Two weeks ago I played with Silver Efex Pro 2 and fell in love with it. Since I now have Color Efex Pro 4 from Nik Software I thought it was time I had a play with it as well. Can I just say, I am so impressed. It is really good and the things you can do are pretty wild.
I first did this image in July. The processed image has become one of my favourites, this was the original image. It is hard to know what image to use when using software for the first time, but I decided that this one would be good for it. I like the composition and the colours are nice.
So, decision made, image chosen, just need to open up Color Efex and see what I can do with it.
I hope you can tell that I have done something to it. Color Efex, like Silver Efex has a whole heap of filters, or presets, and you can go through them and see what each one does to your images. Some are pretty wild, and some are really good. This one is the Classical Soft Focus. One of the things I also like is that you don’t have to settle for the filter, you can change it as well, you can add more focus, or take out strength, you make it what you want.
Here is another filter. This one is Film Efex Vintage. Does it look like a really old photo. Love the whiting around the edges.
This filter is Low Key, and has made it look dark, again there are lots of things that you can do to change or tweak the image to exactly what you want. Then if you do work out what you want with the changes, you can save them so you don’t have to remember them all the time.
Paper Toner is what this one is called. There are also a lot of different tones that you can add to the image.
I am amazed at how many filters there are. If you like playing with your images, this is a lot of fun. I also like the Efex because they don’t turn your image into something silly and the results give you something that you can leave as it is, or work on some more. I must try and incorporate some of these into my art images. I know I will be using that first one a lot. I love that one.
Like Silver Efex Pro 2, you can download a trial version and test it out, just go to Nik Software and try it out.
I haven’t done a lot with it yet, and I will try it out more in the near future. This has been a really crazy week. I have job on that is making me travel all over the place and it is tiring me out. It has been good, but exhausting. It is the constant trying to work out what images to take and how to take them. I also have my last class this Saturday and I have to write some notes on Portrait photography, and I just don’t know what to say. I will come up with something.
I am sorry about not responding to all your comments, but I will get onto them soon.
Awards
I have been nominated for the Reader Appreciation Award from mightyturk.
You can check out the post here
http://mightyturk.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/reader-appreciation-award/
Thank you very much mightyturk, I am honoured.
It looks english, no wonder that! I never been in Melbourne in my life only in London so it is the only compare I have!
I like the red color more than black but I like the s/w and sepia photos, too.
It does look very English, Melbourne was once described as the most English City in Australia. I don’t know if it is true, but it is understandable you would think like that.
Thanks Susanne, I like to hear what people like.
Great effects… Am I really bad if I say I like the original best?!
The original is my favourite too
(Phew!)
See what you have started Colline, haha, okay you didn’t start it, but I am fine with that too, I love this image.
NOt at all, this was just to experiment and to see what the software was capable of. So no problems at all.
Love, Love, Love your photography!. Thank you for stopping by my blog and encouraging me!!!! Alesia
Thank you Alesia, love, love comments like this,
You are welcome as well.
I’ve used colour efex pro for some time now and love what it can do, and how versatile it is. I also prefer the Nik HDR pro to photomatix, well worth a try.
Thanks, I am starting to see what it can do. I have HDR Efex as well, but really haven’t had a lot of time to play with it yet, I am really happy with Photomatix so time will tell. I have to get into the nitty gritty of it.
Vintage for me. I’m certainly going to check out NIK Software. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Yes, do check it out, it is pretty amazing software, has some fantastic features. You are welcome and thank you.
You should really have bought the complete collection
there’s no turning back now. Viveza is also excellent.
What is the complete collection, I got Silver Efex, Colour Efex and HDR Efex? I might have to go back and take a look.
complete collection includes Viveza 2 which is an excellent way to alter the brightness of a specific area, Dfine, noise reduction tool and Sharpener pro which is a sharpening plugin, they can be bought as a complete package i regulary use Viveza and Define, dont use sharpener much, although it does have a nice out of focus facility, which i sometimes use to throw the background OOF
Are you signed up to get there online live training? the webinars are very good and free.
I hope I am, I didn’t get a couple of them, but I might look into them another time. I still haven’t really used the HDR Efex, which I need to do.
that is so cool, amazing, I have to try this now. You had a great subject to start with!
Thank you starzyia, I certainly did have a great subject.
Fascinating – think I’ll check it out. Very nice shot.
Thanks Richard, I hope you do, I think you would love Silver Efex best.
I’m loving all of them (and loving having a moment to read and comment again!).
I’m going to download the trial, and give it a go – you know, in all my Spare Time
You will get that spare time, I know you will. I hope when you get a chance you can have a play with it. So glad you got some time to your self.
Thanks for the tip .. using a free program that is really good .. photoscape. – fantastic program and it’s free.
Your welcome, I haven’t heard of that program. Sound like you really like it.
I like it because it’s quite extensive and it’s FREE. Never worked with PhotoShop. It’s a great alternative for a happy amateur.
GIMP is the same, free and quite extensive.
Yes, I have that too – great program – specially when I can make the photo in black and white – and color the main feature. Just love to play with that.
I also love Photoscape a LOT. To the point that I will often use Photoscape instead of Photoshop, because it’s so fast and easy to use. I’d like to try out GIMP too sometime, sounds really neat.
I have never heard of that one. Another one to add to the list to check out.
I like the vintage filter the best. It really brings out the details of the building.
Thank you, someone else said the same.
Great software indeed! The sepia and antique effects are nice.
Thank you John, it was a lot of fun trying all of them out.
I own a few Nik products, but I find them expensive relative to the number of times I actually use them.
Not for everyone, I’m sure, but for me it’s then more rewarding (personally and financially) to learn how to accomplish those same effects (lots of helpful tutorials on the web).
But yeah; if one is going to do this often, well worth the money.
They can be, though you do get quite a bit for your money. It is good to work it out for yourself, and I think I could do that, but it is so easy to just go into the product and do it. I do understand where you are coming from though.
What fun fun fun. I like the different looks that the photo got after the color tweaks.
Thank Imelda, it is pretty cool.
Hi,
From the posts I’ve read it seems like you’re able to get some great discounts or even free software due to your work. If you like Nik Software, you might want to try Alien Skin Exposure, another tool a lot of people like, which is also has a fully functional trial version.
I also liked your work with Silver Efex Pro 2. I was going to buy it, but the Alien Skin software includes both B&W and color presets and was a bit less expensive. (waited for a 30% discount).
I do get some good deals, which is nice, I have never heard of that software, I will have to check it out. Thanks for the information on it. Always good to wait for those discounts. Thanks
It’s great to see some of the things that Nik does. Somehow it’s more meaningful than what I might find on their website. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson
What a lovely thing to say Jennifer. Thank you so much. I am really happy that you liked what I did.
Genuinely enjoyed viewing what you’ve ‘played’ with here, Leanne! It looks so very much easier that P’shop’s filters…with much, much more of a selection. Saving $$$ here…convinced, totally, re: Nik Software’s product line…so, THANKS!
Thank you 1000, apparently if you sign up for their newsletter they have good discounts from time to time. Apparently they are worth looking out for. I really like the filters and I am looking forward to experimenting with them more.
I have Bookmarked their site and shall go back to it and do just that! Thanks!
Wow! Very nice pictures!
Thank you tutankamon661
So interesting how even a subtle change in tone can completely alter the mood of a photo!
It is very interesting, I love how that happens, thanks colormusing.
Lovely photos! Love the bridge way into the water.
Thank you so much patinaandcompany
What a nice brick building.
It is a pretty amazing building, the train goes right over the top of it as well. Thanks David.
Wow these look fantastic! Looks like you had a lot of fun
Thanks Amanda, I did have a lot of fun.
Great stuff, I have (and use) Colour FX 3 pro, it came as a plug in with PSP X4
I am sure it isn’t that much different, it is great stuff. I really like it. Thanks.
Hi,
Congrats on your award and this is also a lovely post on photography and filters! Also thank you for Liking my post : )
Thank you and thank you, and you are very welcome,
You’re welcome!!
beautiful photos!!! great post!
Thank you fromtheloftabove
It’s so fascinating to me how many ways we can “see” the same image, just by tweaking different elements. The possibilities are endless! Great work!
I think that is one of the things that I absolutely love about digital photography, the possibilities are endless. Thank you.
Same (beautiful) shot, very different emotions evoked in each rendering. Do love that!
Thank you Spree, that is so good to hear.
I loved the “paper tone” – most. Great post!
The paper tone is pretty cool, I liked that one too. Thanks
I like the second picture. What is the filter used to product the effect?
Yes, it was used, it was the classical soft focus, so it just made it soft. Great software, the only image not used was the first one. Thank you YellowCable
Good set of examples of what a creative mind can do with one image.
Thank you, that is a lovely thing to say.
Love all the uses of colors. Makes the same image look a bit different every time. Love this!!
It is pretty amazing how that can happen, it is nice too to see what the possibilities can be.
Absolutely! Great job. Love your work.
I love how the changes in color totally change the mood of the shot. Very cool!
I love that too Melia, it is so interesting to see it happening. Thank you.
Good stuff, Leanne. It’s funny – looking at the second image first thing, I could tell it was different. Going back and forth between it and the first, though, I couldn’t tell what it was that was different. Funny.
Haha Sid, it has a slight diffused look, makes the image softer, I hope. I hope that helps Sid, thanks.
Great software, I haven’t tried this yet but I am in love with Silver Efex by Nik!
It is great software, you could try a free trial and see what you think. I think if you like Silver Efex, you will probably like this as well. Thanks Raven
Thank you, I’ll definitely give it a try! The Nik HDR software looks interesting too, I currently use Photomatix, but it looks much simpler.
very cool! Love those effects!
Thank you very much agianetti
I love tweaking!!! Awesome examples Leanne
Thank you Patricia, tweaking is fantastic and a great way to learn.
hi Leanne just to drop a colourfull silhouette
Thank you m)◘(x
Love the photos! I do especially like the Film Efex Vintage and the paper toner.
Thank you, they are nice effects, some are over the top, but some of them are really nice.
Now there’s some software I haven’t tried – thanks for the info and visiting!
It is pretty amazing stuff, I really understand why so many people like it.
great work !
Thank you rpuspana
Your most welcome ! Did you happen to see our work as well ? We would really appreciate a rating / detailed comment / follow from such a great artist. Here’s the link http://coffeebooksong.wordpress.com/ , and sry about the flashy things, we dindn’t know about this. we paid the service and they should be removed in a month at most . We thnink it’s inspiring, sensible and beaufiful, hope you will too.