A new version of Aurora HDR is coming out on October 4, 2018 and it contains some big improvements to the software. But is it all worth it? Well … that depends. In the video demonstration below I compare the 2018 and 2019 versions of Aurora to show you what’s new and help you decide if it is a good time for you to upgrade. Of course, if you haven’t tried Aurora yet, … [Read more...] about What’s New in Aurora HDR 2019? Is it Worth It?
review
What’s New in Luminar 2018 Version 1.2 “Jupiter”
Last week, the folks over at Skylum (previously known as MacPhun) released a major update to Luminar, their premier photo editing software. The new release contains some massive improvements that you are going to love! Plus, if you already own Luminar 2018, this new version is completely free. If you haven’t tried Luminar yet, now is a great time. Pick up a free trial … [Read more...] about What’s New in Luminar 2018 Version 1.2 “Jupiter”
Aurora HDR 2018 Review and Video Demo
I thought I was over HDR. I used to use it quite a bit around 5 years ago when it was all the fad. Like many photographers, I went through the overblown HDR look and slowly made my way to more realistic HDR photos. But then camera sensors improved to the point where they could handle most of the high dynamic range situations I encountered. Even if I took bracketed shots, I … [Read more...] about Aurora HDR 2018 Review and Video Demo
Artistic Effects with Topaz Impression
My friends over at Topaz Labs have done it again with the latest release of Topaz Impression, their plugin for adding artistic effects to photos. I didn't get a chance to review this product the first time around, so I was delighted to be able to check it out this time and play with all the presets on some of my photos. I had a blast seeing what kinds of effects looked good … [Read more...] about Artistic Effects with Topaz Impression
Noise Reduction with Topaz DeNoise
From February 24 to March 20, 2016, Topaz Labs has a great deal on their noise reduction plugin, Topaz DeNoise. So, I thought this would be a good time to share a bit of information about what noise is and how I get rid of it. (Spoiler alert: I use Topaz DeNoise!) Causes of Noise One of the biggest advantages of digital photography, as opposed to film, is that you can … [Read more...] about Noise Reduction with Topaz DeNoise
Get More Than Black and White with Topaz B&W Effects
One of my favourite plugins, Topaz B&W Effects, is on sale this month, so I thought you might like to see some examples of photos I have made with it. Not only does it do regular black and white conversions, like this classic example, but it does lots of other nifty things too - things using colour, which you wouldn't expect from a plugin called Black and White … [Read more...] about Get More Than Black and White with Topaz B&W Effects