Who seriously uses Color Efex Pro 4?????

[e.rose]

So, I just got a new Wacom tablet (yay!), and it came with Color Efex Pro 4. So I said, what the hell, and I installed it for sh*ts and giggles.

It's awful.

Or maybe I just don't know how to use it and so it SEEMS awful, but it's not.

The filters are worse than Instagram filters... who the hell is using this, in a serious manner, in their professional images? No one? Okay, great, that's what I thought.

(No, but seriously... if you are... I wanna know... and then I wanna see what you created with it, because I really wanna know if it's just ME... or if it really is, truly, as terrible as it seems. )

 

[Trever1t]

I do. Use in with CS6 in layers and vary opacity. It's got some great filters that you can easily customize.

 

[Derrel]

So you cannot manage to extract amazing performance from a brand new S/W app, you know, one that you just got, and you're thinking it's the software that's daft? Ummm, but seriously...might be time to re-think how software actually works.

I just bought a guitar last week...why am I not the lead guitar player in some band? Must be a sucky POS guitar.

 

[Trever1t]

Granted, using it in LR isn't effective. It's power is using it in layers and with layer masks. Lessons $25

 

[mmaria]

color efex is great, you should just spend some more time with it. Results you get from presets are not definite, you can always tweak, structure, color, and more and then in PS change the opacity of that ce layer.

It'll definitely be helpful, just spend more time with it

eta: as for examples, I don't shoot portraits that often so I probably don't have to show you what you want to see

 

[Tee]

I have it but don't use it as much anymore. Pretty much the only effect I like is the darken/lighten center. It really does add just a bit of deep color and an undistinguished vignette when needed. All of these were processed with Color Efex using one of/combo of: skin softener, darken/lighten, B&W, or vignette. I've shown these on here before but my new stuff is on my desktop and I'm in bed on my laptop.

Image #3 - I used the bleached bypass and manipulated the sliders. It was a pain but I'm fond of the outcome.

But yes, many of the filters flat out suck and you have to manipulate the sliders and set control points to get something decent.

 

[e.rose]

Granted, using it in LR isn't effective. It's power is using it in layers and with layer masks. Lessons $25

I can't imagine it being any good in any capacity that *doesn't* allow for layering.

I do. Use in with CS6 in layers and vary opacity. It's got some great filters that you can easily customize.

That gives me more confidence in it. I know you're work. I like your work.

That being said, I can't even find a good starting point with any of those filters. I'm a full believer in using filters but NOT at their full opacity, if you do use them. Like Portraiture. I use portraiture on nearly everything, but I always mask it out and paint back what I want in a lower opacity.

Maybe CEP just doesn't appeal to my aesthetic desires for my images.

You've obviously found a way to make it work for you.

I played around with the filters under the "portrait" category. I didn't really play with too many others, but the ones under the portrait setting weren't very appealing to me.

 

[e.rose]

I have it but don't use it as much anymore. Pretty much the only effect I like is the darken/lighten center. It really does add just a bit of deep color and an undistinguished vignette when needed. All of these were processed with Color Efex using one of/combo of: skin softener, darken/lighten, B&W, or vignette. I've shown these on here before but my new stuff is on my desktop and I'm in bed on my laptop.

Image #3 - I used the bleached bypass and manipulated the sliders. It was a pain but I'm fond of the outcome.

But yes, many of the filters flat out suck and you have to manipulate the sliders and set control points to get something decent.

Yeah, I was messing with the bleached bypass filter. It was... weird. I've seen that filter in another piece of software I was playing around with before (I forget which one. Another one I got for free) and the outcome of that specific one was a lot better when I had messed around with it before. I've just never used it in anything, because I never really had a need for it since, but this one just feels like it renders weird. I dunno.

Why did you stop using it?

 

[Tee]

When you can't fall asleep, here ya go: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyKQBOfgSXNPG9HJhTAsKzQ

 

[e.rose]

When you can't fall asleep

So you mean like... everyday?

 

[Tee]

Why did you stop using it?

I started getting more comfortable with LR and CS5. Usually I'll import to CS5, run it into Color Efex for darken/lighten center then finish what I need in CS5. I really like their Silver Efex program. It takes some getting used to but it can do a nice job.

 

[e.rose]

Why did you stop using it?

I started getting more comfortable with LR and CS5. Usually I'll import to CS5, run it into Color Efex for darken/lighten center then finish what I need in CS5. I really like their Silver Efex program. It takes some getting used to but it can do a nice job.

Yeah, I think that's ultimately my problem.

I like having the control of layers. It's probably more work that way, but I'd almost rather manipulate 10 individual layers to get what one filter would give me, because I have more fine control over it.

I think that's why I get frustrated with filters quickly.

I'll tell you what I AM excited about... PSE 12 came with the tablet too... and I was thinking about buying it to be able to teach during my workshops... and now I don't have to. :lmao:

 

[keyseddie]

I use most of the NIK filters on most images. Great software, imo.If color, I start with viveza mostly. Use colorefex4 next. I'm not a very good b&w guy but I'm starting to learn using silverefex. Very seldom use the others.

 

[ronlane]

I have and use the Nik collection. I use color efex for some warming, detail extraction, skin softening. I have used the glamour glow but not much.

Check out the Nik collection youtube channel as mentioned by Tee.

 

[tirediron]

...I'll tell you what I AM excited about... PSE 12 came with the tablet too... and I was thinking about buying it to be able to teach during my workshops... and now I don't have to. :lmao:

Can you? Does the EULA allow for commercial use?