NIK Viveza = awesome.

John E wrote in post #6851851
Doesn't the adjustment brush in Lightroom 2 do much of the same thing as Viveza?

It's similar though Viveza does a better job of blending than LR 2 does. Well, it does better blending with much less work is more accurate.

The major benefit for me over LR2, which I use for sorting and organizing only, is that it's a polished plug-in for Photoshop. Many people dislike editing in Photoshop for minor changes or even major alterations. I dislike using anything but Photoshop for any alterations I make to images. That might change if they ever make opening a file in PS from LR work a way I like.

If you use LR for your editing and mostly avoid PS there probably really isn't any need for Viveza.

So here is the original graduation picture that I was telling you all about a little earlier...

I've been using the Nik software for over a year now, very good stuff.

I love NIK!!! I got this picture using just there plugin..a combination of Nik Color Efex and Nik Silver.

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I tried the Nik plug in for Aperture a few months back and loved it. I just found it hard to pay more for a plug in then I did for Aperture itself, so I did not purchase it.

I like it too.. Here's a more invasive use of Viveza for digital edits..

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Nik stuff rocks. I use Viveza and Color Efex Pro currently. Silver Efex and Sharpener Pro seem like worthy expenditures for the future as well.

Here is the Trevi Fountain with the Silver Efex plugin

I bought Vivesa at it's release at the PMA show. I use it all the time. Remember that instead of clicking OK when finished, you can click Brush and then brush your changes on to the new layer in case the effect has crept into an area where you don't want it. The Opacity and blend modes can also be applied the the Vivesa layer.

d100763, I absolutely love that picture!

Here is a kitty outtake (as 99.9% of them are) that I think I made a rescue using Viveza and Color Efex. I used more than just those two, but their alterations shaped the edit. Not saying it'd be a prize winner, but when I'd have otherwise drug it to the recycling bin I'm satisfied

Original

that Trevi fountain shot is spectacular! looks like b/w HDR!

I find viveza most useful for controlling backgrounds - it's unbelievably fast and you can get some great effects. I use it for almost every photo now when the background is a noticeably different tone from the subject.

Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex pro are also uber pimp. The sharpening thing isn't that great, I've found, after using it for a while. I prefer to do that myself. I don't need Dfine because I shoot 5D .

Thank you Son of Darwin, great work on the cat! (is that a homemade lightbox behind the cat?)

Thanks narlus, I attempted to do some HDR on the fountain, but due to the water and crowds it is difficult to set up and shoot (shooting with a G6, so it's difficult to get good closeups).

Here is a closer look at the center figure at the Trevi Fountain (I know the crop is a bit tight, but I wanted to full the frame with the figure, and the Four Rivers Fountain was under construction

d100763 wrote in post #7009736
Thank you Son of Darwin, great work on the cat! (is that a homemade lightbox behind the cat?)

It's a homemade softbox for my slave 430EX. Just a cardboard box with front cut out lined with silver foil and some paper towels taped on. I tend to only use it for the cats or indoor stuff as I'm not man enough to take it out in public or use it around people

SonofDarwin,
Did you use Viveza on the cat, the details are great!!!