| FIRST
IMPRESSIONS
nik_Color_Efex_Pro
filters
are
enhancement filters that work within Photoshop, allowing you
a multitude of easily attained effects. Depending on which
edition you get, there are up to 75 filters with which numerous
effects and enhancements can easily be used on any digital
image.
|
|
| nik
Color Efex Pro 2.0 set |
According
to the nik literature, it uses a "True Light color processing
system" to consider the existing color and light information
in an image to automatically provide optimal enhancements.
In this way the effect is adapted according to the picture
info such as detail, colour and contrast range. They
also claim that by identifying the unique qualities of the
image that the filter is processing, each filter is able to
achieve consistency across a range of images.
However
it may work, let me tell you - it does work. Colour
me impressed.
Software
designers have it difficult in balancing two needs with any
software that they'd like to put on the market. One
consideration is that the software be impressive and powerful
and flexible enough to attract buyers, but the other consideration
is that the software be accessible and easy to use.
Those two criteria are often mutually exclusive.
So
my first impression of any software is based on how easy it
is to get by with it without tediously referring to the manuals.
Well-designed software should be intuitive to use to a large
extent. (Obviously if you get the expanded functionality
of software like Photoshop CS, then it is just too complex
for any user to put it to much use without having to resort
to a Dummies book at least.) So with the same glee that
a kid would open his presents to see what's inside and just
get to play with the new toys, I always want to try out new
software by having a look around and see what I can figure
out on my own, without having to bother too much initially
with the instructions.
And
right off the bat, I tried Nik Color Efex Pro on some images.
I purposely stayed away from adjusting the image outside of
the available Nik filters, even staying away from Photoshop's
Levels and Curves - all so that it would be more obvious how
well the Nik filters can handle various tasks. However,
for one image mentioned here, I did use a Photoshop filter
at the end of the sequence. But the rest of the enhancements
are with nik Color Efex Pro filters.
The
first image I tried it on without even referring to any manual
or help file, is this one ..
With
a few steps, ie filters selected in nik Color Efex Pro ...
Blue
Graduated Filter
- to get rid of that bland top left hand corner,
Sunshine - to make the colours pop a bit
more,
Darken / Lighten Center - to brighten the
dull shadow areas in the background,
and lastly, added Lens Flare from the usual Photoshop filters.
And you know what? I was already immediately impressed. It
took no effort, and cost me no frustration. |
