Tag: Topaz Clarity

Topaz Clarity vs Topaz Adjust Comparison

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Topaz Adjust Version
Topaz Adjust Version

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I wanted to see how Topaz Clarity would compare to Topaz Adjust in terms of rendering a more realistic faux HDR image so I went back in my library to some work I did at the Bonneville Salt Flats during the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials.

The image above was processed in Topaz Adjust 4 and shows a lot of halos as well as a very surreal rendering of the racers themselves. I reprocessed the original file using Topaz Clarity which really improved on the result as you can see in the second version below. There is a lot less noise in the sky and the skin tones are more realistic though the shadow areas are not as open as in the earlier version. All in all Topaz Clarity made a smoother version while still compensating for the extreme lighting conditions of shooting at midday on the salt flats.

Topaz Clarity Version
Topaz Clarity Version

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Below is another image of a sunrise over the entrance to the Bonneville Salt Flats that I used Topaz Clarity to process. It has fewer problems with halos and noise while still extracting a great deal of information from the single frame exposure I used to create it.

Bonneville Sunrise
Bonneville Sunrise

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I like the way that Topaz Clarity handles these types of images and suggest that you give the Topaz software a trial of your own to see if it is something you want to add to your processing tools and techniques. Topaz is running a summer sale offer of the entire Topaz Bundle for $199 until July 7, 2013 which makes it a really good deal. If you want to trial or purchase any of the Topaz products please use the link below which credits me with your purchase and pays me a small commission.

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

 

A Path Through The Woods

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Enchanted Wood
Enchanted Wood

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Today I am sharing an HDR image that has been processed with Aperture  3, NIK HDR Efex Pro 2, Adobe Camera Raw, Photoshop CS5, Topaz Clarity and OnOne Perfect Effects. I shot the scene along Floyds Fork in the new Parklands Park that is being developed in eastern Louisville. My bracket set was -2, 0 and +2 EV which gave me three versions to work with for my HDR merger and tone mapping.

I first took the three bracket set into NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 where I merged them and applied the Balanced Preset. After that I made some adjustments in Aperture 3 before opening the HDR image in Adobe Camera Raw where I adjusted color saturation and luminance and then saved it in Photoshop CS5 as a tiff file. I then used Topaz Clarity to add micro-contrast and further refine the colors in the image. After returning the image to Aperture 3 I adjusted the sharpening, definition and added a vignette. I then opened the image in OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 7 and used Perfect Effects where I first applied the Vecchio filter at approximately 75% opacity to warm the image even further. Next I added the Holga Filter to another layer in OnOne Perfect Effects before returning the image to Aperture 3 for final sharpening.

SpeedDemon2 Is Going Self-Hosted Soon

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Morning Rower
Morning Rower

Hi folks I wanted to let you know why I haven’t been posting for a few days. I am in the process of moving from WordPress.com to a self hosted solution. I want to start selling prints and that means moving to my own server.

SpeedDemon2.com should be ready to go live soon. I’m just hammering out some details before flipping the switch. I’m sticking with the current theme, though there may be some minor tweaks to it. I like the simplicity of the theme but I also want to keep it fresh so there may be a few changes.

Just as practicing in photography is necessary and beneficial, so too is it the case with WordPress. The more I explore the WordPress platform the more I discover. That leads to new and more efficient tools to express my ideas and showcase my work. Just as photo processing has plug-ins that extend and/or facilitate my vision for an image; WordPress plug-ins do similar things for blogging.

As I said last week when I passed my one year WordPress anniversary I have an idea where SpeedDemon2 is headed but I really don’t know how the journey will unfold.

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Today is the last day to get Topaz Clarity for $29.99 before it goes to the regular price of $49.99. Use the link below and enter the code claritynew to get the 40% discount until the end of the day.

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

I am an affiliate with Topaz Labs and earn a small commission on each sale that results from someone using my link to go to Topaz Labs site. The commission helps me defray the costs of publishing SpeedDemon2. 

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Topaz Clarity vs Topaz Adjust

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Kansas Tractor #4 Clarity Version
Kansas Tractor #4 Clarity Version

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Today I decided to go back to an image I posted a few days ago that I had processed in Topaz Adjust. I have always liked the effect that Topaz Adjust has when applied to these sorts of rusted relics. I usually apply the Spicify preset and then tweak it to achieve the final result. The one thing that I have always struggled with when using that method was the extreme halos that arose when pushing contrast, saturation and definition to enhance the texture in the image.

Topaz Clarity is designed to allow enhancing texture, contrast and saturation while minimizing halos and similar artifacts. The image below shows haloing in the sky and around the edges of the tractor that are almost entirely gone in the Topaz Clarity processed image. From these two images it seems clear that they have accomplished their goal. I was able to open up the shadows and saturate the colors without getting the types of halos that the Topaz Adjust version below exhibits.

Kansas Tractor #3
Kansas Tractor #3

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From this experiment I can say Topaz Clarity lives up to it’s billing. I’m sure that as I become more familiar with the software I’ll be able to create images that reflect my vision for them while avoiding having to go into additional processing to deal with halos. I think Topaz Clarity is a valuable addition to my processing software and recommend it to anyone looking for a program that will give great control to contrast and color in single frame images.

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Topaz Clarity will retail for $49.99, but will be available at a special reduced price of $29.99 through May 31st with with this promo code: claritynew

Please use the Topaz link below when going to the Topaz Labs site. 

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

I’m an affiliate of Topaz Labs and earn a small commission on any sales made through my referral link which helps me offset the cost of producing SpeedDemon2. 

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Topaz Labs Introduces It’s Latest Product “Clarity” Today

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Clarity_box_clear

As I noted in yesterday’s post there are currently a lot of new and exciting products coming out to help in post-processing our images. Topaz Labs released one such breakthrough product today with the release of Topaz Clarity.

I am especially interested in the ability of Topaz Clarity to minimize halos and the new masking feature. I’ll be working with it over the next few days and sharing my thoughts and results with you as I explore these features.

Here are some of the unique features introduced in Topaz Clarity:

1. Selective Contrast Control. With Clarity, Topaz Labs has developed a cutting edge process of selecting specific contrast variations in your original image, allowing you to quickly target and then increase or decrease the contrast and clarity in that specific variation.

2. Breakthrough Halo-Free Algorithm. Boost contrast and clarity without emphasizing transitions between light and dark areas, eliminating the common problem of halos, noise and artifacts.

3. Advanced Hue/Saturation/Luminance Technology. Using IntelliColor technology, you can easily enhance your image with the HSL filter, getting stronger, yet more natural HSL adjustments.

4. Re-Imagined Masking Workflow. The masking module, now attached to each adjustment tab contains a comprehensive set of tools including an edge-aware brush, gradient mask, smart feather tool, color aware tool and more.

5. User Interface Design. With Clarity, they have continued to develop a cleaner, more modern and efficient interface to improve usability, workflow and overall aesthetics.

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Clarity will retail for $49.99, but will be available at a special reduced price of $29.99 through May 31st with with this promo code: claritynew

Please use the Topaz link below when going to the Topaz Labs site. 

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

I’m an affiliate of Topaz Labs and earn a small commission on any sales made through my referral link which helps me offset the cost of producing SpeedDemon2. 

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