Color control is vital to making a subject pop. Nik Software in Viveza 2.0 enhances their powerful color control solution with three new features.

Global Image Adjustments
Of the three enhancements, global image adjustments will be used the most.  Now apply any color, light, or structure enhancement image-wide.  Then  refine the global adjustment selectively using control points. The included levels & curves provide even more control over contrast and tonality.

Structure Adjustment
Control the level of detail in your images for the ultimate look from realistic to artistic.

Shadow Adjustments
Preserve and recover details hidden in shadows.  Yet another tool to control the look and feel of the image.

Training
NIk Software provides both live and video training.  Check out their web site for the current schedule. Downloading the demo and using the training resources is a great way to test drive the product.

For more information on Viveza’s user interface check out my earlier review of Viveza

System Requirements:

Windows

Macintosh

** Nik Software product filters are developed to integrate seamlessly into many popular image editing applications that support the Adobe plug-in architecture and there are numerous software applications that accept Adobe plug-in compatible filters. Please consult your image editing application’s documentation for compatibility and installation instructions for 3rd-party plug-ins.

Cost: MSRP $199.95
B&H Photo Video

Contact: Nik Software

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 is a teacher friendly, student friendly and parent friendly editing software program for digital photos. Hands-on, easy to understand and oh so creative, it offers a wide variety of tools and techniques to make your pictures shine!

Lots of online tutorial services offered by Adobe:
Adobe Photoshop Elements TV
Support

Here is the Adobe Digital School Collection that offers great teaching resources (lesson plans using Photoshop Elements 9 and other Adobe products) that were developed by teachers.

System Requireements: Mac OS X 10.5.8; Windows XP ( Detailed Specifics)
Contact: www.adobe.com
Cost: $99.99 US ($20 online rebate)

How This Book is Different
There are numerous Photoshop CS5 how-to books available. Photoshop CS5 Essential Skills has a reader friendly layout, in that short paragraphs are broken into steps with supportive pictures highlighting photo changes, or corrections. Screen shots demonstrate and highlight various tools and menu selections used in each lesson discussion. Pictures act as visual cues to support individual paragraphs. There’s enough detail and illustrations in each chapter, giving the readers options to explore and experiment when learning new skills.

First Section Covers Foundation of Photoshop
The authors first point out what’s new in Photoshop CS5. The next chapter discusses and points out interesting features of Adobe’s Bridge. Bridge allows users to find images and complete preliminary adjustments prior to opening the image in Photoshop.

As the reader digs into this section, the authors discuss in detail Lightroom 3 workflow, raw processing and digital printing, plus the digital basics and digital darkroom covered in the DVD.

Advanced Skills and Imaging Projects Modules
The advanced skills module discusses and demonstrates layers and channels, selections, filters and layer blends.

The last section provides seven retouching projects, six montage projects, nine advanced retouching projects (including High Dynamic Range and Time Lapse Photography), plus three Align and Blend Projects. At the end, theu authors provide an extensive glossary, key board shortcuts, and web links. Also, the book provides 12 hours of moving support and royalty-free, images on the included DVD.

This book caters to intermediate to experienced digital photographers who have some experience with photo editing software, and are comfortable with photo editing software.

Contact: www.focalpress.com
Cost: $44.95 US

Lightroom 3 is a digital photography management program that imports, organizes, allows photographers to insert metadatasand create web galleries, provides tools to enhance images, and allows users to output high quality prints. The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 CIAB is a great introductory book that walks its reader through Lightroom 3 fundamentals. If you’re new to Lightroom, it’s a good book to set down next to the computer while working through Lightroom 3. Lesson files are available on the inserted DVD, and each chapter focuses on different skills highlighted and enforced in individual lessons.

By referring to this book, you’ll save time and incur less frustration by following the examples and practicing as you develop a better understanding how Lightroom 3 operates. There are alternative books for beginning Lightroom 3 users, yet this is one of the better how-to books.

Chapter Layout
The first section covers how to get started, computer requirements and uploading lesson files. Chapter 1 provides a detailed tour of Lightroom 3 highlighting the work area, tools, different modules, work flow, and editing. The remaining chapters dig into the nuts and bolts of Lightroom 3:

• Introducing the Workspace
• Importing Images
• Reviewing views and Producing Collections
• Organizing and Selecting Images
• Developing and Editing
• Creating Slideshows
• Printing Images
• Publishing Your Photos
• Backup and Exporting Photos

If readers are interested in using Lightroom 3 to import and edit, organize, categorize and establish a photo collection to preparing output for slideshows, print and web, then consider this book as a good first learning resource.

Contact: www.peachpit.com/lr3cib
Cost: $54.99 US; $65.99 CAN

One of the nice touches that Scott uses in this book is at the top of each page he highlights which module he discusses. The photographs and screenshots used for illustrations are  clear and easy to read.  And they illustrate each step.

Chapters
The chapters in  The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers follow the typical process that a photographer may use when utilizing Lightroom 3.

• Importing –getting your photos into light room
• Library–how to organize your photos
• Customizing–how to set up things your way
• Editing essentials–how to develop your photos
• Local adjustments–how to edit just part of your images
• Problem photo–fixing common problems
• Exporting images–saving JPEGS, TIFFS, and more
• Jumping to Photoshop–how and when to do it
• In black and white– converting from color to black and white
• Slideshow–creating presentations of your work
• The big print–printing your photos
• Web galleries–getting your photos on the web
• My portrait workflow–my step-by-step process from the shoot to the final print
• 7-point system–my seven points in Lightroom

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers provides a comprehensive step-by-step learning guide.

Contact: New Riders

Cost: $49.99 USD, $59.99 CAN, £30.99 UK

Digital Noise Tamed

New for Dfine 2.0:

• User Interface
• Improved noise reduction engine
• Image and camera profiles
• Improved batch processing
• Improved selective tool

User Interface
Dfine 2.0 opens in a clean, professional interface, and automatically measures the image noise to create a profile. The image noise may be manually measured by selecting noise measurement areas, and then measuring this noise to create the profile. Alternatively, previously saved profiles may also be applied. Custom camera profiles are easy to create for each ISO used. These custom profiles are based on the camera used to create each profile, and thus account for manufacturing differences between sensors.

Preview and Loupe views are available to review the noise reduction effect on the image. Selecting the “Reduce” tab provides controls for the noise reduction process. Both contrast and color noise reduction may be controlled. Control points may also be placed on the image to fine tune the noise reduction. A brush tool is also available to selectively apply the noise reduction.

Images
To illustrate the noise reduction abilities of Dfine 2.0, an image was selected from photos taken in the evening at Seattle’s Pike Place Market (taken with a Nikon D200 (10 MP sensor) set to ISO 800). The selected image was processed in Photoshop CS4, using Dfine 2.0. 100 percent crops of the original and processed images are presented below.

100 percent crop of the original photo

Automatic Noise Reduction

Nikon D200 ISO 800 Camera Profile

Control Point Adjustment

The above images illustrate the noise reduction abilities of Dfine 2.0. The Automatic nose reduction works well. Using a camera & ISO profile provides enhanced noise reduction. And employment of control points provides precise noise reduction control.

Training

• Training videos
• Webinar schedule
• Archived webinars

System Requirements:
Windows

• 32-bit version of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista
  (64-bit operating systems with 32-bit host application)
• Pentium III 1GHz or better
• 1 GB RAM
• Adobe® Photoshop® 7 through CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 through 7.0; other Adobe Photoshop plug-in compatible application**
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® 2.3 or later

Macintosh

• Mac OS 10.4 and later
• G4, G5, Intel® Core™ Solo, Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Xeon®
• 1 GB RAM
• Adobe® Photoshop® CS2 through CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 and 6.0; other Adobe Photoshop plug-ins compatible applications**
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 or later
• Apple® Aperture™ 2.1 or later

** Nik Software product filters are developed to integrate seamlessly into many popular image editing applications that support the Adobe plug-in architecture. There are numerous software applications that accept Adobe plug-in compatible filters. Please consult your image editing application’s documentation for compatibility and installation instructions for 3rd-party plug-ins.

Contact: Nik Software
Cost: $99.95

Color control is vital to making a subject pop. Nik Software provides a powerful color control solution with Viveza. Nik Software’s U Point® color control points provide Viveza with exceptional color control precision.

Color Control Workflow
Open an image in Photshop, select Nik Software and then Viveza from the Filters menu. Alternatively, access Viveza in Aperture (Images -> Edit With -> Viveza) or Lightroom (Photo -> Edit In -> Viveza). Viveza opens in its own user interface that includes preview, loupe, and filter control areas.

Simply select “Add a Control Point” from the filter control area. And then select the area of the photo to adjust. Adjust the sliders on the control point to achieve the desired effect.

Images
To illustrate the color control abilities of Viveza, an image was selected from photos taken with a Nikon D200 (10 MP sensor). The selected image was processed in Photoshop CS4 using Viveza. The original and processed images are presented below.

Original Photo

Viveza with 4 Control Points

The above image illustrates the powerful, yet easy-to-direct color control capabilities of Viveza. To draw the eye to the flower, the first control point was placed on the crocus flower and adjusted to add brightness, contrast, and saturation. To improve the contrast between the flower and the green leaves, the second control point was placed on the green tulip leaves to reduce the brightness, contrast and saturation. To de-emphasize and darken the background, particularly the red tones, two control #price points were added. The third control point is above and to the right of the flower. The fourth control point is slightly below and to the right of the flower. Both the third and forth control points reduced the brightness, contrast, saturation and red tones.

These simple to implement color adjustments, made a tremendous improvement to the image. Now the crocus really pops.

Nik Software has announced that Viveza 2.0 will be available in December 2009 for MSRP $199.95. This is a free upgrade if you purchased Viveza 1.0 after September 22, 2009. Thus, if you buy Viveza 1.0 now and get the free upgrade, you will save $50 over the MSRP of Viveza 2.0.

Pros

• A joy to use – great tool
• Powerful color control
• Excellent video training

Cons

• None noted

Training

• Training videos
• Webinar schedule
• Archived webinars

System Requirements:
Windows

• 32-bit version of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista
  (64-bit operating systems with 32-bit host application)
• Pentium III 1GHz or better
• 1 GB RAM
• Adobe® Photoshop® 7 through CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 through 7.0; other Adobe Photoshop plug-in compatible application**
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® 2.3 or later

Macintosh

• Mac OS 10.4 and later
• G4, G5, Intel® Core™ Solo, Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Xeon®
• 1 GB RAM
• Adobe® Photoshop® CS2 through CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 and 6.0; other Adobe Photoshop plug-ins compatible applications**
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 or later
• Apple® Aperture™ 2.1 or later

** Nik Software product filters are developed to integrate seamlessly into many popular image editing applications that support the Adobe plug-in architecture and there are numerous software applications that accept Adobe plug-in compatible filters. Please consult your image editing application’s documentation for compatibility and installation instructions for 3rd-party plug-ins.

Cost: MSRP $149.95
B&H Photo Video

Contact: Nik Software

The Devil’s in the Details

This format and the extensive index are the book’s strong points.  However, I found covering both CS3 and CS4 distracting.  While the extensive sidebars add lots of detailed information, I also thought that the sidebars were over used and in some cases distracting.   The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book could make an exciting interactive e-book if done properly.

Detailed Desk Reference

In 11 chapters, 4 Appendices, and multiple lessons/projects for each chapter, The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book covers a wide variety of techniques for both photographers and graphic artists. With many examples geared to the graphic artist, the book may be more valuable to the graphic artist.  The first third of The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book – chapters 1-4 – cover basic Photoshop skills.  These sections are intended more for the beginner, but are a good review for more experienced users.

Other chapters cover:

• Enhancing Photos
• Painting
• Type and Vector Graphics
• Special Effects for Type and Graphics
• Putting It All Together (Composition, Layers, and Compositing)
• 3D, Video, & Animation
• Measurement & Analysis

The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book is a good book that provides extensive coverage of Photoshop.  If you are using Photoshop CS4 or CS3, this book makes a solid desk reference.

Contact: Peachpit Press

Cost: $59.99 US, $65.99 CAN

However, the quizzes located on the DVD are the book’s sole weak spot.  For example, the quizzes could be improved by referencing the page where the correct answer may be found.

Essential Techniques

In sixteen chapters, 54 video segments, and multiple lessons/projects for each chapter, Richard covers the essential techniques for both photographers and graphic artists.  The book starts with a chapter on Digital Imaging Fundamentals to make sure the basics are covered.

Other chapters include:

• Selection Tools
• Masking
• Compositing with Layers
• Color Correction and Enhancement
• Maximizing Filters

Appropriately, the last chapter covers Output – Printing, PDF, and Specialized Output.

Understanding Adobe Photoshop CS4 is an excellent book.  I look forward to reading and reviewing more books by this author.  If you are still using Photoshop CS4 or earlier, I  would recommend taking a look at this book.

Contact: Peachpit Press

Cost: $49.99 US, $54.99 CAN, £31.99

New For Eye Candy 6

• Rendering engine -  Filters are much faster and can run on much larger images than before.
• Adaptive mode -  Adaptively scales filter effects to the current image size.
• Settings - Over 1500 carefully designed factory settings that handle a wide range of common design tasks.
• Fire – Fire filter now looks more natural. Sharp edges have been smoothed to look more like realistic gaseous flames.
• Panels – Photoshop CS4 panels are provided for starting Eye Candy filters with a single click and for quickly creating attractive buttons.
• Non-Destructive Editing – All filters have the option to draw their output on a new layer and can work as Smart Filters when applied to Smart Objects.
• Professional Features – Works with the 64-bit version of Photoshop.

Start with Settings
Each filter opens in a clean user interface, similar to the interface used in other Alien skin plug-ins that were discussed in previous posts.  The filter has tabs or buttons for at least “Settings” and “Basic”.  Under the “Settings” tab, try a variety of factory preset settings to obtain a desired look. The presets provide a great place to start, and often need little, if any fine tuning (saving time and money).  Fine tuning is easy using the :Basic:, and other tabs provided for each filter.

Efficient Panels
Enabling the two Photoshop panels provides one click access to the Eye Candy Filters and button tool.  Place the panel or panels in the Photoshop desktop to enable quick and efficient access.

Nondestructive Editing
Photographers and graphic artists often use layers for a nondestructive work flow.  Eye Candy 6 complements this work flow by creating a new layer for the filter output.  In a typical layer, the filter’s settings can not be changed.  However, when the layer is a smart object, Eye Candy 6 can output a smart object.  The filters settings can be changed as often as desired.  A very powerful feature.

Pros

• 1500 factory presets save time
• Panels save time
• Smart filters and output to a new layer enable risk free experimentation

Cons

• None noted
  

Host Requirements
Eye Candy 6 is a plug-in and requires one of the following host applications:

• Adobe Photoshop CS3 or later
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 or later on Mac OS X
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 or later on Windows
• Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2
• Adobe Fireworks CS4

System Requirements: Microsoft Windows users must have at least a Pentium 4 processor or compatible and Windows XP or later. Apple Macintosh users must have a PowerPC G5 or Intel processor and Mac OS X 10.5 or later. A monitor with 1024×768 resolution or greater is required.
Contact: www.alienskin.com
Cost: $249 USD. Owners of any version of Eye Candy may upgrade for $99 USD