Digital Photographer's Software Guide - Bertemes - Net

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The Digital Photographer's Software Guide
you would have thought possible. Version 3.0 was a major release, with significantly
faster processing speeds, better edge blending, and additional features such as new tools
for fine mask selection. It is professional software with a price to match, but it is worth
every cent if you need to make composite images without seeing a join.
Version: Fluid Mask 3.0 (2008)
Plugs into: Photoshop CS2 and later; version 3.1 will add QuarkXPress and Paint Shop Pro
OS: Windows XP with SP2, and Vista; Mac OS X v.10.3.9, v.10.4.9, or later
RAM: 512MB (1GB recommended)
Supported file formats: As host
Price level: Approx. $240
Address: Vertus Tech, 242 Elm St, South Dartmouth, MA, 02748, United States
Vertus Tech, Manning House, 22 Carlisle Place, London, SW1P 1JA, United Kingdom
www.vertustech.com
Mask Pro
Vendor: onOne Software
Purpose: Sophisticated set of masking tools for isolating subjects from their backgrounds
Description
Mask Pro is a set of specialist tools for really tough masking tasks such as separating a
subject’s hair from a background of clouds. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all
approach, it offers the right tool for the job, allowing you to work on different parts of
the image using different tools.
You can use Mask Pro simply to make a selection, using one of the selection tools to
create a clipping path. Alternatively, you can use the standard mode for masking a transparent
item. A real-time preview gives you a good indication of the quality of the mask.
Among the tools provided are Chisel for obtaining sharp edges without halos and Magic
Brush for removing colors while maintaining transparency. The latest version has support
for Wacom graphics tablets with pressure sensitivity.
Comments
The algorithms in Mask Pro are very good at removing colorcasts in transparent objects
like smoke, fog, and glass. It does what all good plug-ins are meant to do: goes beyond
what is available in the host program. One of its key features is its results preview, in
which it shows you what the results will look like while you are creating the mask rather
than after you have processed the whole image. This is a great professional tool, with
full 16-bit support, offered at a competitive price.