I need your help. I’m putting together a review of Bokeh, Alien Skin’s lens simulator Photoshop plug-in. I spoken to a few Photoshop users about this new plug-in and received some interesting and useful questions and insights. It’s such an interesting plug-in that I’d like to get a few more comments or questions from my readers before I complete my review. If you don’t get Bokeh, have used the demo and like it but have reservations or if you have already purchased and can’t live without it, I’d like to read your comments here.
If you are interested in learning how Bokeh works look here. If you are wondering what this strange word means read this.
Below is one of the many images I run Boken on. (There is no color correction on this image, just a masking to Bokeh experiment).
Thanks for your help.
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I'm not as impressed by this
I'm not as impressed by this filter as I have been by other things from Alien Skin. Also, it's interesting that the last couple products from them have been very camera-centric - a shift from them?
I have been running the demo
I have been running the demo for a few days now, working on a review for my blog, and I have to say I am impressed. I own two of the lenses simulated, so I did a few tests by shooting at f/11 and then f/1.4 ond f/1.8 with my 2 canon 50mm lenses. Then I run the f/11 image through Bokeh to see how similar my origianl is to the processed f/11. I have to say that the emulation of the lens' bokeh is amazingly accurate. That is if you are just trying to simulate the way the lense produces the image.
As far as using it a a general tool, it is still an amazing tool. The look is so much more convincing than doing it in pure photoshop. Simulating a tilt/shift effect is simply easy. This tool can definately improve anyone's workflow if they utilize bokeh alot in thier images. If I caould afford it right now, I would already have move up to the retail version as opposed to the 30 day demo.
I liked the demo but since
I liked the demo but since you still have to extract the subject yourself with Photoshop (which is the hardest part in my opinion) I'm just not that impressed. I liked the hearts and shapes option but I just can't justify the price for something that I can emulate in Photoshop with a few extra steps. If it was under $50.00 I'd consider it.
Roger, here's what I'd like to see... show 3 options...the above photo "before Bokeh", "after Bokeh" and with "no Bokeh" (PS Gaussian blur on the background layer). Show me what is so impressive about Bokeh and why I should plop down $199.00 on it. Just a thought.
Kim
EasyDigitals.com
Kim, good point and exactly
Kim, good point and exactly the example I was thinking of.
I've used Bakeh some. It is
I've used Bakeh some. It is rather time consuming since you still have to isolate what you don't want blurred. Yes, in some instances you could do the same thing with other blur tools in Photoshop, but maybe not as easy when it come to the graduated blurs. Maybe by using some gradient masking you could come close. Also, I think the bokeh effect in Bokeh is more natural looking than with the blur tools, which I think is Alien Skin's main selling point with this tool. Since your start and stop guide is always visible, it is much easier to make and tweak adjustments. Is it worth $200? Depends on what you do and if the picture is worth the time it takes to get the effect, I suppose. Adding this tool in onOne's MaskPro 4 interface, however, would definitely make for a great solution to Bakeh's weak points.
Richard, thanks for the
Richard, thanks for the great comments. Your idea about onOne is a great one. A onOne review is in the future!