Nik Software Complete Collection for Aperture
Posted November 30th, 2008 @ 11:10pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Nik Software's Complete Collection, $599 normally, is now available for Aperture only for $299.95.
I've been interested in this software for awhile now, but I've yet to try it because I really try to avoid Aperture's handling of editing plugins. This dislike exists in tension with my dislike for Aperture's lack of masking. For example, tomorrow's image at my photoblog could have been done with Viveza in Aperture without the round trip to Photoshop.
If you've tried any of Nik's software, post in the comments and let me know what you thought.
P.S. There's no educational discount on this package, despite text on the right that may lead you to believe otherwise.
Donate Life
Posted 01 Dec 2008 at 9:06pm #
Hi Erik -
Nice image of Tiger! I've used Viveza quite a lot and I think you could achieve most if not all of what you wanted w/o the round-trip. I'd put a Control Point on Tiger's teal shirt, his pants, the grass and maybe one of the red shirts. Brighten him, de-saturate the others.
YMMV - you might have to place a few more Control Points in the crowd, to make sure the U Point technology nailed all of the colors (to allow you to de-saturate).
Kevin (from Nik Software)
Posted 02 Dec 2008 at 1:09am #
I tried out Silver Efex Pro and Color Efex Pro via 30 day trial with Photoshop Elements. I was very impressed with what I could do. I did realize that I could do the same type of thing without the plugin, but not as fast. I took a bland image a friend took and in about 10 or so minutes I came up with at least five different looking proofs.
I downloaded the Vivesa plugin for Aperture, but didn't really get a chance to use it before the trial expired.
At this price it's making me think about it again...
Thanks for the heads up.
Also, you can easily desaturate in Aperture without a Mask or going into Photoshop or using a Plugin. Use the Color Adjustment Brick.
Original Image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11113739@N04/3076012221/in/set-72157610571272253/
Selected Desaturation:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11113739@N04/3076012181/in/set-72157610571272253/
Color Swatch settings:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11113739@N04/3076012261/in/set-72157610571272253/
(Notice that I adjusted the range as well as saturation)
Posted 02 Dec 2008 at 3:07am #
[quote comment="51136"]Also, you can easily desaturate in Aperture without a Mask or going into Photoshop or using a Plugin. Use the Color Adjustment Brick.[/quote]
Ken, thanks - I know you can desaturate (check out this image, for example) selectively, but when I tried with Tiger Woods I couldn't quite do it. Some of the spectators clothing, skin tones, and hats were too close to Tiger's… and if I restricted the range tightly, Tiger himself would often look a little off.
In the end, I just wasted time. It took about a minute in Photoshop.
Posted 02 Dec 2008 at 11:37am #
Yeah... I agree that kind of shot with the different clothing, skin tones, etc. would be more time-consuming as you point out.
I personally haven't tried a shot like that in my own work (hey... us normal guys can't get that close to Tiger!).
Anyway, cheers on the image and I really like the de-saturation technique - I'll definitely be trying that.