Apple Aperture, Pixelmator & Nik work on People

The People Test

-way more then 20 minutes-

Time to really see how good this software is.  I challenged it to un-mangle dimly lit restaurant iphone shots.

These shots are about as bad as you can get (I really hope your photos are better).  My Aunt and Uncle don't like their photo being taken so I had to do a quick iphone photos.

These were taken either at my Uncle's 97th Birthday Celebration or at My Aunt's 93rd Birthday Celebration a month later.

LET THE TEST BEGIN

The Original

This photo is dark, almost all black and more then a bit out of focus.  I may love my iphone but it is NOT going to be replacing my Canon anytime soon.

Pixelmator (the $50 software)

It took some work but I was able to lighten this photo without loosing all color completely.  What You see is grainy due to the lightening.  His vest is dark brown and his tie has a blue/grey strip going down the center.

Over all this is NOT point and click, but I was able to salvage a really bad photo saving a memory for years to come - but not one I will proudly show anyone.

APERTURE

I didn't have to lighten this one as much to see the photo.  It's still grainy but not quite as much.  This is a photo I could work with to get a good final product.

Remember for the purposes of the test I'm NOT layering effects right now.  This was just a few simple adjustments on the adjustments menu.  Not point and click but not hard either.

Nik Color Efex Pro

This IS point and click.

I selected the pro contrast and let Nik do the work.  It does have a lot of noise but Nik can take care of that by applying another filter (yes a two step process is coming)

Nik Color Efex and Define

Taking the previous photo and applying the Define filter (plug in really) really reduces noise.

Normally you would do this prior to editing the photo but for this test I did it in reverse order so you can see the difference.  When you reduce noise you do loose some amount of focus (not a bad thing when your 97, but not always wanted)

Silver Efex Antique II 

and a quick brush edit in Aperture to remove the fork

Using the EDITED photo I made this black and white.  To remove the fork I selected the brush tool in Aperture and brushed over it.  Aperture automatically samples the surrounding area and removes the item you brushed over.

At 97 I figured My Uncle deserved an 'old time photo'

NEXT TEST

Original

The iphone finally came through and gave me a shot I could use.  Of course this is indoors at home in full light, not in a dim restaurant (lighting is everything).

The colors are off a bit, she's not really red.

Nik Color Efex

Each of the following are Point and Click effects of Color Efex -

I just SELECTED the filter nothing eles!!!!

Dynamic Skin

Works better then any cream on the market.  Softens the skin and removes wrinkles.

Soft Focus

This is the traditional way to deal with older skin, as you see it blurs the photo and does not do as good a job as dynamic skin did.

Pro Contrast w/Dynamic Skin

Combining the Pro Contrast and Dynamic skin gave me a photo I like.  One I would show my Aunt.

This may seem an easy contrast fix, but the bright window behind her and her skin / couch simularity color adjustment is a bit difficult (normally) but with just a click Nik took care of it like a champ.

Silver Efex Soft Skin

With ONE click again I turn it into a beautiful black and white.  Her skin is soft, and the color rich.  Amazing.  My Aunt is only 93 so no 'old time' photos for her.

WAIT I'M NOT DONE

What photo editing would be done with out that warm fuzzy group shot.  After all after 64 years of marriage they deserve a nice photo by their favorite Irish Pub.

Original

Yes, I used my iphone (I my Aunt would have shot me if I brought my Canon).  Notice the No Smoking sigh and the funky tinge.

Aperture

The No Smoking Sigh is gone, the menu was a bit big to remove without leaving a ghost.  I cropped the photo too.

Silver Efex Antique II

This was a 1 click fix.

Now my Aunt and Uncle have an old fashioned photo of the two of them.  They don't have any wedding photos so this will have to do.

I'm sure I can layer plugins and really edit these but I wanted you to see simple point and click fixes.

Overall the $50 program is well worth $50  Personally I like Gimp more (and gimp's free).

Aperture and Nik are on my Christmas list, the problem is I think I'm getting coal (I have been a bit naughty)

LEGAL STUFF:I have not in any way been compensated for this blog, I have not received any free hardware or software or books from any of the companies mentioned nor do I work for any of them.  Now the FTC is happy.

I will be more then happy to receive free hardware, software, compensation or employment from them however if they so choose.   So Apple and Nik how about some free software?  No.  Oh, well I guess I'll have to be good till Christmas.

Apple Aperture and Nik Complete Software

Photo Editing is something I do wether I like it or not.  As I move farther and farther away from my XP desktop it is apparent I need new photo editing software.

The standard route for high end photo editing software is Photoshop CS4 route ($600 ) and Nik Complete (another $599) <- a bit out of my price range at the moment.

So it's time for alternatives:

OPTION 1 Apple Aperture ($199) and Nik Complete (Aperture version $299) <- possible maybe

OPTION 2 Pixelmator ($50) for iphoto ($0) <- in my price but can it do the job?

Luckily all the software is available on Demo 30 days (apple) and 15 days (Nik) so join me as I free Demo some amazing software.

THE 20 MINUTE TEST

I had 20 minutes (the software was pre-installed but never used) to learn and do this test.  Why, my daughter was at Piano and she only has a 30 minute lesson.

I'm starting with a photo i took on my iphone of fall foliage (not the best camera for the job so this is a real test)  You will notice the colors are a bit washed out and it's dark.  It does show some field of depth but it's a typical iphone photo.

The First test is just Aperture without the Nix software

You'll notice I added some reds, and made the colors pop a lot.  I did this just by playing around with the saturation and vibrancy.  A quick and easy fix.  Exported the photo as a .jpg and I was done.

Now for some fun

 After a bit of playing around I figured out how to use the Nix filters (reading a how to might have helped but I'm a hacker at heart)

Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0

Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 is the first place I started because the photo is in focus and wasn't horribly noisy (we'll test those later)

I used the Indian Summer filter, and increased the intensity just a wee bit.  SO EASY I think this photo pops and is exactly like I want it.

Granted the Aperture photo comes close but it was more tweeking and Nik has hundreds (or perhaps) thousands of adjustments that I could play around with.

So, I'm done right?  NO of course not.  What about Black and White  I LOVE black and white!

Nik Silver Efex Pro

Nik Silver Efex Pro is specifically designed for black and white, we are not talking gray scale here.  True black and white.

So....

The first thing I noticed is that on the left side of the screen it doesn't just name my black and white options it previews my photo in each of the options!  COOL!

With a touch of a button I got this wonderful black and white.  No fussing at all.  Look at the depth, the contrast and the detail.  Remember the original is not a 'wow' photo.

Well you KNOW I had to check all the other options out and I did.  All I had to do was click and I was done.  Saving was a bit of a pain as I had to go back to Aperture and export as .jpg each time and re-import my original but that is an Aperture issue (sure photoshop does this better-at least I hope it would).

So here are some FAST easy features of Silver Efex Pro

PINHOLE

ANTIQUE 1

ANTIQUE 2

REMEMBER:
I had 20 minutes to figure out how to use the software, make my changes, save and complete the test.  I did play around quite a bit too!

I have used photo editing software before, but I have NOT used Aperture or Nik.

Note:

• In Aperture to export you have to right click the photo to export as .jpg .. there is no way to export on the drop down menu that worked.

• To use the Nik plugins you again have to right click the photo and select edit with and the Nik software to use.  

I could have saved a ton of time if i knew that to start with.

LEGAL STUFF:  I have not in any way been compensated for this blog, I have not received any free hardware or software or books from any of the companies mentioned nor do I work for any of them.  Now the FTC is happy.


I will be more then happy to receive free hardware, software, compensation or employment from them however if they so choose. 

As some of you know Steve Jobs is my all time fav. person.  The one person more then any I would both love to and be terrified to meet.


I first fell in Love with Apple computers in the mid 80's when I was working at a Generic Pharmaceutical Company doing computers.  I lusted after Apple computers for years.


My job unfortunately dictated that I have a Microsoft computer, and since I like eating on a regular basis I always had a Microsoft computer at home.  Okay, so I often had/have MANY MS computers at home.  Over the years I did get to use Apples at work but not enough to warrant the purchase of one.


How many computers can a girl have?  Notice I didn't say can a girl need.


My lust for Apple has went unsatisfied for decades, then this summer I finally got my first Apple.  An Apple Macbook Pro 15".  


So now I'm drooling over a time capsule 4G router, and planning my next mac purchase (mac mini server?, macbook pro for daughter?, hmm a 17" macbook pro?  so many choices)  Don't get me started on the new magic mouse it makes me wish i used a mouse again.


Luckily I stopped drooling over Apples slick hardware to find this awesome book  Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs which is available for the kindle iphone app.  


While the lack of economic funds means I will have to continue to drool from afar at the slick new hardware Apple has just released.  I can read about and learn from the Master Presenter himself on how to speak in front of a group and present.


So for all you corporate executives, executive wannabes and homeschoolers this is your opportunity to learn from the best on how to present like a pro.


ENJOY,


LA


FTC DISCLAIMER: NOT PAID IN ANY WAY NOR HAVE I RECEIVED ANY FREE PRODUCTS FROM ANY COMPANY/PERSON MENTIONED IN THIS BLOG - BUT I AM TOTALY OPEN TO RECEIVING FREE STUFF IF YOU WANT TO SEND IT TO ME STEVE/APPLE






Product Description

“The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs reveals the operating system behind any great presentation and provides you with a quick-start guide to design your own passionate interfaces with your audiences.” —Cliff Atkinson, author of Beyond Bullet Points and The Activist Audience
Apple CEO Steve Jobs’s wildly popular presentations have set a new global gold standard—and now this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to use his crowd-pleasing techniques in your own presentations. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs is as close as you’ll ever get to having the master presenter himself speak directly in your ear. Communications expert Carmine Gallo has studied and analyzed the very best of Jobs’s performances, offering point-by-point examples, tried-and-true techniques, and proven presentation secrets that work every time. With this revolutionary approach, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to sell your ideas, share your enthusiasm, and wow your audience the Steve Jobs way.
“No other leader captures an audience like Steve Jobs does and, like no other book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs captures the formula Steve uses to enthrall audiences.”
--Rob Enderle, The Enderle Group
“Now you can learn from the best there is--both Jobs and Gallo. No matter whether you are a novice presenter or a professional speaker like me, you will read and reread this book with the same enthusiasm that people bring to their iPods."
--David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave

About the Author
Carmine Gallo writes a bi-weekly column for Businessweek.com and has been a featured contributor to several other major websites including MSNBC, Military.com, Always On, AOL and Yahoo Finance. Gallo personally coaches leading executives for keynote speeches, media interviews, product launches, and book tours.