something New

My recent switch to one.com as web and email host came with a WordPress site. I'll be test-driving that for a while, in the hopes of 

1. leaving the past behind me, with all its acquisitive habits
2. using tags well enough to enable me to also leave behind my home 'blog
3. create new habits on several fronts - something that's badly needed right now.

See you at https://geeklog.longviewers.one/ - for a while, at least!

delays and complications

I had hoped to check the three developers that I currently have on my system (Zoner, Polarr, PD8) - but life has intervened and delayed me. While it's still a fun idea, I'm running out of time on my Zoner time trial. They use a slow but steady subscription of $49/year right now, so it will keep moving up incrementally like Adobe products. This makes me think of iTunes and its occasionally nice interface that gets ripped to shreds at random intervals - my wife and I currently have very little clue as to getting music to Pods or Phones any more. Not my favorite way to play.

Still, I have a week or two. I'll try to grab a needs-work image and process with Zoner first, then try out the other two. I've already removed Elements X from my system so it won't be part of the game.

another developing contender?

I bumped into an announcement about the Zoner Photo Studio X and its ability to save in the new and improved (and Apple-preferred!) HEIF image format. Jpeg has been around a while and updated often - but a new way of saving files with all the tech/AI improvements feels like a good idea. The software is available for trial, so why not?

So here's the most recent file processed to my preference in their editor. Odd though, the trial version did not open a 5-year-old raw format; this one is from the equally-drab jpeg that was captured with the raw that I used before.

This was definitely processed differently, with those uppermost leaves being more preserved. I still shifted the green channel up at the light end and also worked to preserve the bridge better. Their HDR effect was not quite as pleasant in the end so I left that turned off.

Let's see how it compares!

Top= PhotoStudio from jpeg  -  Bottom=original above, PD8 below

Definitely warmer and brighter this time. The PD8 image is definitely punchier with its HDR slider that works the way I prefer. Perhaps I should try PD8 again - and add a Polarr workover of this image as well!

more PD8 image tricks

I cranked out another test file with PhotoDirector 8. In this case a very flat image of our local lake was in need of some lively processing.

I took the top image and used my old favorite curve tool - but I tried a few new tricks. I adjusted RGB to taste but then boosted the green channel at the bright end. That left the dark-green trees dark on the left but strengthened the shrubs by the water just right of center.

I then used the HDR-effect sliders to make things jump a bit more. I like that this tool can be used push-button style or as a gentle slide to keep any cartoon effects to a minimum.

I like the reprocessing quite a bit, but those branches along the top went too dark. At some future point I will revisit and make use of the layers tool to bring them back closer to the original image. Perhaps the bridge can also be pulled into better definition that way?

Any software has features and complications that can only be learned with time. PhotoDirector 8 has caught my interest and I plan to keep learning its features.

New software

I recently bought Cyberlink's PhotoDirector software. I intend it to replace PS Elements (v10, more or less) as my primary editor and catalog keeper. Adobe did not get me to subscribe to PS or now Lightroom but it's clear they believe the cloud is the future. For their profits yes, but not holding my images for ransom thank you.

My first big test came this past weekend after I wanted to stitch some GX1 raw images of lake Sacagawea and autumn colors. The merge was as easy as could be, just about like elements. I then played with the merged file and saved out a 49MB image.. perhaps it should get printed?

A small version of the 49MB file. That really yellow tree on the right is.. curious.

The software appears to do all that i would ask. It has curves and a 5-zone slider set to adjust lighting, color adjustments and white balance, even simple HDR &tone mapping adjustments. It can save tiff and png as well as adjustable jpeg.

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I was surprised by pd8's exceptionally yellow leaves on the right side of the image; I like to think I'd have noticed that while on site!  I did adjust many things from the original raw file, but I did not seek to emphasize yellow in particular.

So I tried Polarr's raw processor to see how that tree looked:

Sure enough, that strong yellow foliage is not quite what Polarr sees.. strong color yes, but not as extreme. The orange on the far right is different as well. 

Good information to keep in mind, moving forward!