I placed this on the other forum/thread in FM. I'm looking for more opinions. I purchased Portrait Professional about 1 year ago. Could be me but I found it difficult and somewhat useless on some photos. I was thinking about buying Imagenomics. Can anyone please give me some feedback either way before I make the purchase. Currently I am doing most of my skin softening thru steps outlines in Kelby's Photoshop CS3 book.
I don't know a thing about Portrait Pro but I do have Imagenomics and I am quite happy. There is a free download of the program, why not try it and see for yourself??
I have both. I always found PP a somewhat strange program and not always to my liking. I know others have raved about PP so this is a pretty subjective point.
I use Imageomics Portraiture 2 and really like it. Easy to use, intuitive, and does a good job for me.
As Steve said, try the free download and see what you think.
I use Portrait Professional Studio version 9 as of recently. The program has certainly evovled nicely, and does a killer job in virtually every image that I choose to use it on. It's certainly not for EVERY image - but this is true of every other piece of software out there. I find that, for the price, it's a very effective tool when used properly. The things I most like about PP studio is the 16 bit TIFF support (it supports RAW as well - but I haven't actually tried it on a RAW file - maybe have to try that), the pricing is excellent for what it does, and finally the fact that it runs as a stand-alone product actually appeals to me in my workflow. In short, RAW to TIFF--16 usually in DPP - over to PP Studio for skin and hair work when needed or desired (I usually dial down the Face Sculpting) - and finally into PS for any other effects or editing that is required. What I find is that I have very little need for PS in many cases when I use PP - and it's MUCH faster on my computer than PS.
Imagenomics gives a nice effect but I find it softens stuff that it is not suppose to soften. I found that I have to make a duplicate layer then apply the effect and then use the eraser tool to take the softness out of where it shouldn't be.
Thanks everyone for your opinions on the two software programs. I do have a few questions. But first I might mention that I should try the free download. It will be the best way to see if I like it. Thanks Steve.
dan101 .... Does it make eyes, lips, eyebrows, hair soft as you apply it? Do you then have to erase these spots?
Yes, It says that it only applies the softness to skin and it does do fairly well at it, but the whole photo is softened to some degree. I then erase the softness from hair, clothes, backgrounds as well as eyes, nose and mouth. I also have portrait professional and it also does a pretty good job but it is a different effect.
I also have Imagenomics and portrait professional 9 and use as needed on select immages. Just to let you know portrait professional 9 also works as a photoshop plugin.
Imagenomics portrait only addresses the softness issue. Portrait Pro changes face structure as well. I think the softness on imagenomics is much more pleasing. Softness on PP looks more fuzzy than soft. I think both have their place and both are good in their own way. If both are not out of the question, I would buy both. Generally people are more impressed with the PP effects and overall result. I always try to make people look there very best (in my opinion) and the subject usually agrees so I use a combination of both.
Thanks dan101. Quick question is there a way in PP to upload photo to work say ie. (on the hair) without getting the intial skin smoothing or messing around with the squares around eyes.nose and etc...? In other words work on Skin in imagenomics or not at all and just work on hair?
