Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Photographer's Guide to Color Efex Pro 4

Dr. Jason Odell has written another can't miss comprehensive reference guide to one of the most reached for tools for the photographer, Nik Color Efex Pro 4. This was my first plug-in years ago, and continues to be one of my favorites. The collection of filter effects range from image optimization to artistic effects, over 50 filters. Each filter effect can stack with previous filter effect, the combinations are endless, plus you can create your own "recipes"and save them for future reference. It might sound a little complicated, although it's very straightforward, especially when you have guide like this. There are a lot of new features in Nik Color Efex Pro that Odell explains in detail, like adding, combining and rearranging filter effects, and using Control Points for targeted adjustments. The Photographer's Guide to Color Efex Pro  4 is illustrated with screenshots and photographs so you know just what filter to reach for and how to use it. You can control how your image looks, from photorealistic to an edgy artistic look with each definition of the various filter effects. You'll come away with a greater working knowledge of what the filters are, and inspirational ideas on how Nik Color Efex Pro 4 can work for your photography.