Portrait Professional version 8 is different from conventional editing software in that it is designed only for portrait shots and has actually been ‘trained’ in human appearance using many hundreds of human faces. As such the software has ‘learnt’ statistically what is attractive and unattractive in human faces.
Because of this built in knowledge, it requires less skill and considerably less time than traditional software for face touch up.
While we don’t see it as a direct substitute for software such as Photoshop, for the professional dealing with multiple images in short space of time or the amateur who doesn’t have the requisite skill level on other suites, we feel that it provides a complimentary and easy-to-use alternative.
What’s new about it?
• It is the first version of software that is Mac compatible
• Further enhanced training in human appearance particularly on the 3/4 views and more shape beautification modes, including neck lengthening (at the request of fashion, advertising and catalogue photographers)
• Hair beautifying controls including hair re-colouring, thickening and smoothing to let you eliminate bad hair days after the event. To the best of our knowledge, a world first
• It also has similar enhancements for eyes and mouths. Iris colour, iris saturation, whiteness of the eye, pupil colour, and the sharpness and size of each eye can be individually controlled by sliders. Whiteness of the teeth, the colour contrast saturation and darkness of the lips and the sharpness of the overall mouth can be altered in the same manner
• Improved Colour Calibration and Raw File Support as well as a an Improved User Interface and an Improved Help and tutorial System
Portrait Professional 8 is available in two versions:
1. Portrait Professional 8 Standard This is the standard version which works on
JPEG and Tiff files
2. Portrait Professional 8 Studio This is the high end version which also works
directly on 16 bit Camera RAW files.
The high end software is priced at £79.95 (US $149.95) while Portrait
Professional Standard is £39.95 (US $79.95)
Kenneth William Caleno wrote to me about a neat way to use auto focus for wildlife or fast sports action. This setting lets you prefocus on a specific location, and once something comes into that specific focus distance the camera will take the image. To do this automatically you will need a remote release, preferably one on which you can keep the shutter button depressed. Set the release priority on the D200 for focus.
These are the settings for Nikon users:
Custom (pencil) menu:
Auto focus set to AF-S
AF area mode set to single
AE-L/AF-L set to AF On
Compose your shot and set the focus by aiming the centre focus icon at a exact target (Say, for example, a pre-focus point on a tree branch, where you are waiting for a bird to land) at the precise distance you want, and pressing the “AE-L/AF-L” button near the viewfinder. This will focus the lens- Now press and hold the shutter button. As soon as something comes into focus the shutter will fire, It’s a very fast action, far quicker than a human reflex!
Prefocus on the determined distance where you expect your subject to be, using the AF-ON button. You do not want the shutter button controlling focus as you are pre-focusing. You only want the shutter button to fire the shutter. Once you are focused, release the AF-ON button.
Now back away from the object. Fully depress the shutter button and the camera will not fire. However when something comes into focus, the camera will start taking pictures.
This is very useful for unattended photography for nocturnal animals, birds at feeders etc. Also quite useful for motor sports as you can prefocus on a spot where say a race car will be and then the moment is arrives the camera starts taking pictures. It is much quicker this way than tracking the object and focusing at the same time, the camera reacts much quicker than the human finger.
We hope you like our idea, and you help us to make this 1st. International
award well known on the gaming community. You are invited to participate!
The Festival Internacional de Juegos de Mesa Córdoba 2008 (International Boardgame Festival) will take place in October 10-13 (Last year Reiner Knizia was here, this year Wolfgang Kramer will come…). As a part of the Festival, the organization’s new idea is to start the 1st. International Gaming-Photo Award – that is, an international photography award based on games and gaming.
For years, we have seen many good and impressive pictures about games and
gaming hobby on BGG or other sites… Now is the moment to recompense these good
photographers.
Pictures about games and gaming can be presented to the award. The selected
pictures will be exposed in the Festival Internacional de Juegos Córdoba 2008.
The prize for the best picture: 500 € + 150 € to buy games at masqueoca.com.
And there are more little awards.
You can find all the info and the rules on the web:
www.festivaldejuegoscordoba.es
There, you can find: Spanish rules, English rules and French rules.
