 Previous Page | Next Page
|
| How to Touch Up Photos with FotoFinish |
Applying Special Effects
 |
A graphic created using multiple special effects filters
|
|
You can add flair to your photos or create a professional graphic using FotoFinish's
special effects and texture filters. These filters can blur out distracting portions of
an image, sharpen a slightly unfocused photo, or add artistic effects such as mosaic, sepia,
and more. You can apply filters to a whole image just to a selected area.
Professionals usually apply filters in succession, combining different effects to create an artistic
graphic or portrait. With FotoFinish you can combine any number of special effects. What you
can create is limited only by your imagination and creativity.
|
|
To apply an effect, simply open a photo, go to the Image menu and click on
Special Effects. In the Special Effects dialog, choose from a drop-down list
of effects, and then use the previews and settings to determine how much of the effect
you want to apply. Sometimes less is more.
|
|
| Blur |
|
 |
|
|
Apply the Blur filter to smooth and soften a selection or image.
Use this for retouching portraits or as an artistic effect.
|
The original image
|
Blurred image
|
|
|
| Colorize |
|
|
|
|
Use the Colorize filter to change the overall hue of an image.
Add color to a black and white photograph or create an artistic monocolor image from a color photo.
Click on the More button to specify the exact color balance for the filter.
|
The original image
|
Colorized image
|
|
|
| Emboss |
|
|
|
|
Make a selection appear as if it was carved in relief by adding an
Emboss filter. This filter transforms the background into a gray color
and outlines the subject of the image in bright colors.
In the advanced menu, you can set the depth of embossment as well as the light
direction. The outlines closer to the light source will be lighter in
color than the areas facing away from the light source.
|
The original image
|
Embossed image
|
|
|
| Mosaic |
|
|
|
|
Apply the Mosaic filter to create a pixelated effect that groups
similar colored pixels into tiles.
|
The original image
|
Image with mosaic filter applied
|
|
|
| Posterize |
|
|
|
|
Use the Posterize filter to
reduce the number of colors in the image and create a poster-like look.
|
The original image
|
Posterized image
|
|
|
| Sepia |
|
|
|
|
Turn an everyday photo into an old time portrait using the Sepia effect.
|
The original image
|
Sepia photograph
|
|
|
| Sharpen |
|
|
|
|
Focus slightly blurry images such as a resampled photograph or a scanned image.
The Sharpen filter increases the contrast between neighboring pixels to
give the illusion of sharpened edges.
|
The original image
|
The sharpened photograph
|
|
|
| Solarize |
|
|
|
|
Using the Solarize filter, you can blend a negative and positive of an image
to create a uniquely colored print. Using the More button allows you to control
the exact level of solarization. As you move the slider to the right, the colors
become more intense.
|
The original image
|
Solarized image
|
|
|
| Speckle |
|
|
|
|
Add noise to an image using the Speckle filter. Manually adjust the noise
level using the slider under the More button.
|
The original image
|
Speckled image
|
|
|
| Texturize |
|
|
|
Add texture to your image using the Texturize filter. A texture filter takes
your original image and applies a semi-transparent graphic (the texture) over the top
of it, thereby altering its appearance.
Applying a texture filter is like laying down shelf paper. If you run your
hands along the shelf, any bumps or dips in the wood are still there, but
the shelf looks and feels different after you put the paper over it.
Click on the More button to reveal the name of the textures.
|
The original image
|
Satin texture
|
Brick texture
|
Granite texture
|
|
|
| Vignette |
|
|
|
|
Applying a vignette places a mask over your image creating a simple geometric shape and allowing the borders of the image to fade
gradually into the background. Traditionally vignettes are oval shaped, but FotoFinish also allows you
to create star, clover, rectangle, and octagon shaped vignettes among many others.
Click on the More button to define the degree of softness at the edge of the image.
|
The original image
|
The image with an oval vignette
|
|
|
