Photo Bundle from Alien Skin: Review

Photo Bundle from Alien Skin

We take apart this professional package and explore what effects it has to offer

Alien Skin’s premier special effects software set, Photo Bundle, includes five of its flagship plug-ins – both accessible with the latest editions of Adobe Photoshop and Elements. It provides not only high technical capabilities, but also beneficial economical solutions. Photo Bundle retails at $595, approximately £380. That’s $500, approximately £318, cheaper than buying individual packages.

With its all-inclusive creative sciences, Photo Bundle is designed to improve your workflow yet still finds time to provide solutions that ultimately entertain the effects-driven consumer. Here you’ll be able to manipulate sophisticated lighting effects, improve image delineation and resolution quality, as well as restore disturbing artefacts from your photo stock and apply one-click cool filters just for fun.

Bokeh
After a positive review in issue 54, we know Bokeh is a capable focus-effects software. These can be applied through sophisticated lens styles, which in turn can be edited from preset menus. Focal regions, blur amounts and exposure impact are all customisable. The Radial option produces a parameter around your image, with effect strengths subject to drag-and-shape diameter selections. The Planar option works much like a Photoshop gradient – dragging from a central focal point outwards, creating gradual blur effects. Amount and Aperture are accurate and we love the Creamy Percentage control.

Bokeh layer effects: Activating the Create Output In New Layer Above means that all Bokeh effects stay non-destructive

Blow Up 2
This automated enlarging plug-in promises sophisticated algorithms, which make your photos dramatically sharper and detailed in comparison to any other method. Intuition is a virtue of this software – users can set presets that are not only dimension but also print-media sensitive. These include Screen (web), Inkjet Matte, Inkjet Luster and Inkjet Glossy. Each preset is then editable through a simple scroll bar functionality – including Sharpen Edges, Add Grain and Remove Compression Artefacts. We do have to admit that, although the applied effects seemed impressive, on closer scrutiny there were faults in detailed areas such as eyelashes and hair that were still clearly visible.

Multi-core systems: Blow Up 2 takes advantage of multi-processor and multi-core systems, meaning that enlargement is now even faster

Exposure 2
With presets and effects tailored for both monochrome and coloured films, Exposure 2 is a conscientious plug-in. All options are considerate to the subtleties of photo effects, such as tone, focus and noise. Tonal effects take their cue from Photoshop Curvature technology, which provides first-class results when manually controlling image exposures. Slidebars for Contrast, Shadow, Midtones and Highlights allow you to drastically or subtly rectify effects to your own specification, maintaining results of a high standard. Filters are applicable in the Color options, providing the ability to rectify or edit image temperature. These are complemented by RGB saturation slidebars, which specify the tonal impact of image areas.

Image Doctor 2
This retouching software promises the ability to apply effects within minutes not hours. Seeing as users have to make deliberate selections to models and images before being able to apply any of this plug-in’s options, we’ll admit you’ll need to master Photoshop selection techniques before being able to establish this efficiency. This said, once you’ve mastered selections, options such as Skin Softener become impressive. Simply apply a preset then adjust it with two slidebars: Contract/Expand Selection and Soften Amount. Smart Fill, however, was less impressive and arguably the least productive option. It’s useful at remedial tasks though, such as removing single obtrusive items from a scene.

De-cluttering: In most cases, Image Doctor 2 does enable photo editors to de-clutter bad photographic compositions with just a few clicks

Snap Art 2
Snap Art 2 is a plug-in that accelerates Photoshop filter capabilities, providing users with a far more editable experience. It again provides its own extensive option set. Effects are promised to be indistinguishable from works of art and we’re inclined to agree. Each option set will take time to acclimatise to, but once familiar with settings, effects become impressive. These, like all others in the Photo Bundle set, allow you to apply easily through slidebar functionality. Media-type drop options exist, along with the means to establish brush sizes and the amount of realism still perceivable in your effect. Canvas options are also highly intuitive, allowing you to perfect effects for print. Here you can simulate media textures, thickness amounts and canvas colour. Vignette effects are also applicable for that professional edge.

Inflated effects: Snap Art has some significant upgrades from version one – most notably its ability to apply effects to images of any size

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