Perfect Effects 3 User Guide - onOne Software

Perfect Effects 3 User Guide 

User Guide 

Created: Thursday, November 10, 2011


copyright © 20082011 onOne Software. All rights reserved. 

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. 

This document contains proprietary information which is protected by copyright. 

All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, 

or translated to another language without the prior written consent of onOne Software.

Table of Contents 

Chapter 1: Welcome 

Using this Help System 

Additional Resources 

Contacting onOne Software 

Chapter 2: Installation 

System Requirements 

Installation 

Uninstalling 

Activation and Registration 

Chapter 3: What is New Perfect Effects 3 

Chapter 4: Getting Started 

When to use Perfect Effects 

Supported File Types 

Opening Perfect Effects 

User Interface 

Navigating the Preview 

Chapter 5: Using Perfect Effects 

Using the Effects Library 

Using the Effects Stack 

Using Effect Options 

Using the Masking Tools 

Presets 

Masking Brush Controls 

Painting with the Masking Brush 

About the Masking Bug 

Adjusting the Masking Bug 

Lightroom Use 

Batch Processing 

Aperture Use 

Chapter 6: Preferences 

Chapter 7: Menus 

Perfect Effects 

File 

Edit 

Mask 

1 

1 

2 

2 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

5 

7 

7 

7 

8 

9 

10 

13 

13 

15 

16 

17 

18 

20 

20 

21 

24 

26 

26 

26 

28 

29 

29 

30 

30

Preset 

View 

Window 

Help 

Keyboard Shortcuts 

Chapter 8: PDF Index 

31 

31 

32 

32 

32 

35


Welcome to onOne Software Perfect Effects 3 User Guide 

Perfect Effects builds on the popularity of PhotoTools to give 

photographers an even faster and more powerful way to 

create images with impact. Perfect Effects 3 includes a 

complete library of professional quality photographic effects 

that can be previewed in live on your image before being 

applied. The new live previews are also shown in full screen so 

you can see your image at its best. You'll love the ability to 

easily stack multiple effects together to create your own 

unique look. 

Perfect Effects 3 takes the idea of stacking effects even 

further with the new blending options that provide even more 

control over how effects are combined. These advanced tools 

include blending modes options and the ability to limit effects 

to specific color or tonal range of an image. 

Now Perfect Effects 3 works where you do. It integrates 

seamlessly into your workflow whether you use Lightroom, 

Aperture or Photoshop and even works as a standalone 

application. Photoshop is no longer required. 

Looking for Information? 

If you're unable to find what you're looking for in this help 

system, try these alternative resources, or contact our 

customer support department. 

Most popular pages 

Welcome 






What is New Perfect Effects 3 




rev 3.0.0 1111101 dh 

Home > Welcome > Using this Help System 


The user guide for Perfect Effects is presented in html and is readable in most web browsers. When you access the user guide from the help menu it will appear 

in your default web browser. 

On the left side you will see a table of contents that makes it easy to find the section you are looking for. The table of contents are hyperlinks that will take you 

to the specified section by clicking on them. The main body of the page will show you the content you have requested. Use the scroll-bar at the right to scroll 

down for additional content. You may see additional hyperlinks in the body text. They will be blue and underlined. Clicking on one of these hyperlinks will take 

you to more relevant information. 

You use the same forward and back buttons in your browser to navigate this user guide as you would a regular web page. You can even bookmark pages so 

you can find them quickly in the future. 

If you don't see what you are looking for in the table of contents, try the search field. You can type in what you are looking for and an index of pages will be 

created automatically that contain your search term. 

Printing the Manual 

You can also access a printable version of this manual here. It is in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. You will need a copy of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view 

it. 

See also 

Welcome . 1 

Perfect Effects 3 User Guide

2 . Welcome 



Home > Welcome > Additional Resources 


Check the Hot Topics 

Check the list of Hot Topics on the onOne website. The covers the most commonly asked questions. 

Knowledge Base 

Search the Knowledge Base for common bugs, tips & tricks, and compatibility issues with other software. 

Video Tutorials 

Check the online video tutorials. 

Technical Support 

Contact technical support by filing out a request form. 

See also 



Home > Welcome > Contacting onOne Software 


onOne Software, Inc. 

15333 SW Sequoia Parkway Suite 150 

Portland, OR 97224 

Phone Main: 503-968-1468 

Fax: 503-968-1469 

http://www.onOnesoftware.com 

For Technical Support please visit: 

http://www.onOnesoftware.com/support 

Sales 

For sales please call 1-888-968-1468 

See also 



© 20082011 onOne Software, Inc. All rights reserved. onOne Software is a registered trademark of onOne Software, Inc. The onOne Software logo, and 

Perfect Effects are trademarks of onOne Software, Inc. Adobe, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Lightroom, Flash and Acrobat are trademarks of 

Adobe Systems, Incorporated. Mac OSX, the Mac logo and Aperture are trademarks of Apple, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft, 

Windows, Windows XP, Windows Vista and .NET are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective 

owners. 


Home > Installation 

Articles in this section 

System Requirements Installation Uninstalling Activation and 

Registration 

Home > Installation > System Requirements 


Operating 

System 

Macintosh Windows 

Mac OSX 10.6, 10.7 (current maintenance releases) 

Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 (current 

maintenance releases) 

Processor Intel Core 2 Duo or better Intel Core 2 Duo or better 

Memory 4 GB RAM (8 GM recommended) 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended) 

Hard Disk 400 MB Hard Disc Space 400 MB Hard Disc Space 

Display 

Optional Host 

Applications 

Other 

Home > Installation > Installation 

Installation 

OpenGL 2.0 capable video card with 256 MB dedicated 

VRAM running at 1280x800 or higher 

Adobe Photoshop CS4, CS5 

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, or 10 

Apple Aperture 2.1 or 3 

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 or 3 

Internet connection for activation, auto updates and 

video tutorials 

Adobe Flash 10 player 

DVD drive for installation from disc 

Administrator privileges to install and uninstall 

To install Perfect Effects, double click the installer icon and allow the installation wizard to guide you. 

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST CLOSE LIGHTROOM AND APERTURE BEFORE INSTALLING. 

Mac OS X 

OpenGL 2.0 capable video card with 256 MB dedicated 

VRAM running at 1280x800 or higher 

Adobe Photoshop CS4, CS5 

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, or 10 

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 or 3 

Internet connection for activation, auto updates and 

video tutorials 

Adobe Flash 10 player 

DVD drive for installation from disc 

Administrator privileges to install and uninstall 

Microsoft .NET 3.5 framework or higher (installed 

automatically if missing) 

The application and all other required files and documentation are installed in the Perfect Effects folder in the user's Applications directory. 

The default installation installs all necessary files into all supported versions of Photoshop Lightroom found during the installation process. 

If a previous versions of Perfect Effects is found, it will be replaced. 

Support files and frameworks are installed into /Library/Application Support/ 

Windows Vista and Windows 7 

Windows XP 

The application and all other required files and documentation are installed in the Perfect Effects directory in the onOne Software folder in Program 

Files. 



Support files and frameworks are installed into \ProgramData\onOne Software\ 

Installation . 3 

The application and all other required files and documentation are installed in the Perfect Effects directory in the onOne Software folder in Program 

Files. 


4 . Installation 

See also 



Support files and frameworks are installed into \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\onOne Software\ 


Uninstalling 


Home > Installation > Uninstalling 

Uninstalling 

To uninstall Perfect Effects follow these instructions: 

Windows 

1. Deactivate Perfect Effects by launching it and selecting deactivate from the Help menu 

2. Quit Photoshop 

3. Click on the start menu and select Control Panel 

4. Double-click on Add/Remove programs 

5. Select Perfect Effects and click remove 

Note: these instructions are for Windows XP, the steps for Windows Vista are similar. 

Macintosh 

1. Deactivate Perfect Effects by launching it and selecting deactivate from the Help menu 

2. Quit Photoshop 

3. Navigate to the Plug-Ins folder of your host applications. For example: Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS3/Plug-Ins 

4. Locate the Perfect Effects folder and move it to the trash 

5. Navigate to the Perfect Effects support files and frames located at Library/Application Support/onOne Software/ 

6. Move the Perfect Effects folder to the trash 

7. Navigate to the Applications folder and move the Perfect Effects folder to the trash 

See also 


Installation 


Home > Installation > Activation and Registration 


Perfect Effects will operate as a trial version for 30 days from when it is installed. If you have purchased Perfect Effects, you will want to license it so you can 

continue to use it past the trial period. When you install Perfect Effects it will prompt you to license it. Simply click on the license button and enter your license 

code. Your license code can be found in your order confirmation email if you purchased Perfect Effects electronically or on a sticker on the information card in 

the boxed version. Your license code allows you to install Perfect Effects on two computers. When you enter your license code, Perfect Effects communicates 

with the onOne activation server and will activate your software. Your software must be licensed and activated to function past the trial period. If the computer 

you are activating does not have access to the internet, you can manually activate your software by following the manual activation instructions in the license 

dialog. 

If you wish to move your copy of Perfect Effects from one activated computer to new computer you will need to deactivate it first. Deactivation is a simple 

process. Simply open Perfect Effects and select deactivate from the Help menu. This will deactivate Perfect Effects on the current machine, allowing you to 

install and activate it on another machine. 

If you lose your activation code, have your computer stolen and can not deactivate it or have other activation issues please contact onOne customer service at 

888-968-1468 or visit the support section of the onOne software website http://www.ononesoftware.com/support. 

It is important to register your copy of Perfect Effects so we can provide you with the best possible service. Registered users of Perfect Effects are eligible for 

technical support, information regarding new versions and products, discounts and special offers on new products. 

See also 


Installation 

Uninstalling 


Home > What is New Perfect Effects 3 


The next generation of the extremely popular PhotoTools 2.6 Professional 

Complete library of professional quality photographic effects 

Live, full screen effect previews 

Stack, blend and combine effects to create your own unique look 

Works directly with Lightroom, Aperture or Photoshop 

New Manual Controls 

You now have even greater creative control over how effects are applied and 

combined on your image. With the New Manual Controls, you will be able to adjust 

every element of an effect - not just the strength but also the color, tone and 

texture. This provides you with a powerful way to find an effect they like and 

then to tweak and customize it to create they own unique look. 

New Live Preview 

Save time and boost your creativity with the new Live Preview. You will no longer have to 

wonder how an effect will look on your image or waste time applying an effect just to see 

how it looks. With Live Preview you will now be able to see what each effect looks like on your 

image, in real time. This is a huge timesaver and a great way to explore the creative options 

of the hundreds of effects in Perfect Effects. Adding a live, interactive preview of each 

effect was one of the top feature requests of PhotoTools users and we heard you loud and 

clear. So much in fact, that we rebuilt Perfect Effects from the ground up to give you the live 

preview functionality you asked for. 

New Works Where You Do 

What is New Perfect Effects 3 . 5 

Perfect Effects 3 integrates seamlessly into your workflow, no matter what tools and 

software you use. Whether it's Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture – or you can even use 

Perfect Effects on its own. 

Perfect Effects continues to work as a plug-in to Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop 

Elements but no longer requires them when working in Lightroom or Aperture. 


6 . What is New Perfect Effects 3 

New Vintage Effects 

All the rage right now, stylized and vintage effects give your images and hip, old 

school look. Here's just a few examples of the new effect you'll find in Perfect 

Effects. 

New From the Ground Up 

Shortly after its initial release in 2007, PhotoTools quickly became one of the most popular plug-ins at onOne Software. And with good reason. PhotoTools leveraged the power 

of Photoshop and made it instantly accessible to those new to Photoshop as well as making it easier for power users to get their work done quickly. 

A lot has changed since 2007 in the photographer's digital workflow as more and more the photographers workflow is centered on applications like Lightroom and Aperture. 

Perfect Effects 3 is a direct response to this evolution. To give photographers the power of the amazing effects directly within Lightroom and Aperture, Perfect Effects was built 

new from the ground up. 

Now photographers can choose to use Perfect Effects 3 as an external editor for Lightroom and Aperture or as a Photoshop plug-in. It can even be used on it's own as a 

standalone application – giving photographers complete flexibility in their workflow. 


Home > Getting Started 

Getting Started 

This getting started section will give you only the basics of using Perfect Effects. If you have never used Perfect Effects before this is a good place to start. You 

might also try watching the getting started video tutorial. For detailed information on steps and controls mentioned in the getting started section see the Using 

Perfect Effects section instead. 







Home > Getting Started > When to use Perfect Effects 


The broad range of effects in Perfect Effects makes it useful at many steps in the digital workflow. For example the effects in the Color & Tone category may be 

used early in the workflow for correcting the color and tone of an image. While effects in many categories are designed for more artistic effect may be used in 

the middle of the process. Finally Perfect Effects has several effects designed for sharpening in the Detail category that should be applied as the last step 

before printing. 

See also 





Home > Getting Started > Supported File Types 


When used through Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, Perfect Effects supports any 8 or 16 bit RGB file that can be opened by Adobe® Photoshop®. This 

includes Jpeg, PSD and TIF as well as Raw files from digital cameras and many other formats. If you routinely work in Grayscale or CMYK, simply convert your 

image RGB before using Perfect Effects. 

When accessed through Lightroom or Aperture, your images will automatically be copied and converted by the host application into Photoshop (PSD) files. 

When accessed as a standalone application or through the Perfect Photo Suite, Perfect Effects supports reading of the following formats. 

Photoshop (PSD or PSB) 

Tiff (TIF) 

Jpeg (JPG) 

Raw files from most digital cameras 

Perfect Effects saves its files are layered Photoshop files. You can export these to Tiff and Jpeg as well. 

Perfect Effects works on a copy of the current layer. This is designed for use in page layouts like creating albums or when your image contains a single layer 

with no transparency. This works well for most images. If you prefer to work on a composite version of all layers you can create a merged composite layer in 

Photoshop (Command Option Shift E for Mac, or Control Alt Shift E for Windows) or the Perfect Photo Suite first (Command shift J for Mac or Control shift J for 

Windows), before launching Perfect Effects. 

Using Perfect Effects as a Smart Filter in Photoshop 

Getting Started . 7 

Perfect Effects will always create a new layer when it is applied to maintain your original image data. The only exception to this rule is if your target layer is a 

Smart Object. Perfect Effects can function as a Smart Filter on a Smart Objects. Smart Filters work like an adjustment layer. They allow you to apply Perfect 

Effects in a non-destructive, re-editable way. To use Perfect Effects as a Smart Filter follow these steps. 

1. Convert to your target layer to SmartObject if it is not already. You can do this easily by going to the Filter menu and selecting the Convert for Smart 

Filters option. 


8 . Getting Started 

2. Launch Perfect Effects and use it normally. 

3. When you return to Photoshop you will see Perfect Effects added as a SmartFilter. From the layers palette in Photoshop you can turn Perfect Effects on or 

off as well as double-click on it to re-edit its settings. 

Note: You can use the Masking Brush on Smart Objects but if you re-edit the settings for Perfect Effects the brush strokes will be lost. 

Using Selections in Photoshop 

Perfect Effects will use selections that you create in Photoshop or with Mask Pro. This allows you to create complex selections or masks that deal with difficult 

subjects like hair. Perfect Effects will automatically use your selection if one is active. Perfect Effects will even prevent blurred halos around your subject. 

See also 





Home > Getting Started > Opening Perfect Effects 


Opening Perfect Effects Standalone Application 

1. Open the Perfect Effects Application. On Mac OSX it will live in your 

Applications Folder, on Windows it will live in your Start menu. 

2. When the application opens, it will prompt you for which file you would like to 

work on. 

3. Make your desired adjustments, and then press Apply. 

4. You will be prompted to save your file. 

Opening Perfect Effects inside the Perfect Photo Suite 

1. Start by opening the Perfect Photo Suite application. On Mac OSX it will live 

in your Applications Folder, on Windows it will live in your Start menu. You 

can also access the Perfect Photo Suite inside of Lightroom or Aperture as 

detailed above. 

2. The Perfect Photo Suite starts in the Layers module. Think of this as the 

home base where you open and save your files. 

3. Open the image(s) you wish to work on. You can do this from the File > 

Open menu or by using the Browser. 

4. Select Perfect Effects from the module selector in the upper right corner 

5. Make your adjustments in Perfect Effects, then press the Apply button 

6. Your image will return to the Layers module, save your work using the Save 

command in the File menu. 


Opening Perfect Effects in Photoshop 

1. When you use Perfect Effects inside of Photoshop you need to open an 

image first. 

2. When you have the image you would like to work on be sure to select the 

layer that you would like to start with. 

3. Then go to the onOne Panel and select Perfect Effects. 

If you don't see the onOne panel, you can open it from the 

Window > Extensions menu. 

You can also access Perfect Effects from the File > Automate 

menu. 

Opening Perfect Effects in Photoshop Lightroom 

1. When you use Perfect Effects inside of Photoshop Lightroom you need to 

select and image or group of images to start. 

2. Then select Perfect Effects for the File > Plug-In extras menu. 

3. Then select the open button. 

If you are using Perfect Effects as part of the Perfect Photo Suite, select 

Perfect Photo Suite instead, and then select Perfect Effects from the 

module selector. Don't select multiple images unless you wish to merge 

them into a single layered file. 

You can also access Perfect Effects from the Lightroom Export dialog for 

batch processing. 

Opening Perfect Effects in Aperture 

1. When you use Perfect Effects inside of Aperture you need to select an 

image first. 

2. Then select Perfect Effects from the Images > Edit with menu. 

3. Then select the open button. 

See also 

If you are using Perfect Effects as part of the Perfect Photo Suite, select 

Perfect Photo Suite instead, and then select Perfect Effects from the 

module selector. Don't select multiple images unless you wish to merge 

them into a single layered file. 

You can also access Perfect Effects from the contextual menu by rightclicking 

(control-clicking) on an image and selecting Edit with > Perfect 

Effects. 





Home > Getting Started > User Interface 



Click on any tool or control in the window below to learn its function (Adobe Flash Required) 



See also 

Tip: If you work on a smaller display you can open the close the library with the Command-down arrow (Mac) or Control-down arrow(Win) short-cut. 

This gives the preview more room so you can use the Masking Brush. 





Home > Getting Started > Navigating the Preview 


Click on any tool or control in the window below to learn its function (Adobe Flash Required) 

INSERT FLASH PIECE HERE 


Perfect Effects provides a number of easy ways to navigate and view your image in the Preview window. 

Hand Tool 

The Hand tool is used to drag the image within the Preview window, whenever the image size is larger than the viewable area. 

To pan (scroll) in the Preview screen: 

Select the Hand tool and drag the image until you locate the area you wish to view. 

With any other tool selected press Spacebar while you drag the image in the window. 

Tip: Hold down the spacebar temporarily to activate the Hand tool no matter what tool is currently selected 

Tip: Double-click the Hand tool in the Toolbar to set the image to a magnification that fits completely in the current window size. 


Zoom Tool 

The Zoom tool changes the magnification of the image in the Preview screen up to 1600%. 

With the Zoom tool selected: 

Click in the Preview window to zoom in and center the image at the location clicked. 

Click and drag in the Preview screen to draw a rectangular marquee—the screen fills with the area within the marquee when you release the mouse. 

Double-click in the Preview screen to set the Preview screen to 100% magnification. 

Hold the Option key (Mac) or Alt key (Win) and click to zoom out. 

Tip: Double-click the Zoom tool in the Toolbar to set the image to 1:1 or 100% magnification, showing every pixel. This is best when adjusting 

textures and for examining small details. 

Navigator and Loupe Pane 

The Navigator pane gives you a complete birds-eye view of your image. The red region of 

interest indicator marks the area of your image that is visible in the preview pane. You can 

pan your image by clicking and dragging inside the red region of interest indicator. At the top 

of the Navigator pane are several Zoom presets. To activate a Zoom preset simply click on it. 

When you toggle to Loupe mode you see a magnified section of the preview under the 

cursor. This allows you to judge the quality of your results while maintaining a complete view 

of your image. 


Preview Window Modes 

The preview window has several modes, including single image, side-by-side (horizontal or vertical) and split-screen (horizontal or vertical) versions of an image. 

This allows you to compare layers side by side or to view a layer mask and the layer side by side. 



Pressing command (control) L will change the preview mode to Left/Right. 

Command-option (control-alt) L will change the preview mode to Left/Right Split screen. 

Pressing command (control) T will change the preview mode to Top/Bottom. 

Command-option (control-alt) T will change the preview mode to Top/Bottom Split screen. 

Pressing command (control) Y will change the view mode to single image. 

Pressing command (control) P will toggle the preview on/off for modal modules. 

In the tool well there will be an indicator button that shows the current mode, and when pressed toggles to the next mode. You can also change the mode from 

the View menu. 

In each side of the preview window you have several options as to what you wish to display. You select what you want to display from a pop-up in the bottom 

left corner of each preview pane. 

Left or Top (Before Side) Right or Bottom or Single (After Side) 

Overlay (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

White (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

Dark (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

Grayscale (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

Original (default option, Shows the original image) 

Previous Effect (Displays the results from the previous effect) 

See also 






Composite (default option, this shows the composite of all enabled layers) 

Overlay (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

White (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

Dark (this shows the mask for the current layer) 

Grayscale (this shows the mask for the current layer)

Home > Using Perfect Effects 

Using Perfect Effects 

Perfect Effects is designed to work in a step-wise fashion, adding and adjusting multiple effects on top of each other. If you are a photographer, think of this 

like adding filters over your cameras lens. First you would add a polarizer to increase the contrast. Next you would add a graduated neutral density filter to 

darken the sky and perhaps at a vignette lens hood to darken the edges. This same concept is what drives Perfect Effects, except you have many more filters 

and much more flexibility and control. 

Perfect Effects provides several ways to work depending on your user level. It works for beginners through advanced users. Below are example workflows for 

different user levels. 

Beginner 

A user who is just starting to use Perfect Effects and who has never used PhotoTools in the past can simple click on a simple effect and apply it. This is the 

easiest way to get started. 

1. Start by opening an image into Perfect Effects 

2. At the bottom you will see your image with different effects applied. You start out in the Black and White category, but you can switch to any other 

category by clicking on the category tab 

3. Simply click on the effect you like and press the Apply button 

Intermediate 

An intermediate user will probably stack effects and adjust their strength. Is will be familiar to PhotoTools users. 


2. Add an effect from the bottom library, adjust its strength with the strength slider at the bottom of the Effect Stack 

3. Add another effect layer by pressing the add button in the Effect Stack, then selecting an effect from the library 

4. Continue to add effect layers, filling them with an effect and adjusting each effects strength. 

5. When you have created an effect stack you like, press the Apply button. 

Advanced 

An advanced user will stack multiple effects, adjust not just the strength but the blending options and effect options and use the masking tools to selectively 

apply effects. 


2. Enable Advanced mode by selecting the advanced mode tab in the right column 

3. Add an effect from the library at the bottom 

1. For many effects you can adjust the effect options in the Effect Options pane. This pane contains controls relevant to the selected effect. 

Using the Effects 

Library 

2. Using the blending options dialog you can control the strength and blending mode. You can also control which color or tonal ranges are affected 

4. Continue adding effect layers and adjusting the effect options and blending options to achieve the desired look. 

5. You can use the masking tools to selectively apply each effect layer by painting them in or out or applying an effect as a gradient or vignette. 

6. When you have created an effect stack you like, press the Apply button. You can also save a stack as a preset so it can be used again in the future. 


Using the Effects 

Stack 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Effects Library 


Using Effect Options Using the Masking 

Tools 

Using Perfect Effects . 13 

Presets Lightroom Use Aperture Use 

The Effects Library is the heart of Perfect Effects. It contains all the effects and presets that you will work with in Perfect Effects. It is located at the bottom of 


14 . Using Perfect Effects 

the main window. The Library helps you find the perfect stack of effects. 

The Effect Library is divided into categories like Black & White, Glows, Movie Looks, etc. Each category is represented as a tab at the top of the Library. 

Each effect or preset appears as thumbnail of your image with the effect applied. This real-time preview makes it easy to see the results of each effect. 

You can mouse over a thumbnail of an effect to see a larger version as well as a description. 

You can click on an effect to set it as the active effect for the current effect layer in the Effect Stack. 

You can also browse user created presets in the Presets category. 

Adjusting the Effects Library Appearance 

Normally the Effects Library is in filmstrip view. It looks like a horizontal strip of thumbnails. You scroll left and right to reveal images. There are two other modes, which 

we will talk about below. 

At the top of the Effects Library are tabs of each category. 

You can switch from tab to tab by clicking on the tab you are interested in. 

If you have more tabs than can be viewed at once in the window, right and left navigation areas appear. 

Below the category strip are the actual thumbnails. In the case of the Presets category, it also shows icons for sub-categories. 

You can explore a sub-category by double-clicking on it. 

You can change the size of the thumbnails by changing the height of the browser. This is accomplished using the resize handle at the top center of the 

browser. You can click and drag on the handle to make the browser area larger or smaller. 

When you mouse over a thumbnail a pop-up will display a larger version of the image. This is useful for determining small differences between images without 

the need to open the full sized images. 

You cannot delete, move or rename images in the browser. 

The browser can also be set to a matrix 

view. This is accomplished by pressing 

the matrix icon at the right of the 

breadcrumbs section. Matrix view is 

handy when you have a large number of 

images in a folder. Working in matrix 

view is the same as film strip view. 

You can also minimize the browser to provide more space to the preview area. This is handy when working on a small display. This is also accomplished by pressing the 

minimized icon at the far right of the breadcrumbs section. 

You can toggle between minimized and either film strip of matrix view by double-clicking on a browser tab or by using the command (control) down arrow 


See also 

keyboard short-cut. 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Effects Stack 


When you add an effect to your image it will appear on the current Effect Layer in the 

Effects Stack pane. The Stack works similar to the Layers and History palettes in Photoshop, 

or the Stack in PhotoTools. At the bottom of the Effects Stack is your original image. Each 

effect you select in the Library will replace the effect on the currently selected Effect Layer. 

You can create as many Effect Layers as you need and put different effects or presets into 

each. 

You can move forward and backward in time by selecting different Effect Layers in the Stack. 

For example if you had an Effects Stack with the original and three Effects Layers applied, 

you could go back to the first Effect Layer by selecting it in the Effects Stack. The second 

and third Effects Layers will appear disabled and your preview will show only the results of 

the original with the first Effect Layer applied. You can then click on the third Effect Layer, 

the most recently applied, and the second and third effects will appear active again and the 

preview will show the results of all three effects. The results of each Effect Layer in Perfect 

Effects are cumulative, so the results of the first effect are passed to the second effect and 

so forth. It is best to work with Perfect Effects in a step-by-step process, knowing that the 

results from each step are the starting point for the next effect. This means that when 

selecting the effects to apply, think about the workflow processes you would use in 

Photoshop. It is best to make color and tonal adjustments first, followed by special effects 

and finish with final touches such as vignettes and sharpening. Thinking of the proper steps 

to add effects in Perfect Effects will give you better and faster results. 

Changing the Current Effect 

When you start in Perfect Effects, there will be an empty Effect Layer on top of your 

original. Your original is at the bottom of the Effect Stack and is named after the target layer. 

To add an effect to the empty Effect Layer first make sure it is selected, then click on any 

effect thumbnail in the bottom Effects Library. You can change the effect in an Effect Layer 

simply by clicking on a different effect thumbnail in the Library. 

Adding Effects 

To add another Effect Layer so you can stack multiple effects, click on the Add button at the 

bottom of the Effects Stack. This creates a new empty Effect Layer. Then select an effect to 

fill it with from the Library. You can also double-click on an effect in the Library to place it in 

the current Effect Layer and add a new empty Effect Layer above it. This is similar to the 

behavior of PhotoTools. 

Hiding Effects 

An effect may be temporarily hidden by pressing the eye icon next to the effect in the Stack. 

You can reveal a hidden effect by pressing the where the icon was a second time. When you 

hide an effect you are not removing it from the Stack and you can reactivate it at anytime. 

Keep in mind that hiding an effect in the middle of the Stack may take a moment to re-render 

and update your preview. 

Changing Effect Order 

Effects may be reordered in the Stack by simply clicking and dragging them into the desired 

position. Reordering effects can have a huge difference on the results of the image. 

Reordering effects will cause the Stack to re-render, which may take a few moments. 

Removing and Effect 

You can remove an effect by selecting it and then pressing the Delete button at the bottom 

of the Effects Stack Pane or by pressing the delete key on your keyboard. 




Tip: You can clear all the effects from the Frame Stack at once by option (alt) 

clicking on the delete button 

Adjusting the Strength 

The Strength slider controls how the selected effect blends with the previous effect or the 

original image. You can adjust the Strength for any effect in the Stack by selecting it and 

then adjusting the Strength slider. In many cases adjusting the Strength slider effectively 

adjusts the strength of an effect. For example if you add a black and white conversion 

effect, sliding the Strength down will reveal some of the color from the previous state. In 

most cases the Strength slider will be set to 100% when you add an effect, however with 

some effects like vignettes and soft focus effects it may be set at 50%. Adjusting the 

Strength slider to greater than 50% will make the effect stronger, while adjusting it to less 

than 50% will make the effect weaker. The Strength slider is the key to achieving a great 

deal of control and variability with Perfect Effects. 

Expanding a Preset 

If your current Effect Layer contains a user-created preset you can expand it, revealing all 

of the steps (Effect Layers) in the preset. This allows you to adjust the strength, blending 

options or Effect Options for each Effect Layer. 

Adjusting Blending Options 

Blending options are available when the user mode is set to Advanced. The Blending 

Options dialog is opened by pressing the Blending Options button at the bottom of the 

Effects Stack. 

Blending Options control how one effect layer blends with the previous. Not only can you 

adjust the Strength (opacity) of and effect but many other options: 

See also 

Blending Mode: Sets the blending mode of the current effect layer. By default the 

blending mode is Normal but you have access to all the blending modes from 

Perfect Layers. 

Apply Effect to: Limits the effect to only certain color or tonal ranges of the 

image. These automatically generated masks are very useful. If you only want 

your effect to change the midtones, or the reds, or only the saturated colors you 

amazing control. The Fuzziness slider under the Apply Effect To pop-up sets how 

precise the range to be affected will be. A large fuzziness setting will create the 

most natural transitions. 

Protect: The protect sliders are used to shield certain color or tonal ranges. These 

ranges include the highlights, shadows and skin colors. If you adjust the Flesh 

Colors control you can also narrow the color range down by selected a specific 

ethnicity. 




Presets 

Lightroom Use 

Aperture Use 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using Effect Options 


New in Perfect Effects is completely new processing engine. Rather than 

relying on Photoshop, Perfect Effects has its own image-processing 

engine. This allows you to control the settings for each effect down to the 

smallest detail. There are eleven base filters that do all of the work in 


Perfect Effects. Stacking and blending these filters are what create the 

effects and presets you see in the bottom Library. These filters are 

accessed in the Effect Options pane when advanced mode is enabled. The 

filters are: 

Black and White 

Blur 

Borders 

Color Enhancer 

Duotone 

Glow 

Photo Filter 

Sharpen 

Texturing 

Tone Enhancer 

Vignette 

Many of the effects in the Library are basic presets for a single filter. 

When you select the effect in the Library, the Effect Options pane will 

switch to the correct filter and will show the settings used. You can then 

adjust the settings as needed. 

Some of the effects in the Library are complex factory presets that use 

multiple filters at the same time. When you select one of these, the Effect 

Options will display preset. Factory created presets can still be masked and 

have their strength and blending options adjusted. 

User created presets will also appear as a preset in the Effect Options 

pane. However factory presets can not be masked or have their overall 

strength or opacity adjusted. You can expand a user preset into the Effect 

Layers that created it by pressing the expand the button in the bottom of 

the stack. You can then adjust the effect options for each Effect Layer. 

See also 




Presets 

Lightroom Use 

Aperture Use 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Masking Tools 


New in Perfect Effects is the ability to selectively apply each effect in the Perfect Effects stack. Users can use the new Masking Brush to selectively apply 

each effect to the image. This opens a whole new world of control for Perfect Effects users. Using the Masking Brush is just like using a layer mask in 

Photoshop to hide or reveal the effect in specific, user-defined areas of the image. The Masking Brush even supports pressure-sensitive Wacom tablets for 

the ultimate in control. 

Each effect that you add to the Stack has a hidden mask already applied so you can grab the Masking Brush and paint-in or paint-out an effect on an effectby-effect 

basis. 

Viewing the Mask 


Perfect Effects allows you to view the mask for each layer that you have created with the Masking Brush and Masking Bug. You can view the mask in several 

modes, which are accessible from the Show Mask pop-up in the Masking Pane, from the Masking menu, the masking tool inspectors or from the preview window 

mode pop-up in the bottom left of each preview pane. Below are examples of the different mask view modes. You can toggle mask view on and off with the 

command (Mac OSX) or control (Windows) plus m keyboard shortcut. 



Overlay 

The masked area appears as 50% red. This is similar to the Quick Mask view in Photoshop 

White 

The masked area appears as solid white. 

Dark 

The masked area appears as 90% black. 

Grayscale 

The masked area appears as black, the unmasked areas appear as white. This is the same as 

viewing a layer mask in Photoshop. 

See also 




Presets 

Lightroom Use 

Aperture Use 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Masking Tools > Masking Brush Controls 



The Masking Brush is accessed from the brush icon in the toolwell on the left of the preview 

window. When you select the brush, the icon will highlight and the tool will appear as a circular 

brush in the after preview window. The brush will appear as two concentric circles. 

The outer circle represents the outer edge, or soft edge of the brush 

The inner circle represents the hard edge of the brush 

The relationship between the hard edge and soft edge are controlled with the brush size and 

brush feather controls. 

The Masking Brush options are controlled from the Masking Brush Inspector. You can open and 

close the inspector by pressing the "i" key on your keyboard or pressing the "i" icon at the 

bottom of the toolwell. The Masking Brush Inspector contains the following controls: 

See also 

Brush Size: The Brush Size slider adjusts the overall size of the brush. This is the outer 

circle of the brush. 

You can adjust the brush size using the left and right bracket keys ( [ or ] ) on 

your keyboard just like you would in Photoshop 

Brush Feather: The Feather slider adjusts how hard the edge of the brush is or how 

hard the edge of the Masking Bug is. 

At a low setting the brush will have a hard, distinct edge. The inner and outer 

circles will be close together 

At a higher feather setting the brush will have a softer, feathered 

appearance. The inner and outer circles will be farther apart. Generally, a softedged 

brush will blend the effect in or out in a more realistic way 

You can adjust the brush feather using the shift + left or right bracket keys ( [ 

or ] ) on your keyboard just like you would in Photoshop 

Brush Opacity: The Opacity slider adjusts how much "paint" is applied with each brush 

stroke, or how strong the overall Masking Bug is. 

At a low opacity it will take many strokes to paint-in or paint-out an effect. Low 

settings are good when fine control is required or you want the effect to be 

subtle 

Higher opacity settings are good when you need to quickly change the 

strength of an effect 

You can adjust the brush opacity using the number keys on your keyboard (1- 

0, 1=10%, 2=20% etc.) just like you would in Photoshop. 

With the Masking Bug, an opacity of 100% of the Masking Bug mask is strong, 

at a lower opacity the mask becomes weaker. 

Wacom Controls: The Masking Control in Perfect Effects supports Wacom® pressure 

sensitive drawing tablets. This allows you to control both the brush size and opacity 

with your Wacom tablet. 

If Brush Size is selected the harder you press with your stylus the larger the 

brush will appear, up to the maximum size set by the Brush Size slider 

If the Opacity is selected the harder you press with your stylus the stronger, 

or more opaque the brush stroke will appear, up to the maximum opacity set 

by the Opacity Slider 

Show Mask: The Show Mask pop-up lists several mask preview modes so you can 

understand the effect of your painting. 

Keep in mind that in grayscale mode, white areas of the mask show the current 

effect, while black areas hide the current effect 

You can toggle the viewing of the mask using the command - M (Mac) or 

controls - M (Windows) keyboard shortcut. 

Painting Mode: The Paint-in/Paint-out/Erase Toggle changes the "color" that the brush 

uses. 

In the paint-in mode, the brush paints in white revealing the current effect 

In paint-out mode, the brush paints with black paint which will hide the current 

effect 

In Erase mode, the brush paints away any brush stroke, either paint in or paint 

out. 

You can change the paint mode by pressing the "x" keyboard short-cut 

Invert: The Invert Mask button will invert the current mask. This can be useful if you 

wish to paint an effect in that normally applies to the entire image. 

For example if you want to paint-in the Auto Skin Smoother effect to only a 

small part of the image you could add the effect to your stack and then press 

the invert mask button to hide the effect and then use the Masking Brush set 

to paint-in to apply the effect only where you want it 

You can invert the mask using the command - I (Mac) or control - I (Windows) 

keyboard shortcut 

Reset: The Reset Mask button will reset the mask to completely white, revealing the 

current effect. 







Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Masking Tools > Painting with the Masking Brush 


Painting-In 

Any effect can be painted-in only where you like. This is useful for making small changes like burning, dodging or sharpening. The key to painting an effect in is 

to press the invert button in the Masking Brush Inspector. This will hide the results of the effect and set the brush mode to paint-in. Now paint on your image 

where you want the effect to appear. Follow these steps to paint an effect in: 

1. Select an effect from the Library 

2. Select the Masking Brush 

3. Press the Invert button in the Masking Brush Inspector 

4. Paint in the After side of the preview window to see your effect appear. You may need to adjust the brush size and opacity to get the control you 

desire. 

5. If you make a mistake with the brush you can toggle to Paint-Out and paint your mistake away. 

Painting-Out 

All of the effects in Perfect Effects can be painted-out. This is useful if you want to protect part of an image from the results of an effect. A good example 

would be removing an effect from skin on your subject. You can use the Masking Brush set to Paint-Out to brush away the effect from these areas. Follow 

these steps to paint an effect out: 

1. Select an effect from the Library 

2. Select the Masking Brush (note the brush mode is automatically set to Paint-Out) 

3. Paint in the After side of the preview window over the areas that you want to remove the effect from. You may need to adjust the brush size and 

opacity to get the control you desire. 

4. If you make a mistake with the brush you can toggle to Paint-In and paint your mistake away. 

See also 




Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Masking Tools > About the Masking Bug 


The Masking Bug is a fast way to create a mask that blends the current Effect Layer with those under it. This 

allows you to quickly apply effects such as vignettes and graduated filters in an adjustable, customizable 

shape and position. The Masking Bug technology comes from FocalPoint and if you have ever used it there it 

will be familiar in Perfect Effects It appears as a wire-frame representation of an insect. It has a body, legs 

and antennae. The Masking Bug gives you a fast and tactile way to control the most commonly used masking 

controls in Perfect Effects. The Masking Bug controls the position, size and shape of the mask as well as the 

fade amount, opacity and feather. 

Once you have played with the Masking Bug for a few minutes you will get the hang of using it. And it will 

become fast and intuitive for you to a use, just like adjusting a zoom lens on a camera. 

Masking Bug Shapes 

The Masking Bug has two shapes, round or rectangular. The bug shape is controlled in the Masking pane from the shape pop-up. The Masking Bug tool 

changes appearance from a round body to a square body depending on which shape is used. The round shape is the default. This creates a round or oblong 

mask. 

The second shape, rectangular, creates a rectangular or graduated filter appearance. 

Round Masking Bug Round Masking Bug with grid visible Round Masking Bug with grid and mask 

visible 


Rectangular Masking Bug Rectangular Masking Bug with grid visible Rectangular Masking Bug with grid and mask visible 

Tip: You can use the Invert button to flip the mask for the Masking Bug. This will apply the effect in the opposite way. 

Masking Bug Inspector 

The Masking Bug Inspector contains several useful controls that are not available by 

adjusting the legs or antennae of the Masking Bug. If the inspector is hidden you can open it 

using the "i" keyboard shortcut or by pressing the "i" icon at the bottom of the tool well. 

See also 

Edge Feather: Controls the feather, or hardness, of the mask. 

Opacity: Controls the opacity, or thickness of the mask. The default is 100% which 

will completely hide the selected Effect Layer. 

Shape: Controls the Masking Bug shape, either Round or Rectangle 

Show Mask: Shows a selection of mask preview modes. These are useful for 

understanding the affect of the Masking Bug 

Show Grid: Toggles the visibility of the Masking Bug grid on and off 

Invert: Inverts the Masking Bug mask. 

Reset: Resets the mask to completely white. 




Home > Using Perfect Effects > Using the Masking Tools > Adjusting the Masking Bug 





Adjusting the Size, Shape and Position 

To position the Masking Bug make sure you have it selected from the toolwell and that you have the correct Effect Layer selected in the Stack. Then click to 

place a Masking Bug on your image. Click, hold and drag inside the body of the bug to reposition it. 

To control the size and shape of the mask you will need to manipulate the legs of the Masking Bug. The legs are the shorter appendages that extend out of the 

Masking Bug body. On the round Masking Bug there will be four legs. On the rectangular Masking Bug there will be only two legs. To adjust a leg click, hold and 

drag it with your mouse. You will know when you can select a leg by the end of it glowing blue when your mouse pointer approaches it. The length of the legs 

control the size and shape of the sweet-spot. You can also rotate the legs around the body to change the angle of rotation of the sweet-spot. 

There are several keyboard modifiers that are useful when adjusting the size of the Masking Bug: 

Holding down option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) When you are changing the size, locks the proportions and grows equally from the center. 

Holding down shift will lock the rotation so you can adjust the length of a leg without rotating the mask. 

Tip: It is often useful to turn on the grid when adjusting the Masking Bug. This will allow you to see the exact size, shape and position of the sweetspot. 

You can turn on the grid by going to View > Masking Bug Grid and selecting Auto or On. The grid is set to Auto by default, meaning it will only 

appear when you are adjusting the Masking Bug. 

Using the Antennae 

The antennae of the Masking Bug control the Strength amount as well as the opacity and feather of the mask. You adjust the antennae the same as the legs. 

Click, hold and drag the antenna you wish to adjust. 

The right antenna controls strength amount and feather. The length of the antenna controls the Strength amount. The longer the antenna the stronger the 

effect will be. The angle of the antenna in relation to the body controls the feather or the transition between the sweet-spot and the rest of the image. 

You can lock the antenna so you only adjust one of its variables at a time. 

By holding down the shift key while adjusting an antenna it will be locked to adjust only the antenna length. 

You may hold down shift and command (Mac) Control (Windows) to constrain the adjust to the angle instead. 

The length of the left antenna controls the opacity of the mask. 

Adjusting the 3-D Tilt 

You can also use the Masking Bug to tilt the plane of the mask. This will vary the gradation on each side of the mask. To control the tilt click and hold the option 

(Mac) alt (Windows) key and then click and drag inside inside the body of the Masking Bug. You will notice the grid will appear and as you move your cursor 

inside the Masking Bug’s body the grid will tilt in three dimensions. You can reset the tilt by holding option (Mac) alt (windows and doubleclicking inside the 

Masking Bug’s body. 

Round Masking Bug tilted to the right Round Masking Bug tilted to the right with mask visible 


Rectangular Masking Bug tilted to the right Rectangular Masking Bug tilted to the right with mask visible 

Adjusting the Masking Bug Feather 

The feather controls how hard the edge of the sweet-spot is. The harder the edge, the more obvious the transition is between the sweet-spot and the rest of 

the image. Generally a setting of 25-50 is used. The feather is also controlled the angle of the right antenna. 

Small feather, hard edge High feather, soft edge 




Adjusting the Masking Bug Opacity 

The opacity controls the opacity of the sweet-spot. At a setting of 100%, the sweet-spot is completely protected from or completely applying the effect. As the 

opacity is decreased, the sweet-spot begins to soften. In most cases you will want the opacity to remain at 100%. The opacity is also controlled with the left 

antenna. 

100% Opacity 50% Opacity 

See also 




Home > Using Perfect Effects > Presets 


Presets 

Presets are vital to use Perfect Effects effectively in your workflow. Presets store the entire stack of effects and all of their strength, blending options and 

MaskingBug settings. Using a preset helps you reproduce your favorite looks quickly. Presets are also accessible from the onOne menu in Photoshop and the 

Export dialog in Lightroom. 

You can also share your presets with other users of Perfect Effects. This could be as simple as placing them on the computers in your studio so your staff can 

access them, or sharing them online for other users of Perfect Effects 

onOne also makes available add-on preset packs that contain additional presets you can download from the onOne website. 

Browsing Presets 

You can browse presets just like you browse for any effect. Presets appear in the Presets category in the Effects Library at the bottom of the window. 

You can see details such as description and author by lingering over the thumbnail of a preset in the library. 

Your last six used Effect Stacks are automatically saved as recently used presets in the Recently Used category in the presets category. 

Using Presets 

You can use a preset just like using any other effect. Just click on it to replace the effect in the current Effect Layer. Preset names appear in italics in the Effect 

Stack. Presets do not allow you to set their strength, blending options, effect options or use the masking tools unless you expand them. Expanding a preset 

shows all of the effects used to create it. You can then adjust the strength, blending options, effect options and masking on an Effect Layer basis. 

You can also apply presets directly from the onOne menu or the Export dialog in Lightroom 

Saving Presets 

Saving a preset is simple. Once you have a stack that you wish to save, go to the 

Preset menu and select Save Preset. 

The New Preset dialog will appear (shown to the right). There are several fields to 

complete including the preset name, the category, creator and description. 

In the category pull-down you can select which existing category the preset should 

saved into. You can also create a new category this way by selecting new category 

from the bottom of the list. 

You can edit a preset's name, creator, description or keywords by selecting it and then selecting Edit Preset Info from the Preset menu. If you want 

to edit the effects in a preset, load it into your stack, make your adjustments and then re-save the preset with the same name and location. 

Deleting Presets 

You can remove a preset from Perfect Effects if you no longer want to have access to it. To remove a preset, follow these steps: 

1. Open Perfect Effects 

2. Select the preset you wish to remove in the Library 

3. Select Delete Preset from the Preset menu. 

Note: Deleting presets removes them from your hard drive and you will no longer be able to use them. If you need to reload a preset you have 

deleted, follow the instructions in the sharing presets section. 

Importing and Sharing Presets 

You can import presets you have downloaded from the onOne website or other site using these steps. 

1. Download and if needed unzip the presets. Perfect Effects presets will have a .ONEffects extension. 

2. Simply double-click on a preset. If you want to add multiple presets at the same time, select all of them first. 

3. Perfect Effects will open and you will be asked which category you want to place the presets into. Select a category. 


4. That's it, next time you use Perfect Effects the new presets will be located in the category you selected. You can delete the files you downloaded, they 



have been copied into Perfect Effects. 

You can share presets like you would share any other file, such as email or posting them to a website. First you need to find the preset files. The easiest way it 

to open Perfect Effects, then from the Preset menu select Show Presets Folder. A Finder (Mac) or Explorer (Win) window will open and will display the presets 

folder. In the presets folder are sub-folders for your preset categories. Inside each sub-folder are the individual preset files, with a .ONEffects extension. You 

can copy these presets to another computer, attach them to an email or post them on a website. 

See Also 





Lightroom Use 

Aperture Use 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Lightroom Use 

Lightroom Use 

To Apply Perfect Effects with manual, custom interaction to an image or group of images in Photoshop Lightroom follow these instructions: 

1. Open Photoshop Lightroom 

2. Select an image(s) 

3. Go to File > Plug-in Extras 

4. Select Perfect Effects 

5. Perfect Effects will appear. You can now select a preset or manually adjust the image. When you select apply, the settings used for the first image will 

be applied automatically to any other images you had selected. 

See also 


Tip: The file handing when working in Lightroom is controlled in the Preferences. 

Tip: If you have the Perfect Photo Suite, you access Perfect Effects through it inside of Lightroom. You will see Perfect Photo Suite instead of 

Perfect Effects in the Plug-In Extras menu. Don't select multiple images in Lightroom unless you want to stack them into a single layered file. See the 

Opening Perfect Effects section. 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Lightroom Use > Batch Processing 


You can also use Perfect Effects from inside the Export Dialog in Lightroom to batch process multiple images. To use Perfect Effects from the Export Dialog 

follow these steps: 

1. Open Photoshop Lightroom 

2. Select the images you would like to process 

3. Go to File > Export... 

4. From the export module pop-up, select onOne Perfect Effects 

5. Set your options each of the module sections 

6. Press Export 

Most of the module sections are the same as the standard Lightroom export module. These include options for the location, name, size, file type, etc. of the 

files you are exporting. See the Lightroom user guide for details on these options. 

In the Perfect Effects section you can select the category and preset that you would like to use. 

See also 

Home > Using Perfect Effects > Aperture Use 


Aperture Use 

To Apply Perfect Effects with manual, custom interaction to an image or group of images in Aperture follow these instructions: 

1. Open Aperture 

2. Select an image(s) 

3. Right-click and select Edit with... 

4. Select Perfect Effects 

5. Perfect Effects will appear. You can now select a preset or manually adjust the image. When you select apply, the settings used for the first image will 

be applied automatically to any other images you had selected. 

See also 


Tip: If you have the Perfect Photo Suite, you access Perfect Effects through it inside of Aperture. You will see Perfect Photo Suite instead of 

Perfect Effects in the edit with menu. Don't select multiple images in Aperture unless you want to stack them into a single layered file. See the 

Opening Perfect Effects section. 


28 . Preferences 

Home > Preferences 

Preferences 

The preferences dialog for Perfect Effects is shared with other members of the Perfect Photo Suite. It contains general application settings that are used by 

Perfect Effects. The Perfect Effects preferences are accessed from the Perfect Effects or Perfect Photo Suite menu on Mac or the Edit menu on Windows. The 

preferences contain the following controls: 

General Settings 

1. Working Color Space: When a file is opened in standalone mode 

and has no color profile associated with it, this is the assumed 

color profile for the image. Images that come from other hosts or 

have tagged or embedded profiles will use the associated profile 

instead. 

2. Scrolling Controls: Let's you select how the mouse scrollwheel or 

scrolling gesture works. The options are: 

1. Adjust Zoom: Adjusts the zoom of the preview window. 

Scrolling up increases the zoom, scrolling down decreases 

the zoom. It is important that the zooming is comfortable, 

not too fast or slow or jerky. 

2. Pan Image: Pans the image, like using the pan tool or 

navigator. It is important that the panning is comfortable, 

not too fast or slow or jerky. 

3. Adjust Tool Size: Adjusts the size of the current tool if 

relevant, such as a brush tool. 

3. Preview Background Color: You may select the color of the 

background behind the preview image. The default color is black. 

There should be options for black, white, light gray, dark gray and 

custom... The custom option a color picker where you can select 

your own background color. 

Lightroom Plug-In Settings 

1. Color Space: Specifies the color space to use when processing 

copies from Lightroom. This is similar to the working color space 

pop-up in the general preferences tab, however there are only 

the three options supported by Lightroom: sRGB, Adobe RGB 1998 

and ProPhotoRGB. 

2. Bit Depth: Sets the bit depth for the copies created by Lightroom, 

the options are 8 and 16 bit. 

3. Resolution: Sets the resolution of copies created by Lightroom. 

4. Stack with Original: Enabled by default, copies created by 

Lightroom are stacked with their original or source image. 

5. Use Original for Single PSDs. Enabled by default. If your selection 

is a single PSD file, the original PSD is opened rather than creating 

a copy. 

See also 

Welcome 

Installation 


Getting Started 

Using Perfect Effects 

Menus 


Home > Menus 

Menus 

Pages in this Section 

Perfect Effects File Edit Mask Preset View 

Window Help Keyboard Shortcuts 

Home > Menus > Perfect Effects 


About...: Opens the about box. This dialog contains your serial number, version number and 

information on contacting onOne Software for support. 

Preferences...: Opens the preferences dialog. 

Quit: Quits the application 

See also 

File 

Edit 

Mask 

Preset 

View 

Window 

Help 


Home > Menus > File 

File 

Tip: On Windows, the preferences can be found in the Edit menu, the About Box can be found in the Help menu. 

Apply: Applies the current effect Stack and options to your image and returns to the host application. 

Cancel: Cancels Perfect Effects and returns back to the host application with no changes. 

Menus . 29 


30 . Menus 

See also 


Edit 

Mask 

Preset 

View 

Window 

Help 


Home > Menus > Edit 

Edit 

Undo: Reverses the last user action 

Redo: Reapplies the last user action if it has been undone. 

Undo Stroke: If the last action was a brush stroke, this reverses the entire brush stroke 

Redo Stroke: If you last action was an undo of a Brush Stroke, this reapplies the entire stroke 

Copy: Copies the current text into the clipboard. 

Cut: Cuts the current text into the clipboard. 

Paste: Pastes the content of the clipboard. 

Reset All: Resets all the floating palette controls back to their default settings. 

Preferences (Windows Only): Opens the Perfect Effects preferences dialog. 

See also 


File 

Mask 

Preset 

View 

Window 

Help 


Home > Menus > Mask 

Mask 

Show Mask: Flyout menu with mask preview options. 

Copy Mask: Copies the mask on the selected Effect Layer 

Paste Mask: Pastes the mask in the clipboard onto the selected Effect Layer 

Invert Mask: Inverts the mask, what was hidden is revealed and vice versa. 

Reset Mask: Resets the mask to plain white 

Masking Bug Tool Opacity: Sets the opacity of the Masking Bug tool overlay. This has no 

effect on the image, just how obvious the Masking Bug tool is on screen. 

Masking Bug Grid: Sets the grid mode for the Masking Bug 

See also 


File 

Edit 

Preset 

View 

Window 

Help 


Help 


Home > Menus > Preset 

Preset 

Save Preset: Saves the current Effect Stack as a new preset. 

Import Preset: Opens the import preset dialog to help you import presets you have downloaded. 

Show Presets Folder: Opens a Finder or Explorer window showing the presets folder. 

Delete Preset: Deletes the current preset. 

Edit Preset Info: Opens the preset dialog so you can edit the name, author or description information. 

See also 


File 

Edit 

Mask Mask 

View 

Window 

Help 


Home > Menus > View 

View 

Zoom In: Zooms the preview window in one increment. This will make the preview image larger. 

Zoom Out: Zooms the preview window out one increment. This will make the preview images smaller. 

Fit to Screen: This sets the preview image so that the entire image is on screen at once. Think of this 

as an overview of the entire image. This is the setting you will use most of the time. 

Fill: If the target layer is smaller than the canvas size, it sets the zoom to fill the preview with the target 

layer. 

Actual Pixels: This sets the preview image so that it zooms to actual pixels or 1:1 also called 100%. 

This setting allows you to see every pixel in the image. This is useful when making precision adjustments. 

Preview: Toggles the preview of the after pane on/off to show the original. Useful when working in 

Single Image view mode. 

Preview Area Mode 

Single Image: Sets the preview area to show a single image. 

Left/Right: Sets the preview area to show a side-by-side compare of your before and after image. This 

is the default mode. 

Left/Right Split: Sets the preview area to show a split-screen preview of your before and after results 

on a single image. 

Top/Bottom: Sets the preview area to show a side-by-side compare of your before and after image. 

This is the default mode. 

Top/Bottom Split: Sets the preview area to show a split-screen preview of your before and after 

results on a single image. 

See also 


File 

Edit 

Mask 

Preset 

Window 

Help 

Menus . 31 


32 . Menus 


Home > Menus > Window 

Window 

Window Mode: Sets the window mode, Basic or Advanced. 

Navigator: Hides or shows the navigator pane. 

Effects Stack: Hides or shows the Effect Stack pane. 

Effect Options: Hides or shows the Effect Options pane. Effect Options is only available in 

Advanced mode. 

Show/Hide Inspector: Opens or closes the inspector. 

Show/Hide Library: Opens or closes the Effects Library. 

Welcome Dialog: Opens the Welcome Dialog which shows basic step-by-step instructions for using 

Perfect Effects. 

Document Name: Shows the name, zoom level and bit depth of the open image. 

See also 


File 

Edit 

Mask 

Preset 

View 

Help 


Home > Menus > Help 

Help 

Search: Not used, Mac OSX only 

Perfect Effects Help...: Opens this html help in your default web browser. 

Check for Updates...: Checks with the onOne update server to see if you 

are running the current version. If there is a newer version you will be notified 

and be walked through the update process. 

Activate/Deactivate: Opens the activation dialog. These are used to 

deactivate your software for moving it to another computer or for a return. 

Registration: Opens the default web browser and navigates to the 

registration page of the onOne website. 

Show Keyboard Shortcuts...: Opens the keyboard shortcut inspector. 

About Perfect Effects (Windows Only): Opens the about box with the 

version number and license code displayed. 

See also 


File 

Edit 

Mask 

Preset 

View 

Window 


Home > Menus > Keyboard Shortcuts 



Perfect Effects has many keyboard short-cuts to make it faster to access common buttons and menu items. It also uses many of the keyboard shortcuts that 

Photoshop uses, making it intuitive to learn. Here is a list of the most commonly used keyboard shortcuts: 

Action Mac Win 

Apply cmd s ctl s 

Cancel esc, cmd w, cmd . esc, ctl w 

Save Preset cmd shift s ctl shift s 

Preferences cmd , ? 

Undo cmd z ctl z 

Redo cmd shift z ctl shift z 

Cut cmd x ctl x 

Undo Stroke cmd opt z ctl alt z 

Redo Stroke cmd shift opt z ctl shift alt z 

Copy cmd c ctl c 

Paste cmd v ctl v 

Reset All cmd opt z ctl alt z 

Open/Close Navigator cmd 1 ctl 1 

Open/Close Effect Stack cmd 2 ctl 2 

Open/Close Effect Options cmd 3 ctl 3 

Select Pan Tool h h 

Select Zoom Tool z z 

Select MaskingBrush b b 

Select MaskingBug n n 

Zoom-In cmd + or cmd = ctl + pr ctl = 

Zoom-Out cmd - ctl - 

1:1 cmd opt 0 ctl alt 0 

Fit to Screen cmd 0 ctl 0 

Fill cmd shift 0 ctl shift 0 

Brush Size 

Brush Feather 

Brush Opacity 

larger ] 

smaller [ 

softer shift ] 

harder shift [ 

opt 1 (10%) 

opt 2 (20%) 

opt 0 (100%) 

etc or 

opt ] 

opt [ 

Toggle Brush Mode x x 

larger ] 

smaller [ 

Show Mask cmd m ctl m 

softer shift ] 

harder shift [ 

opt 1 (10%) 

opt 2 (20%) 

opt 0 (100%) 

etc or 

alt ] 

alt [ 

Toggle Mask View cmd opt m ctl alt m 

Preview on/off cmd p ctl p 

Preview Modes 

- Single Image 

- Left/Right 

- Left/Right Split 

- Top/Bottom 

- Top/Bottom Split 

Change Effect Layer Strength 

cmd Y 

cmd L 

cmd opt L 

cmd T 

cmd opt T 

number keys 

1 - 10% 

2 - 20% 

etc 

ctl Y 

ctl L 

ctl opt L 

ctl T 

ctl opt T 

number keys 

1 - 10% 

2 - 20% 

etc 

Toggle preset group mode cmd down arrow ctl down arrow 

See also 


File 

Edit 

Mask 

Preset 

View 

Menus . 33 


Window 

Help

Index

Perfect Effects 3 User Guide - onOne Software

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