. 

Version: PictoColor inCamera 4.5 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS, CS2, and CS3 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2.8 through 10.4.8 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: BMP, JPEG, and TIFF 



55337, United States 


Spyder3Studio 

Vendor: Datacolor 

Purpose: Complete color-management system for professional photographers and studios 

Description 

A complete color-management system from screen to print, Spyder3Studio consist of 

the vendor’s top-rated monitor calibration solution Spyder3Elite with the Spyder3 

colorimeter, and the Spyder3Print solution with the Datacolor 1005 spectrocolorimeter.

Their combined capabilities offer a powerful set of features, more than ample for the 

most demanding studio, including fine art photographers. 

Spyder3Elite and Spyder3Print are each discussed separately here (see those entries). 

Comments 

The new user interface for the Spyder3 generation of software has been designed, says 

the vendor, from the photographer’s point of view. This appears to be true, and it is very 

welcome. Over recent years too much photographic software has been created from a 

graphic designer’s point of view, or worse, from a computer programmer’s POV. 

Spyder3Studio deals in a pictorial way with gamma and color temperature control, 

showing actual images for evaluation by eye. This is also a logical approach, because the 

product’s whole purpose is to create interchangeability between devices—so that we can 

trust our eyes once again. 

Aimed at all kinds of professional users of photography, Spyder3Studio proves that there 

does not have to be a trade-off between precision and speed, as well as showing that these 

benefits can be obtained at reasonable cost in a complete color-management system. 

Version: Spyder3Studio (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP 32/64, and Vista 32/64; Mac OS X 10.3 or higher 

RAM: 128MB 



Address: Datacolor, Digital Color Solutions, 5 Princess Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, United 

States 

spyder.datacolor.com 

www.spyder3.com 

Spyder3Print 



Purpose: Printer profiling system for any combination of printer, paper, and ink 

Description 

Also part of the Spyder3Studio bundle, Spyder3Print is a printer profiling solution that 

comes with a Datacolor 1005 spectrocolorimeter and base. It lets you create custom 

profiles and produce prints to the highest quality without needing to use trial-and-error 

methods. Using standard targets it takes less than five minutes to create a profile for any 

combination of printer, paper, and ink. The measuring device plugs into the computer 

just like a digital camera, using the same type of USB mini-connector cable. The rest 

of the procedure is equally straightforward.

338 


A wizard interface takes you through each stage of the process. One feature allows you 

to check for clogged or empty ink channels or any other colorant problems before going 

any further. What the vendor calls “Ambient PreciseLight Viewing Controls” allow you 

to select the type of viewing conditions expected to prevail when the print is placed on 

display. Preview output is to a single sheet of paper, enabling you to compare different 

rendering intents and profile adjustments. Spyder3Print also supports both standard 

8-bit and high-resolution 16-bit profiles. 

Very “high spec,” the software gives you unlimited gamma and color temperature 

choices, three levels of color targets, gamma curve editing, and custom black and white 

luminance control. It comes with cable, SpyderGuide, and a Quick Start Guide. 

Comments 

Different printers tend to issue slightly different volumes of ink from their individual 

print heads, a variance that is detected by color profiling. This results in, for example, 

better gradation of colors and increased shadow detail. Spyder3Print does a fine job in 

all respects. It is highly regarded by photographers for its black and white capability. For 

example, you can print out a set of patches with an extended range of gray and neargray 

tones to improve black and white and tinted prints. Used in conjunction with a 

good quality printer, the system can produce outstanding results. 

Version: Spyder3Print (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 




States 



Spyder3Elite 


Purpose: Display calibration for professional photographers and studios 

Description 

Spyder3Elite is a display calibration solution that includes the elegant Datacolor Spyder3 

colorimeter with its seven-detector color engine, large light aperture, and desktop 

cradle/ tripod mount. Aimed at professional photographers who are serious about color, 

Spyder3Elite is capable of profiling the latest in wide gamut, LED backlight, and 

AdobeRGB displays as well as popular LCD, CRT, projector, and notebook displays.


One key feature of the Spyder3 colorimeter is its ability to measure automatically the 

ambient light that exists inside the studio and which will affect the way you perceive 

colors on your display. The vendor notes that it has the intelligence to distinguish 

between true lighting changes and random fluctuations caused by studio flashes or 

shadows. 

Like Datacolor’s printer-calibration product (Spyder3Print), Spyder3Elite offers unlimited, 

user-defined choices for white point and gamma, together with white luminance 

and black luminance. With these sophisticated controls, expert users can optimize 

shadow detail as well as ensure that the colors displayed will match those on a lightbox 

or the intended output device. Non-expert users have plenty of guidance from the wizard-driven 

user interface, but there is also an Expert Console that shows all the calibration 

parameters and actions within a single window. 

As an alternative to typical gamma settings, Spyder3Elite offers a calibration option 

called L-Star Technology, which generates tonal response curves for open shadows and 

detailed highlights. Some photographers like to work with L* as a monitor gamma rather 

than with the more frequently used 1.8, 2.2, or 2.5. This is said to eliminate the compromise 

of 2.2 in shadow detail and 1.8 in highlight detail. 

Comments 

A dramatic improvement on the highly acceptable Spyder2Express, Spyder3Elite uses 

a colorimeter that increases light sensitivity 400%, giving much greater accuracy. It is 

also more convenient to use, with its fast ReCAL option that allows you to perform 

quick re-calibrations more frequently, thus ensuring accuracy before every vital shoot. 

Apart from the beauty and precision of the instrument that comes with the package, 

perhaps the main appeal of Spyder3Elite is the clever way it caters to both expert 

and non-expert users. Today, most photographers are either using or considering the 

use of color management, beginning with monitor calibration. Even contributors to 

iStockphoto.com are encouraged to use monitor calibration to ensure color accuracy, 

for which purpose iStock recommends Spyder3Elite as the ideal tool. 

Version: Spyder3Elite (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 




States 


www.spyder3.com

340 


Spyder3Pro 


Purpose: Mid-range monitor-calibration system for serious photographers 

Description 

Spyder3Pro is Datacolor’s mid-range monitor-calibration system, aimed at serious and 

professional photographers who need to ensure high color fidelity in their work. It comes 

with the new generation Spyder3 colorimeter, a precision instrument with a seven detector 

color engine, large light aperture, and an embedded ambient light sensor. It differs 

from Spyder3Elite (see that entry) in being substantially less expensive, but lacking the 

Expert Console and many advanced features. 

Spyder3Pro offers four gamma choices: 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4; and four color temperature 

choices: 5000K, 5800K, 6500K, and native—thus giving 16 target combinations. 

What the vendor calls a SpyderProof Function lets you zoom into images to analyze 

highlights, shadow detail, color, or tonal response. You can check for saturated colors, 

skin tones, gradients, and black and white, all on the same screen using four quadrants, 

and then softproof the images with your profiles. 

Spyder3Pro has dual monitor support and works equally well on Apple Macs or PCs. 

Comments 

Not many photographers require all the sophistication of Spyder3Elite, and for most 

users Spyder3Pro is the less complex and easier-to-use option. The Spyder3 colorimeter 

is a joy to use with any monitor. You can remove the suction cap, which is useful 

only for increasingly obsolete CRTs, and back-tilt your flat panel display to ensure good 

contact. Because monitor color changes over time, it is best to calibrate fully every 

month, and then use the fast ReCAL option to perform a quick check before important 

shoots. 

Version: Spyder3Pro 3.0.1 (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 




States 


www.spyder3.com

Spyder2express 


Purpose: Entry-level monitor calibration in three easy steps, for true-to-life on-screen color 

Description 

Spyder2express is an easy-to-use product that lets you calibrate your monitor in just a 

few steps, using a software wizard to guide you through the process. It is aimed at photographers, 

designers, and gamers who want really accurate color on their LCD or CRT 

displays. 

Spyder2express comes with a Datacolor Colorimeter with a calibration time of just five 

minutes. It connects to the computer via a USB port and hangs down in front of the screen 

using either suction cups (for CRT) or a counterweight (for LCD) to keep it in position. 

Gamma and color temperature choices cannot be changed on this entry-level product 

(gamma and white point are fixed) and there is no multiple-monitor support. For greater 

control you need to obtain the higher-level product, Spyder3Elite, which comes with 

the new generation Spyder3 colorimeter. (See that entry.) 

Comments 

For many photographers, Spyder2express is a useful starting point in color management. 

Its natural competitor at the lower end of the price range for monitor profilers is 

PANTONE huey. (See that entry.) Reviewers find the hardware component of 

Spyder2express more robust than the ultra-slim huey, but they point out that huey has 

more features, including ambient light reading, and tends to be a lot faster. Both huey 

and Spyder2express are leapfrogged in both features and precision by Spyder3Elite. 

Version: Spyder2express (2008) 


RAM: 128MB 




States 



PM5 PhotoStudio Pro 



Purpose: For making color profiles of all devices in a studio photography workflow, using a 

spectrophotometer

342 


Description 

PM5 PhotoStudio Pro lets you create and edit color profiles for devices such as monitors, 

digital cameras, and printers, including hexachrome devices. It has been developed with 

the studio photographer in mind, particularly commercial photographers who need 

color fidelity throughout the workflow. Its specific modules are: 

■ Digital Camera (ICC profiling) 

■ Monitor (ICC profiling for both CRT and LCD displays) 

■ MultiColor Output (ICC profiles for RGB, CMYK, hexachrome, and CMYK + 

red/green output devices) 

■ Editor (edit lightness, contrast, saturation, white point, or gradation curves) 

■ ColorPicker (convert spot colors to process color) 

■ MeasureTool (data collection and profile computation) 

■ DeviceLink (create ICC compatible device linking workflows for RGB and CMYK 

color spaces, plus direct linking between devices) 

■ i1 Process Control Bundle (includes devices for measurement of control strips like 

the Fogra Media step wedge) 

Other PM5 products are available for graphics arts professionals. PM5 Publish optimizes 

results from digital or traditional printing systems and PM5 Publish Plus expands 

the gamut of printers to CMYK+N based multicolor workflows. 

Comments 

It is usually best to buy this type of software as part of a bundle, in this case with the 

i1Pro spectrophotometer. When scanning becomes tedious, you can add automation 

any time with the i1iO chart reader that reads 500 patches per minute, or the i1iSis 

automatic reader, which can scan 2,500 patches printed on a single A3 page. PM5 is an 

industry standard that gives the kind of accuracy and consistency you would expect. It 

gets five stars (out of five) from c|net and other publications. 

Version: PM5 PhotoStudio Pro (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher 

RAM: 128MB 


Price level: Approx. $2,500 


www.xrite.com

Summary 


Not nearly as difficult as color theory, color management has been made as simple as 

possible for users, with single-click monitor calibration and easy-to-use color profiles 

that travel with the image from one device to another. Color-management software is 

dominated by two companies—X-Rite and Digital Color Solutions (Datacolor)—with 

other offerings by Kodak and PictoColor. X-Rite has brought together technologies 

from Europe and the United States, melding them into multiple product lines to cater 

to all color-management needs. Most of the products described in this chapter are 

complete solutions that include either a colorimeter for measuring emitted light from 

a monitor or a photospectrometer for measuring reflected light from printed color 

swatches.


Most photographic software has at least some form of color manipulation, but there is 

a class that can be separated from the rest because these tools are concerned specifically 

with color. They could be called “extreme color tools.” 

Color theory is not rocket science—it is a whole lot harder. At least rocket scientists do 

not have to deal with imperfectly understood processes of the human visual system. 

Whatever changes you make to the color of a photograph, there is always someone who 

will be unhappy with it. Despite all the color tools in Photoshop, developers have therefore 

added some extras that allow you to manipulate color in different ways. 

HVC Color Composer Professional builds on the Munsell color system so that you can 

make sure every color you work with is in-gamut when printed. Full Spectrum RGB 

provides a non-linear transformation to images, making them richer and more vibrant. 

For intense, and even lurid, sci-fi colors, there is Final Impact, while back in the naturalistic 

world Color Adjuster is another tweaking tool for the truly color-sensitive photographer. 

Color Adjuster 


Purpose: Adds to Photoshop’s standard color adjustment functionality 

30 

Color Tools 

Description 

Color Adjuster adds to Photoshop’s already extensive color tools with a Cubic Bézier 

spline to provide greater control over curves. It lets you add control points to color 

curves, even if the curve is behind another one. On the displayed image you can place

346 


probe points and obtain a readout of the color mix on three vertical bars representing 

red/cyan, green/magenta, and blue/yellow spectra. There is also a color temperature 

adjustment tool on the same panel. 

Comments 

Color Adjuster is one of those ingenious plug-ins that tends to get overlooked in the 

crowd, but it can be a useful color-tweaking tool for those with a good eye for color. Its 

companion product for adjusting tones is Tone Adjuster. If you buy one, you really need 

the other. 

Version: 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7, CS, CS2, and CS3; Photoshop Elements 


RAM: 128MB 





Figure 30.1 

Color Adjuster adds another unique way of adjusting colors to Adobe Photoshop.

Final Impact 

Vendor: Cybia 

Purpose: Series of plug-ins for color correction, black and white conversion, intense coloring, 

and random color 

Description 

Final Impact is a series of Steve Upham’s best plug-in filters for photographers. They aren’t 

freebies, but are very low-cost. They are: 

■ HotShot: Image enhancement and color correction, with 18 sliders and 70 presets 

■ RetroGrade: Classic black and white film reproduction (see Chapter 12, “Black and 

White Conversion”) 

■ Fluoron: Vibrant color changes for artistic impact, 11 sliders, 80 presets, with sci-fi 

effects 

■ Alienator: Random color regeneration, ironically with lots of controls 

plus: 

■ Vivida: A free sample filter for boosting image colors, with 9 sliders and 20 presets 

Comments 

All the Final Impact plug-ins support RGB 16-bit mode for 48-bit images. Anyone 

designing a science fiction book jacket would appreciate the intense coloring capability 

of Fluoron, Alienator, and Vivida. They are all great fun to use and highly recommended. 

Version: Final Impact 1.2 (2008) 


OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 128MB 





Full Spectrum RGB 

Chapter 30 ■ Color Tools 347 

Vendor: Tribeca Labs 

Purpose: Lets you expand the spectral capabilities of a digital camera to all the colors of the 

visible spectrum

348 


Description 

Formerly DCF Full Spectrum, Full Spectrum RGB modulates the colors of RGB, making 

them deeper, richer, and—according to the vendor—more lifelike. It processes the image 

to impart a slightly different coloring: more red, orange, and blue, less pale green and 

yellow. In doing so, it mimics the colors that are seen in natural, high-intensity daylight. 

The vendor contends that digital cameras do not correctly reproduce hues in a way that 

is consistent with how we perceive them. Blue skies look too pale, violet flowers lose some 

of their rich coloring. The solution is the non-linear transformation embodied in Full 

Spectrum RGB. It has no effect on exposure, color temperature, or white balance. It 

simply extends the color range, with the result that many images look more appealing. 

Comments 

If you are unhappy with the look you are getting from Photoshop and have a nagging 

feeling that the grass is greener elsewhere, you can experiment with this plug-in. It gives 

your pictures a richer appearance. Warmly reviewed at the time of its launch, it also won 

the DIMA 2006 “Innovative Digital Product” award. Users like its combination of automatic 

and manual controls, with the option to save settings for use on other photographs. 

Version: Full Spectrum RGB 2.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop 7.0, CS, and CS2 

OS: Windows 98, 2000, and XP; Mac OS X 

RAM: 356MB 

Supported file formats: RGB file types only 


Address: Tribeca Labs, 648 Broadway Suite 700, New York, NY 10012, United States 

www.fullspectrumrgb.com 

HVC Color Composer Professional 

Vendor: Master Colors 

Purpose: Color selection tool, working in proprietary HVC color space 

Description 

HVC Color Composer is a color selection tool that uses a new proprietary color space 

in which the three values are hue, value, and chroma. The vendor claims that this is the 

only color space that makes perceptual sense. It uses a technique of color quantification 

that takes account of how human beings actually perceive color. Whereas other color 

spaces such as HSB, RGB, Lab, or CMYK make compromises for the sake of simplicity, 

HVC makes visual accuracy its top priority. The result is more natural-looking color, plus 

the capability of making accurate measurements of the contrast between any two colors.


Figure 30.2 

HVC Color Composer Professional, running here in Photoshop Elements, helps you create harmonious 

palettes. 

The concept of choosing colors based on their contrast with other colors was one 

pursued by Albert H. Munsell (1858–1918), who developed a color-notation system 

based on hue, value, and chroma dimensions. It was used for many years to identify the 

colors for mixing paints. HVC Color Composer extends Munsell’s very practical 

approach, bringing it up-to-date with computer processing. It can identify any colors 

that will be out-of-gamut in printing and it marks them as such. 

HVC Color Composer has the same basic layout as the color picker in Photoshop and 

performs much the same function, but with different results. You can limit the number 

of colors in a palette using Accuracy and Depth controls, and then export them to 

Photoshop’s Swatches palette. If you want, this can become your chosen palette for all 

the applications in Creative Suite.

350 


Comments 

HVC Color Composer is clearly a useful tool for designers because it produces wonderfully 

harmonious palettes, but can photographers derive benefit from it? The answer 

is yes, especially in taking pictures for print where accurate color reproduction is critical, 

such as fabric and interior design catalogs. On these projects a photographer can 

work with a designer, both using HVC Color Composer to achieve perfect color combinations. 

Version: HVC Color Composer 1.4 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows Photoshop CS, CS2, CS3; Photoshop Elements 4 and 5; Mac Photoshop 

7, CS, CS2, and CS3 and Photoshop Elements 2, 3, and 4; Adobe InDesign 3.0 or 4.0 (Windows 

version in development) 


RAM: 512MB 


Price level: Standard version $50, Professional version $130 

Address: Master Colors LLC, 3905 State Street, Suite 7-144, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, United States 

www.master-colors.com 

PhotoKit Color 


Purpose: For applying precise color corrections, automatic color balancing, and creative coloring 

effects 

Description 

PhotoKit Color provides a comprehensive set of coloring tools that extend the standard 

Photoshop facilities. In particular it allows photographers to reproduce traditional photographic 

processes digitally using Photoshop. It offers a full range of filters, including 

infrared, sunshine filters, color transfer effects, a nocturnal day-for-night effect, and 

many others. There is also a Film Effects series that simulates several generic chrome 

film emulsions. 

Comments 

PhotoKit Color 2.0 works well with Photoshop, using separate layers on which to apply 

its many different effects. It allows you to enhance specific colors, for example in making 

skin tones warmer or cooler according to taste, or in removing color casts. But it also 

has purely creative effects, such as black and white split toning and cross processing, 

which will appeal to many photographers. With the new interface, called PixelGenius 

Toolbox, PhotoKit Color is easy to use, displays a large preview, and allows you to replicate 

effects from one image to another. However, you need to be a good judge of color 

and the product is therefore aimed at professionals and advanced amateurs.

Version: PhotoKit Color 2.1.1 (2008) 

Plugs into: Photoshop CS, CS2, and CS3 (will not work in Photoshop Elements) 

OS: Windows XP with SP2 and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 




www.pixelgenius.com 

Viveza 


Purpose: Selectively correct and enhance either color or light, or both 


Description 

A pro-level tool, Viveza uses the vendor’s proprietary U Point technology to provide a 

convenient interface for making corrections to color and light on selected parts of the 

image. With this method, the user places U Point powered Color Control Points directly 

onto areas of color, such as sky, skin, or grass, and then makes rapid adjustments to 

brightness, contrast, or color. 

The great advantage of using the U Point system is that you no longer need to make 

complicated selections or use layer masks to separate the area to be adjusted. You can 

identify one point or several points, and the enhancements are automatically blended 

throughout the image to give smooth and accurate results. 

Comments 

Among interface tools, U Point is a particularly brilliant invention, and it is good to see 

the vendor packaging it in a new program. It has been available previously in Nik Color 

Efex Pro, which is used by Nikon to extend the functionality of its RAW converter and 

image editor Nikon Capture NX. In Viveza, U Point brings great speed and precision 

to the task of enhancing images. Wedding and portrait photographers who have tried 

it find it easy and intuitive to use. 

Version: Viveza 1.0 (2008) 

Plugs into: Windows Photoshop 7 to CS3; Photoshop Elements 2–6, and compatible applications; 

Mac Photoshop CS2, CS3; Photoshop Elements 1–4, and compatible applications 

OS: Windows 2000 Professional, XP Home Edition, XP Professional, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 

and later 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: As host

352 




www.niksoftware.com 

Summary 

Every so often, a software developer tries a new approach in an attempt to make color 

manipulation easier or more intuitive. Some of the better examples have been included 

in this chapter on color tools. If you are a designer who needs to create harmonious 

color spaces with the assurance that they will print accurately, try HVC Color Composer 

Professional. If you are a photographer who wants to make subtle color changes to different 

sections of the image, try Nik Software’s new pro-level tool Viveza. Alternatively, 

if you simply want to add to the already extensive color facilities of Photoshop, try 

PhotoKit Color from PixelGenius. All of them have qualities that are not found elsewhere.

All printers use a RIP (Raster Image Processor) to turn vector-based documents into a 

dot pattern so they can be printed. Even bitmapped images consisting solely of pixels 

need to be further “rasterized” into a language understood by a printer, making the RIP 

an essential and unavoidable component in digital printing. However, the on-board 

RIP that comes with the printer can be very inferior, even failing to do justice the 

machine’s own ability to lay dots of ink onto paper. For this reason, an industry has 

grown up to develop software RIPs that can make a better job of it. 

Software RIPs have been so successful they have come to assume greater and greater 

responsibilities, even providing last-minute opportunities for a little extra editing. At 

the very least they allow you to optimize printing for a specific combination of 

printer/paper/ink, for which they are designed to coax every last ounce of quality from 

your image files. Their particular role is to fine-tune the image so that you can produce 

the perfect fine art print, or the most accurate proof, or clean color separations for screen 

printing. Some of them are therefore geared to high productivity with features such as 

soft proofing, batch printing, job grouping, color management, image nesting, and 

overnight printing. Others are dedicated to generating quality prints one at a time. 

RIPs for Photographers 

31 

RIP Software 

With increasing frequency, photographers are installing their own printing facilities, 

either for proofing purposes to anticipate the appearance of the end product, or else to 

create display prints for clients or themselves. Software developers have recognized the 

importance of this growing market and have responded with versions of their production 

RIPs, or, in some cases, designed a RIP from scratch with photographers in mind.

354 


Until recently, one stumbling block tended to be the fact that many photographers were 

Mac-based, whereas most RIPs are PC-based. This has been largely resolved by porting 

RIPs to the Mac environment and by the Mac being able to run PC software. For serious 

photographers, it was always a false issue because a RIP, which places high demands 

on processing capacity, really needs its own dedicated machine. There is no reason why 

this should not be a PC running Windows on a network composed chiefly of Macs. 

Mixing and matching is now common practice. 

Buying a RIP 

With 60 or more brands of RIP available, it is not easy to make a purchasing decision 

without extensive research. The list of software given here has been restricted to brands 

that are widely acknowledged to be useful to photographic studios and design businesses. 

Even so, a direct comparison between them is almost impossible, owing to the 

fact that vendors have many ways of structuring their product lines. All of them have 

different prices for small, medium, and large format printing, plus extra charges for 

high-productivity software. Quite a few have “add-ons” to perform one or two additional 

functions, whereas some lines are fully modular. One of those mentioned (which 

one will be clear from the text) has a product line of mind-boggling complexity, with 

modular client/server products, each one of which is also available in a stand-alone version. 

Then there is the QuadToneRIP, by comparison a model of simplicity that does a 

single job superbly well. 

ColorBurst X·Photo 

Vendor: Compatible Systems Engineering 

Purpose: PostScript Level 3 compatible RIP for fine art and photography printing 

Description 

A PostScript Level 3 compatible RIP for fine art and photography printing, ColorBurst 

X·Photo allows you to print directly from an image-editing or layout application, such 

as InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and QuarkXPress. One key feature is job management, 

normally only found in more expensive RIP applications, with a hot folder that 

is accessible across a network. You can reorder, delete, or place jobs on temporary hold. 

The software ships with the SpectralVision Pro full-featured ICC profiling software 

package. ColorBurst X·Photo is SWOP-certified on Epson Stylus Pro printers. 

ColorBurst X·Photo is part of the ColorBurst Queue Series, which also includes X·Proof 

with Pantone matching for design proofing; X·Proof Plus with custom spot colors, color 

bars, and job titles for proofing and certification; and X·Proof 3800 for printing to the 

Epson Stylus Pro 3800 only.

Figure 31.1 

ColorBurst X·Photo gives precise adjustments for fine art printing. 

Chapter 31 ■ RIP Software 355 

Comments 

You need a spectrophotometer to use the software properly, creating a linearization test 

target with the aid of the SpectralVision Pro package. The RIP will then linearize the 

printer automatically. Creating a custom CMYK profile for the printer is somewhat 

more involved, but essential if you want to maximize the quality of each ink/media combination. 

With these color-management procedures in place, ColorBurst X·Photo will 

produce consistently great prints. 

The ColorBurst RIP won both the sub-20-inch and 20-inch-and-greater printer categories 

at the Digital Imaging Marketing Association (DIMA) 2008 Printer Shoot-Out 

awards, a sure indication that it should be on any photographer’s short list. 

Version: ColorBurst 5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, 2003, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 10.4 or later 

RAM: Windows 768MB, Mac 1GB 

Supported file formats: PS, EPS, PDF, CMYK, RGB, Lab, 16-bit and color-mapped TIFF files, 

CMYK, RGB JPEG, and RTL raster files 

Price level: Small format $800, medium format $1,100, large format $1,600 

Address: ColorBurst Systems, CSE Inc., 44710 Cape Court #142, Ashburn, VA 20147, United 

States 

www.colorburstrip.com

356 


Harlequin RIP 

Vendor: Global Graphics Software 

Purpose: High-performance RIPping engine, sold only through OEM partners for different 

branding 

Description 

The Harlequin RIP underpins an entire industry, being sold through the vendor’s OEM 

partners who use its flexible architecture as the basis for their own products. Harlequin 

technology is used for driving 100 output devices, from vendors such as Agfa Gevaert, 

Hewlett-Packard, and Kodak. RIPs based on it include: 

■ Express RIP, from Compose Systems 

■ RipMate, from Esko Graphics 

■ Fusion RIP, from Fusion Systems 

■ Torrent RIP, from HighWater Designs 

■ Prediction RIP, from Latran Technologies 

■ Rampage RIP, from Rampage Systems 

■ RTI Rip-Kit, from RTI (RealTimeImage) 

■ JET Rip, from Song & Company 

■ TorayRIP, from Toray Industries 

■ Navigator RIP, from Xitron 

Capabilities of the Harlequin RIP include PostScript interpretation, native PDF support, 

JDF-enabled workflows, and integral color management, trapping, and imposition. 

Version 8.0 of the Harlequin PLUS Server RIP, first shown at Drupa (the world’s main 

printing event) in 2008, introduced several new features. It can now natively process 

files in the new XPS print format (which allows users to create, share, print, and archive 

documents) available with Windows Vista. It also supports PDF 1.7, the PDF/X-4 

standard, JDF 1.3, and the HD Photo format with its extended dynamic range and 

superior compression capabilities. All of these facilities will flow through to the 

products that are based on the Harlequin RIP. 

Pre-press specialist Hamillroad Software has developed a high-performance TIFF output 

plug-in for the Harlequin RIP called Lightning TIFF. It’s designed to replace the 

standard TIFF plug-in. It is worth noting because it can quadruple the performance of 

the RIP.

Comments 

It would be difficult to work in the graphic arts industry without coming across 

Harlequin RIP technology in one form or another. It is included here for completeness 

and because photographers may find themselves using a Harlequin-based RIP or a softproofing 

system such as FirstPROOF that connects to it. 

Version: Harlequin 8.0 (2008) 

OS: Multi-platform 

RAM: N/A 

Supported file formats: PGB, TIFF, and others 

Price level: On application 

Address: Global Graphics Software Ltd., Building 2030, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, 

Cambridge, CB23 6DW, United Kingdom; 

Global Graphics Software Inc., 5875 Trinity Parkway, Suite 110, Centreville, VA 20120, United 

States 

www.globalgraphics.com 

Ilford Studio 


Vendor: Ilford Imaging 

Purpose: Fully integrated printing system for photographers with a special software RIP to give 

color prints the look and feel of traditional photographs 

Description 

Designed to help professional photographers make color prints in-house at half the cost 

of outsourcing them, Ilford Studio is an integrated printing system with a special software 

RIP that gives color prints the look and feel of traditional photographs. Its RIPstar 

component is actually a variant of Onyx PosterShop. Ilford’s development team has created 

media profiles to match various printer, ink, and media combinations for the best 

output quality (the firm supplies its own GALERIE range of papers). Its print-management 

facilities include batch printing, job grouping, and nesting images for the most 

economical use of the media. By using either the automatic cutting feature or optional 

roll take-up, the vendor says you can leave the system to make a print run overnight. 

Comments 

After making an extensive test of Ilford Studio with an Epson 7600 printer, Professional 

Imagemaker magazine concluded that it gave a “flawless performance,” which is high 

praise indeed. Being part of the Oji Paper Co., Ilford Imaging has more interest in selling 

substrate materials than equipment, but it has put this excellent system together, 

supported, it has to be said, by rather poor marketing backup. Fortunately, photographers 

know quality when they see it. The output speaks for itself.

358 


Version: Ilford Studio 2.0, Version 6.0 (2008) 


RAM: 2GB 

Supported file formats: CMYK TIFF 

Price level: Turnkey systems, with Epson printer $6,000 to $12,000 

Address: Ilford Imaging Switzerland GmbH, Vente Marché Suisse, Case Postale 160, CH1723 

Marly 1, Switzerland 

www.ilford.com 

ImagePrint RIP 

Vendor: ColorByte Software 

Purpose: Software RIP that lets you print directly from an image editor or layout program 

Description 

ImagePrint RIP is a complete printing solution that is fully compliant with ICC workflow, 

designed specifically to meet the needs of photographers. Instead of using a 

PostScript interpreter, it has a PTAPP (Print Through Application) option that lets you 

print directly from an image editor or layout program. Its huge range of sophisticated 

features includes black and white dark room effects, quadtone printing, wide gamut 

technology, queue management, true borderless printing, embedded profile management, 

shadow point adjustment, Phatte Black option, an autoprint hot folder utility, 

automated layout modes, and image layout editing. 

ImagePrint works with the mid-range market of printers including Epson, Encad, 

Hewlett-Packard, Roland, and Colorspan. It can be used in a mixed network environment 

where Windows and Mac machines exist side-by-side. 

Comments 

Widely regarded by fine art photographers as one of only three or four options for serious 

printing (others are StudioPrint and Ilford Studio), ImagePrint RIP has the advantage 

of running on both Windows and Mac platforms. Experts are agreed that it takes 

printers to a new level, beyond anything that can be achieved with the standard printer 

software. One big ImagePrint advantage is the extensive profile library on which users 

can draw freely to get the best results for various printer/paper/ink combinations. 

Version 7.0 has added significant improvements to the page layout area. You now receive 

visual feedback about the physical page size as well as printable area. A new Smart Crop 

feature allows you to crop images more precisely, and a Border Browser allows you to 

add artistic borders to your images. These improvements, like many of the software’s 

other features, are very helpful to photographers who print their own work.

Version: ImagePrint 7.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 and XP; Mac OS X 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, TGA, SUN, SGI, and PSD 


Address: ColorByte Software, 10004 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Suite 101, Tampa, FL 33618, United 

States 

www.colorbytesoftware.com 

Onyx PosterShop 

Vendor: Onyx Graphics 

Purpose: Software RIP for high-quality inkjet and screen printing 


Description 

PosterShop is a step up from the company’s entry-level RIPCenter, having an additional 

Preflight application for large-format color proofing and printing. The preflight component 

provides an on-screen proof and tools for correcting color without affecting the 

original. 

For the busy photographic studio, PosterShop supports printing to two inkjet printers 

simultaneously, with multiple hot folders containing all the job settings. Even when the 

printers are different models, the RIP ensures a unified workflow. It runs on Windows, 

but, as a network device, can accept images from both Windows and Mac. 

A world leader in large-format RIP software, Onyx also has another RIP called 

ProductionHouse for high-production environments. In version 7.0, both PosterShop 

and ProductionHouse come with a new wizard-driven Media Manager application that 

makes it easier to obtain the right profile for each type of media. It gives you a standard 

report about how the various media will perform in different applications such as fine 

art, CAD, signage, POP, proofing, and photographic reproduction. 

Comments 

Of all the RIPs on the market today, Onyx PosterShop consistently appears on most 

shortlists recommended by experts. It comes with a wide range of screen dot patterns 

simulating traditional screen printing, together with screen options for spot color separations. 

These and many other features make it one of the most powerful and versatile 

RIPs available. 

Version: Onyx PosterShop 7.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 Pro Server; XP (both with latest service packs) and Vista 

RAM: 2GB per CPU (if dual CPU)

360 


Supported file formats: PostScript, PDF files and major formats including TIFF, TIFF/IT, 8-bit 

and 16-bit TIFF, 4GB TIFF, JPEG 2000, PSD, Kodak PhotoCD, ER Mapper, MrSID, JPEG, 

Targa, Scitex CT, DIB, GIF, PCX, and BMP 

Price level: RIPCenter approx. $1,695.00, PosterShop approx. $3,300 

Address: Onyx Graphics, 6915 South High Tech Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84047, United States 

www.onyxgfx.com 

PHOTOGATE 

Vendor: ColorGATE 

Purpose: Software RIP for photo and fine art reproductions 

Description 

Aimed at photographers, designers, and agencies, the PHOTOGATE software RIP in 

the ColorGATE range comes in both Pro (with PostScript for document printer) and 

Raster (bitmap formats only) versions. It is ideal for printing to aquarelle, hand-made, 

or photo and fine art paper, producing both high-quality color and black and white 

prints. With the PHOTO&FINEART Module you can print neutral grayscale images, 

take account of the effects of ambient light, and print with added tints. 

Comments 

ColorGATE has a whole range of client/server RIP products, based around PRO- 

DUCTIONSERVER. Somewhat confusingly, the individual modules are also available 

as stand-alone software packages. The output from PHOTOGATE is clearly excellent, 

but until recently it was almost impossible to understand the upgrade paths, combinations, 

and alternatives, given the poorly translated literature offered by the vendor. This 

has been partially corrected by a new Website and some new documentation. However, 

the ColorGATE tagline “Pleasure for Production” still sounds odd in English. 

Version: PHOTOGATE 5.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2003, XP, and Vista; data from Mac OS/Unix/Linux can be sent via the virtual 

printer (PortMonitor) 


Supported file formats: PostScript 3, PDF 1.6, PDF/X-1a, EPS, DCS 2.0; JPEG, TGA, TIFF, 

BMP, PCD, and PSD 

Price level: Small format $1,200, medium format $1,600, large format $2,000, raster-only versions 

also available from $600 

Address: ColorGATE Digital Output Solutions GmbH, Grosse Düwelstrasse 1, 30171 

Hannover, Germany 

www.colorgate.com

PhotoPRINT 


Vendor: SA International 

Purpose: A family of client/server RIP products for high print production environments 

Description 

PhotoPRINT is a family of software RIPs, each with a wizard-driven interface for easeof-use, 

aimed at corporations and institutions, print shops, design companies, and large 

photographic studios. They include PhotoPRINT SERVER-ULTRA (for ultimate control), 

PhotoPRINT SERVER-PRO and PhotoPRINT SERVER (with cost-saving features), 

PhotoPRINT DX (with two-device capability), and PhotoPRINT SE (for the 

single-workstation environment). Each one seamlessly integrates the Adobe RIP Engine, 

the only product to do so at the time of writing. 

For smaller production environments, the entry-level PhotoPRINT SE is intended for 

use with a single wide-format printer. It comes with more than 325 certified ICC output 

profiles, plus the ability to edit them or (with a Color Calibration wizard upgrade) 

to create new ones. It allows you to send jobs for print direct from your layout/design 

application, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXPress, or CorelDRAW. 

Comments 

Renowned for its ease of use, PhotoPRINT allows you to prepare documents or images 

for printing by dragging and dropping TIFFs, JPEGs, and PDFs directly into the queue. 

You then have full control over output, using ICC profiles for the chosen printer/ 

ink/media combination. 

Version 6.0 was a major upgrade, featuring a new user interface, a new point-and-click 

color correction tool, an ability to break jobs down into smaller parts, and a new Print 

wizard that takes you step-by-step from adding a new job through to printing it. All the 

versions can be purchased online at competitive prices from Macro Enter Corporation 

(www.macroenter.com). 

Version: PhotoPRINT 6.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2 

RAM: 1GB 

Supported file formats: TIFF, JPEG, PDF, and other major formats 

Price level: SE edition $1,000, DX $1,500, Server $3,500, Server-Pro $4,300, Server-Ultra 

$5,300 (all approx.) 

Address: SA International Inc., International Plaza II, Suite 625, Philadelphia, PA 19113, United 

States 

www.scanvecamiable.com

362 


PosterJet 

Vendor: Eisfeld Datentechnik 

Purpose: Very fast software RIP that processes as it prints 

Description 

PosterJet is a powerful package for large-format. It handles 12-color printing on both 

the HP Designjet Z-series and Canon’s imagePROGRAF series. With some justification 

the vendor claims “PosterJet is the fastest RIP software in the world.” It achieves 

this high-speed capability by being able to process and print at the same time, working 

on a line-by-line basis while managing color and interpolating the data. 

Designed for a production environment, PosterJet has excellent job-handling facilities 

with a high degree of automation. It offers full support for ICC color management, yet 

requires practically no training. Printer linearization is automatic with the firm’s Intelli- 

Lin technology. It supports more than 200 graphics file formats and according to the 

vendor takes only seven seconds to print (that is, to start printing), whatever the format. 

PosterJet can print on several printers simultaneously, using the vendor’s SimuPrint technology. 

It supports multi-page documents containing different page sizes, the nesting 

of multi-page documents, and the special functionalities found in new Canon and HP 

printers. 

Comments 

Being able to “RIP-on-the-fly” means that PosterJet really is a speedy RIP. The latest 

version has made it substantially easier to use. It is designed for corporate and institutional 

use, but many small design bureaus, advertising agencies, photographers, and 

print shops are also using it successfully. Kall Kwik in London uses it with Canon and 

HP printers. 

Version: PosterJet 8.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 SP3, XP, 2003 Server, and Vista; Mac OS X 


Supported file formats: More than 200 formats 

Price level: One server, five clients from approx. $550 

Address: Eisfeld Datentechnik GmbH & Co., Eisfeld Datentechnik GmbH & Co., Hugo- 

Eckener-Str. 31, 50829 Köln, Germany 

www.posterjet.com

ProofMaster 

Vendor: PerfectProof 

Purpose: Modular RIP, with multi-featured base product plus further product options 

Description 

ProofMaster is a software RIP that comes as a base product consisting of the RIP, color 

engine, an editor for on-the-fly adjustments, and two custom-built drivers. To this core 

technology you can add other product options including: 

■ Certify! (certification to a choice of many industry standards) 

■ 1-bit option (for three types of 1-bit proofs) 

■ Advanced Color (ICC printer profiles) 

■ Advanced Editor (for wide format printing and sign making) 

■ SoftProof (with additional features besides those offered in the base product) 

■ RasterCreator (turns your printer into image-setter) 

■ Cut! option (adds full-fledged cutting capability) 


The modular approach means you can expand your investment in ProofMaster as your 

company grows. The product is aimed at photographers, advertising agencies, color separators, 

and offset, gravure, newspaper, flexo, screen, and wide format printers. 

Comments 

The problem with modularity is that customers are never completely sure if they have 

the best configuration until acquiring all the extras. In this case, fortunately, the base 

product is one of the most fully featured available. ProofMaster 3.1 is fully native on 

Intel-based Macs: another important point, as most RIPs are PC-based. Independent 

tests (www.large-format-printers.org) have shown it to be a viable option for the CMYK 

proofing environment, although it is aimed at the widest possible market (photographers, 

advertising agencies, and more). 

Version: ProofMaster 3.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP Pro SP2, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.8 

RAM: 4GB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; PS, PDF (X3, X1a), EPS, PSD, Illustrator .ai, 

nCT/nLW, DCS2, and TIFF/IT 

Price level: Up to 24 inches wide approx. $2,550, up to 44 inches wide approx. $3,350 

Address: PerfectProof USA Inc., 3 Webb Place, Dover, NH 03820, United States 

PerfectProof Europe NV, 4 Wayenborgstraat, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium 

www.perfectproof.com 

www.proofmaster.net

364 


QuadToneRIP 

Vendor: Roy Harrington 

Purpose: A RIP for black and white inkjet printing TIFF format, using inks with four tones 

instead of four colors 

Figure 31.2 

QuadToneRIP gives black and white specialists complete control over printing. 

Description 

Roy Harrington’s QuadToneRIP provides “color management” for black and white 

inkjet printing in TIFF format, using quadtone inksets (four tones instead of four colors). 

Developed by a skilled black and white landscape photographer who shoots in large 

format, it produces outstanding results and is highly regarded by experts. It works with 

several kinds of Epson inkjet printers and with both standard and custom dedicated 

black and white inksets. 

Profiles already exist for many printer/ink combinations, but you can create a new 

profile for an inkset using a densitometer or spectrophotometer. The software includes 

facilities for making full black and white ICC profiles for printing and soft-proofing 

within Photoshop and other editors. QuadToneRIP requires “a fair amount of memory,” 

according to the developer. Good documentation, tutorials, and a user group are 

available.

Comments 

If you happen to use an Epson printer and are keen to obtain the best possible black 

and white prints, QuadToneRIP is a natural choice. It is a first-rate product, greatly 

admired by black and white photographers who refer to it as QTR. Several accomplished 

black and white photographers have written extensively about their use of QuadToneRIP, 

including Paul Roark (www.paulroark.com), Clayton Jones (www.cjcom.net), and Ron 

Reeder (www.ronreeder.com). 

First-time users have been known to use QTR for a printer loaded with color inks rather 

than UT (Ultratone) inks. Note: this does not work. 

Version: QuadToneRIP 2.6.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP Home, XP Pro (recommended), and Vista; Mac OS X 10.2, 10.3, and 

10.4, or 10.5 (recommended) 

RAM: “A fair amount” (1GB, fair enough?) 



Address: Roy Harrington, PO Box 3962, Los Altos, CA 94024-0962, United States 

www.quadtonerip.com 

Shiraz 


Vendor: Applied Image Technology 

Purpose: Multi-platform client/server RIP for a wide variety of large format printers 

Description 

Shiraz is a third-party software RIP that has all the features expected of a product for 

large format printing: PostScript Level 3 and PDF compatibility, excellent ICC color 

management, linearization and ink limiting, support for spot colors, workflow and 

queue management, and high-quality screening. It can process and RIP at the same time, 

making it fast to operate. Editing functions include layout, tiling, sizing, and cropping. 

One of the key selling points of Shiraz is its availability for practically every largeformat 

printer on the market, not only HP Designjet, Mimaki, and Canon machines, 

but also the Osprey, Phoenix, Spitfire, and Valuejet models from Mutoh. It comes in 

three editions—Lite, Server, and Server Plus—in six European languages. 

■ Shiraz RIP Lite: For photographers and small sign shops with a single printer. 

■ Shiraz RIP Server: For medium-size sign and copy shops; unattended operation; 

and batching and nesting facilities. 

■ Shiraz RIP Server Plus: For pay bureaus and big sign shops; accepts custom 

profiles/spot colors from advanced users.

366 

Comments 

Formed in 1995 with the purpose of creating a RIP aimed at the large-format market, 

AIT’s Shiraz is now used in over 30 countries by more than 5,000 customers. It is based 

on the Jaws RIP engine from Global Graphics, and is available online from Macro Enter 

Corporation (www.macroenter.com). 

Version: Shiraz 6.4 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4.8 and above; Linux Red Hat or Suse 

RAM: 1GB 

Supported file formats: PostScript Level 1, 2, and 3, not in Photo edition, PDF, EPS, TIFF, and 

JPEG 

Price level: Lite $650, Server $850, Server Plus $1,050 

Address: Applied Image Technology, 30 Churchill Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 

4YU, United Kingdom 

www.applied-image.com 

SoftRIP 


Vendor: Wasatch Computer Technology 

Purpose: Software RIP with high-definition output using a 16-bit color pipeline 

Description 

SoftRIP formats image files for both small- and large-format inkjets, and for specialist 

applications such as textile printing, labels, sportswear, and contour cutting. It offers 

Wasatch’s proprietary Precision Stochastic Screens (PSS) half-toning and 16-bit rendering 

for high-definition color quality. The vendor claims that even files that arrive to the 

RIP only 8-bits deep also show substantial benefit, being promoted to 16-bits prior to 

color management and maintained there for half-toning. PSS works especially well with 

dye sublimation and other processes that involve extreme dot gain, helping to eliminate 

artifacts such as “stairstepping” (banding) or “rainbowing” (banding in different colors). 

Wasatch SoftRIP comes as a full edition for large-format inkjet printers, and in special 

editions for small format and desktop printers. The special editions have the same 

features as the full version, differing only in the size of printers they support. 

The vendor has also brought out a range of “exclusive editions,” each dedicated to a 

specific brand of printer: Canon, HP, Epson, Mutoh, and Roland. It you have just one 

brand of printer, this is a good option as you get SoftRIP’s premium RIP features at an 

entry-level price.

Comments 

With its 16-bit pipeline, SoftRIP has virtually eliminated tonal banding. It is recommended 

by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth’s FLAAR information network (www.large-formatprinters.org) 

partly for that reason. He calls it “the preferred software at our university.” 

It is ICC-aware, can drive a wide range of different printers, and copes admirably with 

giclée printing. 

Version: SoftRIP 6.3 (2008) 


RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: PostScript Level 3, PDF, EPS, TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PSD, BMP, PCX, 

PPM, PCD, TGA, DCS2, and MrSID 

Price level: Desktop $600, small format $1,200, exclusive editions $1,500, large format $3,000 

(all approx.) 

Address: Wasatch Computer Technology, 333 South 300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, United 

States 

www.wasatch.com 

StudioPrint RIP 


Vendor: ErgoSoft 

Purpose: Inkjet RIP software for the highest quality printing and support for more than 200 

printers 

Description 

Winner of many awards, StudioPrint is a color RIP that provides a high level of control 

over job layout and image management and acts as a dedicated print server. It is 

described succinctly by the vendor as being like “a high-definition tuner, only for your 

inkjet printer.” 

Highly favored by photographers for its excellent image quality and color accuracy, 

StudioPrint is not hard to use, especially with the new features such as job ticketing in 

v.2008. It supports density and ICC profiles for CMYK and several other configurations 

including CMYK plus eight additional inks, also combined with light inks. For 

black and white, a specially developed dithering method allows printing in up to seven 

shades of black. As a result, StudioPrint achieves exhibition-quality tonal gradation on 

good-quality printers. It contains over 200 printer drivers and allows you to make 

on-the-fly changes to print parameters. 

StudioPrint supports the following inkjet printers: Canon, Encad, Epson, HP, Mimaki, 

Mutoh, Roland, and Seiko. It supports the following spectrophotometers: Barbieri, 

ColorScout, HP BuiltIn Device, Techkon, and X-Rite. It supports the following color

368 


Figure 31.3 

The Print Settings dialog box in StudioPrint RIP. 

Figure 31.4 

StudioPrint RIP offers plenty of last-minute tweaking for perfect results.

spaces: RGB, CMYK, sRGB, and LAB. Its image-processing functions include scaling, 

rotation, tiling, cropping, and color/brightness correction. Among its “extras” are spot 

color support via the Photoshop spot color channels. 

Comments 

Founded in Switzerland in the 1980s, ErgoSoft AG developed PosterPrint for large 

format graphics and TexPrint RIP for digital textile printing. In contrast, American 

subsidiary ErgoSoft US (founded in 2001) from the start chose to target digital photography 

and fine art printmaking, and offers the StudioPrint RIP to give photographers 

“the highest level of control over the printing process.” 

Version: StudioPrint 12.0.6 (2008) 


RAM: 1GB 

Supported file formats: Import filters TIFF, BMP, and JPEG 


Address: ErgoSoft US LLC, 34 Technology Way, Nashua, NH 03060, United States 

www.ergosoft.net 

Summary 


Raster Image Processors (RIPs) are needed whenever you print a document or an image. 

They create a dot pattern appropriate to the particular combination of printer, ink, and 

paper being used. Embedded RIPs that come with the printer are inferior to the software 

RIPs described in this chapter. All professional photographic printing requires the 

use of an effective RIP, especially in high-quality inkjet printing with 8- or 12-color 

cartridges. Modern RIPs go the extra mile in providing many auxiliary features, including 

batch handling, color management, and even last-minute color correction. The 

products discussed in this chapter are just a selection of the more than 80 RIPs available, 

but they are all among those that are best suited to photographic printing. Most 

RIPs are PC-based, but the ImagePrint RIP runs on Macintosh as well. QuadToneRIP 

has a great reputation among black and white specialists, whereas ErgoSoft’s StudioPrint 

has been developed specifically for fine art printmaking and digital photography.


32 

Virtual Proofing 

If ever there was a “no-brainer” in the graphic arts world, virtual proofing is it. It is faster, 

cheaper, and more accurate than conventional proofing. It requires no physical transportation 

of paper on the back of a motorcycle through rush-hour traffic. It enables 

convenient, collaborative viewing that brings all parties together—designer, pre-press, 

agency, client, and sometimes even the photographer. People can zoom into pages at 

pixel level, add their annotations, chat about them in real-time, and do all this from the 

comfort of their own office or their holiday home in Hawaii. Worried about security? 

It has encryption. Worried about the color? Good point; but the color management is 

foolproof. And only a fool would refuse to embrace virtual proofing now that it has 

reached a mature stage of development. 

Photographers who care about the quality of their work as it finally appears in magazines, 

brochures, catalogs, and so on should try to insert themselves into the virtual 

proofing loop. All too often, a picture looks great as an inkjet print, but fails to impress 

when it gets reproduced on other media. Virtual proofing can help everyone concerned 

with a project have realistic expectations about the final quality of the output. 

Note 

A word about terminology—”soft” and “virtual” proofing are used interchangeably but 

do not always refer to the same process. Soft-proofing can also mean non-color critical 

proofing on an RGB display to check the components of a page to be printed. True 

virtual proofing, by contrast, involves viewing CMYK simulations on a high quality, 

carefully calibrated monitor. Output is taken from the RIP, which shows the exact effect 

of using a particular printer/paper/ink combination, complete with trapping, and 

accompanied by the job ticket containing all the appropriate metadata. Virtual proofing 

aims to be a true WYSIWYG representation of the final output.

372 

SWOP 


If virtual proofing sounds like a “no-brainer,” why are there still some doubters? The 

chief reason is that many people who buy print do not have sufficient confidence in 

non-tangible media. It is different if you work with a trusted supplier who can ensure 

that your own systems and viewing facilities are ideal, but the lack of standards in the 

early adoption phase of virtual proofing prevented universal acceptance. 

Some print service providers like RR Donnelley Premedia Technologies (www.premedia 

technologies.com) have long offered virtual proofing as a standard part of the workflow. 

Yet the tipping-point in the uptake of the new, paper-free techniques did not occur until 

IDEAlliance (www.swop.org) launched its combined SWOP/GRACoL monitor proofing 

certification program in 2007. This paved the way for a move toward open rather 

than proprietary systems. RR Donnelley’s ShareStream soft-proofing system, which 

allows customers to inspect all their production files online in high resolution, is itself 

now fully SWOP-certified. In the future, when virtual proofing is universal, print buying 

may become a much speedier process in the global marketplace. 

DALiM DiALOGUE 

Vendor: Dalim Software GmbH 

Purpose: Online soft-proofing server application for real-time collaborative access 

Description 

Part of an extensive range of workflow automation products, at the time of its launch 

DALiM DiALOGUE was the only JDF-enabled virtual color proofing system on the 

market. (JDF, or Job Definition Format, is a new technical standard that automates job 

workflow by carrying both the content and the instructions for how this content should 

be treated by each JDF-enabled device.) Designed as a stand-alone product for Mac OS 

X, DALiM DiALOGUE fits into many workflows, which ensures that users can check 

files for both content and color accuracy. It provides remote, collaborative facilities for 

examining high-resolution files across the Internet, with full annotation, zoom in/out, 

navigation and real-time chat functions. It leverages the color-management capabilities 

of the Macintosh. 

One of DALiM DiALOGUE’s most remarkable features is its zoom capability— 

5,000,000% for both pixel and vector data. This zoom capability enables viewers to see 

images at their most fundamental level in order to check trapping information. 

Comments 

DALiM DiALOGUE is one of the most advanced virtual color proofing systems, with 

excellent collaborative facilities and SWOP certification (www.swop.org). Each at a

different location, photographer, designer, and client can check proofs, chat, place notes, 

take densitometer readings, check production parameters, and agree on final approvals 

without having to leave their locations. DALiM DiALOGUE was the first online softproofing 

product for Macintosh OS X and won MacWorld “Best of Show” award at its 

launch (2003). It has also been approved by Time Inc. for all its press proofs. 


OS: Mac OS X 10.3 and later; Linux 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: All major industry file formats, including PDF, PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3 

(including 2003 specs), Scitex CT/LW, DCS, DCS2.0, TIFF, TIFF-IT, PostScript, EPS, and JPEG 


Address: Dalim Software GmbH, Strassburger Strasse 6, D-77694 Kehl am Rhein, Germany 

www.dalim.com 

FirstPROOF 

Vendor: Hamillroad Software 

Purpose: Family of pre-press soft-proofing products to add to Harlequin (or TIFF-based) RIPs 

Description 

The FirstPROOF family of soft-proofing products for Harlequin or TIFF-based RIPs 

has brought much-needed performance improvements to the computer-to-plate (CtP) 

RIP workflow. It allows you to make the kind of checks that were once possible with 

film but are no longer standard with CtP—checks, among others, for moiré, orientation, 

and content. It comes in three editions: 

■ Lite: A simple, free utility for tracking and viewing ripped jobs. 

Chapter 32 ■ Virtual Proofing 373 

■ Standard: Includes high-performance viewing and navigation; zoom in/out; rotate 

and mirror; search multiple RIP facility; grid and guide lines to check object alignment; 

and black trap checking. 

■ Pro: Includes all of the above, plus measurement tools (distances, areas, screens, and 

densities); moiré inspection; ink limit tool; page registration checker; separation 

handling (rotate and merge); and ROOM (“Rip Once, Output Many”) proof printing 

of the separations being viewed. 

Comments 

FirstPROOF is well conceived and engineered. For example, being a “remote on-screen 

proofing system,” it utilizes the processing power of the machine on which it is installed, 

not the CPU of the RIP. You can put the RIP into “hold mode” so that it does not print

374 


before you have inspected the work in FirstPROOF. Highly acclaimed by pre-press 

managers in the UK, the product is sold worldwide through distributors in each country 

or state. Hamillroad’s main distributor is Compose System Limited, of Hong Kong, 

which markets the product worldwide as Compose Visual Proof. 

Version: FirstPROOF Standard and Pro 5.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows NT, 2000, XP, and Vista; Mac OS 9.x, OS X 10.2.x, 10.3.x, and 10.4.x 

RAM: 2GB 

Supported file formats: Harlequin PGB format and TIFF 

Price level: Standard approx. $750, Pro approx. $1,300 

Address: Hamillroad Software Limited, Whitehall House, Longstanton Road, Oakington, 

Cambridge, CB24 3BB, United Kingdom 

www.hamillroad.com 

ICS Remote Director 

Vendor: Integrated Color Solutions 

Purpose: SWOP-certified virtual contract proofing system 

Description 

Remote Director is a SWOP-certified virtual contract proofing system that plugs into 

any workflow solution and sends proofs directly to your client’s desktop. It allows all 

interested parties, no matter where they are, to view, collaborate, and comment on both 

the color and content of virtual proofs. This provides a complete, auditable record of the 

proofing process, culminating in a final, legal sign-off. 

Top digital photographer Jack Bingham (www.nevergetcaughtonfilm.com) has commented: 

“Remote Director might just be the next thing photographers can’t live without.” And 

not only photographers, but agencies, clients, pre-press shops, and printers can all 

benefit from a product with these facilities. Remote Director runs on commercially 

available hardware (PC and Mac), supports both RGB and CMYK workflows, and 

requires no specialized technical knowledge to use. 

Comments: 

Remote Director’s SWOP certification has been its greatest selling tool. The first virtual 

proofing system to gain certification, it can produce proofs that are visually identical to 

the SWOP Certified Press Proof, defined in ANSI CGATS TR 001. As a result, it 

has found good levels of acceptance among advertising agencies, newspapers, and 

magazines in North America, the UK, Europe, and the Far East. In North America it 

is distributed by Chromaticity (www.chromaticity.com), in the UK by Target Colour 

(www.targetcolour.com), and in Europe and the Far East by various other resellers and 

OEMs.

Version: Remote Director 3.6 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 with SP3, XP with SP2, and 2003; OS X 10.4 

RAM: 1GB 

Supported file formats: TIFF, EPS, JPEG, PDF, and any active image in Photoshop 


Address: Integrated Color Solutions, 60 Madison Avenue, Suite 1105, New York, NY 10010, 

United States 

www.icscolor.com 

Kodak Matchprint 

Vendor: Eastman Kodak 

Purpose: Virtual proofing software with one-button monitor calibration 


Description 

Kodak Matchprint enables accurate, consistent viewing of CMYK color reproduction 

on LCD computer monitors. It is easy to use, offers one-button monitor calibration, 

has SWOP certification, and supports a relatively small number of high-quality monitors 

including Apple Cinema Displays. It derives a spectrophotometric model from a 

hard copy reference of the user’s choice and then makes the necessary transformations 

for display on the RGB monitor. Color rendition options include newspaper, SWOP, 

or Matchprint Software Colors. Quality is maintained by a five-minute calibration of 

each monitor every 24 hours using a Kodak-supplied colorimeter. 

Features of Kodak Matchprint include dual-monitor support, zooming to pixel level, 

and ability to annotate the image with on-screen notes. 

Comments 

Kodak, being a brand that is practically synonymous with color quality, signaled that 

virtual proofing had arrived when it entered the market with the Matchprint Virtual 

Proofing System. Users report that it has dramatically increased production efficiency, 

with page quantities up and costs down. Matchprint has the essential features needed 

for virtual proofing and is backed by a world class service organization. 

Version: Kodak Matchprint 5.0 (2008) 

OS: Apple OS X 10.4.6 to 10.4.11 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: For color critical viewing (CMYK only): DCS2 (Single File Composite), 

EPS, PDF, PDF/X 1A, PostScript, Scitex CT/LW, and TIFF. For content viewing only: JPG 

(CMYK and RGB), one-bit TIFF, and DCS 

Price level: On application

376 


Address: Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, 343 State Street, Rochester, NY 14650, 

United States 

www.graphics.kodak.com 

PROOF-it-ONLINE 

Vendor: PROOF-it-ONLINE 

Purpose: Web-based proofing and approval-management solution 

Figure 32.1 

PROOF-it-ONLINE is a Web-only virtual proofing system with online commenting. 

Description 

PROOF-it-ONLINE is a Web-based solution for increasing the efficiency of the creative 

approval process. It is offered as a monthly subscription with personal plans and 

several levels of business plans available. Subscription levels are based on the number of 

proof pages issued each month, ranging from 20 pages on the lowest Personal plan, up 

to 800 pages on the Premium Plus plan.

Aimed at advertising agencies, printers, publishers, designers, and other professionals 

in the graphic arts industry, PROOF-it-ONLINE eliminates the need for expensive IT 

infrastructure while at the same time providing a high level of security, with 128-bit 

encryption available on top-tier systems. Features include collective access to allow 

clients to see all of their jobs in one location, job tracking with Track-it ID, and full 

annotation facilities. A TeamTrack option lets the proofs pass through a “middleman,” 

such as an account executive, before going on to the end client for final approval. 

PROOF-it-ONLINE integrates with your Website in such a way that your client might 

not even realize the service is not your own. 

Comments 

PROOF-it-ONLINE’s success speaks for itself. It has been an enormously popular application, 

bearing in mind that many companies go on to invest in virtual proofing 

systems of their own. The company has responded to requests to add features, making 

it fit very nicely with the way people in different companies (photo studio, ad agency, 

and end client) need to collaborate. For example, if you need approval from more than 

one reviewer, you can call upon the Review Team feature in the Contacts menu. This 

speeds up the approval process by contacting all the team members when you post the 

proof. If you are tired of sending PDF files to and fro, here is another, much faster and 

more economical way of doing it. 

Version: PROOF-it-ONLINE 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Browser-based—Internet Explorer, Netscape, AOL, and Safari browsers 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: PDF, GIF, and JPEG (preferred formats) 

Price level: Personal plan approx. $40 per month, Professional plan $150 per month, Premium 

plan from $300 per month, Premium Plus plan $750 per month 

Address: PROOF-it-ONLINE, Research Triangle Area, 200 Cascade Pointe Lane, Suite #106, 

Cary, NC 27513, United States 

www.proofitonline.com 

Summary 


One of the most useful spin-offs from the development of color management has been 

virtual proofing—the new, speedy, paperless way of checking and approving proofs. In 

true virtual proofing, the software creates accurate simulations of how a document is 

expected to look when printed. This simulation is then shared among all interested parties 

who may be in different rooms, cities, or countries. Management and job-tracking 

features form a large part of the system, enabling efficient communications and administration. 

PROOF-it-ONLINE has enjoyed great success as a Web-based system, but companies 

with larger printing requirements will need also to look at the other products listed.


Part VI 

Keeping It 

All Running 

Smoothly


Chapter 33 Backup Software 

Chapter 34 Data Recovery 

Chapter 35 Pro Studio Software 

Chapter 36 Pro Tools for Web, Wireless, 

and Remote Access 

Chapter 37 Analysis and Diagnostics Software

For tax and accounting purposes, backing up is a legal requirement; for images, it is 

common sense. Photographers vary in the extent to which they back up their images, 

some of them placing perhaps a bit too much trust in their hard drives, others being 

sufficiently paranoid to back up even their backups. 

Make a Plan 

33 

Backup Software 

What every photographer needs is a data recovery plan, and the first step toward making 

such a plan is to recognize the distinction between archiving and backup. Because 

photographers usually take care to archive their images, there is often an assumption 

that little will be lost in the event of a system crash that destroys only current work. It 

is very easy to underestimate the inconvenience of losing even a day’s work, especially 

if it takes two more days to recover from it. A far better policy is to have a proper backup 

procedure in place, together with appropriate software that will assume the responsibility 

of carrying out vital backup tasks automatically. 

A data recovery plan looks at all the “what-if” scenarios, such as: what if the studio is 

raided and we lose all the computer equipment? Do we risk prosecution for loss of business 

data? Who would be affected? What will be the financial loss? With a huge choice 

of data recovery systems and services available, finding a preventative cure should not 

be a problem. A photographer with partners or employees should take the trouble to 

document the recovery procedures and make sure that everyone knows where to find 

the document—and related disks—in case of emergency. Keep the plan up to date with 

a yearly review, especially if the business is expanding. You may need to move from one 

backup solution to another.

382 


Solutions 

Available backup solutions include tape, cloned hard drives, CDs/DVDs, hardware 

RAID (multiple hard disks that can tolerate one or more of them going wrong), and 

various online services. All these solutions require software to get the data from one type 

of media to another, at a scheduled time or on demand. Here you have two options. 

You can use the facilities provided in your operating system, or you can purchase software 

that has been designed specifically for backup applications. 

Microsoft Windows Vista and Apple’s OS X Leopard have improved backup hugely 

for their respective brands. Apple, in particular, offered quite poor backup until the 

introduction of Time Machine, which gives users the flexibility to select source and 

destination, time of backup, and other important parameters. To create a local backup, 

you need to connect a second non-booting hard drive to your computer. The operating 

system takes care of the rest, backing up by default at midnight, unless you tell it 

otherwise. 

Yet even Time Machine was only a partial solution. Apple released an API (Application 

Programming Interface) to third-party developers, expecting them to finish the job by 

providing a comprehensive range of robust backup options. Third-party backup software 

is rarely expensive, but it does a better job, more conveniently, than you can achieve 

with the standard tools offered by your operating system. 

If you are a professional photographer, the type of backup you need depends largely on 

the size of your business and how it is organized. For example, do individual photographers 

use their own workstations, or do they pool images into a large database? If people 

work on their own, they may need a Personal Data Recovery (PDR) solution that 

enables them to take a “snapshot” of their hard drive, writing the entire contents including 

the operating system to another disk. This is where third-party software will always 

be superior because it is independent of the operating system, enabling users to reboot 

even when their OS is corrupted. 

In the market there are a greater number of good backup solutions for PC than there 

are for Macintosh. The proportion of entries does not reflect this imbalance, being 

weighted in favor of Macintosh in recognition the fact that most photographers are 

Mac-based. Using any one of these products can improve your level of protection significantly, 

always with the proviso that backup copies must be kept at a separate physical 

location to be truly effective. 

Déjà Vu 

Vendor: Propaganda Productions 

Purpose: “Preference pane” in Mac System Preferences, for scheduled backup of important folders

Description 

Déjà Vu exists as a “preference pane” in Mac System Preferences and can be used to 

schedule backup of important folders or, if necessary, the entire computer. You can clone 

your system disks with it, perform backups on demand, back up only those files that 

have changed since the last backup, back up over a network, or mirror the contents of 

folders. It is localized for English, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Japanese, 

Traditional Chinese, Ukrainian, Finnish, and Russian. 

Comments 

The vendor gives no address (which might give users a feeling of déjà vu), but reports 

of the software are generally favorable. Justin Williams at MacZealots.com, for example, 

found the only problem with it is the amount of system resources it takes up when 

running a backup, making the computer unusable for simultaneous tasks. Others have 

found Déjà Vu great value, and one reviewer (plasticsfuture) who finds nearly all Mac 

backup software disappointing was prepared to give it a qualified recommendation. 

Version: Déjà Vu 3.4.2 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4 or higher 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Single user approx. $25 

Address: info@propagandaprod.com 

www.propagandaprod.com 

DriveClone 

Vendor: FarStone Technology 

Purpose: Clones your hard disk, or a partition of it, for total recovery 

Chapter 33 ■ Backup Software 383 

Description 

DriveClone does exactly what it suggests: clones your hard drive or one or more of its 

partitions and then stores all the files, partition information, settings, preferences, and 

security information as a compressed archive. You can burn the image of the drive on 

to CD/DVD or to a USB external hard drive. It has several features such as RAID 

support and imaging across multiple hard drives that make it appealing for the serious 

professional, but simple enough for the home user to install and operate. 

Comments 

Because DriveClone works in pre-OS mode, not even a catastrophic system failure can 

stop you from recovering all your data from the stored image. DriveClone Pro, a slightly 

more expensive edition, offers a system snapshot capability and a universal restore

384 


feature that allows you to restore a complete Windows-based system to a different hardware 

configuration. This is useful if you need to replace failed hardware and have difficulty 

matching your original configuration. FarStone Technology specializes in PC 

backup and has several other products for this purpose. 

Version: DriveClone 5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, 2003 Server, SmallBusiness Server, XP Professional, and Vista 32- and 64-bit 

RAM: 64MB 


Price level: DriveClone approx. $40, DriveClone Pro approx. $55 

Address: FarStone Technology, 6 Morgan, Suite 160, Irvine, CA 92618, United States 

www.farstone.com 

Norton Ghost 

Vendor: Symantec 

Purpose: Versatile utility for backup to nearly all media 

Description 

One of the most mature of backup utilities, Norton Ghost backs up to nearly all media 

including CD-R/RW and DVD+-R/RW drives, USB and FireWire devices, and Iomega 

Zip and Jaz drives. It detects storage devices automatically, analyzes your system, and 

even gives advice about “best practice” while it is being installed. Other key features 

include backup encryption, automatic monitoring and optimization of backup disk 

space, and an informative interface for easy configuration and management. It works 

particularly well with Maxtor (Seagate) external drives, via the Maxtor OneTouch button 

interface. 

Among the new features in the most recent releases of Norton Ghost is Symantec 

ThreatCon integration. ThreatCon is a measurement of the global threat exposure to 

viruses, worms, and malware “in the wild.” When a specified threat level is reached, 

Ghost makes a backup automatically, hopefully before any problems have reached your 

machine. 

Comments 

You do not often see products reach double-digit version numbers, but Norton Ghost 

is an exception (although two or three versions seem to come out every year). With a 

long history, it ought to be good—and it is. Easy to install and configure, it shows all 

the scheduled backups in a single view so that you can compare the relative protection 

level given to each device. One very useful feature is the simple “Back Up Now” button 

for backup on demand. PC only, unfortunately.

Versions: Norton Ghost 14.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP Home/Professional and Vista 

RAM: Windows XP 256MB (512MB or greater recommended), Vista must meet minimum 

Vista OS requirements 



Address: Symantec Corporation, 20330 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014, United 

States 

www.symantec-norton.com 

Figure 33.1 

Norton Ghost creates automatic backups or backs up on demand. 

O&O DiskImage 

Vendor: O&O Software 

Purpose: Makes a complete image of a computer or individual drive 


Description 

O&O DiskImage lets you make a complete image of an entire computer or individual 

drive, enabling you to recover quickly from system failure. It offers two methods— 

complete imaging, with the option of “forensic” reproduction of everything including 

unused sectors, or incremental imaging. It has 128-, 196-, and 256-bit encryption and 

can split images across multiple drives automatically.

386 


Figure 33.2 

O&O DiskImage makes backups easy with a choice of six basic tasks. 

With DiskImage, you can burn created images onto CD/DVD or any type of removable 

storage media, check the results for damage, and use high levels of compression. 

The software has native support for Windows x64 versions. 

Comments 

Ideal for Windows users, O&O DiskImage makes a backup without any fuss. If you 

have a problem with your computer, just run the backup and everything is restored to 

that point. You do not even have to have the software pre-installed on the system for it 

to work. The vendor, with commendable marketing flair, calls it “our BareMetal technology,” 

meaning that it will revive your system using a specially designed start CD 

rather than obliging you to create your own rescue CD. 

Version: O&O DiskImage 2.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 Pro, Server 2003 all editions, XP 32-bit/64-bit, and Vista 32-bit/64-bit 

RAM: 256MB (512MB for Start CD) 


Price level: Pro edition approx. $70, Server edition/single computer approx. $360 

Address: O&O Software GmbH., Am Borsigturm 48, 13507 Berlin, Germany 

www.oo-software.com

Paragon Drive Backup 

Vendor: Paragon Software Group 

Purpose: Creates a backup of your hard drive, including the operating system 

Description 

Drive Backup creates a backup image of your entire hard drive, including the operating 

system, with all your preferences, settings, applications, and data files. One of its 

key features is “differential backup,” which allows you to create the copy with just the 

changes that you have made since the initial system backup. A built-in scheduler turns 

it all into a completely automatic process. Restoring the data is equally straightforward, 

allowing you to repair the failed system using a bootable “recovery CD.” 

Comments 

Aimed at individuals, but usable in a corporate setting, Paragon Drive Backup is a reliable 

backup system for hard disks and networks. The vendor’s “hot backup” technology 

lets you keep your applications online while desktops and laptops are getting a hard disk 

backup. Competitively priced, Paragon Drive Backup typically gets “4 points out of 5” 

ratings from most reviewers, solid if not exciting. But who needs exciting backups? 

Version: Paragon Drive Backup 8.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, NT4, 2000, XP, and Vista 



Price level: Personal edition $30, Professional edition approx. $80 

Address: Paragon Software, 3150 Almaden Expressway, Suite 236, San Jose, CA 95118, United 

States 

www.drive-backup.com 

EMC Retrospect 

Vendor: EMC Corporation 

Purpose: Backup and recovery software 


Description 

EMC Retrospect works with Windows and Macintosh computers (separate editions) 

and can restore a file, a folder, or your entire hard drive. Its main features are rapid installation, 

auto-backup, restore to prior points in time, choice of “keep all versions” or “keep 

current version only,” backup of files in use, and easy backup drive rotation for extra 

protection of your data.

388 


There are many editions—the professional edition would be adequate for most small 

photographic studios, whereas the workgroup and server editions are available for larger 

organizations. There is even a home edition, with much-reduced functionality. 

Comments 

EMC Retrospect gives you excellent protection against system failure, enabling you to 

get back up and running in about five minutes. Although the product range is extremely 

extensive, from home users all the way up to the enterprise, it works best in the category 

known to the trade as SMB (small to mid-sized businesses). This is where it has its 

primary market and where it has won awards. It was voted best in this category in the 

Storage magazine “Quality Awards” in 2005, according to SearchStorage.com. 

Among the most useful features in EMC Retrospect is the way it deletes old backup 

data, a process called “pruning.” It is reassuringly stable, works efficiently in Disaster 

Recovery (DR) mode, and can be left safely to run unattended in its normal backup 

mode. Retrospect Professional comes with two client licenses, but additional licenses 

can be purchased as add-ons to protect client machines on the network. 

Version: Windows v.7.5, Mac v.6.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows Servers NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, XP 32/64, and Vista 32; Mac OS 9; Mac OS X 

10.1.5 to 10.4, or OS X Server 10.1.5 to OS X Server 10.4 



Price level: Express, for home use $30, Retrospect Professional, with two client licenses $120, 

Retrospect Single Server $680, many other editions; see vendor 

Address: EMC Corporation 

www.emcinsignia.com 

Silverkeeper 

Vendor: LaCie 

Purpose: Free Macintosh backup utility used by many photographers 

Description 

Silverkeeper is a free and fairly basic Macintosh backup utility favored by many photographers. 

It allows you to make a bootable backup to any removable storage device 

using a FireWire, USB, IDE, ATA, or SCSI interface. It was not designed originally to 

burn DVDs, although this can be done indirectly with another application if you select 

folders and do not attempt to back up over multiple disks. It has automatic scheduling.

Comments 

If all you want is simple backup, this product could meet your needs. It will not back 

up over a network, but you can schedule days or times for backup of your hard disk 

(which the vendor expects will be a LaCie hard disk) with full automation. At the time 

of writing it is not intended for use with Macintosh Leopard (OS X 10.5.x), which has 

its own Time Machine backup. Says the vendor: “A fix is being investigated.” 

Version: Silverkeeper 1.1.4 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS 9.2.2 or later and OS X 10.2.8 (not 10.5.x) 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: LaCie S.A.S, 17, rue Ampère, 91349 Massy Cedex, France 

www.lacie.com 

SuperDuper! 

Vendor: ShirtPocket 

Purpose: Creates a perfect copy of your hard drive on an external drive 


Description 

SuperDuper! creates a perfect copy of your hard drive on an external drive, providing 

the facility to reboot immediately from the external disk. Shareware, it runs on both 

Intel and Power PC Macs, takes around 10 minutes to back up 50GB data, and performs 

updates even when another backup application has carried out the initial cloning 

operation. It uses the “exclude” model of backing up and is a very useful alternative to 

Apple’s Backup utility. 

Comments 

David Nanian’s SuperDuper! is highly regarded by users who find that it faithfully preserves 

their files, including metadata. It requires no special expertise to install or operate. 

However, it is not designed to back up to CDs, DVDs, or tape, but rather to an 

external FireWire drive. You need to check that this external drive will actually boot the 

computer, as some FireWire drives will not. 

SuperDuper! works well alongside Time Machine in Leopard, allowing to you store a 

bootable backup next to the Time Machine volume. Why would you need both? All the 

answers, or at least a good argument for being doubly careful, can be found in the vendor’s 

60-page user’s guide. A free trial is available. 

Version: SuperDuper! 2.5 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4 or later

390 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: dnanian@shirt-pocket.com 

www.shirt-pocket.com 

Synk 


Vendor: Decimus Software 

Purpose: State-of-the-art Macintosh backup with archival and scheduling features 

Description 

Synk lets you make bootable backups of both PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs, either 

partially or wholly, according to scheduled operations. With it, you can back up your 

Mac to other Macs and PCs or to external hard disks, including iPods. For expert users 

it has many sophisticated features, including full N-way synchronization that the vendor 

claims as an industry first. 

The Synk 6 product line has three editions—Synk Backup, for archival backup of the 

whole system or selected folders; Synk Standard, with two-way synchronization and 

additional customization of the process, and Synk Professional, with “deep configurability” 

for expert users. It is localized in English, Finnish, French, German, and Italian. 

Comments 

As a graduate student, Benjamin Rister took over development of Synk from its previous 

author Randall Voth. He re-wrote the whole program, and then later formed a company 

to do it all over again. The result is an outstanding product that’s more flexible 

than Apple’s Time Machine. It can work with networked servers running Windows or 

Linux, and requires minimal space to hold the transferred data. 

Synk does not copy everything: it uses intelligence to sift out Safari caches, temporary 

files, and files in the trash. Check the Help files to find out what is likely to be excluded. 

It proves the old adage that there is nothing like a good crash for cleaning up your hard 

drive. 

Versions: Synk 6.0 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4 or later 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Synk Backup $25, Synk Standard $35, Synk Professional $45 

Address: Decimus Software, Inc., 182 Rosewood Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15235-4321, United States 

www.decimus.net

Summary 


Unlike breaking up, backing up is not hard to do. It is simply a matter of devising a data 

recovery plan and then installing the right software, many examples of which have been 

described in this chapter. Choose your backup media (hard drive, DVD, and so on) and 

set a backup frequency and time. You can rely on the backup facilities that are included 

as standard in the latest Windows or Macintosh operating systems, or opt for an alternative 

solution from an independent supplier. In most cases, the alternatives are the 

more fully featured products. For example, Synk from Decimus Software is a Mac 

backup that works even more efficiently than Apple’s own Time Machine.


Poles apart, here are two examples where data recovery may be needed—simple, inadvertent 

deletion, and serious data loss through damage to the medium or corruption of 

the files stored on it. Most data recovery software is designed to cope with both extremes 

and everything in between. As long as the data have not been overwritten, there is a 

good chance that you can recover over 90 percent of the “lost” data. 

General-purpose data recovery utilities can recover image files as well as other files, but 

software developers now offer specialist programs that display thumbnails of the recovered 

images so that you can pick and choose which ones you would like to keep. Imagerecovery 

software comes with algorithms that are optimized for images, meaning that 

they are on the lookout for JPEG, TIFF, and RAW encoding and therefore more likely 

than non-specialist programs to succeed in locating the missing data. 

Procedure 

34 

Data Recovery 

The first rule of any data recovery process is “stop!” You must stop writing data to the 

disk, card, or whatever type of media you were using. That obviously includes reformatting 

the media in response to a polite invitation that says “This drive is unformatted. 

Would you like to format it now?” All is not lost if you do go ahead and reformat, 

because some utilities can overcome even this hurdle, but it is best not to write anything 

at all on top of the data you want to recover. Equally, you should save recovered files to 

a separate physical location. 

The first step is to consider whether the drive in question is a system drive or a data 

drive. If you have lost images from your main hard disk, which holds the operating system, 

you need to shut down the computer, take out the drive, and mount it on another 

machine as a data drive. All you need is a screwdriver and calm nerves. Photographers

394 


who have only one computer will need to acquire another drive and reinstall the operating 

system before they can run any data recovery software. Fortunately, nine times out 

of ten, the drive at fault will be a data drive, a DVD, or a storage card. To recover data 

from these, you simply run the software. With most brands you can actually run the 

free trial, wait to see if your images appear in thumbnail form, and then pay the license 

fee and save them to another disk. 

The Choice Is Yours 

Searching on the Internet will reveal a bewildering number of data recovery programs, 

many of them offering similar facilities—thumbnail display, selection, and save. Some 

are biased towards saving RAW files, others can save over a hundred formats. Some are 

dedicated to CompactFlash and other storage cards, others specialize in recovering data 

from optical media. Trying to locate the right package for the job can be frustrating, so 

I hope that the selections in this chapter will be really helpful to busy photographers. 

All of these utilities come from reliable sources and have been tested by independent 

reviewers. 

CardRecovery 

Vendor: WinRecovery Software 

Purpose: Data recovery of images, video, and sound from most types of memory card 

Description 

CardRecovery recovers lost, deleted, corrupted, or formatted photographs and other 

media files from most types of memory card, including SmartMedia, CompactFlash, 

secure digital, memory stick, MicroDrive, xD picture card, multimedia card MMC, 

MicroSD, and MiniSD. It finds the data on the card and then allows you to preview 

the images in thumbnail before saving them to a specified destination. The whole 

process takes around three minutes for a 1GB SD card over a USB 2.0 connection. 

Comments 

CardRecovery is safe to use because it performs read-only operations on memory cards. 

It does not move, modify, or delete any data. It even retrieves Exif information along 

with the images. If you accidentally reformat your memory card, remember: all is not 

necessarily lost. There is a good chance CardRecovery can help. In fact, the vendor’s list 

of testimonials from satisfied users is one of the longest you are likely to see. 

Version: CardRecovery 4.1 (2008) 

OS: 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME, XP, 2003, and Vista 

RAM: 64MB

Supported file formats: Major RAW; JPEG, GIF, TIFF PNG, BMP, AVI, MPEG, MOV, ASF, 

MP3, MP4, WAV, ZIP, and RAR 


Address: WinRecovery Software, 1901 60th Pl., L1169, Bradenton, FL 34203, United States 

www.cardrecovery.com 

Digital Photo Recovery 

Vendor: Galaxy 

Purpose: For recovering lost, deleted, and formatted digital photos on removable media 

Figure 34.1 

Digital Photo Recovery takes you step-by-step through the recovery process. 

Chapter 34 ■ Data Recovery 395 

Description 

Digital Photo Recovery is a versatile package that lets you recover image files in all formats 

from most types of media, including SD cards, CompactFlash, and hard drives. 

With the addition of the vendor’s add-on Camera Pack software, it supports RAW formats, 

including Canon CRW, Kodak DCR, Nikon NEF, and Fuji RAF. It is completely 

risk-free because it makes no modifications to the data and does not overwrite any storage 

medium. 

Digital Photo Recovery is “free to try” with the save function disabled. The Power Pack 

edition contains the recovery software plus the Camera Pack.

396 


Comments 

Designed especially for digital photographers, Digital Photo Recovery recovers images 

from an exceptional range of media. According to users, it has helped in situations where 

other recovery tools have failed. With its low price and non-destructive approach, it is 

certainly worth trying in an emergency. The vendor is very supportive, with a customer 

service team that handles queries seven days a week. 

Version: Digital Photo Recovery 2.0.3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW (with additional Camera Pack); JPEG, GIF, RiFF, TIFF, 

AVI, PNG, BMP, MPEG, MOV, WAV, MIDI, and QuickTime 

Price level: $30, Camera Pack $20, Power Pack $40 

Address: Galaxy Inc., 163 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10003, United States 

www.photosrecovery.com 

Digital Picture Recovery 

Vendor: DTIData 

Purpose: Recover lost, deleted, and formatted digital pictures on removable media 

Description 

Known chiefly as an operator of a “no fix, no fee” data recovery service, DTIData offers 

many recovery software packages, including this one, specially designed for recovering 

digital images. Available in versions for both Windows and Mac, Digital Picture 

Recovery can recover lost, deleted, and formatted digital pictures on removable media 

such as flash cards, SmartMedia, memory sticks, floppy drive readers, and so on. 

Comments 

It is difficult to test data recovery software in normal circumstances, but photographers 

who have experienced crashes report that Digital Picture Recovery succeeded in recovering 

most of their files. It can take several hours to work its way through a really massive 

drive, but it gets there in the end, recovering data that have not been overwritten 

or completely wiped. 

This vendor also sells Recover It All in editions for Windows, Mac, and Solaris, to 

recover damaged, deleted, or corrupted volumes even from disks that have been initialized. 

However, documentation leaves a lot to be desired, despite a White Paper 

bemoaning the decline of standards in the data recovery industry. This is possibly 

because the vendor is a full-service data recovery lab in both the U.S. and UK, concentrating 

on services rather than product marketing.


OS: Windows 2000, 2003, and XP; Mac OS X 

RAM: 256MB 



Address: DTIData Inc., 1155 South Pasadena Ave., Pasadena, Florida, United States 

www.dtidata.com 

DiskInternals Flash Recovery 


Vendor: DiskInternals Research 

Purpose: Flash memory file recovery tool to restore corrupted and deleted photographs 

Description 

DiskInternals Flash Recovery restores corrupted and deleted photographs, even if a 

memory card has been reformatted. It works with most storage media, including hard 

drives, external drives, cameras, and flash memory devices such as SmartMedia, 

CompactFlash, memory stick, MicroDrive, xD picture card, flash card, PC card, 

multimedia card, and secure digital card. Described by the vendor as “a professional 

product for professionals,” it handles RAW files in its fully automatic mode. 

An evaluation version of the product allows you to see but not save the recovered images. 

The vendor guarantees that the software will save them once you buy a license for it. 

Comments 

DiskInternals Flash Recovery is the “Editor’s Pick” on Recovery Review (recovery 

-review.com), a site that carries information about hundreds of data recovery products. 

Another product from the same vendor, worth mentioning, is DiskInternals CD & 

DVD Recovery, for recovering data from CDs and DVDs. Both products have been 

popular downloads at shareware sites. 

Version: DiskInternals Flash Recovery 2.5 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, NT4, 2000, XP, and 2003 

RAM: 16MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW and image file formats 


Address: DiskInternals Research, Pacific Business Centre, P.O. Box 34069 #381, Seattle, WA 


www.diskinternals.com

398 


Don’t Panic 

Vendor: ImageRecall 

Purpose: Recovery of accidentally deleted or corrupted files from memory cards and USB 

storage devices 

Figure 34.2 

Don’t Panic’s wizard interface is reassuringly simple, despite the scream. 

Description 

Don’t Panic Photo Edition is utility software for recovering files on memory cards and 

USB storage devices that have been accidentally deleted or corrupted. It features a bright 

and easy-to-use interface, is speedy to operate, and is part of a well-established product 

line. 

New features in the latest version include a thumbnail viewer, improved support for 

RAW formats, a secure/erase feature, plus the option to burn recovered files directly to 

CD and DVD. Don’t Panic recovers files from xD picture cards, CompactFlash, secure 

digital, memory stick, multimedia cards, and microdrives, as well as from newer formats 

such as RS-MMC, MiniSD, and MicroSD. 

Don’t Panic is available in the U.S. from FlashFixers (www.flashfixers.com). 

Comments 

The developer of Don’t Panic runs a recovery service in the UK for professional 

photographers, national newspapers, and government authorities and has now made its 

software available for more general use. Although it is not guaranteed to recover all 

images, it usually recovers at least 95% of them. It was warmly reviewed by PC World 

(“works like a champ”) and described as “a real life-saver” by Practical Photography.

Version: Don’t Panic - Photo Edition (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG, AVI, MOV, WAV, WMA, and many others 


Address: Media Innovations Group, 1st Floor Penarth House, Otterbourne Hill, Otterbourne, 

Nr. Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 2EZ, United Kingdom 

www.imagerecall.com 

eIMAGE Recovery 

Vendor: Octanesoft.Com 

Purpose: Recovers digital photo files from defective or damaged media 

Description 

eIMAGE Recovery is a low-cost utility that recovers digital photo files from defective 

or damaged media. It can also restore images that you may have deleted accidentally. It 

works with SmartMedia, CompactFlash, Sony memory sticks, IBM micro drives, flash 

cards, floppy disks, and other types of “digital film.” 

Comments 

Mentioned in The New York Times, it has to be good, although the developer hides 

behind an email address. The product has a bright and cheerful interface. It invites you 

to select the type of files you want to recover by clicking check boxes, and then it swings 

into operation. It shows thumbnails of the recovered images and lets you save them to 

disk. The vendor’s online tutorial shows how easy it is to use. 

Version: eIMAGE Recovery 3.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, ME, NT4, XP, and 2000 

RAM: 64MB (128MB or more recommended) 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, RIFF, AVI, MIDI, 

MOV, MPEG, and WAV 


Address: sales@octanesoft.com 

www.eimagerecovery.com 

File Scavenger 

Vendor: QueTek Consulting Corporation 

Purpose: File “undelete” and data recovery utility for Windows 

Chapter 34 ■ Data Recovery 399

400 


Description 

File Scavenger lets you recover files that have been accidentally deleted, but it is also a 

full data recovery program. It can rescue files even when the volume in question has 

been deleted and its original position and size are no longer known. You can install the 

software on another hard drive or run it from a portable device such as a memory stick. 

Like all recovery software, it can only recover files that have not been overwritten by 

new data. However, on computers with sufficient RAM it can scan extremely large volumes 

holding hundreds of megabytes of data. 

Comments 

File Scavenger can be used to recover data from hard disks, floppy disks, ZIP disks, 

memory sticks, flash cards, and RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). If 

Windows says your files are corrupted, all may not be lost if you run this utility. In most 

cases, it will recover more files than you would have thought possible. The vendor is a 

well-known specialist in RAID rescue, offering recovery services of all kinds, including 

remote assistance and both remote and offsite recovery. 

Version: File Scavenger Version 3 (2008) 

OS: Windows NT, 2000, 20003, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Personal use $50, professional use $180 

Address: QueTek Consulting Corporation, 2650 Fountain View, Suite 122, Houston, TX 77057, 

United States 

www.quetek.com 

IsoBuster 

Vendor: Smart Projects 

Purpose: Recovers data from optical media such as CD, DVD, BD, and HD DVD drives 

Description 

From Smart Projects, IsoBuster is a highly specialized program for recovering data from 

CD, DVD, Blu-ray, and high density DVD drives. In other words, it recovers from optical 

media. It supports all the relevant formats and common file systems, far too numerous 

to mention here. It lets you mount the media and gives you access to all the file 

systems that are present, not just those that are shown selectively by a standard operating 

system. If you are having problems with your backup or archive disks, IsoBuster is 

a natural choice.

Comments 

As the developer claims, IsoBuster really is “the ultimate CD, DVD, BD, and HD DVD 

data recovery tool.” It is very good at finding lost picture data, supports a colossal range 

of file formats, and supports over 40 languages including Lithuanian. IsoBuster recovers 

video data as well as image data. The vendor is not very forthcoming with mailing 

addresses, preferring to rely on its cyberspace reputation, which is favorable. The product 

is listed by Irfan Skiljan, the developer of the popular image browser IrfanView, as 

“great software.” Others agree. It has worked for many photographers and is very good 

value for money if you have a removable disk problem. 

Version: IsoBuster 2.3 (2008) 

OS: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, XP, and Vista 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: All possible CD, DVD, and Blu-ray (BD and HD DVD) formats 

Price level: Personal version $30, Business version $50 

Address: Smart Projects, support@isobuster.com 

www.isobuster.com 

MediaRECOVER 

Vendor: MediaRECOVER 

Purpose: Digital photo recovery software for all types of media 


Description 

MediaRECOVER enables you to recover lost images, files, and data from any type 

of media, including CompactFlash, secure digital SD, xD-picture card, SmartMedia, 

memory stick, memory stick duo, memory stick PRO duo, memory stick PRO, MMC, 

RS MMC, miniSD, Zip disks, floppy disks, hard drives, and CD/DVDs. The latest 

version has RAW image and metadata previews, prior to saving the images. Users of 

Hasselblad, Leaf, Phase One, Leica, and other professional camera systems can recover 

their RAW data using MediaRECOVER. 

The Pro version has additional features, such as a Format utility that writes new system 

files and a Wipe utility that deletes old files from a removable drive, thus helping to prevent 

fragmentation errors. MediaRECOVER is localized for Spanish, Italian, German, 

French, Czech, Turkish, Russian, Polish, Korean, Japanese, and Traditional/Simplified 

Chinese. 

Comments 

MediaRECOVER has improved its support for hard drive recovery, making it a very 

comprehensive solution in the data recovery market. The company behind it is a market 

leader in a very competitive field, despite becoming embroiled in litigation with a rival.

402 


Widely reviewed and tested, MediaRECOVER is good value, continues to be developed, 

and has won the “American Photo Editor’s Choice” award two years running. 

Version: MediaRECOVER 4.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, ME, XP, and Vista; Mac OS X 

RAM: 128MB 

Supported file formats: 250 file types 

Price level: Approx. $30, MediaRECOVER Pro $50 

Address: MediaRECOVER LLC., 2361 E. Everglade Ct, Chandler, AZ 85249, United States 

www.mediarecover.com 

PhotoRescue 

Vendor: DataRescue 

Purpose: Recovers lost pictures from any type of media used by digital cameras 

Description 

PhotoRescue can recover data from SD cards, CompactFlash, memory sticks, microdrives, 

and other media. It displays thumbnail previews of the images it recovers, and 

then saves them to a location of your choice. Its algorithms are optimized for JPEG, 

TIFF, GIF, and BMP files, but it also supports RAW files such as CRW, NEF, ORF, and 

MRW together with many types of movie files. 

Comments 

First introduced in 2001, PhotoRescue is a widely used and thoroughly proven product. 

It won “Best Product” award in the Dutch Personal Computer Magazine, (May 

2003), and has since been improved and upgraded. It was also reviewed in-depth by 

editors at Imaging Resource (www.imaging-resource.com), who found it “hard to beat,” 

and called it “our hands-down favorite.” 

Version: PhotoRescue Wizard 3.1, Expert 2.1, Advanced 2.1 (2008) 

OS: Wizard 3.1 Windows XP and Vista; Expert 2.1 Windows 98, 2000, and XP; Mac OS X 

10.2 and above 

RAM: 128MB (or twice as much RAM as the card) 

Supported file formats: Major image and movie formats. Pre-recovery preview for JPEG, TIFF, 

NEF, compressed NEF, and CRW files 

Price level: Wizard and Expert version approx. $30, Advanced version $100 

Address: DataRescue sa/nv, 40 Bld Piercot, 4000 Liège, Belgium 

www.datarescue.com

R-Studio 

Vendor: R-tools Technology 

Purpose: File recovery tools with full RAID recovery 

Description 

R-Studio is a powerful set of tools for recovering files on Windows or Linux systems. It 

works on local and network disks even when partitions have been formatted, damaged, 

or deleted. One of its strengths is RAID recovery: it treats hardware RAIDs like ordinary 

drives and volumes, and its Unformat tool recovers data that have been erased from 

software RAIDs. Other products from the same vendor include the inexpensive 

R-Undelete, a file undelete solution for Microsoft’s FAT (File Allocation Table) and 

NTFS (New Technology File System) file systems. 

R-Studio can handle FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5, and EXT2FS file systems. 

It can recover data even if FDISK or other disk utilities have been run, if a virus 

has invaded, if the FAT has been damaged or the Master Boot Record destroyed. 

R-Studio Emergency, a constituent part of the R-Studio package, can be run in an emergency 

on Intel-based Macintosh, Linux, and UNIX computers/servers from a CD. 

Comments 

Whether you simply want to undelete a few files or recover data from a seriously damaged 

hard disk, perhaps even a RAID array, R-Studio can help. It has a clear, Explorerstyle 

interface, gives full details about every file it recovers, and does a good job of 

recovering pictures. Several independent reviewers and users have tested it and praised 

it very highly, especially when it has rescued them from serious data-loss situations. 

Version: R-Studio 4.2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 9x, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista; and, over network, recovers files 

from Linux and Mac 

RAM: 32MB 



Address: R-tools Technology Inc., 10520 Yonge Street, Unit 35B, Suite 232, Richmond Hill, 

ON, L4C 3C7, Canada 

www.r-tt.com 

Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery 

Vendor: Stellar Information Systems 

Purpose: Mac photo recovery software for all digital media 

Chapter 34 ■ Data Recovery 403

404 


Description 

Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery Software for the Macintosh (there is a separate package 

for Windows) can recover image files from any type of digital card reader or storage 

media that can be mounted as a volume. However the memory card has been corrupted—whether 

by pulling it out while the camera is on or by turning off the camera 

during a write process—it can recover recorded data. It displays the images it finds and 

then allows you to recover them. 

Comments 

Indian developer Stellar Phoenix specializes in software for recovering lost data, with a 

wide range of products, including a version for the PC that recovers video as well as still 

images. The developer also offers software for full data recovery on Macintosh (at three 

times the price of the Photo version). Not yet widely reviewed, Stellar Phoenix Photo 

Recovery comes from a reliable vendor, but is limited in its range of features. 

Version: Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery 1.0 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above 

RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: All major RAW formats; JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, and PNG 


Address: Stellar Information Systems Limited, 205 Skipper Corner 88, Nehru Place, New Delhi- 

110019, India 

www.stellarinfo.com 

Summary 

Whether through accidental deletion or physical damage to the storage medium, files 

can disappear from immediate view but may not necessarily be lost forever. Data recovery 

software allows you to recover files from SD cards, CompactFlash, and hard drives, 

while some will work with nearly all storage media. Many people first encounter data 

recovery software when they are already in an emergency situation, but it helps if you 

can familiarize yourself in advance with how these packages work. Usually, you can try 

them, and if you can locate your lost data you may proceed to purchase the software 

prior to saving the rescued files. Some recovery software, such as Digital Picture 

Recovery from DTIData, is dedicated to image retrieval on removable media; 

CardRecovery is dedicated to retrieving files from memory cards; File Scavenger will 

tackle anything from floppies to RAID. Whatever your data recovery need, you will find 

a potential solution listed in this chapter.

35 

Pro Studio Software 

Professional photographers might use software from most of the categories in this book, 

even the quick-fix software, but there are also specialist applications that are businessoriented 

as well as photo-oriented. 

Business and aesthetic functions can be kept entirely separate, as they are in fashion photography. 

Here the objective is to create a few great shots of publication quality, so the 

software used for processing and enhancing them can be entirely different from another 

program that keeps track of the billing. 

For other photographers, particularly those engaged in wedding, sports, schools, and 

events, the business and production elements go hand-in-hand. For example, a school’s 

photographer needs to produce printed output in a range of different packages, any one 

of which might be ordered by each of the hundreds of individuals who have their picture 

taken on a given day. Image data, identity data, and order data all have to travel 

together to the printer, while other information needs to be extracted for invoicing. 

Bearing in mind that a large studio will have a team of photographers, most of them 

out on location, it is easy to see that the logistical problems will begin to run wild unless 

they can be tamed by the appropriate software. 

Several developers have addressed the needs of busy studios, coming up with a variety 

of solutions. There are some that are more suited to portrait studios, being databasedriven 

with strong contacting features. Both PI/E from RLW Concepts and The 

Photographic Organiser (TPO) from Productive IT are built on FileMaker Pro and do 

a fine job of tracking costs, contacts, sales, and billing, with great reporting features. 

Like the more marketing-oriented SuccessWare they could be described as “studio-management 

software,” although TPO also has production capability.

406 


A new breed of production software creates a proper interface between the photographer 

and the lab that does the printing. This, arguably, is the most efficient approach 

for high-throughput studios that offer a wide choice of package to the customer. 

Software from ExpressDigital and Timestone makes it possible for the photographer to 

deliver print-ready images to the printer, complete with text, graphics, and layouts. The 

printer uses a special module of the vendor’s software to accept the instructions. 

Photographers using this type of software report significant increases in efficiency and 

turnover. 

ExpressDigital Darkroom 

Vendor: ExpressDigital Graphics 

Purpose: Complete workflow tool for professional photographers, in multiple editions 

Description 

ExpressDigital Darkroom is a complete workflow tool for professional photographers. 

It comes in three main editions—the Core edition for emerging professionals, advanced 

amateurs, and digital enthusiasts; the Professional edition with special features for portrait, 

wedding, sports, and event photographers; and the Assembly edition, with even 

more features for school, team sports, and group photographers. 

All the editions present you with an attractively designed interface, with different viewing 

modes for browsing, viewing, processing, and so on. The vendor groups its huge 

range of features under Capture, Manage, Enhance, Proof, Sell, and Print. The Pro and 

Assembly editions enable direct capture with industry-standard cameras, whereas all editions 

have full support for RAW files, ICC color profiles, and photo metadata, together 

with rename and reformat facilities. Its management features allow you to catalog photos 

by customer, sitting, event, or location. You can also add notes to your photos; search 

catalogs by customer, event, location, or notes; catalog photos by school, group, or event; 

and use bar-coding for quick data entry. 

There are extensive image-enhancement features in all editions of ExpressDigital 

Darkroom, including non-destructive image editing such as crop, scale, move, and 

rotate. It also includes black and white conversion with retro, sepia, or duotone colors. 

You can add text and change exposure, contrast, brightness, shadow, and tone. The software 

also offers professional red-eye removal, grey card click balance, and built-in color 

adjustments and filters. A major feature is its inclusion of 150 graphic templates and 

ability to take additional templates from authorized third-party vendors. The Pro editions 

also have green screen chroma key and Retouch Workshop with clone, blemish, 

paint, dodge, burn, sharpen, and blur tools.

Sales tools are well implemented, with a Pro Services section that lets you manage a 

PhotoReflect.com Internet storefront. It gives you easy access to manage the pricing, 

shipping, discount, and tax details that are shown to the customer, together with reports 

of the transactions and other activity on the site. At a glance you can see how many 

orders are pending or what promotions are currently offered. ExpressDigital Darkroom 

also has built-in connections to labs via its Labtricity service (www.labtricity.com), which 

connects professional digital photographers to digital-enabled professional labs. 

Comments 

A very popular workflow tool among event and school photographers, ExpressDigital 

Darkroom won the 2005 “American PHOTO Editor’s Choice” award. It is a direct rival 

to the IWS products from ImageWare Systems and has broadly similar features including 

the vital connection package that enables far-flung laboratories to accept printing 

from photographers using the system. Widely available via professional photographic 

outlets, it is spreading beyond North America to the UK, Australia, Scandinavia, and 

South Africa. 

Version: Darkroom Core Edition 8.9 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP Pro 

RAM: 512MB 


Price level: Core edition $500, Pro edition $1,400, Assembly edition $2,000 

Address: ExpressDigital Graphics Inc., 9200 E. Panorama Circle Suite 150, Englewood, CO 

80112, United States 

www.expressdigital.com 

Photo One 

Chapter 35 ■ Pro Studio Software 407 

Vendor: Granite Bear 

Purpose: Studio management with full customization to fit an individual business 

Description 

Photo One is a studio-management system that comes in both Basic and Professional 

editions to meet the needs of both small and large studios. It allows you to store all your 

clients’ details, including phone numbers and email addresses, while also making a note 

of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. With this information, you can build a closer 

relationship with clients by keeping in touch with them at times when they might be 

prepared to place another order. 

Other features common to both editions include a light table for editing images, proof 

printing, order writing, and uploading to the Web. The software keeps a complete 

history of each customer’s orders and payments, which you can consult at any time.

408 

There is a calendar facility to schedule appointments and a “to-do” list so that you 

remember when next to get in touch. 

The Professional edition has an area set aside for weddings, with special fields for recording 

important information like the newlywed couple’s future address. Other Pro features 

include improved security for client data, batch commands that can be applied to 

several functions including ordering, and a special section for those who photograph 

high school seniors. 

Comments 

Photo One is used by professional consultants (like Mike Scalf, www.mikescalfphoto.com) 

who specialize in helping photographic studios set up administrative systems with the 

right policies, procedures, and documentation. It has one or two limitations. At the time 

this was written, it does not support wireless systems and there is no general ledger for 

day-to-day accounting, although it links directly to QuickBooks software, which you 

have to buy separately. 

However, Photo One provides excellent facilities overall, including bulk scheduling, for 

keeping track of all the data associated with photographing high school seniors, plus 

credit card processing from multiple workstations. If you want to see in detail what it 

can and cannot do, there is no better place to look than the Photo One’s Buyer Guide, 

at the vendor’s Website. Photo One was given a “Hot One” award by the trade journal 

of the Professional Photographers of America. 

Version: Photo One 9.1.19 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000 or later 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Exports comma-delimited text CSV, dBase (DBF), Excel XLS, XML, 

and HTML 

Price level: Basic edition, single user $1,650, Pro, single user $2,550 (both approx.) 

Address: Granite Bear, LLC., 1 Federal Street, Bldg 101, Springfield, MA 01105, United States 

www.photoonesoftware.com 

PI/E 


Vendor: RLW Concepts 

Purpose: Business-management tool for the photographic industry 

Description 

PI/E stands for “Pro Invoice/Estimate,” a business-management database system 

designed for all types of photographic business, of whatever size. Built on FileMaker 

Pro, it has all the administrative tools you need to run a business successfully, tracking 

jobs from first contact right through to final invoice and payment.

Among the many facilities in PI/E are sales tax report generation for state and federal 

taxes; tracking of client sales, vendor costs, representative sales, and stock agency sales, 

together with all payments associated with these transactions. You can use it to track 

your crew and employee billings and costs, as a contact database for client contacts, and 

to maintain equipment inventories and schedules. It generates a huge number of forms, 

reports, lists, and labels for all phases of job production. 

Comments 

After so many years in the market, with a string of impressive-looking clients to its name, 

it is surprising that PI/E is so poorly presented and explained. The vendor states the 

obvious, such as “all forms print on your own letterhead.” (Well, yes, if you use your 

own paper, but should that be listed as a primary feature?) Being built on FileMaker 

Pro, it is undoubtedly a stable and reliable system. Any attempt to make an equivalent 

solution from the tools in FileMaker would take weeks of work, but equally, a substantial 

effort is needed to learn how to use PI/E. Photographers may find that administration 

with this kind of tool is best delegated to an office manager. 

Version: PI/E 6.3.18 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 or later; Mac OS 9 or later 

Requires: FileMaker Pro 5.5 or 6.0 

RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Single user version $1,200, multi-user version $1,400 

Address: RLW Concepts, 403 S. Curson, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States 

www.piesoftware.com 

StudioPlus 


Vendor: StudioPlus Software 

Purpose: Studio-management software for portrait studios, in three editions plus OnLocation 

module 

Description 

For professional photographic studios, StudioPlus is a family of software that combines 

scheduling, marketing, client database, invoicing, and order tracking with a complete 

digital workflow. It is designed to be a complete solution, bringing together other vital 

software such as Photoshop, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, and ICVerify credit card 

processing into one seamless suite that can accomplish every task you need to do. It even 

works with a Palm or Pocket PC handheld computer.

410 


There are three main editions of StudioPlus: 

■ StudioPlus Lite, aimed chiefly at portrait photographers, with a client database, 

scheduling, and marketing functions and some digital workflow. 

■ StudioPlus Professional, with additional order tracking, invoicing, analysis and 

reporting features, plus a full digital workflow. 

■ StudioPlus Enterprise, for portrait studios that have multiple locations, with transfer 

data facilities and group reporting. 

New features in StudioPlus enable users to create custom multi-image composites for 

many purposes, including multi-image wall portraits, album pages, holiday cards, and 

sports cards. The photographer can then sit down with the customer and make a selection 

of pictures to fill the composites, all without needing to use alternative software. 

There is also an add-on module for the Professional and Enterprise editions called 

OnLocation, which effectively takes StudioPlus on the road via a laptop. Although 

designed to run in a Windows environment, StudioPlus will run on a Mac using Apple’s 

Boot Camp, Virtual PC, or Parallels. 

Comments 

Like one of its main competitors (Photo One from Granite Bear), StudioPlus integrates 

with other products to provide a complete range of functionality for photographic 

studios. The main strength of both products is the boost they give to marketing a 

photographer’s services to an existing client base. The StudioPlus workflow concept 

preserves RAW files as “masters,” still a valid approach for many photographers, even 

in an age of non-destructive editing. The OnLocation module is a valuable addition, 

bringing Wi-Pics integration, bar-coding, hot-folder capture, and digital order-taking 

capabilities that many professionals will find essential. 

Version: StudioPlus Version 2007 (seventh major upgrade) 


RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Single user version Lite $800, Professional version $1,700, Enterprise version $3,700, 

OnLocation module $700 

Address: StudioPlus Software, LLC., 600 S. Main St., Suite 120, Cambridge, MN 55008, United States 

www.studioplussoftware.com 

Note 

The Wi-Pics system (www.wi-pics.com) connects to a camera via the CompactFlash port and 

transmits images to a remote server. Using one of its configurations, event photographers can 

use bar-code scanning to link images to preprinted cards for handing out to potential clients.

SuccessWare 

Vendor: SuccessWare 

Purpose: Studio-management software for tracking, pricing, and planning 


Description 

SuccessWare is professional studio management software that offers extensive tracking, 

pricing, and planning facilities, with good privacy and security features to prevent unauthorized 

access. 

SuccessWare tracking features could scarcely be more comprehensive; the vendor lists 

more than a dozen pages of them, too numerous to be listed here. They come under the 

following categories: client tracking, direct mail, financial tracking, inquiries, orders, 

prospects, reporting, scheduling, session tracking, to-do lists, and vendor tracking. 

Pricing features are similarly extensive, ensuring that the studio prices its products accurately, 

always taking account of the cost of doing business. For example, it takes in costs 

from suppliers’ lists and automatically suggests updates to your prices when suppliers 

increase their charges. It also has great flexibility, enabling similar products to be sold 

at different prices in different markets. 

Business planning is the third strand of SuccessWare, enabling the photographer to put 

together business plans in support of bank loans and lines of credit. It has powerful cashflow 

forecasting, creates a monthly capital budget, and keeps a full record of income 

received from all sources. For the long-term, it creates a five-year plan, showing projected 

sales growth, indicating the break-even point, and helping you to form a marketing plan 

for each product line. With SuccessWare, the photographer soon gets to know how 

many sessions the studio needs each month to make a profit. 

Comments 

Rather than attempt to become involved with the photographic workflow, SuccessWare 

sticks to business. Its tracking, pricing, and planning features are well-conceived and 

cover all bases, whereas the latest version even prepares standard balance sheets showing 

assets, liabilities, and net worth. Users report that it works well for them and is not 

too difficult to learn, despite its scope. 

Version: SuccessWare 5.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server, and Vista; Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5 



Price level: Single user version $1,500, up to three users $2,500 (both approx; leasing terms available 

from approx. $50/month 

Address: SuccessWare, Inc., 11800 Fawn Lake Pkwy., Spotsylvania, VA 22553, United States 

www.successware.net

412 


The Photographic Organiser 

Vendor: Productive IT 

Purpose: Integrated business-management software for photography studios 

Figure 35.1 

The Photographic Organiser will help you “keep tabs” on every aspect of your photographic business. 

Figure 35.2 

TPO helps you build and manage an efficient database of contacts.


Description 

The Photographic Organiser (TPO) is a studio-management system widely used by professional 

photographers in the UK. It has an integrated viewing module with a multiimage 

arranger to place images into templates for client viewing, together with a very 

wide range of job tracking, contact management, sales/marketing analysis, and accountancy 

features. 

TPO is aimed at all professional studios, from one-man bands to large photographic 

businesses. It can work in a mixed network environment and its main menu can be personalized 

to each user. Although extensive in its scope, it is not especially difficult to 

use. For the photographer who wants to get truly organized, it offers tightly integrated 

job management, diary, and contacting functions. The “My Day” feature presents you 

with all your personal tasks when you log on, with appointments, contact reminders, 

work in progress, internal email messages, stock check, and to-do list—all on one screen, 

together with an indication of which other staff are online. 

The contact database retains a history of everything you printed for each contact, including 

letters, invoices, and statements. Client names and addresses can be used within the 

built-in word processor with its 100+ template letters, greatly easing the burden of massmailing. 

There are full job tracking and management facilities for social, commercial, 

and school photography, plus a Weddings & Functions module with fields for additional 

information. It will print your wedding contract, too. 

Viewing facilities include a preparation area for importing, selection, and sorting, with 

the option of opening any image in Photoshop for more detailed editing. TPO’s multiimage 

arranger provides a choice of 56 instant arrangements, with up to 16 pictures on 

the page. They include many attractive layouts that are ideal for portrait photography. 

TPO’s sophisticated accounting features include sales and purchase reports, cashbook 

functions, nominal ledger report, and general reports including VAT Return. 

Built on FileMaker Pro, TPO comes with an OEM copy of the retail product FileMaker 

Pro 6. 

Comments 

After 14 years in the market, TPO has become a mature product, used by hundreds of 

studios in the UK. Its chief virtue is its tight integration. This means that you can make 

good use of the data you gather and enter in one module by accessing it from another. 

For example, you can examine “Sales by Source of Enquiry,” a particularly powerful feature 

for the working photographer. Yes, you could customize FileMaker to your own 

requirements, but do you have the time? 

Version: TPO version 7.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 SE2, ME, 2000, and XP; Mac OS 8.6, 9, OS X 10.1 or later 

RAM: 512MB

414 



Price level: Approx. £1,000 ( UK), annual re-registration fee £25 

Address: Productive IT (UK) Ltd., 75 The Campions, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 5QG, 


www.productiveit.co.uk 

Timestone Range 

Vendor: Timestone Software 

Purpose: Digital imaging workflow software for school and sports photographers 

Description 

Developed in Australia, the Timestone range of applications takes care of the entire 

digital workflow for school and sports photographers. It is a complex, modular range 

consisting of several production/printing applications, each designated Neo, from which 

the photographer chooses the most appropriate, together with a remote photographer 

application—CapturePost, DataPost, or OutPost. 

The Neo applications let you collect, arrange, and match the images and data, correct 

the color and perform cropping, and then export the images and data for the creation 

of portrait packages, group photos with name-under, composite photos, memory mates, 

trader cards, ID cards, book marks and novelty items, yearbooks, certificates, magazine 

covers, and proof sheets. The versatility and production capacity of the application 

depends on its level—NeoPak (for the production of plain packages); NeoPak Plus (lowvolume 

production); NeoPack/Professional (high-volume production); NeoComposite 

(production of composite group pages); and NeoGroup (for traditional group pages 

with name-under). 

CapturePost is a single-screen remote capture application designed for image capture 

from a tethered digital camera. It supports nearly all cameras, has bar-code matching, 

and lets you correct subject details, add new subjects, and enter order information. 

DataPost prepares data for both CapturePost and the Neo applications and can be used 

in the lab or remotely. It lacks the production functions of the Neo applications, but 

comes with ordering and group name options. 

OutPost is designed to be the “missing link” between photographer and laboratory, 

allowing photographers to design, correct, and prepare packs, and then send them to 

the lab in a print-ready state for printing. The lab itself needs to have NeoPack/Plus or 

NeoPack/Professional.

Comments 

The Timestone products are not as hard to use as a brief description might suggest. 

Quite the opposite: they are tailored very neatly to the needs of school and sports photographers, 

with the emphasis on speeding the workflow and eliminating logistical 

errors. Although the development team is in Australia, the support level in the United 

States is by all accounts very high, with direct North American representation. However, 

there is no local support in the UK or Europe at the time of this writing. Potential users 

of workflow software for these applications are strongly advised to shortlist Timestone 

as an up-and-coming alternative to the market leaders. 

Version: NeoPack/Professional 3.1.0, CapturePost 3.1.0, DataPost 3.1.0, OutPost 3.1.0 (2008) 


RAM: 256MB 


Price level: Prices on application from regional representatives 

Address: Timestone Software, P.O. Box 26, Sassafras Gully, VIC 3787, Australia 

www.timestone.com.au 

QuickBooks 

Vendor: Intuit 

Purpose: General purpose accounting package for small businesses 


Description 

QuickBooks, a general accounting package, is listed here because it is used by so many 

professional photographers. It requires a lower investment than those packages designed 

specifically for photo studios, although obviously it is not as closely tailored to the workflow. 

That said, it is so superbly equipped with tracking facilities for sales, taxes, inventory, 

employee time, expenses, and customer payments that it has most of the features 

required. 

For larger businesses, QuickBooks does a fine job of managing payroll and payroll taxes, 

and keeping all the data organized in one place with Customer, Vendor, and Employee 

Centers. In the Customer Center, you can instantly view any customer’s balance, transaction 

history, and contact information; in the Vendor Center you can view your balance 

with any supplier and see a list of purchase orders, bills, and payments; and in the 

Employee Center you have instant access to all paycheck and contact information for 

every employee. You can also add credit card processing, create shipping documents 

from within the program, generate professional-looking forms, and import customer, 

vendor, and product information via Excel data import templates.

416 


Comments 

There are some significant advantages to using a mainstream product instead of opting 

for an industry-specific package from a smaller developer. First is the fact that it is much 

more likely to be kept up-to-date, an important factor as regulations are always subject 

to change. Second, the package is bound to be more cost effective because it has a wider 

market. Third, as your business grow you can upgrade to higher editions or purchase 

additional licenses. For many photographers these factors outweigh any possible downside. 

QuickBooks Pro may be all you need, but if you are putting together a business plan, 

it is better to get QuickBooks Premier with its features for generating sales and expense 

forecasts. Getting started with either product is very straightforward; and there are plenty 

of training opportunities at Small Business Development Centers in the United States. 

Version: QuickBooks 2008 

OS: Windows XP (SP2 or later strongly recommended), 2003 Server, and Vista 

RAM: 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended) 

Supported file formats: Spreadsheet and word processing formats 

Price level: QuickBooks Pro $200, QuickBooks Premier $450 (both approx.) 

Address: Intuit, Inc., 2632 Marine Way, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States 

quickbooks.intuit.com 

Summary 

Professional photographers have the option of using an all-in-one solution that will 

let them adjust their images and manage their business, but increasingly they choose 

best-of-breed photo processing software and an entirely separate system for running the 

studio. Both kinds of software are discussed in this chapter. ExpressDigital Darkroom 

is a complete workflow tool with facilities for pricing, shipping, tax, and so on. 

SuccessWare and The Photographic Organiser both concentrate on the business aspects 

of professional photography. SuccessWare is strong on forward planning; TPO 

successfully integrates all relevant functions, from client contact to invoicing and reporting. 

All the products listed are “photo-specific” except for QuickBooks, a popular 

general accounting package that may be all you need for running your business.

36 

Pro Tools for Web, 

Wireless, and Remote 

Access 

Brought together in one category because they all involve the concept of distance (actually 

because there is not a sufficient number of them for separate categories), these tools 

all have much to offer the professional photographer. 

Sports and wildlife photographers often use remote control, and it’s made possible by 

Wi-Fi systems like Nikon WT-2A and WT-3A, Canon WFT-E1A (note: “A” is not 

appended outside the U.S.), and Wi-Pics from DICE America. But there is also software 

that lets you control several cameras from a single PC using FireWire or USB 

cables: DSLR Remote Pro is an exciting product with many potential applications. 

Pixagent ITP Professional supports both the Nikon and Canon wireless standards and 

acts as an efficient FTP server for wireless image transmission. Pocket Phojo lets you 

transmit images from a Pocket PC. 

Professional Web tools for photographers include the Clickbooq hosting and management 

system; Aurigma’s Image Uploader, which you can add to a Website so that users 

can more easily upload their images; and the highly sophisticated image library system 

for photo agencies called Fotoshow Pro.

418 


Clickbooq 

Vendor: Clickbooq, Inc. 

Purpose: Website creation, management, and hosting solution for professional photographers 

Description 

Developed especially for professional photographers, Clickbooq is a Website creation, 

management, and hosting solution that allows you to create a full-featured Flash Website 

in a few minutes. It is all done from a normal browser and requires no special knowledge 

of Flash or HTML. There is no software to install on your own computer. 

Clickbooq offers a wide range of standard features including instant updates, storage for 

thousands of images, custom backgrounds, unlimited Web galleries, IPTC data support, 

slide shows and music, and hundreds of design options. You can have your own domain 

name (such as a .com address) that links through to your area of the Clickbooq site. 

With a 1GB hosting plan, a photographer can store over 5,000 images on Clickbooq. 

Comments 

Clickbooq benefits from being a latecomer to the online photo hosting business. Its 

design is sleek and up-to-date, making many other services appear slightly dated. It 

shows off images to perfection, pre-loading them in the Flash viewer for a very fast and 

comfortable viewing experience. 

To use it you need a broadband connection, a fast computer, and some image resizing 

software. The interface is simple and offers two navigation schemes: a classic, left-hand 

menu design or a top-down version that stays hidden when not used. If you do not like 

Flash (and not everyone does), Clickbooq is probably not for you. But it means you can 

disable all right-clicks more effectively than you can with HTML-based sites. The end 

result is a clean, professional presentation of your images. 

Version: Clickbooq 1.0 (2008) 

OS: Any browser running Flash plug-in version 9 or higher 

RAM: N/A 


Price level: Setup fee $200, subscription $70 per month, $700 per year, hosting $10 per month, 

$100 per year (all approx.) 

Address: info@clickbooq.com 

www.clickbooq.com 

DSLR Remote Pro 


Purpose: For remote control of Canon DSLR cameras from PC, using FireWire or USB cables

Description 

A remote control solution for Canon cameras, DSLR Remote Pro allows you to control 

one or more cameras from a single PC, view the pictures while you are shooting, add 

IPTC data automatically, store the images locally, and conduct time-lapse photography. 

Its features include automatic bracketing (up to 15 shots by varying the shutter speed 

or aperture), image preview in black and white or color, overexposure warnings, grid 

overlay for accurate alignment, and focus point overlay to assist focusing. 

Comments 

There are dozens of potential applications for this exciting product, especially using the 

auto-bracketing feature. With this technique you can make high dynamic range (HDR) 

images that would be impossible to take with manual operation of the camera. 

Birdwatchers and other wildlife photographers can hook it up to sound or movement 

sensors to capture close-ups of the subject with wide-angle lenses. 

Shortly after its launch, DSLR Remote Pro was highly praised by Michael Reichmann 

on his Website The Luminous Landscape (www.luminous-landscape.com). He called it 

“a revelation” because it places full-sized images on to the computer screen within seconds 

of taking them remotely. This means you can play with exposure, color balance, 

and compositional changes, and then examine the effects without delay. Quite apart 

from all its other applications, DSLR Remote Pro is clearly a great educational tool. 

Versions: DSLR Remote Pro 1.7 (2008) 


RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: Canon RAW and JPEG 




Fotoshow Pro 

Chapter 36 ■ Pro Tools for Web, Wireless, and Remote Access 419 

Vendor: Fotoshow Pro 

Purpose: Internet image library system for pro photographers and agencies 

Description 

Fotoshow Pro is an image library system with a scalable architecture that installs on 

almost any Web server. It enables professional photographers and agencies to place 

images online where they can be searched and purchased by users. Web-based administration 

tools allow you to modify the library structure, edit captions, attributes, and 

keywords, and delete or move the images.

420 


An example of Fotoshow Pro in operation is Photo Resource Hawaii (www.photo 

resourcehawaii.com), a library of stock photographs from 50 top Hawaiian photographers. 

Comments 

Fotoshow Pro is an excellent platform for anyone who wants to establish and run an 

online photo hosting service. It is fully customizable to your own brand, can support an 

almost unlimited number of images, and has very good account management facilities. 

The Standard license does not include e-commerce facilities, which are an extra and incur 

additional fees. However, fees are one-time only and there are no royalties to be paid. 


OS: Windows; Mac OS X; Linux; UNIX 

RAM: 1GB 


Price level: Single-site licenses from $4,000 

Address: Fotoshow Pro, 368 Broadway, Suite 403, New York, NY 10013, United States 

www.fotoshowpro.com 

Image Uploader 

Vendor: Aurigma 

Purpose: Image-uploading solution for Website developers 

Description 

Image Uploader is an image uploading solution that Web developers can add to their 

sites for the convenience of users. Easy to operate at the client end, it allows users to 

navigate folders on their computer via a standard browser, select the files they want to 

upload, and send them to the Website with just a few clicks. Image Uploader is embedded 

into the HTML code of a Website, and its appearance is fully customizable to blend 

in with the site’s design. 

Image Uploader generates up to three thumbnails and uploads them along with files 

themselves. It also provides facilities to rotate the image prior to uploading. Despite its 

name, it can upload Word documents, PDF documents, and Zip archives as well as 

images. You can specify file-filtering rules to select only images, screening out any other 

formats. 

Image Uploader is aimed at a broad market, including online photo hosts and print suppliers, 

photo blog hosts, and various industries such as insurance, estates, health care, 

and so on that use image databases.


Figure 36.1 

Aurigma Image Uploader’s Multiple Descriptions mode lets your Web visitors add supplementary 

information to their files. 

Comments 

Image Uploader comes from a company that produces many useful programming tools, 

including Graphics Mill, a toolkit for most imaging tasks. Ease of use, from the user’s 

point of view, has helped to make Image Uploader an industry standard. Before it 

arrived, batch uploading was a tedious operation, involving one-at-a-time uploading 

using HTML. It can be configured to resize images as they arrive, thus reducing traffic 

and increasing upload speed. For photo businesses that run hosting sites, it can be an 

excellent solution. 

Version: Image Uploader 5.1 Dual (2008) 

OS: Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP, 2003, and Vista 

Server platforms: ASP, ASP.NET, JSP, PHP, Perl, and so on 

Client side: ActiveX (IE browser only) and Java 

Supported file formats: JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, BMP, and others 

Price level: Single domain from $184, single IP from $800 

Address: Aurigma Inc., 5847 S. Lawrence, Tacoma, WA 98409, United States 

www.aurigma.com

422 


Pixagent ITP Professional 

Vendor: Pixagent 

Purpose: Workflow-oriented FTP server for wireless image transmission 

Description 

Pixagent ITP Professional is a workflow-oriented FTP server that enables the professional 

photographer to get greater benefit from the use of wireless image transmission. 

It fully supports Nikon WT-1 and WT-2 and Canon WFT-E1 wireless standards, while 

also supporting DICE America’s Wi-Pics. 

ITP can generate full-screen displays of images as soon as they are received by the server 

—ideal for checking composition or for displaying your images to an audience. You can 

shoot in RAW+JPEG, leaving the RAW files on the memory card while displaying the 

JPEG image, but it also has a RAW-only workflow, with processing carried out via the 

use of Photoshop droplets. Its image analysis modes alert you to any potential exposure 

problems and allow you to deal with them while you are still shooting. Other features 

include batch renaming, to replace the DSC_ portion of the filename with variables to 

allow multiple shooters access to the same directory while keeping files separate. 

You can configure your camera to access ITP over the Internet, although this is a more 

complex procedure than doing so over a local network, as it requires manual configuration. 

You also need to know your home network’s IP address, another potential problem 

as service providers often allocate dynamic IP addresses that can change at any time. 

If you want to set up the system for frequent transmission, it is far better to acquire a 

static IP address. 

Another product from the same developer is PocketITP, a PDA-based FTP server that 

shares the same server code as an earlier generation of the desktop version. It lets you 

administer the server directly from the PDA, mostly with one-handed operation without 

putting down your camera. 

Comments 

Created by Canadian developer Thomas Sapiano, Pixagent ITP Professional has 

features that make it almost indispensable if you use Wi-Fi for workflow acceleration. 

For example, one new feature on the Pro version allows you to automate repetitive 

processing tasks while you are continuing to shoot other material. Documentation is 

good (there is an 80+ page manual) and the product itself is easy to use with an excellent 

reputation among event photographers. 

Version: ITP 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows 98 or later 

RAM: 15MB

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG, TIFF, and WAV 

Price level: ITP 2.0 Professional approx. $60 

Address: tsapiano@pixagent.com 

www.pixagent.com 

Pocket Phojo 


Vendor: Idruna Software 

Purpose: Turns a Pocket PC into an image editing and transmission station 

Description 

If you want to connect to the Internet on location, Pocket Phojo is an application that 

turns a Pocket PC into an image editing and transmission station. You simply take the 

CF card out of your DSLR, plug it into the Pocket PC, and send the images back to 

the office via FTP or email. It allows you to browse, edit, and tag the images before 

transmission, making it a tool that is especially useful to professional photojournalists. 

Pocket Phojo is fully compatible with Nikon’s WT Wireless Transmitters, which eliminate 

altogether the necessity for memory cards, except for backup. The only requirement is 

for a Pocket PC with at least 64MB of RAM (256MB preferred). It can be connected 

to cameras with a USB output via cable and has pre-configured connectivity to the 

Internet. 

Comments 

Most journalists would use a laptop for sending images back home, but it you are traveling 

light, Pocket Phojo is an alternative option. It was first reviewed in 2002 by 

DPReview, where it won warm approval despite being buggy, since when many professional 

event photographers and paparazzi have tried it with similar results. They have 

found it easy to learn, with processing facilities that rival those of some desktop programs. 

Most have found bugs, but they get fixed fairly promptly, making Pocket Phojo 

a useful tool that may achieve wider appeal as broadband extends to mobile devices. 

Version: Pocket Phojo 5.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 

RAM: 256MB (preferred) 

Supported file formats: RAW and JPEG 


Address: Idruna Software Inc., 40960 California Oaks Road #324, Murrieta, CA 92562, United 

States 

www.idruna.com

424 


Summary 

In future editions of this book, some of the products listed in this category may be spun 

out into categories of their own, but for now, “Web, wireless, and remote access” covers 

miscellaneous solutions that many professionals in the photographic industry may 

find useful. If you need to control your DSLR remotely, DSLR Remote Pro from Breeze 

Systems has all the features you need. If you want to make it easy for people to upload 

their images to your Website, turn to Aurigma’s Image Uploader. Check out Clickbooq 

if you need to present your own images online in a sleek, professional format. Or take 

a look at Pixagent ITP Professional if you want to explore the full potential of wireless 

image transmission.

The casual photographer and even most professionals do not need to concern themselves 

with advanced analysis and diagnostics software. Used for checking the optical 

performance of cameras and lenses, or for analyzing the performance of a computer 

system, this type of software is strictly for experts, scientists, magazine editors, or people 

who suffer from obsessive-compulsive pixel-peeping disorder. The tools in this chapter 

have been included for these specialized users. 

Acolens 

Vendor: Nurizon Software 

Purpose: Lens-analysis with tools for correcting geometric distortion in images 

37 

Analysis and 

Diagnostics Software 

Description 

Acolens is a lens analysis/image correction tool, with preset lens profiles and facilities 

for making your own with the addition of the Acolens Reference Chart. Each profile 

can be used for making corrections to the various kinds of geometric distortion caused 

by that individual lens. 

The vendor uses mathematical variance analysis to detect how far the lens deviates from 

ideal performance in respect of geometric distortion, vignetting, and lack of focus 

towards the edges. Algorithms calculate actual and desired values, and then corrections 

can be made to the image. Sometimes a photographer may want to keep one type of 

distortion as part of the composition, so that option is preserved.

426 


Comments 

One of the great benefits of digital photography is the relative ease with which geometrical 

distortion can be corrected by software. To do this, the characteristics of the 

individual lens must be known, which is why Acolens provides its analysis tools. For 

interior, architectural, and product photographers, such a toolkit is highly desirable. 

Acolens is a professional solution that is both optically sound and easy to use. At its 

launch, it won the “Photokina Star—Highlight of Photokina 2006” award from 

German photography magazines digit! and Photo Presse. 

Version: Acolens 1.3.0 (2007) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later 


Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; TIFF and JPEG 

Price level: Standard edition $335, Full edition $495 (both approx.) 

Address: Nurizon GmbH., Stadtdeich 27, 20097 Hamburg, Germany 

Nurizon Inc., 169 8th Avenue, Suite 5F, New York, NY 10011, United States 

www.nurizon-software.com 

DxO Analyzer 

Vendor: DxO Labs 

Purpose: Professional test package to check the image quality of any image capture device 

Description 

DxO Analyzer is a unique software tool that uses advanced mathematics to measure key 

properties and optical faults in all kinds of image capture devices, including DSLRs. 

Used by journalists, magazines, and camera manufacturers, it produces a mass of data 

from a relatively simple test target on which is a matrix of small black dots. 

Using DxO Analyzer is a two-step process. First, the tester shoots the target under controlled 

conditions, using a reference DSLR fitted with the particular lens being tested. 

Several shots are taken at each combination of aperture and focal length. Focus error is 

eliminated by micro-bracketing between groups of shots. 

In the second stage, DxO Analyzer examines the results, looking for tiny variations of 

position and shape among the dots in the matrix. It measures sharpness with exceptional 

precision and—here is the key point—how it varies across the frame. 

There are two editions of the product. The Camera Edition evaluates overall camera 

performance, and the Component Edition takes a broader range of measurements using 

RAW data, so that you can differentiate between various components such as optics, 

sensor, or image signal processing. It complies with all major ISO and industry standards, 

such as SMIA, MIPC, and I3A.

Comments 

The only downside to all this brilliant analysis is the mountain of data, which is really 

quite difficult for non-mathematicians to interpret. Fortunately, there is a solution. The 

people at SLRGear.com turn the data into 3D graphs that give, for example, unique 

insights into lens performance at various focal lengths and apertures. DxO Analyzer is 

a tool for professional use in the testing lab, although a number of hobbyists are sufficiently 

obsessive about performance issues to find it a source of endless entertainment. 

Version: DxO Analyzer 3.1 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP and later 

RAM: 512MB 

Supported file formats: RAW, JPEG, and TIFF 

Price level: On request 

Address: DxO Labs, 3, rue Nationale, 92100 Boulogne, France 

www.dxo.com 

HotPixelRemover 

Chapter 37 ■ Analysis and Diagnostics Software 427 

Vendor: Lightning Cube Software 

Purpose: Eliminates problematic “hot pixels” from dark areas of the image 

Description 

HotPixelRemover uses the “dark frame technique” to detect and remove hot pixels from 

your images. Hot pixels are the unwanted bright dots that show up in dark or shaded 

areas; the dark frame (or “black frame”) technique traditionally uses an exposure taken 

with the lens cap on, keeping the shutter open for the same length of time. The software 

subtracts the black image from the actual image so that the hot pixels, which are 

the same in each exposure, cancel each other out. 

With the HotPixelRemover software, you take a series of dark frames to cater for 

different image capture settings and then load them into the program. Removal of hot 

pixels then becomes an automatic process. 

HotPixelRemover image analysis tools allow you to see how badly your camera is 

afflicted by hot pixels. There is usually an increase in their number as a camera ages. 

The software allows you to keep track of your camera’s performance in this respect over 

time. You can save analysis results in XML and HTML formats. 

Comments 

HotPixelRemover is very effective at taking out hot pixels from images of various sizes. 

It looks at many parameters, including camera make and model, image size, color or 

monochrome, ISO value, digital zoom value, exposure time, focal length value, and the

428 


date and time when the image was taken. Ideally, you need to generate a sufficient number 

of dark frames to match these parameters; the more the better. If you do a lot of 

night photography, HotPixelRemover can save time spent on “spotting out” hot pixels 

individually. 

Version: HotPixelRemover 1.0 (2007) 


RAM: 256MB 

Supported file formats: JPEG, BMP, TIFF, and PNG 


Address: sales@lightningcube.com 

www.lightningcube.com 

Sandra Professional 

Vendor: SiSoftware 

Purpose: Analysis and diagnostics for computer systems, including disk drives and storage cards 

Description 

Sandra, which stands for “System ANalyser, Diagnostic, and Reporting Assistant,” is a 

computer analysis, diagnostics, and benchmarking utility that can test most aspects of 

computer performance including that of disk drives and storage cards. It comes in six 

versions—Lite (for workgroups only), Pro Home, Pro Business, Engineer, Enterprise, 

and a Legacy version for home enthusiasts with older computers. 

Sandra is widely used by the world’s computer press for testing new hardware and has 

over 5,000 online reviews to prove it. It is included here because it is a great utility for 

making sure your computer system or network is functioning properly. What is more, 

it can test individual peripherals such as disk drives and storage cards. For example, if 

you need to test whether a storage card is genuine, you can run a performance test with 

Sandra, and if the performance is lower than that claimed by the manufacturer it is likely 

to be a fake. 

Comments 

Computers are central to the digital photographer’s workflow. If you want to make sure 

all your systems are functioning properly, you need a diagnostics program like Sandra. 

It is an outstanding product that has won dozens of awards. Using it is not necessarily 

as hard as you might suppose, as you can quickly grasp how to measure basic performance 

and compare it to other, benchmarked components. In this respect it is not unlike 

a scientific calculator—square roots are easy, but you need at least some training as a 

computer scientist to get full benefit from it. Remember to back up your system before 

attempting to run any stress tests on it.

Version: Sandra XII SP2 (2008) 

OS: Windows 2000, XP, and Vista (all 32- and 64-bit); Linux (32-bit); Mac OS X 

Supported file formats: CSV, TAB, XML, and so on 

Price level: Personal, single user approx. $50, Commercial, single user approx. $200 

Address: SiSoftware, PO Box 17273, London, SW5 0WB, United Kingdom 

www.sisoftware.co.uk 

Summary 

Chapter 37 ■ Analysis and Diagnostics Software 429 

Figure 37.1 

Sandra Professional can show you how your machine/network performs against benchmarks. 

Most photographers turn to analytical tools when they think something may be wrong 

with their camera, lenses, or computer. Others do it out of academic interest, or else in 

order to review a product for a magazine. Whatever the motive, there are plenty of tools 

available for testing and benchmarking the various components used in digital photography. 

Acolens from Nurizon Software lets you analyze your lenses, and then correct 

any geometric distortion. DxO Analyzer is widely favored by magazine editors and other 

professionals, but a few enthusiasts also use it. If you are responsible for several computers 

in a busy studio, Sandra Professional will help you analyze every aspect of their 

performance.


Part VII 

Taming the 

Workflow

This part contains one important chapter that features two 

products no digital photographer should live without— 

Adobe Lightroom and Apple’s Aperture.

38 

Two Featured Products 

Women are generally considered to be much better at multitasking than men, so it was 

probably a man who invented the term “workflow” to describe a succession of activities 

that has to be performed in order to complete a given job. In digital photography there 

are several essential tasks and quite a few more optional ones that need to be completed 

in a particular order, otherwise the photographer simply cannot complete high-quality 

work consistently on time. 

For all its abilities as an image editor, Photoshop has never been a workflow tool, even 

though recent versions have improved this aspect of it. The two general functions most 

required by photographers—fast handling of multiple images and meticulous attention 

to single images—are diametrically opposed. For this reason, developers have turned 

their attention to improving workflow by designing new products from scratch, incorporating 

original features to sort, stack, compare, and select images, with completely 

non-destructive processing facilities constantly available for adjusting color, tone, and 

other aspects of image quality. 

The result has been Adobe Lightroom and Apple’s Aperture. Do they live up to the hype 

surrounding their introduction, now that thousands of users have had a chance to use 

them in their work?

434 


Featured Product: Adobe Lightroom 


Purpose: Workflow tool for sorting, processing, editing, and printing digital images 

Figure 38.1 

Adobe Lightroom packs the entire photographic workflow into just a few screenfuls. 

Description 

Since its launch in 2007, Adobe Lightroom has become the workflow tool of choice for 

many professional photographers. It was developed with an unusual amount of input 

from its target market, a factor that undoubtedly helped make it a practical and intuitive 

environment in which to work. Its user interface has set new standards in both aesthetics 

and ease-of-use, despite introducing unfamiliar techniques such as directly 

grabbing the histogram and stretching/compressing its values. 

Although Lightroom initially lacked a suite of retouching tools, it was always destined 

to become a comprehensive solution for digital photographic processing, editing, organizing, 

and printing. It began life with all the code from Adobe Camera RAW incorporated 

into its Develop module, plus a full set of tools for tone and color adjustment, 

lens correction, cropping, and camera calibration. To this it adds a proper relational 

database that provides an excellent organizational structure with easy import and export 

of files to other spaces and applications.

Chapter 38 ■ Two Featured Products 435 

Lightroom’s initial lack of retouching and image-editing tools was overcome by the simple 

expedient of Ctrl/Command+E, which places all the current settings for a particular 

photograph into a TIFF file, which then opens automatically in Photoshop for further 

editing. This is still the correct way to do it, although now, with the latest version of 

Lightroom (2.0 beta is being used for this review), there is a magic retouch brush icon, 

which, on being clicked, opens a sub-panel with mask, paint, and brush tools. These 

are a wonderful addition to Lightroom. For example, being able to paint areas of the 

image with plus or minus exposure is a feature that many photographers will quickly 

find indispensable. 

Spot, cropping, and red-eye removal controls have been placed prominently alongside the 

brush icon for instant access, and these also open up sub-panels with their respective tools. 

It is worth noting that among the tools in the cropping sub-panel are the all-important 

Straighten slider and detachable Straighten tool. It is very easy to forget where these have 

been hidden if you are in the habit of straightening horizons without cropping the image. 

It is a fair question to ask—does the average amateur photographer or even a professional 

who takes just a few images per day really need Adobe Lightroom, given its 

remarkable ability to handle thousands of images, cycle through them at speed, and 

apply adjustments to whole groups of similar photographs with a single “synchronize” 

command? Probably not, but then, most people possess at least a few tools—whether 

in the kitchen, the study, or the workshop—that rarely get used to their full extent. If 

you take a hundred pictures on holiday once a year, you may still find Lightroom irresistible 

when you see how ingeniously it slides its control panels in and out of view to 

cater for wide or standard screen sizes, how these in turn are stretchable to increase resolution 

on the slider controls, and how the program “dims the lights” on everything 

except the displayed image so you can examine your work more closely. 

For the wedding or events photographer who often shoots 2,000 images that need to 

be whittled down to 50, Lightroom is the obvious solution. It divides the workflow into 

logical groupings: Library, Develop, Slide Show, Print, and Web. 

Library 

The program starts and finishes in the Library, where you have access to all your photographs, 

even those stored outside the managed confines of the Library itself. The 

Import button takes you immediately to the last-opened folder in your hard disk, a good 

example of Lightroom’s direct approach to most tasks. When you bring in your images 

you can choose whether you want to use previews embedded in them or let Lightroom 

make its own. This use of 1:1 previews is one of the key concepts underpinning many 

of the high-speed operations in the program. To conserve resources you do not need to 

keep them forever. In the Preferences menu you have the option of determining how 

long the program keeps them in the preview cache (one day/week/month or always). 

The default setting is 30 days.

436 


Lightroom allows you to use the same controls whether you work with TIFF, JPEG, 

DNG, flat PSD files, or RAW files. It never touches the originals, but instead stores all 

the changes to the image as a set of instructions in its database. 

Non-Destructive Editing 

Whereas traditional photo editors can mix destructive and non-destructive 

operations, Lightroom has an entirely non-destructive editing process. 

Instead of changing the image data, it stores instructions for changing 

the data, applying them on-the-fly to full-scale preview images so that 

you can see the effect of any changes you make. In a RAW workflow, 

which is recommended by the developer, these changes are written into 

XMP sidecar files. It is only when you export an image that Lightroom 

needs to create a fully rendered version that takes account of your 

changes. To create JPEGs for your friends, you select the pictures you 

need and click Export to bring up a dialog box for choosing file format, 

destination folder, color space, and resolution. 

The user interface makes it easy to apply metadata (Exif or IPTC), which in turn makes 

it very easy to find images that share specific characteristics. The organizational structure 

also contributes to this by allowing you to group images by shoot or by collection. 

An image can appear in only one shoot but in many different collections. There are 

some gadgets that first-time users might find confusing, such as Filters, which allows 

you to sift through your collections by setting keywords or invoking presets. If your 

images disappear from view mysteriously, it is probably because you left Filters on by 

mistake. It cannot be over-emphasized that Lightroom is a completely non-destructive 

environment, so you need have no fear that any image will be permanently lost or damaged 

in any way by processing, whatever you do to it. 

Quite apart from its sophisticated navigation and cataloging features, the Library has a 

Quick Develop section where you can make quick initial adjustments to white balance, 

exposure, contrast, color, and aspect ratio. A (non-interactive) histogram at the top indicates 

the spread of tonal and color values, together with four vital pieces of information: 

ISO, focal length, shutter speed, and aperture. If you want to carry on working on the 

image you can press Continue in Develop, where you have an entire panel of tools, and 

where the histogram becomes larger, and, for the first time, interactive. 

The Export button, to which you are likely to return after developing the image, leads 

you to a panel large enough to resemble a tax return. It offers location (with a Show in 

Explorer option for Windows versions); asks you whether you would like to place the 

image in a sub-folder or add it to the Lightroom Catalog; gives seven file-naming


options with a chance to alter the filename template; requires file settings such as Format 

(JPEG, PSD, TIFF, and DNG), Compression (None, LZW, and Zip), Color Space 

(sRGB, AdobeRGB 1998, and ProPhotoRGB), and Bit Depth (8- or 16-bit). But there 

is more—don’t forget Image Settings, with resolution in pixels per inch or centimeter; 

or Output Sharpening (surely this was done earlier?). But you’re not finished yet: you 

really need to fill in the Metadata fields, perhaps include some keyword information in 

XMP, and maybe add a copyright watermark. There is also a Post-Processing option that 

thankfully defaults to Do Nothing, other options being to open the image in Photoshop 

or another application, burn the image to a disk, or pay a visit to the Export Actions 

folder for further, automated instructions. 

Develop Mode 

When you move to a different module, both the left and right panels change with new 

sets of tools and indicators. In the Develop module, the informational left panel has a 

scrollable History that records every action you apply to an image. If you click on any 

History item it returns the displayed image to that particular state. The History list is 

like an unlimited, random-access undo, which exists alongside a number of presets that 

let you see what the image looks like with standard tone-curves applied. Lightroom can 

display instantly any one of hundreds of versions of an image because it stores just the 

instructions for generating the image on-the-fly from its cached preview. 

One of the most useful features of the Develop interface is the Before & After display 

that shows side-by-side and split views of two versions of the image in the central viewing 

area. Note that you can copy the settings of the After view to the Before view, thus 

giving you a new starting point with which to compare your working image. Lightroom 

offers special buttons beneath the displayed images to do this, in both directions. If you 

find yourself with two wrong versions you can always use the History list to go back a 

few steps. 

The Develop module’s right panel is divided into sections: Basic, Tone Curve, Color 

Adjustments, Split Toning, Detail (noise reduction, chromatic aberration, and sharpening), 

Vignettes (lens corrections, post-cropping), and Camera Calibration. Many photographers 

say they can do 95% of their correction work in the Basic section at the top 

without resorting to the tools lower down. 

In the Basic panel are white balance with eyedropper selector tool, color temperature 

presets and sliders, as well as everything you need to set white points and black points, 

recover highlights, simulate an increase in the fill light, and adjust brightness and contrast. 

Two other sliders allow you to adjust saturation and “vibrance,” the latter being a 

control that boosts primaries without affecting skin tones. If this vibrance adjuster seems 

familiar to some photographers it is because it came to Adobe via the acquisition of 

Pixmantec, the developer of Rawshooter, and now appears also in Photoshop’s Camera 

Raw plug-in as well as Photoshop’s Image>Adjustment menu in CS4.

438 


Adobe introduced another slider control in Lightroom 1.1, called clarity. This popular 

tool, also included in CS4’s Camera Raw, can be used to make objects stand out from 

their backgrounds. Moving the slider increases contrast on either side of any edges in 

the image. It is much more subtle in its effect than you can get by tweaking the image’s 

overall contrast. 

The interactive histogram allows you to address four subdivisions of the tonal range 

independently, with control over highlights, lights, darks, and shadows. You will soon 

notice that the slider controls refer to them, respectively, as “recovery,” “exposure,” “fill,” 

and “blacks.” Recovery lets you restore clipped highlights with little visible darkening 

of other parts of the image. If you are happy with your general exposure—the “lights” 

which account for most of the tones in the picture—you can adjust the “darks” at the 

lower end of the scale. If the image lacks deep blacks, you can move the black point with 

the blacks slider. 

The Curves sub-panel comes not only with adjustable points but with four slider controls 

as well, to reshape lights and darks while recovering highlights and increasing blacks. 

Split Toning allows you to change hue and saturation in highlights and shadows. 

Slide Show Module 

The Slide Show module now includes several sorely needed improvements. Although 

it’s still not likely to challenge professional slide show software such as ProShow Producer 

(see Chapter 27, “Slide Show Creation”), Lightroom now offers a more complete set of 

controls for creating effects such as cast shadows, text overlays, color washes, background 

images, and 0-20 second timings for both slide changes and fades. The Cast Shadow 

controls are particularly well conceived, with Opacity, Offset, Radius, and Angle sliders, 

the last of which also comes with a dial for setting the drop shadow to one/two clock 

positions. Selecting a soundtrack, however, is still limited to “choose a music folder.” 

Print Module 

More extensive is the Print module, with facilities to format the images into different 

grids for contact printing or to output whole images to an attached printer. The Print 

Job sub-panel offers a choice of draft mode or selectable resolution printing. Draft mode 

in conjunction with the operating system’s PDF driver uses data from the preview cache 

to print perfect contacts that are indistinguishable from those generated with rerendered 

data. This is a speedy way to print contacts. 

Web Module 

Finally, the Web module lets you put together pages of photographs for publication on 

the Web in Flash or HTML format. It offers layout presets together with tools to create 

your own custom layouts.

Comments 

Adobe Lightroom is a classic workflow tool for many, but not all photographers. It is 

superb for browsing, examining, comparing, and organizing your images as well as for 

carrying out global processing tasks, in batches or individually. If you have hundreds of 

photographs from each shoot and need to submit several dozen to your client, it could 

be the tool for you. If you need to work on one or two selected images in detail or prepare 

professional-level slide shows and Web pages, you will need many other tools as 

well. Continued development of Lightroom has added facilities for multi-computer 

workflows, making it suitable for use by large studios. Lightroom now has folder 

synchronization, improved sharpening, better noise reduction, and multiple monitor 

support—all further indications that Adobe aims to make this product the tool of choice 

for serious photographers. 

Version: Adobe Lightroom 2.0 (2008) 

OS: Windows XP with SP2 and Vista; Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 

RAM: 1GB recommended 

Supported file formats: More than 140 RAW formats; JPEG, TIFF, and DNG 



www.adobe.com 

Featured Product: Aperture 


Vendor: Apple, Inc. 

Purpose: Sorts, compares, selects, processes, edits, prints, and publishes digital images on a Mac 

Description 

Apple’s Aperture is an all-in-one digital image-management system aimed at professional, 

enthusiast, and aspiring photographers who are attracted by its hundreds of postproduction 

features. Although it runs only on Macintosh, it does much the same as 

Adobe Lightroom and carries out major functions in a broadly similar way. For example, 

it offers non-destructive editing; preserves an untouched master file; requires no manual 

saving of adjustments; and lets you store the images anywhere you choose. 

Yet in its organizing ability, Aperture goes even further than Lightroom, making it ideal 

for event and sports photographers who take thousands of shots on every project. It has 

an incomparable set of features for examining, comparing, rating, ranking, and selecting 

images. Among all these features, each user is likely to find one or two favorite techniques. 

It is hard to believe that anyone could use them all, but they form a compelling reason 

for buying this software if you are a Mac user.

440 


Figure 38.2 

Apple’s Aperture is now a mature, full-featured product in Version 2.0. 

Figure 38.3 

Aperture on iMac is an ideal combination for rapid-fire photo browsing.

Aperture’s Architecture and Concepts 


Here is a brief overview of some of the concepts and their implementation in Aperture. 

Masters 

Master files are equivalent to negatives in the sense that they remain stored away, 

untouched, until needed. If they are “fully managed,” they dwell in a Library, the 

whole of which can be backed up in a vault on an external device. If they are “referenced,” 

they dwell elsewhere, possibly on another computer, on a network, or even 

on-the-shelf in DVD format. Masters are very likely to be RAW files, but they can also 

be GIF, JPEG, TIFF, DNG, or PNG files. 

When you edit an image, you do not edit the master, but a version of it—and you can 

create as many versions as you like. If you delete a master, you also remove all the 

versions of it from the Library, including adjustments and metadata. There is no 

“undo” facility with this delete, but if you have backed up the Library of managed 

images in a vault, a copy of the master will still exist in a folder marked Deleted 

Images. Aperture lets you work with hundreds of thousands of master files. 

Projects, Albums, and Folders 

Aperture’s three “containers,” or ways of grouping images, are called Projects, Albums, 

and Folders. The first of these, Projects, contains the master files. They are like sleeves 

that hold negatives, only much bigger as they can hold tens of thousands of master 

files. A master can dwell in only one Project at a time but can appear as a referenced 

image in many different Albums: collections of photos, very much like physical albums. 

The third container, Folders, is the most tricky from a conceptual point of view. 

You can put just about everything in a Folder, including Projects, Albums, and other 

elements like Aperture-generated books and Web pages. You can drag a Folder around 

the file structure and drop items into it. Folders are powerful organizational tools, 

but, when using them, watch out for the way they swallow the other containers. 

Previews 

A preview is a JPEG image created by Aperture to represent the original master, 

together with any adjustments applied to it. Aperture may sometimes display the 

preview as a thumbnail in the browser window, but when necessary can make it 

much larger. You have full control over the quality of previews and can even dispense 

with them altogether, although that is not recommended. Apple originally intended 

to generate them on-the-fly but decided to store them instead, partly so that other 

programs—such as iLife and iWork—could access them, and partly so that referenced 

images would be properly represented even when offline. Moving from displaying the 

preview to showing the Master image is usually swift, depending on the size of the 

latter. A new Quick Preview mode loads only the previews in order to accelerate 

browsing speed.

442 


Importing Images 

The starting point in the workflow begins with importing images from either a media 

card or a disk drive. Having upgraded Aperture’s RAW conversion engine, Apple recommends, 

but does not demand, a RAW workflow. Selecting File> Import> Images 

brings up the complete Import window where you can select the source and the destination 

project. The window displays all the thumbnails from the selected card or folder. 

At this point, very usefully, you can choose which images or groups of images you want 

to bring into the Library. Alternatively, you can leave the images in their existing location 

if they are already on disk. Import takes place in the background, but you can begin 

work on the image even before the process has finished. 

Organizing with Stacks 

Aperture is particularly useful if you need to sort through dozens of similar shots, such 

as those taken in burst mode. It has several tools for doing this, of which Stacks is one. 

You can use it manually, taking images from anywhere in the Library and ranking them 

alongside a “pick” image, beneath which the stack can be made to collapse. However, 

its most effective mode is Auto-Stack, which allows you to specify a time interval 

between shutter clicks. Moving the slider control from the off-position through fractional 

increments up to one second, dramatically reduces the number of thumbnails 

displayed. Stacks is also indispensable for people who bracket their exposures. It reduces 

screen clutter significantly, but the hidden photos can be accessed instantly by clicking 

on the pick image. 

Compare Mode 

Following how photographers actually work, Aperture’s developers provide an essential 

Compare mode to help you decide between pairs of images without stacking them. To 

use it, select an image and press Return. This places your chosen picture on the left side 

of the viewer, with a green border to distinguish it as the source image. Beside it, 

Aperture places the next image in your project, which is often from the same burst if 

you shoot in burst mode. To compare the two, use the Loupe or Zoom features, select 

one of the images, reject the other, and navigate to a third to continue making comparisons. 

When you finally have the one you want, give it the top star rating and it will 

appear at the top of the stack in Stack mode. 

The Light Table Tool 

A free-form method of examining, grouping, and comparing images, Light Table has 

features no physical light table ever had. It is expandable (just nudge the edge with an 

image to make it bigger), can extend way beyond the viewing window, is scrollable in 

both directions, and the images are all resizable to give you ideas about future layouts. 

You can create a new Light Table at any time, save it in the Projects panel, and populate 

it by dragging images from the browser. Sorting tools allow you to expand groups of


overlapping images so that you can see each one whole. You can even select a portion 

of the Light Table and print it. 

The Loupe Tool 

In the Kodachrome era, just wearing a personal loupe in readiness for examining slides 

on a light table was enough to make novice photographers feel like David Bailey, which 

may be why Apple made such a feature of its virtual counterpart in Aperture. However, 

its first implementation was criticized because the magnified area displayed only a very 

unloupe-like circular offset. Further development made it more versatile, with a new, 

centered option that seems more intuitive than the original offset. Magnification from 

50 to 1600 percent is selectable both from the Loupe pop-up menu and the mouse’s 

scroll wheel. You can even separate the Loupe from the cursor, park it to one side, and 

examine in magnified detail the effect of adjustments as you make them. The tilde key 

toggles the Loupe on and off. 

Exploring the Interface 

Apple’s reputation has been built on superb user interfaces in all the company’s products, 

from the very first Mac to the iPhone. It was a cause of concern, therefore, that 

most people preferred the uncluttered interface of Adobe Lightroom to that of the early 

versions of Aperture. This changed with Aperture 2.0. This version makes much better 

use of available screen space, leaving more room to display the images. You can switch 

between three different modes: previews only (Browser); photo displayed in detail 

(Viewer); or both together (Browser and Viewer), with the previews running in a horizontal 

filmstrip version of the browser. A double-click on one of the previews brings 

up the large version; double-click again to return to the dual mode. One of the most 

useful shortcuts is V, which is used to cycle between the three browsing modes. 

On the left of the screen, the three tabs of the Inspector/HUD allow you to switch 

between Projects, Metadata, and Adjustments panels. Apple grandly calls this “one-key 

Inspector pane switching”—and you can simply press W to cycle through them, or 

Shift-I to change the position of the Inspector to the other side of the Aperture window. 

There is also an option to float the entire panel while you work in full-screen mode 

with a massive image, plus access to the toolbar at the top and the filmstrip-style browser 

at the bottom, both of which hide. You can also resize all three of the interface windows. 

The Projects Panel 

The Projects panel gives access to the entire Library where the latest version offers an 

All Projects view. Each project in the Library is represented by a single Key Photo 

thumbnail. When you skim the pointer across this poster image, it cycles through all 

the images in that project. Double-click on an image to open it in the main interface, 

or Control-click it to make it the Key Photo in the All Projects view. You can also browse 

your iPhoto images inside Aperture, importing single pictures or whole events.

444 


The Metadata Panel 

Aperture automatically reads the Exif metadata when you import images to the Library. 

In the Metadata Inspector you can add more details, such as captions and keywords, using 

the tools provided. For editing, you can select from around 18 metadata views, including 

Name Only, Caption Only, IPTC Basic, IPTC Expanded, and so on. This helps 

considerably to cut down the clutter of information, giving you just the details you need. 

It is easy to save metadata presets and to replace existing metadata with a new set, on 

single images or in batches. You can also lift and stamp metadata from one image to 

another, without affecting any image adjustments. As well as standard IPTC and Exif 

tags, the AppleScript Dictionary supports access to other types if you need more flexibility. 

With all these facilities there is little excuse for not including at least a photographer 

credit and a copyright notice when distributing your images electronically. 

Any image can be rated from 1 to 5 stars or marked as a reject. However, you do not 

have to go to the Metadata panel to do this. Just select the image and press a number 

key (1–5). The rating is then stored as metadata. To filter the images, you can use the 

Ratings Search pull-down menu to select the desired star rating. 

Keyword filtering is more powerful than the ratings tool, if not as cute visually. If you 

activate Keyword Controls (from Window in the menu bar), a control bar appears 

beneath the browser, from which you can add new keywords. You can also use preset 

buttons to stamp images with a set of keywords, as well as easily create a new preset button 

using drag-and-drop selection from a list of words. Yes, it is still the most tedious 

task in the whole of photography, even using Aperture’s sleek Query HUD version of 

it, but without keywords it is very difficult to search large collections of images. 

Once keywords are in place, you have plenty of search options to help you find images 

that meet the criteria you choose. You can refine search criteria with filtering options 

such as “include any of the following,” “...all of the following,” “...only the following,” 

and so on. You do not need to be a Google PhD to figure out how to use it, but a logical 

mind is helpful. Specialist libraries will almost certainly need more powerful indexing 

and search facilities, but many working photographers will find it adequate. 

The Adjustments Panel 

The Aperture Adjustments menu starts with RAW Fine Tuning, and then goes on to 

provide a full set of image-adjustment tools. Their function might be called “image processing” 

in other software, or “Develop” in Lightroom, but together they constitute the 

software’s main workshop. 

RAW Fine Tuning 

With the RAW 2.0 Converter, RAW decoding now gives better noise handling, highlight 

recovery, and color rendering, plus some innovative RAW Fine Tuning controls.


Clicking on these opens a new menu (or “brick,” as Apple calls them) with three pairs 

of slider controls. Boost and Hue Boost allow you to increase color contrast, the latter 

doing so without greatly affecting certain colors such as skin tones. Sharpening and 

Edges let you control how much sharpening is applied initially during RAW conversion. 

The Moiré and Radius pair correct moiré effects and color fringing in patterned objects. 

It is a good idea to run a few tests with different settings from all these controls, but do 

not overdo it. The output from RAW 2.0 is deliberately flatter and more neutral than 

those created by the earlier version, but it preserves more information. If you have more 

than one digital camera, you can (and should) create a different preset for each one. 

White Balance 

White balance adjustment comes with an eyedropper tool that automatically launches 

the Loupe tool to give a magnified view of a small area of the image. By running the 

eyedropper over a range of neutral or near-neutral grays, you can select the shade that 

gives the best result. Color temperature and tint can also be adjusted by slider controls. 

Adjusting Exposure 

For exposure adjustment there are four sliders. The main exposure control shifts the 

image data toward the brighter or darker ends of the histogram. A recovery slider rescues 

blown highlights to bring back lost detail. A third slider shifts the black point to 

deepen the black tones while preserving light ones, and the brightness slider is used for 

making midtones brighter or darker. Most image-processing software has similar controls, 

often with different names. 

Highlight Recovery 

There is more to highlight recovery than meets the eye. If you have shot in RAW it is 

very likely that you can rescue blown highlights, bringing back detail that was seemingly 

lost. This feature is well implemented in Aperture, with precise control provided 

by View> Highlight Hot & Cold Areas, which overlays red on the overexposed pixels 

and blue on the lost shadows. To rescue the highlights, you move the Recovery slider to 

the right; to rescue the shadows, you move the Black Point slider to the left. 

The Enhance Menu 

Contrast and local contrast (Definition) tools are the first two controls in the Enhance 

menu. Next are Saturation for overall increase of color saturation, and below it a 

Vibrancy adjuster increases color without disturbing skin tones too greatly. Three color 

tint wheels let you add tints to shadows, midtones, or highlights, although this finetuning 

adjustment can require a keen eye for subtle changes of color.

446 


The Levels Menu 

A second, tonal histogram appears in the Levels menu, on which you can move black 

point, mid-point, and white point, to change the distribution of tones within the image. 

With these controls you can easily correct landscapes that lack contrast or “punch.” 

Advanced Levels 

For more subtle tonal adjustment, Aperture offers quarter-tone control points. Like the 

midtone control of the Levels menu, these have lower and upper sliders. The right way 

to use them is to select the range of tones you want to treat separately with the upper 

slider, and then use the lower slider to brighten or darken those tones. The technique 

is not quite as familiar to photographers as setting the S-curve in Photoshop, but it does 

the same job. 

The Color Adjustment 

Because they can have an impact on color, tonal controls need to be used before addressing 

any color issues. To make changes to hues, you need to go to the last item in the 

Adjustments Inspector, the Color adjustment. As well as conventional Hue, Saturation, 

and Luminance sliders, Aperture 2.0 lets you choose custom hues by selecting them 

directly from the image. By this means you can change skin tones with great subtlety if 

you choose a narrow range of affected hues using the Range slider. 

Aperture’s Key Features 

There are several features in Aperture that are worth highlighting on account of their 

excellent ergonomics or genuine usefulness to photographers. 

The Quick Preview 

In this special mode, accessed by pressing P, Aperture loads only the preview, not the master 

image. This makes it much faster to browse, search, compare, rate, or select images, 

speed being one of the vexed issues in early versions of Aperture. You can always tell when 

you are in preview mode because the preview images (which are always superior to mere 

thumbnails) are outlined by yellow rectangles. If you need to work on an image, press P 

again to change to full resolution. After making the adjustment, pressing P once more 

takes you back to Quick Preview mode. Aperture will use whatever preview is available, 

even when you have not made any, defaulting to camera-generated previews for newly 

imported images so you can get up-and-running immediately after shooting. 

The Lift and Stamp Tools 

Apple has refined Aperture’s Lift and Stamp tools to make them really useful for speeding 

the photographic workflow. They allow you to lift metadata and adjustments from 

one image and apply them to another. To reach them, you go to the toolbar to launch


the Lift & Stamp HUD. From there, you can select the specific metadata and adjustments 

you want to apply from the displayed image to other images in the Library. This 

can speed up the process, for example, by quickly transferring a white balance adjustment 

to other images that have been shot under similar lighting conditions. 

Retouching Your Images 

This tool goes beyond “spot and patch” repairs to provide intelligent retouching with a 

soft-edged brush. In repair mode, it automatically maps the texture of the surrounding 

area, giving a perfectly clean result. The brush also has a “detect edge” mode, which 

allows you to remove blemishes near hard edges such as walls or pillars, without needing 

to cut and paste chunks of the image. Yet by changing opacity and softness, you 

have a set of controls to use in the full cloning mode for retouching larger areas. 

Baseline DNG 

Aperture can read DNG files no matter what model of camera created the original RAW 

file. Even where the program does not support a particular RAW format, it will at least 

read a DNG file derived from it. 

Command Editor 

Expert users love the Command Editor. It allows them to create their own shortcuts, mapping 

controls to any key. Many of them like to be able to use their left hand to execute 

commands, while leaving the right hand free to remain on the mouse. Apple has implemented 

this standard feature very well in Aperture by providing a picture of a keyboard 

in the Command Editor window. It indicates which keys are available and highlights those 

that have been used. There is a full set of defaults to which you can make additions or 

changes as you see fit. 

Tethered Shooting 

For the studio photographer, tethered shooting support has been a welcome addition 

to Aperture because it gives immediate full-screen feedback during shooting. To use it, 

you simply connect a supported camera to the Mac via FireWire or USB, and then 

launch the Tether HUD to control it. Here you will see some essential information 

about camera and exposure settings. Before each Tether session, you choose where you 

want to store the images, the name of the session, and the set of metadata you want to 

attach to each image. 

Output and Publishing 

The photographic workflow usually culminates in showing your images, a step that 

involves printing them or sharing them online. Aperture offers a full set of output 

options including books, slide shows, DVDs, and help with placing your images into 

online galleries.

448 


Color Management 

Aperture uses Mac OS ColorSync technology to ensure color consistency between imaging 

devices, such as scanners, digital cameras, displays, and printers. To benefit from it, 

you need to calibrate your monitor regularly, but if you do so, you will get good color 

balance in everything from contact sheets to full-sized prints. As long as you have an 

ICC profile for the output device, Aperture can simulate on your screen how the output 

will look when it is printed, a technique called soft proofing. 

Contact Sheets 

Another of Aperture’s strengths, contact sheet creation is versatile and highly automated. 

Unless you direct otherwise, the program prints only “pick” images at the top of the 

stacks, fitting them into a preset format. Among the formats is a “best fit” option, which 

makes full use of available space. You can then go ahead and print the contact sheet, 

with selected metadata if required, or save the contact sheet as a PDF file. 

Custom Books 

Another well-conceived print option is Custom Books, which provides attractive templates 

for creating and printing books containing both images and text. When you have 

put one of these together you can have it printed via Apple’s print service over the 

Internet. This output option is no afterthought: the tools are surprisingly versatile and 

the customizing features make it even more flexible. Perhaps its most striking feature is 

the ability it gives you to zoom and drag individual images once they have been placed 

in the layout. It is an operation that makes the simulated book on the screen look even 

more attractive than the printed version. Clearly it is time for someone to design an animated 

“soft album” in which choreographed pictures can move, zoom, and, on occasion, 

burst into song. 

Slide Shows 

Aperture’s slide shows do not quite go as far as the proposed “soft album,” but you can 

put them together with timings and background music. Apple calls these shows “proquality,” 

but like those in Lightroom they stop well short of the slide show mastery 

reached in the heyday of audio visual presentations using real slides on banks of computer-controlled 

Kodak Carousel projectors. 

Saving to DVD 

Even if you have backed up your Library to a vault, you may still want to burn a DVD 

of your most valuable images. One quick way of doing this in Aperture is to use the 

Smart Folders feature. It allows you to populate a top-level folder according to chosen 

criteria, such as star ratings, date, keywords, and IPTC metadata. Top-level folders span 

different projects, allowing you to take all your best images and store them safely on DVD.


It is a good idea to use Automator to add the word “DVD” when you burn the images 

to disk. This enables you next time to use “DVD” as a filter keyword, to prevent backing 

up the same images unnecessarily. If you are not sure about programming Automator 

to do this, look on the Internet at Automator.us/aperture. You’ll find this and many 

other ways of automating import/export of images to and from Aperture. 

Aperture Plug-Ins 

Before the introduction of Aperture 1.5, Apple announced an export API (Application 

Programmer Interface) that enabled third-party developers to provide alternative export 

options as plug-ins. These made it easier for the users to upload images to virtual storefronts 

and photo-sharing sites, ensuring compliance with requirements for size, format, 

and metadata. Now, with Aperture 2.0, the program has a full plug-in API that means 

that it will work like Photoshop, with third-party plug-ins for making adjustments and 

other extensions to its functionality. A full list of plug-ins can be found at Micah Walter’s 

Website called Aperture Plugged In (www.aperturepluggedin.com). 

ApertureToGallery 

Gallery is an open source, Web-based photo album organizer created by Bharat 

Mediratta. It allows you to blend photo management seamlessly into your Website, 

regardless of whether you are running a large site for a community or a small one for 

yourself. ApertureToGallery is the interface to Gallery from Aperture. 

At this site you can also find Aperture to Picasa Web Albums, ApertureToFileMaker, 

and two general tools—ApertureToArchive for archiving and ÜberUpload for Aperture 

for uploading photos to remote servers. 

See www.ubermind.com for more information. 

ApertureToPBase 

ApertureToPBase is an Aperture export plug-in that uploads photos to PBase, developed 

by David Holmes (www.davidholmes.org). His other uploaders are ApertureToPhanfare, 

ApertureToSmugMug, and ApertureToZenfolio. 

FlickrExport 

Aperture users can connect directly to Flickr, one of the most popular photo-sharing 

sites, thanks to the efforts of Fraser Speirs at Connected Flow, who also created the 

FlickrExport plug-in for iPhoto. Also available from the same source: Aperture to Final 

Cut Pro. See www.connectedflow.com. 

PhotoReflect.com 

Used by thousands of wedding and portrait photographers as a virtual storefront, 

PhotoReflect.com offers an Aperture plug-in that provides a direct link to the site. Even

450 


by the year 2005, when Aperture first launched, PhotoReflect.com showcased 100 million 

photos. It has grown substantially since then, helped in part by the ease with which 

users can now connect to the site without leaving Aperture. See www.photoreflect.com. 

Soundslides 

Export your selected images straight to a Soundslides project. Soundslides audiovisual 

authoring software is favored by photojournalists when they put their work on the 

Internet. See www.soundslides.com. 

Other plug-ins include connections to the following photo sites—Getty Images 

(www.gettyimages.com), iStockphoto (www.istockphoto.com), Photoshelter (www.photo 

shelter.com), and Pictage (www.pictage.com). 

Comments 

For sorting out pictures after a shoot, for general image handling, cataloging, and 

backup, for consistent color management, dual monitor support, creative contact printing, 

and easy Web gallery loading, Aperture is hard to beat. It raises the question—if 

you do not own an Apple Macintosh, is Aperture so good that you have to buy one? 

Were it not for Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, the answer for any photographer 

would certainly be “yes!” But the competition is formidable, so there is no clear-cut 

answer. The best advice for non-Mac users is to see it in action and decide whether its 

unique facilities, and those of the Mac environment, are worth the switch. 

Version: Aperture 2.0.1 (2008) 

OS: Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later 

RAM: 1GB, Mac Pro 2GB 

Supported file formats: Major RAW formats; JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, and DNG 


Address: Apple Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014, United States 

www.apple.com 

Summary 

The featured products presented in this chapter were discussed in greater depth because 

they shed light on many different aspects of the photographic workflow. Both of them 

have been created with substantial input from the photographic profession. Both possess 

exceptionally well designed user interfaces, showing plenty of evidence that the 

developers have thought long and hard about every feature and its implementation. 

In a real sense, Lightroom and Aperture have been made possible by the development 

of the dozens of other software packages and plug-ins listed elsewhere in this book. All 

developers are striving for the best solutions to problems that photographers are likely


to encounter; Adobe and Apple have met the challenge successfully. But this is not to 

say that these two products have all the answers. Far from it. You can equip yourself 

with software that is even more powerful by acquiring best-of-breed solutions in each 

of the different categories, from downloading to printing. 

Where Lightroom and Aperture have scored heavily is in convenience, in what might be 

called the input/output ratio. This is the amount of time you need to invest in learning 

your way around the product compared to the rewards you get from using it. Like all 

multifaceted software they set a learning curve, but it is one that is well worth climbing. 

The aim of this book has been to indicate, wherever possible, what other software 

deserves the reader’s attention and whether or not it may be worthwhile learning how 

to use it. Time is in short supply for a busy photographer who needs to travel, take pictures, 

do the processing, bill clients, and have enough time left over to catch up with 

what else is going on in the world. Software developers would do well to bear this in 

mind. In Lightroom and Aperture, they have clearly taken it to heart.


1-bit option, ProofMaster, 363 

3DVista Stitcher, 259–260 

A 

ABSoft Neat Image, 208–209 

Acclaim Software Focus Magic, 199–200 

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager, 10, 50–51 

Acolens, 425–426 

ACR (Adobe Camera RAW), 120 

Adaptive Color Restoration feature, 

Silverfast DCPro, 80 

Adaptive Dynamic Range (ADR), 258, 

273 

Add Dynamic Range feature, BW 

Workflow Pro, 158 

Add Grain feature, BW Workflow Pro, 

158 

Add Text feature, LookWow!, 221 

Adjustments panel, Aperture, 444 

Adobe Camera RAW (ACR), 120 

Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) format, 

50, 447 

Adobe Extensible Metadata Platform 

(XMP), 28, 53 

Adobe Lightroom 

categorization of, 9–10 

comments, 439 

description, 434–435 

Develop module, 437–438 

Library, 435–437 

overview, 434 

Index 

Print module, 438 

Slide Show module, 438 

Web module, 438 

Adobe Photoshop, 120–121 

Adobe Photoshop Album, 10 

Adobe Photoshop Elements, 121–123 

ADR (Adaptive Dynamic Range), 258, 

273 

Advanced Color option, ProofMaster, 

363 

Advanced Editor option, ProofMaster, 

363 

Advanced JPEG Compressor, 35–37 

Advanced mode, Retina, 117 

AESFD (Art Explosion Scrapbook 

Factory Deluxe), 280–281 

Air Dimensional script, DIGITAL GEM 

Airbrush, 220 

AKVIS Alchemy, 225–227 

album creation software 

Album Creator, 292–293 

AlbumPlus, 293–294 

Biromsoft WebAlbum, 294 

Dg Foto Art, 295–296 

Diji Album, 291, 296–297 

InAlbum, 294–295 

JAlbum, 298–299 

Kodak EasyShare, 299–300 

overview, 291–292 

Quixhibit, 291, 300–301 

SendPhotos, 301–302 

Virtual Album, 302–303

454 


Album Creator, 292–293 

AlbumPlus, 293–294 

Albums container, Aperture, 441 

Alien Skin BlowUp, 320 

Alien Skin Exposure 2, 164–165 

Alien Skin Image Doctor, 228–229 

Alien Skin Snap Art, 178 

Alien Skin splat!, 190–191 

Alien Skin Xenofex 2, 192–193 

Alienator plug-in filter, Final Impact, 

347 

All Projects view, Aperture, 443 

Altostorm Software Rectilinear 

Panorama, 254 

analglyphs, 140 

analysis and diagnostics software 

Acolens, 425–426 

DxO Analyzer, 426–427 

HotPixelRemover, 427–428 

Sandra Professional, 428–429 

Andromeda LensDoc, 250–251 

Andromeda Photography plug-ins, 182 

Andromeda RedEyePro, 217–218 

Andy plug-in, 71, 154 

animal eyes, 17, 101, 215, 218 

Animoto, 314–315 

Ansel Adams’s zone system, LightZone, 

75 

AnselPRO, 71, 84 

Anthropics Technology Portrait 

Professional, 222–223 

Anti-Aliasing plug-in, 96 

Aperture. See Apple Aperture 

ApertureToGallery plug-in, 449 

ApertureToPBase plug-in, 449 

Apple Aperture 

Adjustments panel, 444 

advanced levels, 446 

categorization of, 9 

Color adjustment, 446 

color management, 448 

Command Editor, 447 

comments, 450 

Compare mode, 442 

contact sheets, 448 

Custom Books, 448 


DNG format, 447 

Enhance menu, 445 

exposure adjustment, 445 

highlight recovery, 445 

importing images, 442 

interface, 443 

key features, 446 

Levels menu, 446 

Lift tool, 446–447 

Light Table tool, 442–443 

Loupe tool, 443 

Metadata panel, 444 

output, 447 

overview, 439 

plug-ins, 449–450 

Projects panel, 443 

publishing, 447 

Quick Preview mode, 446 

RAW Fine Tuning control, 444–445 

retouching images, 447 

saving to DVDs, 448–449 

slide shows, 448 

Stacks, 442 

Stamp tool, 446–447 

tethered shooting, 447 

white balance, 445 

Apple iPhoto, 16–17 

Apple QuickTime VR (QTVR), 258 

Applied Image Technology Shiraz, 

365–366 

Arcadia Software PhotoPerfect, 115–116 

ArcSoft Cut-It-Out, 146 

ArcSoft Panorama Maker, 260–261 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio, 123–124 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom, 84–85 

ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer, 10–11 

Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory Deluxe 

(AESFD), 280–281

art simulators 

Lucis Pro, 174 

PhotoArtist, 175–176 

Sketch Master, 176 

SketchMatrix, 177 

Snap Art, 178 

TwistingPixels Plug-ins & Filters, 

178–179 

Artistic Tools, Kubota Image Tools, 90 

Artizen HDR, 236–237 

ArtStudioPro modules, TwistingPixels, 

179 

ArtSuite tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

Asset Bank, 60–61 

Aurigma Image Uploader, 420–421 

Aurigma PhotoEditor, 124–125 

Auto Contrast feature, Optipix, 93 

Auto FX Software AutoEye, 105–106 

Auto FX Software DreamSuite, 183 

Auto FX Software Mystical Lighting, 

186–187 

Auto FX Software Photo/Graphic Edges, 

188 

Autodesk Stitcher, 270–272 

AutoEye, 105–106 

Automatic mode, Retina, 117 

Autopano Pro, 261–262 

Auto-Stack mode, Aperture, 442 

Avanquest Software SendPhotos, 

301–302 

B 

B&W converters. See black and white 

converters 

B&W Pro 2, 155 

B&W Toning action set, 167 

backup software 

Déjà Vu, 382–383 

DriveClone, 383–384 

EMC Retrospect, 387–388 

Norton Ghost, 384–385 

O&O DiskImage, 385–386 


Index 455 

Paragon Drive Backup, 387 

Silverkeeper, 388–389 

SuperDuper!, 389–390 

Synk, 390 

batch features 

BibblePro, 70 

BreezeBrowser Pro, 73 

CompuPic Pro, 12 

Bayer filter, 153 

Beauty Pilot program, 101 

Before & After display, Adobe 

Lightroom, 437 

Bellamax UpShot, 139 

BenVista PhotoArtist, 175–176 

BenVista PhotoMagic, 132–133 

BenVista PhotoZoom Pro, 322 

BibblePro, 70–72 

Bingham, Jack, 374 

Biromsoft WebAlbum, 294 

Black & White Studio plug-in, 96 

black and white (B&W) converters 

Andy, 154 

B&W Pro 2, 155 

B/W Styler, 155–156 

BW Workflow Pro, 158 


PR Black/White Studio, 156–157 

RetroGrade, 158–159, 347 

Black Definition plug-in, 96 

BlackMagic, 227–228 

Bleach Bypass PRO, 163–164 

Blend Exposures feature, Optipix, 93 

BlowUp, 320 

bluescreen technology, 151 

bokeh, 243 

Boost and Hue Boost control, Aperture, 

445 

Border Browser, ImagePrint RIP, 358 

Border Stamp, splat!, 191 

BPTLens correction, BibblePro, 72 

BR Software EXIFextracter, 32–33 

BR Software PixFiler, 55–56 

Breeze, Chris, 73

456 


Breeze Systems BreezeBrowser Pro, 

72–73 

Breeze Systems Downloader Pro, 3–5 

Breeze Systems DSLR Remote Pro, 

418–419 

Bright interactive Asset Bank, 60–61 

Brightness Editor plug-in, 97 

brightness/contrast mode, 

LightMachine, 91 

bulk updating, PixFiler, 55 

Burns, Ken, 306 

B/W conversion plug-in, 95 

B/W Styler, 155–156 

BW Workflow Pro, 158 

BW-Plus plug-in, 165 

C 

calibration, color management software, 

328 

Camera Bits Photo Mechanic, 19–20 

camera-to-PC transfer. See downloaders 

Camtasia Studio, 45 

Candlelight Effect feature, LookWow!, 

221 

Canon Digital Photo Professional 

(DPP), 12 

Canon ImageBrowser, 11 

Canon PhotoRecord, 11 

Canon ZoomBrowser EX, 11–12 

Canopus Imaginate, 308 

Canto Cumulus, 61–62 

Capture One, 73–74 

Capture Panel, FastStone Capture, 39 

CapturePost application, 414 

Cardinal, David, 52 

CardRecovery, 394–395 

Cast Shadow controls, Adobe 

Lightroom, 438 

cast types, ColorWasher, 86 

cataloging software 

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager, 10, 50–51 

DigitalPro, 51–53 

IMatch, 53–54 


PicaJet, 54–55 

PixFiler, 55–56 

Shoebox, 56–57 

category drawer, Shoebox, 56 

CC (Color Compensating) Filters action 

set, 167 

Cerious Software ThumbsPlus, 24–25 

Certify! option, ProofMaster, 363 

Chameleon tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

channel mixing, 154 

Christian, Jim, 210 

chroma key technology, 151 

Cinematic Artificial Intelligence 

technology, 314 

CMS (Content Management Systems), 

60 

cMulti plug-in, 182 

Coffin, Dave, 70 

Color Adjuster, 345–346 

Color adjustment, Aperture, 446 

Color Compensating (CC) Filters action 

set, 167 

Color Corrector plug-in, 96 

Color Efex Pro, 169–170 

Color Enhance action set, 167 

color management, Aperture, 448 

color management software 

ColorMunki Photo, 331–332 

EZcolor with i1Display 2, 332–333 

i1 Solutions, 333–334 

Kodak Profile Wizard Mio, 330–331 

MonacoPROFILER, 335 


PANTONE huey, 328–330 

PictoColor inCamera, 335–336 

PM5 PhotoStudio Pro, 341–342 

Spyder2express, 341 

Spyder3Elite, 338–339 

Spyder3Print, 337–338 

Spyder3Pro, 340 

Spyder3Studio, 336–337 

Color Overlay action set, 167

Color Pilot, 100 

Color Space Action Sets feature, Farrar 

Focus Digital Darkroom, 88 

Color Temperature (CT) Filters action 

set, 167 

color theory, 345 

color tools 

Color Adjuster, 345–346 

Final Impact, 347 

Full Spectrum RGB, 347–348 

HVC Color Composer Professional, 

348–350 

PhotoKit Color, 350–351 

Viveza, 351–352 

color wizard, Curvemeister, 86 

Color Worms, Curvemeister, 87 

ColorBurst X·Photo, 354–355 

ColorByte Software ImagePrint RIP, 

358–359 

ColorGATE PHOTOGATE, 360 

ColorMunki Photo, 331–332 

ColorTune technology, PhotoTune, 104 

ColorWasher, 85–86 

combined conversion feature, 

BreezeBrowser Pro, 72 

Comma Separated Values (CSV) files, 32 

Command Editor, Aperture, 447 

Common Actions feature, Farrar Focus 

Digital Darkroom, 88 

Compare mode, Aperture, 442 

Compatible Systems Engineering 


complex distortion, 252 

CompuPic Pro, 12–13 

Conceiva Lightbox, 18–19 

Content Management Systems (CMS), 60 

contrast blending, 235 

Contrast mask plug-in, 95 

Contrast plug-in, 96 

converters. See black and white 

converters 

cooliris PicLens, 22–23 

Cooper, Keith, 200 

Corel MediaOne Plus, 106–107 

Index 457 

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, 131 

Corel Ulead PhotoImpact X3, 138–139 

Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer, 

281–282 

Creative Home Hallmark Scrapbook 

Studio, 284–285 

CrispImage Pro, 196–197 

Cross-Processing action set, 167 

CSV (Comma Separated Values) files, 32 

CT (Color Temperature) Filters action 

set, 167 

Cubic Bézier splines 

Color Adjuster, 345 

Tone Adjuster, 98 

Curvemeister, 86–88 

curves adjustment, Curvemeister, 87f 

Curves sub-panel, Adobe Lightroom, 437 

Custom Books, Aperture, 448 

Cut! option, ProofMaster, 363 

Cut-It-Out, 146 

Cybia Final Impact, 347 

Cybia Fotomatic, 165–166 

Cybia RetroGrade, 158–159, 347 

D 

DALiM DiALOGUE, 372–373 

DAM software. See Digital Asset 

Management software 

data recovery software 

CardRecovery, 394–395 

Digital Photo Recovery, 395–396 

Digital Picture Recovery, 396–397 

DiskInternals Flash Recovery, 397 

Don’t Panic, 398–399 

eIMAGE Recovery, 399 

File Scavenger, 399–400 

IsoBuster, 400–401 

MediaRECOVER, 401–402 


PhotoRescue, 402 

R-Studio, 403 

Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery, 403–404 

Datacolor Spyder2express, 341

458 


Datacolor Spyder3Elite, 338–339 

Datacolor Spyder3Print, 337–338 

Datacolor Spyder3Pro, 340 

Datacolor Spyder3Studio, 336 

data-mining feature, FotoStation PRO, 

65 

DataPost application, 414 

DataRescue PhotoRescue, 402 

Day-for-Night filter, Tiffen Dfx, 162 

dcraw program, 70 

dead pixels, 78 

Decimus Software Synk, 390 

Decorator tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

Déjà Vu, 382–383 

depth-of-field (DoF) tools 

Depth of Field Generator PRO, 243–244 

Focus Extender, 244–245 

Helicon Focus, 245–246 

Dersch, Helmut, 267 

Designs plug-in, 182 

Detail Filter, SharpiePRO, 203 

Detail Sharpener feature, Optipix, 93 

Develop module, Adobe Lightroom, 

437–438 

Dfine, 206–207 

Dg Foto Art, 295–296 

DHP (Differential Hysteresis 

Processing), Lucis Pro, 174 

diagnostics software. See analysis and 

diagnostics software 

Dice random generator, Sketch Master, 

176 

Differential Hysteresis Processing 

(DHP), Lucis Pro, 174 

Diffract plug-in, 182 

Diffuse Glows action set, 167 

Digital Anarchy Primatte Chromakey, 

145, 149–150 

Digital Asset Management (DAM) 

software 

Asset Bank, 60–61 

Canto Cumulus, 61–62 

Expression Media, 16, 62–64 

Extensis Portfolio, 64–65 

FotoStation PRO, 65–66 

FotoWare Cameleon, 66–67 

MediaDex, 67–68 

overview, 49–50, 59–60 

Digital Beauty feature, Turbo Photo 

Editor, 100 

Digital Dozen PhotoCleaner, 112–113 

Digital Film Tools EZ Mask, 145–147 

Digital Film Tools Snap, 151 

DIGITAL GEM, 207–208, 220–221 

digital loupe feature, DigitalPro, 52 

Digital Negative (DNG) format, 50, 447 

Digital Noise Reduction action set, 167 

Digital Photo Professional (DPP), 12 

Digital Photo Recovery, 395–396 

Digital Photo Resizer, 37–38 

Digital Picture Recovery, 396–397 

Digital Pouch tool, ColorMunki Photo, 

331 

Digital River MediaDex, 67–68 

DIGITAL ROC, 229 

DIGITAL SHO, 89–90 

Digital Velvia action set, 167 

DigitalPro, 51–53 

Diji Album, 291, 296–297 

DiskInternals Flash Recovery, 397 

DNG (Digital Negative) format, 50, 447 

dockable panels feature, Ulead 

PhotoImpact X3, 138 

DoF tools. See depth-of-field tools 

Don’t Panic, 398–399 

Downloader Pro, 3–5 

downloaders 

Downloader Pro, 3–5 

RoboFolder, 6 

RoboImport, 3, 5–6 

DPHDR (Dynamic Photo HDR), 

240–241 

DPP (Digital Photo Professional), 12 

DreamSuite, 183 

DriveClone, 383–384 

DSLR Remote Pro, 418–419

DTIData Digital Picture Recovery, 

396–397 

DTIData Recover It All, 396 

Dupret, Tito, 271 

DVD Slideshow Builder, 307 

DVDs, saving to with Aperture, 

448–449 

DxO Analyzer, 426–427 

DxO Optics Pro, 248–250 

dynamic parameter paradigm, 


Dynamic Photo HDR (DPHDR), 

240–241 

Dynamic Range Compressor plug-in, 96 

E 

Eastman Kodak Company. See entries 

beginning with Kodak 

Easypano Panoweaver, 265–266 

EasyShare, 299–300 

Edgar, Albert, 229 

Edge and Surface Masks action set, 167 

Edge Detection Option panel, Fluid 

Mask, 147 

Edge Effects action set, 167 

Edgeliner plug-in, 97 

edging, splat!, 191 

editing, non-destructive, 436 

editors. See image editors 

effects software. See film simulation and 

effects software; special effects 

software 

Eijkelhof, Rogier, 322 

eIMAGE Recovery, 399 

Eisfeld Datentechnik PosterJet, 362 

EMC Retrospect, 387–388 

EMediaLive, 308 

Encore Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook 

Designer, 281–282 

Enhance Lips feature, LookWow!, 221 

Enhance menu, Aperture, 445 

enhancement, skin tone. See skin tone 

enhancement software 

Index 459 

Enhancer tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

ePaperPress PTLens, 251–253 

ErgoSoft StudioPrint RIP, 367–369 

Esman, Jan, 96 

Evening, Martin, 202 

Events feature, iPhoto, 17 

Exchangeable image file format (Exif) 

tools 

EXIFextracter, 32–33 

ExifPro Image Viewer, 28–29 

ExifTool, 29–30 

Opanda IExif Pro, 30–31 

Opanda PowerExif, 31–32 


Exif Pilot program, 101 

Exif tools. See Exchangeable image file 

format tools 

EXIFextracter, 32–33 

ExifPro Image Viewer, 28–29 

ExifTool, 29–30 

Expert Console, Spyder3Elite, 339 

Exposure 2, 164–165 

exposure adjustment, Aperture, 445 

Exposure Corrector plug-in, 96 

ExpressDigital Darkroom, 406–407 

Expression Media, 16, 62–64 

Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP), 

28, 53 

Extensis Portfolio, 64–65 

EZ Mask, 145–147 

EZcolor with i1Display 2, 332–333 

F 

Farrar Focus Digital Darkroom, 88–89 

Farrar, Timothy, 88 

FarStone Technology DriveClone, 

383–384 

FastFix plug-in, 165 

FastStone Capture, 35, 38–39 

FastStone Image Viewer, 13–14 

FastStone MaxView, 15–16 

FastStone Photo Resizer, 35, 39 

Faux Infrared action set, 167

460 


fCoder Group PhotoMix, 288–289 

FDRTools, 237–238 

feathering, LightZone, 75 

fieldOfView Shockwave panorama 

viewer (SPi-V), 273 

File Scavenger, 399–400 

Film Grain plug-in, 96 

film simulation and effects software 

Bleach Bypass PRO, 163–164 

Exposure 2, 164–165 

Fotomatic, 165–166 

Light’s Right Photoshop Action Sets, 

166–168 

Nik Color Efex Pro, 169–170 

overview, 161 

RealGrain, 166 

Tiffen Dfx Digital Filter Suite, 162–163 

Velvia Vision, 168 

virtualPhotographer, 169 

Filter Factory module, Plugin Manager, 

43 

Filters Unlimited, 184–185 

Final Impact, 347 

FirmTools Album Creator, 292–293 

FirstPROOF, 373–374 

fisheye lenses, 258 

FixerLabs FixerBundle, 197–198 

FixerLabs SizeFixer, 324–325 

flags, PTGui, 267, 268f 

FlickrExport plug-in, 449 

Fluid Mask, 147–148 

Fluoron plug-in filter, Final Impact, 347 

FocalBlade, 198 

Focus Extender, 244–245 

Focus Magic, 199–200 

FocusFixer, FixerBundle, 197 

Folders container, Aperture, 441 

FotoFinish, 282–283 

FotoFusion, 283–284 

Fotomatic, 165–166 

FotoStation PRO, 65–66 

FotoWare Cameleon, 66–67 

FotoWare FotoStation PRO, 65–66 

Fournaris, George, 95 

framing utility, splat!, 191 

Fraser, Bruce, 202 

FreeGamma Lobster, 92–93 

free-text searching, 60 

From Scratch mode, MemoryMixer, 286 

Fuji RAF format, 11 

Full Spectrum RGB, 347–348 

full-screen editing, iPhoto, 16 

G 

Galaxy Digital Photo Recovery, 395–396 

Gamma Specific Actions features, Farrar 


Gaudreault, Geoffrey P., 312–313 

Genuine Fractals, 320–321 

Gewirtz, David, 179 

G-Force plug-in, 165 

Gibbs, Todd, 99 

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation 

Program), 125–126 

GinaPRO, 71, 219–220 

Global Graphics Software Harlequin 

RIP, 356–357 

GNU Image Manipulation Program 

(GIMP), 125–126 

Golden Section plug-in, 96, 97f 

Google Earth, 20 

Google Picasa, 20–21, 55 

GPS Settings dialog box, Downloader 

Pro, 4 

Gradient blur plug-in, 95 

Graduated Color plug-in, 96 

Granite Bear Photo One, 407–408 

Graphic Communications Group, 330 

“green- and yellow-eye” reduction, 

IrfanView, 17 

H 

H&M Software StudioLine Photo 

Classic, 136–137 

Hallmark Scrapbook Studio, 284–285

Halo plug-in, 182 

Hamillroad Software FirstPROOF, 

373–374 

Hamrick Software VueScan, 231–232 

Harlequin RIP, 356–357 

Harvey, Phil, 29–30 

HDR Shop, 238–239 

HDR software. See High Dynamic 

Range software 

HDRsoft SARL Photomatix Pro, 239 

Helicon Filter, 126–127 

Helicon Focus, 245–246 

Hellmuth, Nicholas, 367 

High Dynamic Range (HDR) software 

Artizen HDR, 236–237 

Dynamic Photo HDR, 240–241 

FDRTools, 237–238 

HDR Shop, 238–239 


Photomatix Pro, 239 

Zoner Photo Studio, 140 

highlight recovery, Aperture, 445 

Hi-Spot plug-in, 165 

Histogram Repair plug-in, 96 

History list, Adobe Lightroom, 437 

Holmes, David, 449 

homogeneity mapping, Raw Therapee, 77 

Horváth, Gábor, 76–77 

hot pixels, 78, 427 

hot swap feature, ToneUp S3, 99 


HotShot plug-in filter, Final Impact, 347 

hue clock, Curvemeister, 86–87 

HumanEyes Capture3D for 

Photographers, 185–186 

HVC Color Composer Professional, 

348–350 

Hyman, Eric, 72 

I 

i1 Solutions, 333–334 

I.C. NET Software Filters Unlimited, 

184–185 

Index 461 

I.C. NET Software Photo Aging Kit, 187 

I.C. NET Software Plugin Manager, 

42–43 

ICC (International Color Consortium), 

327–328 

Icegiant Software Digital Photo Resizer, 

37–38 

Ichikawa Soft Laboratory (ISL) 

SILKYPIX Developer Studio, 78–79 

ICM (Image Color Management), 

MediaDex, 67 

iCorrect EditLab ProApp, 103, 108–109 

iCorrect OneClick, 107–108 

ICS (Integrated Color Solutions) 

Remote Director, 374–375 

Idruna Software Pocket Phojo, 423 

IExif Pro, 30–31 

Ilford Studio, 357–358 

Illumination Editor plug-in, 96 

Image Color Management (ICM), 

MediaDex, 67 

Image Content Technology Lucis Pro, 174 

Image Doctor, 228–229 

image editors 

Adobe Photoshop, 120–121 

Adobe Photoshop Elements, 121–123 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio, 123–124 

Aurigma PhotoEditor, 124–125 

GIMP, 125–126 

Helicon Filter, 126–127 

Image Genius Professional, 127–128 

LEADViEW, 128–129 

Nikon Capture NX, 129–130 


Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, 131 

Photobie, 133–135 

Photo-Brush, 132 

PhotoMagic, 132–133 

STOIK PictureMan Pro, 135–136 

StudioLine Photo Classic, 136–137 

Ulead PhotoImpact X3, 138–139 

UpShot, 139 

Zoner Photo Studio, 140–141

462 


Image Genius Professional, 127–128 

image processors 

AnselPRO, 71, 84 

ArcSoft PhotoStudio Darkroom, 84–85 

ColorWasher, 85–86 

Curvemeister, 86–88 

Farrar Focus Digital Darkroom, 88–89 

Kodak DIGITAL SHO, 89–90 

Kubota Image Tools, 90 

LightMachine, 91–92 

Lobster, 92–93 

Optipix, 93–94 

overview, 83 

PhotoKit, 94 

Photo-Plugins, 95 

Power Retouche plug-ins, 95–98 


ToneUp S3, 99 

Turbo Photo Editor, 99–100 

Two Pilots software, 100–101 

image rescalers 

BlowUp, 320 

Genuine Fractals, 320–321 

Liquid Resize, 322–324 

overview, 319 

PhotoZoom Pro, 322 

SizeFixer, 324–325 

Image Resizer for Photoshop action sets, 

167 

Image Toner action set, 167 

Image Uploader, 420–421 

image viewers 

Adobe Photoshop Album, 10 

ArcSoft RAW Thumbnail Viewer, 11 

Canon ZoomBrowser EX, 11–12 

CompuPic Pro, 12–13 

FastStone Image Viewer, 13–14 

FastStone MaxView, 15–16 

iPhoto, 16–17 

IrfanView, 17–18 

Lightbox, 18–19 


Photo Mechanic, 19–20 

Picasa, 20–21, 55 

PicLens, 22–23 

STOIK Imagic, 23–24 

ThumbsPlus, 24–25 

XnView, 25–26 

ImageAssembler, 262–263 

ImageBrowser, 11 

ImageMatics StillMotion Professional, 

306–307 

Imagenomic Noiseware, 211, 212f 

Imagenomic Portraiture, 223 

Imagenomic RealGrain, 166 

ImagePrint RIP, 358–359 

Image-Pro Plus, 83 

ImageRecall Don’t Panic, 398–399 

Imaginate, 308 

IMatch, 53–54 

ImmerVision PanoPrinter, 264 

ImmerVision Pure Starter Toolkit, 

269–270 

InAlbum, 294–295 

IncrediTools InAlbum, 294–295 

InstaMix mode, MemoryMixer, 286 

instant styles feature, LightZone, 76 

Integrated Color Solutions (ICS) 


Intellihance Pro, 109–110 

Intellisharpen, 200–201 

Interactive Interpolation feature, 

Optipix, 93 

International Color Consortium (ICC), 

327–328 

International Press Telecommunications 

Council (IPTC) metadata, 19, 28 

interpolation, 319 

Intuit QuickBooks, 415–416 

iPhoto, 16–17 

IPTC (International Press 

Telecommunications Council) 

metadata, 19, 28 

Iridient Digital RAW Developer, 77 

iseemedia Photovista Panorama, 266–267 

ISL (Ichikawa Soft Laboratory) 

SILKYPIX Developer Studio, 78–79

IsoBuster, 400–401 

ITP Professional, 422–423 

iView Media Pro, 16, 62 

J 

JAlbum, 298–299 

Jones, Clayton, 365 

JPEG Cleaner feature, Optipix, 93 

JPEG format, 27 

JPEG Repair tool, Image Doctor, 228 

JPEG Wizard, 35, 40 

K 

KavaSoft Shoebox, 56–57 

Kekus Digital LensFix CI, 253 

Keydar, Moshe, 113 

keyword filtering, Aperture, 444 

Kimball, Spencer, 125 

KlearVision Photo-D, 113–114 

Klimpt feature, Lucis Pro, 174 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM, 207–208 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM Airbrush, 

220–221 

Kodak DIGITAL ROC, 229 

Kodak DIGITAL SHO, 89–90 

Kodak EasyShare, 299–300 

Kodak Graphic Communications 

Group, 330 

Kodak Matchprint, 375–376 

Kodak Profile Wizard Mio, 330–331 

Kokemohr, Nils, 201 

Kolor Autopano Pro, 261–262 

Kowalski, Michal, 28–29 

Kroonenberg, Ronnie, 212–213 


Kubota, Kevin, 90 

Kubota Studio Set, 90 

L 

LaCie Silverkeeper, 388–389 

Landofcom Software PhotoELF, 286 

Lang, Edwin, 225, 230 

Index 463 

LaserSoft Imaging Silverfast DCPro, 

80–81 

Lasting Impressions MemoryMixer, 280, 

285–286 

Layer Pilot program, 101 

LEADViEW, 128–129 

Lens correction plug-ins, 95–96 

lens correction utility, ArcSoft 

PhotoStudio Darkroom, 85 

Lens Corrector PRO, 250 

lens distortion correction 

DxO Optics Pro, 248–250 

Lens Corrector PRO, 250 

LensDoc, 250–251 

LensFix CI, 253 


PTLens, 251–253 

Rectilinear Panorama, 254 

LensDoc, 250–251 

LensFix CI, 253 

Lensflare Creator, 269–270 

Levchin, Max, 313 

Levels menu, Aperture, 446 

Library, Adobe Lightroom, 435–437 

Lift tool, Aperture, 446–447 

Light Crafts LightZone, 74–76 

Light Table tool, Aperture, 442–443 

Lightbox, 18–19 

LightMachine, 91–92 

Lightning Cube Software 


Lightning TIFF plug-in, 356 

Lightroom. See Adobe Lightroom 

Light’s Right Photoshop Action Sets, 

166–168 

LightShop tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

LightZone, 74–76 

Linear Specific Actions feature, Farrar 


Liquid Resize, 322–324 

list tab, Expression Media, 63 

Lobster, 92–93 

Local contrast enhancement plug-in, 95

464 


LookWow!, 221–222 

Loupe tool, Aperture, 443 

L-Star Technology, Spyder3Elite, 339 

Lucis Pro, 174 

LumaPix FotoFusion, 283–284 

Lyford, Kirk, 45 

M 

Magic Cut, ArcSoft PhotoStudio, 123 

Magic Wand selector, Photo-Brush, 132 

MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & 

DVD 6, 309 

Magnetic Lasso, ArcSoft PhotoStudio, 

123 

Make Rectangle feature, LensDoc, 251 

makernote tags, ExifPro Image Viewer, 

28–29 

MakeUp Pilot program, 101 

management, color. See color 

management software 

Manfrotto macro rail, Helicon Focus, 

246 

Marker, Chris, 316 

Marky plug-in, 71 

Mask Pro, 148–149 

masking tools 

ArcSoft Cut-It-Out, 146 

EZ Mask, 145–147 

Fluid Mask, 147–148 

Mask Pro, 148–149 

Primatte Chromakey, 149–150 

Recomposit, 150–151 

Snap, 151–152 

Master Colors HVC Color Composer 


Master files, Aperture, 441 

Matchprint, 375–376 

Mattis, Peter, 125 

Matty plug-in, 72 

Max option, Portrait Professional, 222 

McClouds filter, PixelRibs, 190 

McCollough, Ferrell, 237 

McTurbulence effect, PixelRibs, 190 

Media Cybernetics Image-Pro Plus, 83 

media tab, Expression Media, 63 

Mediachance Dynamic Photo HDR 

(DPHDR), 240 

Mediachance Photo-Brush, 132 

Mediachance PureImage NR, 213 

Mediachance UltraSnap PRO, 46 

MediaDex, 67–68 

MediaRECOVER, 401–402 

Mediratta, Bharat, 449 

Mega-Graphic Digitals Still Effects, 

191–192 

MemoryMixer, 280, 285–286 

Metadata panel, Aperture, 444 

Mezzo Line-Screen plug-in, 182 

Microsoft Expression Media, 16, 62–64 

Microsoft Windows Presentation 

Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E) 


Microspot Photo Tools, 114–115 

Miranda, Fred, 158, 168, 200–201 

Moiré control, Aperture, 445 

Moment Camera technique, Photoshop 

Elements, 123 

MonacoPROFILER, 335 

Mosaic features, splat!, 191 

multilingual support 

PicaJet, 55 

RoboFolder, 6 

RoboImport, 5 

Shoebox, 56 

Multiple Descriptions mode, Image 

Uploader, 421 

multi-threaded Light Table feature, 

DigitalPro, 52 

Munsell, Albert H., 349 

My Day feature, The Photographic 

Organiser, 413 

Mystical Lighting, 186–187 

N 

Nanian, David, 389 

Neat Image, 208–209

NEF (Nikon Electronic Image Format), 

40–41 

NEFView, 35, 40–41 

NetCorporation ImageMatics 

StillMotion Professional, 306–307 

NeuralTek BlackMagic, 227–228 

NeuralTek SketchMatrix, 177 

New House Internet Services PTGui, 

267–269 

Nexi Andy plug-in, 71, 154 

Nexi AnselPRO, 71, 84 

Nexi GinaPRO, 71, 219–220 

Nexi Marky plug-in, 71 

Nexi Matty plug-in, 72 

Nexi Percy plug-in, 72 

Nexi Roy plug-in, 364 

Nexi SharpiePRO, 72, 203 

Nieuwenhuijse, Joost, 267, 269 

NightScope plug-in, 165 

Nik Color Efex Pro, 169–170 

Nik Dfine, 206–207 

Nik Sharpener Pro, 201 

Nik Viveza, 351–352 

Nikon Capture NX, 129–130 

Nikon Electronic Image Format (NEF), 

40–41 

Noise Buster tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

Noise Corrector plug-in, 96 

Noise Ninja, 209–211 

noise reduction software 

Dfine, 206–207 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM, 207–208 

Neat Image, 208–209 

Noise Ninja, 209–211 

Noiseware, 211, 212f 

Picture Cooler, 212–213 

PureImage NR, 213–214 

NoiseFixer, FixerBundle, 197 

Noiseware, 211, 212f 

non-destructive editing, 436 

Noromis PhotoLab, 110–111 

Norton Ghost, 384–385 

Index 465 

Nova Development Art Explosion 

Scrapbook Factory Deluxe 

(AESFD), 280–281 

Nurizon Software Acolens, 425–426 

O 

O&O DiskImage, 385–386 

Octanesoft.com eIMAGE Recovery, 399 

OmniStitcher, 265 

OnLocation module, StudioPlus, 410 

onOne Software Genuine Fractals, 

320–321 

onOne Software Intellihance Pro, 109 

onOne Software Liquid Resize, 322–324 

onOne Software Mask Pro, 148–149 

onOne Software PhotoFrame Pro, 

188–189 

onOne Software PhotoTune, 104–105 

onOne Software SkinTune, 105, 224 

Onyx Graphics PosterShop, 359–360 

Opanda IExif Pro, 30–31 

Opanda PowerExif, 31–32 

optikVerve Labs virtualPhotographer, 

169 

Optipix, 93–94 

OutPost application, Timestone Range, 

414 

P 

P2P (peer-to-peer) software, 41 

Package Crypter, Pure Starter Toolkit, 

269–270 

Package Maker, Pure Starter Toolkit, 

269–270 

Paint plug-in, IrfanView, 17 

Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, 131 

PanaVue ImageAssembler, 262–263 

pano heads, 257 

PanoPrinter, 264 

Panorama Factory, 274–275 

Panorama FileMaker, Pure Starter 

Toolkit, 269–270

466 


Panorama Image Extractor, Pure Starter 

Toolkit, 269 

Panorama Maker, 260–261 

panorama software 

3DVista Stitcher, 259–260 

ArcSoft Panorama Maker, 260–261 

Autodesk Stitcher, 270–272 

Autopano Pro, 261–262 

ImageAssembler, 262–263 


PanoPrinter, 264 

The Panorama Factory, 274–275 

PanoStitcher, 264–265 

Panoweaver, 265–266 

Photovista Panorama, 266–267 

PTGui, 267–269 

Pure Starter Toolkit, 269–270 

Serif PanoramaPlus, 272 

SPi-V, 273 

STOIK PanoramaMaker, 274 

PanoStitcher, 264–265 

Panoweaver, 265–266 

PANTONE huey, 328–330 

Paragon Drive Backup, 387 

PDR (Personal Data Recovery), 382 

peer-to-peer (P2P) software, 41 

Pegasus Imaging Corporation JPEG 

Wizard, 35, 40 

Percy plug-in, 72 

PerfectProof ProofMaster, 363 

Personal Data Recovery (PDR), 382 

Perspective Pilot program, 101 

Pet Eye Pilot program, 101 

pet mode, RedEyePro, 218 

Peterson, Moose, 52 

Phase One Capture One, 73–74 

Photo Aging Kit, 187 

Photo Downloader feature, Photoshop, 3 

photo enhancement utilities. See image 

processors 

Photo Mechanic, 19–20 

Photo One, 407–408 

Photo Print Pilot program, 101 

photo restoration software 

AKVIS Alchemy, 225–227 

BlackMagic, 227–228 

Image Doctor, 228–229 

Kodak DIGITAL ROC, 229 

PhotoFlair, 230–231 

VueScan, 231–232 

photo stitching. See panorama software 

Photo Tools, 114–115 

PHOTO&FINEART Module, 

PHOTOGATE, 360 

PhotoArtist, 175–176 

Photobie, 133–135 

Photobot, 111–112 

Photo-Brush, 132 

photocasting, iPhoto, 16 

PhotoCleaner, 112–113 

Photo-D, 113–114 

Photodex CompuPic Pro, 12–13 

Photodex ProShow Producer, 310 

PhotoELF, 286–288 

PhotoFix, Photo Tools, 114 

PhotoFlair, 230–231 

PhotoFrame Pro, 188–189 


Photo/Graphic Edges, 188 

Photographic Filters action set, 167 

Photographic Organiser, The (TPO), 

412–414 

PhotoKit Color, 350–351 

PhotoKit image processor, 94 

PhotoKit Sharpener, 202–203 

PhotoMagic, 132–133 

Photomatix Pro, 239 

PhotoMix, 288–289 

PhotoPerfect, 115–116 

Photo-Plugins, 95 

PhotoPRINT, 361 

photo-processing features, UltraSnap 

PRO, 46 

PhotoRecord, 11 

PhotoReflect.com plug-in, 449–450 

PhotoRescue, 402

Photoshop, 120–121 

Photoshop Action sets 


Light’s Right, 166–168 

Photoshop Album, 10 

Photoshop Elements, 121–123 

PhotoStudio, 123–124 

PhotoStudio Darkroom, 84–85 

PhotoTune, 104–105 

Photovista Panorama, 266–267 

PhotoWiz B/W Styler, 155–156 

PhotoWiz ColorWasher, 85–86 

PhotoWiz FocalBlade, 198 

PhotoWiz LightMachine, 91–92 

PhotoXtra, Photo Tools, 114 

PhotoZoom Pro, 322 

PicaJet photo organizer, 5, 54–55 

PicaJet RoboFolder, 6 

PicaJet RoboImport, 3, 5–6 

Picasa, 20–21, 55 

PicLens, 22–23 

PictoColor Corporation iCorrect 

EditLab ProApp, 103, 108–109 

PictoColor Corporation iCorrect 

OneClick, 107–108 

PictoColor inCamera, 335–336 

Picture Cooler, 212–213 

Picture Index contact sheets, CompuPic 

Pro, 12 

PictureCode Noise Ninja, 209–211 

PI/E (Pro Invoice/Estimate), 408–409 

Pierre-E Gougelet XnView, 25–26 

Pike, Andy, 127 

Pixagent ITP Professional, 422–423 

Pixel Dragons Limited Image Genius 


Pixel Image Converter, MediaDex, 67 

Pixel Ribs, 190 

PixelCreation module, TwistingPixels, 

179 

PixelGenius PhotoKit Color, 350–351 

PixelGenius PhotoKit image processor, 94 

PixelGenius PhotoKit Sharpener, 202 

Index 467 

PixelLive VFZ/PFZ format, 64 

PixelPack module, TwistingPixels, 179 

PixelPaper module, TwistingPixels, 179 

PixelRibs McFilters, 190 

PixelSampler module, TwistingPixels, 

179 

PixFiler, 55–56 

Pixtra Corp OmniStitcher, 265 

Pixtra Corp PanoStitcher, 264–265 

PixtraTour feature, PanoStitcher, 265 

PixVillage, 41 

Plugin Commander, 42 

Plugin Manager, 42–43 

Plugin Site Plugin Commander, 42 

plug-ins, Aperture, 449–450 

PM5 PhotoStudio Pro, 341–342 

Point a Person feature, Virtual Album, 

302 

Portfolio Express palette, Extensis 

Portfolio, 64 

Portrait Professional, 222–223 

Portraiture, 223 

Posterizer plug-in, 97 

PosterJet, 362 

Power Median feature, Optipix, 93 

PowerExif, 31–32 

PowerRetouche plug-ins, 95–98 

PowerRetouche PR Black/White Studio, 

156–157 

PR Black/White Studio, 156–157 

Precision Stochastic Screens (PSS) halftoning, 

Wasatch, 366 

Primatte Chromakey, 145, 149–150 

Print module, Adobe Lightroom, 438 

Print Pilot program, 101 

Print Settings dialog box, StudioPrint 

RIP, 368f 

Print Through Application (PTAPP) 

option, ImagePrint RIP, 358 

PrintmiX module, Photo Tools, 114 

Prism plug-in, 182 

Pro Invoice/Estimate (PI/E), 408–409 

Pro Shooters DigitalPro, 51–53 

procedure, 393–394

468 


processors. See image processors 

Production Tools, Kubota Image Tools, 

90 

Productive IT The Photographic 

Organiser (TPO), 412–414 

professional tools. See studio software; 

Web, wireless, and remote access 

tools 

Projects container, Aperture, 441 

Projects panel, Aperture, 443 

proofing. See virtual proofing software 

PROOF-it-ONLINE, 376–377 

ProofMaster, 363 

Propaganda Productions Déjà Vu, 

382–383 

ProShow Producer, 310 

Pseudo-IR plug-in, 165 

PSS (Precision Stochastic Screens) halftoning, 

Wasatch, 366 

PTAPP (Print Through Application) 

option, ImagePrint RIP, 358 

PTGui, 267–269 

PTLens, 251–253 

Pure Starter Toolkit, 269–270 

PureImage NR, 213–214 

PXL Soft Dg Foto Art, 295–296 

Q 

QTVR (QuickTime VR), 258 

QuadToneRIP, 364–365 

QueTek Consulting Corporation File 

Scavenger, 399–400 

Quick Preview mode, Apple Aperture, 

441, 446 

Quick Selections action set, 167 

QuickBooks, 415–416 

quick-fix software 

AutoEye, 105–106 

Corel MediaOne Plus, 106–107 

iCorrect EditLab ProApp, 103, 

108–109 

iCorrect OneClick, 107–108 

Intellihance Pro, 109–110 

Noromis PhotoLab, 110–111 

overview, 103 

Photo Tools, 114–115 

Photobot, 111–112 

PhotoCleaner, 112–113 

Photo-D, 113–114 

PhotoPerfect, 115–116 

PhotoTune, 104–105 

Retina, 117–118 

QuickMix mode, MemoryMixer, 286 

QuickTime VR (QTVR), 258 

Quixhibit, 291, 300–301 

R 

Radar Software Virtual Album, 302–303 

Radial Density Corrector plug-in, 96 

Radius control, Aperture, 445 

RAF format, 74 

Rainbow plug-in, 182 

Raster Image Processor (RIP) software 


Harlequin RIP, 356–357 

Ilford Studio, 357–358 

ImagePrint RIP, 358–359 

Onyx PosterShop, 359–360 



PhotoPRINT, 361 

PosterJet, 362 

ProofMaster, 363 

QuadToneRIP, 364–365 

Shiraz, 365–366 

SoftRIP, 366–367 

StudioPrint RIP, 367–369 

RasterCreator option, ProofMaster, 363 

RAW converters 

BibblePro, 70–72 

BreezeBrowser Pro, 72–73 

Capture One, 73–74 

LightZone, 74–76 


RAW Developer, 77–78

Raw Photo Processor, 81 

Raw Therapee, 76–77 


Silverfast DCPro, 80–81 

RAW Developer, 77–78 

RAW Fine Tuning control, Apple 

Aperture, 444–445 

Raw Photo Processor (RPP), 81 

Raw Therapee, 76–77 

RAW Thumbnail Viewer, 10–11 

Read, Jon, 164 

read-out noise, 205 

RealGrain, 166 

REALVIZ Autodesk Stitcher, 270–272 

Rebisz, Patryk, 316 

Recomposit, 150–151 

Recover It All, 396 

recovery, data. See data recovery software 

Recovery option, Lightroom, 437 

Rectilinear Panorama, 254 

Red Eye Pilot, 101, 215–217 

Red Paw Media B&W Pro 2, 155 

Red Paw Media Bleach Bypass PRO, 

163–164 

red-eye removal software 

Red Eye Pilot, 101, 215–217 

RedEyePro, 217–218 

STOIK RedEye Autofix, 218 

RedEyePro, 217–218 

Redfield Plug-in Sketch Master, 176 

Reeder, Ron, 365 

Refocus feature, Optipix, 93 

Reichmann, Michael, 419 

Reindeer Graphics Focus Extender, 

244–245 

Reindeer Graphics Optipix, 93–94 

Reinhard Tone Mapping, 238 

remote access tools. See Web, wireless, 

and remote access tools 


Render dialog box, Autopano Pro, 261 

rescalers. See image rescalers 

Index 469 

resize algorithm, STOIK PictureMan 

Pro, 136 

Resize Pilot program, 101 

Resnick, Seth, 202 

restoration software. See photo 

restoration software 

Retina, 117–118 

Retouch Pilot program, 101 

Retoucher tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

retouching images 

Aperture, 447 

Bellamax UpShot, 139 

RetroGrade, 158–159, 347 

Review Team feature, PROOF-it- 

ONLINE, 377 

Richardson-Lucy Deconvolution, RAW 

Developer, 78 

Rigg, James, 271 

Riiber, Baard, 56 

RIP software. See Raster Image 

Processor software 

Rister, Benjamin, 390 

RLW Concepts Pro Invoice/Estimate 

(PI/E), 408–409 

Roark, Paul, 365 

RoboFolder, 6 

RoboImport, 3, 5–6 

Rodney, Andrew, 202 

Rosenman, Richard, 243–244, 250 

Rotation Pilot program, 101 

Rowe, Peter, 169 

Roy Harrington QuadToneRIP, 364–365 

Roy plug-in, 71 

RPP (Raw Photo Processor), 81 

R-tools Technology R-Studio, 403 

Russell, Mike, 86–88 

S 

SA International PhotoPRINT, 361 

Sabet, Ramin, 324 

Sabet-Wasinger, Irmgard, 324 

Sandra Professional, 428–429 

Sapiano, Thomas, 422

470 


Saturation control, Aperture, 445 

Saturation Mask action set, 167 

Saturation plug-in, 96 

Scalf, Mike, 408 

Schewe, Jeff, 202 

Schömann, Andreas, 237–238 

scrapbooking software 

Art Explosion Scrapbook Factory 

Deluxe, 280–281 

Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook 

Designer, 281–282 

FotoFinish, 282–283 

Hallmark Scrapbook Studio, 284–285 

LumaPix FotoFusion, 283–284 

MemoryMixer, 280, 285–286 


PhotoELF, 286–288 

PhotoMix, 288–289 

Smilebox, 280, 289–290 

Scratch Remover tool, Image Doctor, 228 

screen capture profile, SnagIt, 44 

Sean Puckett. See entries beginning with 

Nexi 

Secret Photos program, 101 

Selective Color Correction feature, 

Silverfast DCPro, 80 

Selective saturation plug-in, 95 

SendPhotos, 301–302 

Sepia Tint action set, 167 

Serafino, Vito, 127 

Serif AlbumPlus, 293–294 

Serif PanoramaPlus, 272 

Settings dialog box, Autopano Pro, 261 

ShadowFixer, FixerBundle, 197 

shadows/highlights mode, 

LightMachine, 91 

Sharpener Pro, 201 

Sharpening and Edges control, Aperture, 

445 

sharpening software 

CrispImage Pro, 196–197 

FixerBundle, 197–198 

FocalBlade, 198 

Focus Magic, 199–200 

Intellisharpen, 200–201 

Nik Sharpener Pro, 201 


PhotoKit Sharpener, 202–203 

SharpiePRO, 72, 203 

Sharpening Toolkit action set, 167 

SharpiePRO, 72, 203 

Sharpness Editor plug-in, 96 

Shiraz, 365–366 

ShirtPocket SuperDuper!, 389–390 

Shockwave panorama viewer (SPi-V), 273 

Shoebox, 56–57 

SIFT algorithm, Autopano Pro, 262 


Silver Pilot program, 101 

Silverfast DCPro, 80–81 

Silverkeeper, 388–389 

simulators. See art simulators; film 

simulation and effects software 

SiSoftware Sandra Professional, 428–429 

SizeFixer, 324–325 

Sketch Master, 176 

Sketch tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 


Skiljan, Irfan, 17–18 

skin tone enhancement software 

GinaPRO, 71, 219–220 

Kodak DIGITAL GEM Airbrush, 

220–221 

LookWow!, 221–222 

Portrait Professional, 222–223 

Portraiture, 223 

SkinTune, 105, 224 

SkinTune, 105, 224 

Skurski, Mike, 202 

SkyGrad plug-in, 165 

slide show creation software 

Animoto, 314–315 

DVD Slideshow Builder, 307 

ImageMatics StillMotion Professional, 

306–307 

Imaginate, 308

MAGIX Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & 

DVD 6, 309 

overview, 305 

ProShow Producer, 310 

Slide.com, 313 

Slideroll, 312–313 

Soundslides, 311–312, 450 

SWF ’n Slide, 315–316 

Slide Show module, Adobe Lightroom, 

438 

Slide Show Pilot program, 101 

Slide.com, 313 

Slideroll, 312–313 

Sloppy Borders, Kubota Image Tools, 90 

Smart Crop feature, ImagePrint RIP, 358 

Smart Fill tool, Image Doctor, 228 

Smart InfoIcons, DigitalPro, 52 

Smart Projects IsoBuster, 400–401 

SmartClean, FotoStation PRO, 65 

SmartColor, FotoStation PRO, 65 

SmartColor Wizard feature, iCorrect 

EditLab ProApp, 108 

SmartDraw.com FotoFinish, 282–283 

SmartMask tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

Smilebox, 280, 289–290 

Smoky City Design The Panorama 

Factory, 274–275 

sMulti plug-in, 182 

SnagIt, 43–45, 135 

Snap, 151–152 

Snap Art, 178 

Soft Filter plug-in, 97 

Soft focus plug-in, 95 

SoftProof option, ProofMaster, 363 

soft-proofing 

Aperture, 448 

versus virtual proofing, 371 

SoftRIP, 366–367 

SoftWhile Color Adjuster, 345–346 

SoftWhile CrispImage Pro, 196–197 

SoftWhile NEFView, 35, 40–41 

SoftWhile Tone Adjuster, 98 

sorting. See cataloging software 

Index 471 

Soundslides, 311–312, 450 

special effects software 

Andromeda Photography plug-ins, 182 

DreamSuite, 183 

Filters Unlimited, 184–185 

HumanEyes Capture3D for 

Photographers, 185–186 

Mystical Lighting, 186–187 

overview, 181 

Photo Aging Kit, 187 

PhotoFrame Pro, 188–189 

Photo/Graphic Edges, 188 

PixelRibs McFilters, 190 

SnagIt, 44 

splat!, 190–191 

Still Effects, 191–192 

Xenofex 2, 192–193 

SPi-V (Shockwave panorama viewer), 273 

splat!, 190–191 

Split Channels action set, 167 

Split Toning action set, 167 

Spot Lifter tool, Image Doctor, 228 

Spyder2express, 341 

Spyder3Elite, 338–339 

Spyder3Print, 337–338 

Spyder3Pro, 340 

Spyder3Studio, 336–337 

S-Spline algorithm, PhotoMagic, 133 

Stacks, Apple Aperture, 442 

Stafford, Alan, 121 

StageTools, 306 

Stamp tool, AKVIS Alchemy, 226 

Stamp tool, Apple Aperture, 446–447 

Stellar Phoenix Photo Recovery, 

403–404 

Stepok Image Lab Recomposit, 150–151 

Stepok Image Lab Turbo Photo Editor, 

99 

Still Effects, 191–192 

stitching. See panorama software 

STOIK Imagic, 23–24 

STOIK PanoramaMaker, 274 

STOIK PictureMan Pro, 135–136

472 


STOIK RedEye Autofix, 218 

Strait, John, 275 

Strum, Bill, 306 

Studio Set, 90 

studio software 

ExpressDigital Darkroom, 406–407 


Photo One, 407–408 

The Photographic Organiser, 412–414 

Pro Invoice/Estimate, 408–409 

QuickBooks, 415–416 

StudioPlus, 409–410 

SuccessWare, 411 

Timestone Range, 414–415 

StudioLine Photo Classic, 136–137 

StudioPlus, 409–410 

StudioPrint RIP, 367–369 

SuccessWare, 411 

SuperDuper!, 389–390 

Supporting Computers Artizen HDR, 

236–237 

SWF files, 306 

SWF ’n Slide, 315–316 

SWOP, 372 

Symantec Norton Ghost, 384–385 

Synk, 390 

T 

tapetum, 215 

TeamTrack option, PROOF-it-ONLINE, 

377 

Techni-X plug-in, 165 

TechSmith Camtasia Studio, 45 

TechSmith Corporation SnagIt, 43–45, 

135 

Test Strip (TS) Proofer, 35, 45–46 

Test Strips action set, 167 

tethered shooting, Aperture, 447 

Texture facilities, splat!, 191 

The Panorama Factory, 274–275 

The Photographic Organiser (TPO), 

412–414 

thermal noise, 205 

threshold function, Curvemeister, 86 

ThumbsPlus, 24–25 

TIFF files, 27 

Tiffen Dfx Digital Filter Suite, 162–163 

Timeline feature, Picasa, 20 

Timestone Range, 414–415 

TLR B&W Conversion action set, 167 


Tone Enhance action set, 167 

tone mapping, 236, 238 

Tone Mask Toolkit action set, 167 

Toned Photos plug-in, 96 

ToneUp S3, 99 

TPO (The Photographic Organiser), 

412–414 

Transparency Editor plug-in, 97 

Tribeca Labs Full Spectrum RGB, 

347–348 

Tribeca Labs Photobot, 111–112 

TrueBlur, FixerBundle, 197 

TruView Imaging Company PhotoFlair, 

230–231 

TS (Test Strip) Proofer, 35, 45–46 

Turbo Photo Editor, 99–100 

Tverdokhleb, Andrey, 81 

Twiga Ltd Watermark, 46–47 

TwistingPixels Plug-ins & Filters, 

178–179 

Two Pilots image processor, 100–101 

Two Pilots Red Eye Pilot, 101, 215–217 

U 

U Point technology, Dfine, 207 

Ulead PhotoImpact X3, 138–139 

UltraSnap PRO, 46 

Upham, Steve, 165, 347 

up-rezzing, 319 

UpShot, 139 

USC Institute for Creative Technologies 

HDR Shop, 238–239 

utility software 

Advanced JPEG Compressor, 35–37 

Digital Photo Resizer, 37–38

FastStone Capture, 35, 38–39 

FastStone Photo Resizer, 35, 39 

JPEG Wizard, 35, 40 

NEFView, 35, 40–41 

overview, 35 

PixVillage, 41 

Plugin Commander, 42 

Plugin Manager, 42–43 

SnagIt, 43–45 

Test Strip Proofer, 45–46 

UltraSnap PRO, 46 

Watermark, 46–47 

V 

Velocity plug-in, 182 

Velvia Vision, 168 

Vertical Moon SWF ’n Slide, 315–316 

Vertus Tech Fluid Mask, 147–148 

Vibrancy adjuster, Aperture, 445 

Victor, Richard A., 30 

viewers. See image viewers 

Virtual Album, 302–303 

virtual proofing software 

DALiM DiALOGUE, 372–373 

FirstPROOF, 373–374 

Kodak Matchprint, 375–376 

overview, 371 

PROOF-it-ONLINE, 376–377 


SWOP, 372 

virtual tours. See panorama software 

virtualPhotographer, 169 

Viveza, 351–352 

Vivida plug-in filter, Final Impact, 347 

Vlietinck, Erik, 121 

Voska, Roman, 132 

Voth, Randall, 390 

VueScan, 231–232 

Index 473 

W 

Walter, Micah, 449 

Wasatch Computer Technology SoftRIP, 

366–367 

Watermark, 46–47 

Web module, Adobe Lightroom, 438 

Web page capture, SnagIt, 44 

Web, wireless, and remote access tools 

Clickbooq, 418 

DSLR Remote Pro, 418–419 

Fotoshow Pro, 419–420 

Image Uploader, 420–421 

overview, 417 

Pixagent ITP Professional, 422–423 

Pocket Phojo, 423 

WebClient, ThumbsPlus, 24–25 

Westphal, Mario M., 53–54 

wgCMYK (wide gamut CMYK), 

Curvemeister, 87 

“what’s wrong?” wizard, Turbo Photo 

Editor, 100 

white balance, Aperture, 445 

White-Balance Corrector plug-in, 96 

wide gamut CMYK (wgCMYK), 

Curvemeister, 87 

Williams, Justin, 383 

WilyBeagle Software Quixhibit, 291, 

300–301 

Windows Presentation 

Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E) 


WinRecovery Software CardRecovery, 

394–395 

WinSoftMagic Advanced JPEG 

Compressor, 35–37 

Wi-Pics system, 410 

Wire Pilot program, 101 

wireless tools. See Web, wireless, and 

remote access tools 

Wondershare Software DVD Slideshow 

Builder, 307

474 


workflow products 

Adobe Lightroom 

comments, 439 


Develop module, 437–438 

Library, 435–437 

Print module, 438 

Slide Show module, 438 

Web module, 438 

Apple Aperture 

Adjustments panel, 444 

advanced levels, 446 

Color adjustment, 446 

color management, 448 

Command Editor, 447 

comments, 450 

Compare mode, 442 

contact sheets, 448 

Custom Books, 448 


DNG format, 447 

Enhance menu, 445 

exposure adjustment, 445 

highlight recovery, 445 

importing images, 442 

interface, 443 

key features, 446 

Levels menu, 446 

Lift tool, 446–447 

Light Table tool, 442–443 

Loupe tool, 443 

Metadata panel, 444 

output, 447 

plug-ins, 449–450 

Projects panel, 443 

publishing, 447 

Quick Preview mode, 446 

RAW Fine Tuning control, 444–445 

retouching images, 447 

saving to DVD, 448–449 

slide shows, 448 

Stacks, 442 

Stamp tool, 446–447 

tethered shooting, 447 

white balance, 445 

overview, 433 

WPF/E (Windows Presentation 

Foundation/Everywhere) 


WYSIWYG graphics editing, UltraSnap 

PRO, 46 

X 

Xe847 Automatic Image Optimizing 

Technology, PhotoPerfect, 115 

Xenofex 2, 192–193 

Xequte Software Diji Album, 291, 

296–297 

XMP (Extensible Metadata Platform), 

28, 53 

XnView, 25–26 

X-Rite ColorMunki Photo, 331–332 

X-Rite EZcolor with i1Display 2, 

332–333 

X-Rite i1 Solutions, 333–334 

X-Rite MonacoPROFILER, 335 

X-Rite PM5 PhotoStudio Pro, 341–342 

XtraSens Retina, 117–118 

Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 6, 

309 

Z 

Ziser, David A., 284 

ZoneFinder tool, LightZone, 75 

ZoneMapper tool, LightZone, 75 

Zoner Photo Studio, 140–141 

ZoomBrowser EX, 11–12

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