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Watch out Photoshop?
Why should Photoshop have it all its own way? Rod Lawton finds out if PhotoPlus X5 can beat Adobe at its own game.
Photoshop has become a byword for image editing. Pictures arent enhanced, theyre Thotoshopped. But Photoshop is extremely expensive, especially for amateurs, while the cheaper, more amateur – orientated Photoshop Elements lacks many of its high – end features. Does this leave a gap for a powerful, low – cost image editor such as PhotoPlus X5?
PhotoPlus really is like a cut – price Photoshop. The program interface, which has been subtly updated, has a vertical tool panel down the left – hand side, the contents of which will look pretty familiar to anyone whos used Photoshop, and on the right of the screen is a series of stacked palettes offering Adjustments, Layers, Channels, Macros, History and more.
But Photoshop has moved on. This is what it used to look like, and in many respects PhotoPlus looks more like Photoshop Elements now. It offers features that Elements doesnt, such as channel adjustments, curves and more advanced black – and – white conversion tools, but a fly – out How To panel on the left shows that Serif is also targeting novice and intermediate users, which is Photoshop Elements territory.
Sharpen details for flawless images
George Cairns shows you how to produce portraits with punch, by maximising image detail and minimising unsightly artefacts.
Even the best photographers can find it a challenge to capture a perfectly focused photograph, especially when shooting with a camera set to a wide aperture. The resulting shallow depth of field can make it difficult to get all of the key areas in focus.
Some cameras use a low – pass filter to help reduce the false moire – pattern colours produced by complex textures.
Window – lit flowers
You can get stunning results from the simplest lighting set – ups, so take control of window light to capture fabulous florals.
The soft, flat light produced when the sky is overcast and cloudy may be frustrating when shooting outdoors, but its perfect for lighting shots at home. The trick to using window light is to control where this light falls and, just as importantly, where it doesnt. Here, well show you how to take control of natural light using reflectors, diffusers and shade.
Stunning still lifes
Get pro effects in the comfort of your living room by creating a studio in a box!
Using window light to take pictures at home is perfect when its available, hut during the winter it can be in pretty short supply so you need a more reliable and predictable light source if you want to shoot when its too dark —or bright —to use daylight.
The ultimate solution is a studio flash set – up, but theres a simpler and cheaper option. Reading lamps are convenient and cheap, but they arent designed for photography so the light isnt always ideal Point them directly at the subject and youll get harsh, patchy, high – contrast light. The solution is to build yourself a mini studio so that vou can take control.
START BUILDING
Start with a cardboard box big enough to hold your subject, Next, cut out the back of the box, leaving a small lip to ensure that it holds its shape, then cover the inside with black paper to reduce reflections and stop light from
bouncing around. Leave some extra card on the two shorter sides to use as additional shading.
Quick Studies
Tim Mantoani captures the visionaries behind great photographs.
Most successful photographers are better known for the images they create than for what they look like. Even their names tend not to show up very big. “The credit a photographer gets is usually six – point font in the gutter of a magazine,” says commercial photographer Tim Mantoani.
Five years ago Mantoani began a project designed to pay tribute to the faces behind great pictures.
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