Enhancing the Detail Extractor Filter by Tony Sweet
One of my new favorite filters in Nik Software’s new Color Efex Pro 4 is the new, fantastic Detail Extractor filter, which I found works especially well on grunge subjects like old cars.
But, I found that detail-enhancing filters, for example Tonal Contrast and Detail Extractor could make an image a bit flat if used on the high end of the settings. I also found that in Color Efex Pro 4, Glamour Glow can soften the image a bit too much for my taste. So, it made sense to combine the two at various opacities to get the best of both worlds and the look I was searching for.
The first image is au naturale, and as you can see, is in dire need of some Detail Extractor!
© Tony SweetNormally, when first adjusting a filter, I’ll max it out on the slider, and then back it off until I get what I want. However, in this case, visualizing my next filter, I kept it at the maximum setting.
© Tony SweetTo add depth to the image, I added Glamour Glow, which had the effect of creating a more dense look, while also darkening the background. Then, to create separation between the headlamps and the body of the car, I chose the “minus” Control Point to dial back to 50% opacity in the headlamps. This was sufficient to create the 3 dimensional look.
© Tony Sweet
Is there a way to do this with snapseed on the iPhone? Love the effect. Nice Job.
Not exactly, Whit. There’s no glamour glow or any other CEP filters, but you can create a highly structured version and blend using the Blender app to blend with the original version. It’s not a the same, but it’s in the ballpark. You’ll need to do what we all do…….experiment.
, Nik Software have some amazing rnofessiopal level plugins (Viveza and Silver Efex Pro to name just two of them). The way I see it, Snapseed for the desktop is a different product altogether, aimed at a different market. It’s aim is more for the hobbyist who wants a stand alone product that can produce some easy and cool effects. However, having used Snapseed desktop rather intensively, I can say that it’s a brilliant tool, very usable at a much higher level in photography, i.e. for the serious enthusiast or pro photographer. It’s a very quick way to create certain moods and feels and the output files are superb. Certainly it’s not going to replace my proper’ Nik Software products, but it certainly is now in my dock and part of my toolset. Even pros want occasionally to have a quick and easy way to add a certain effect to certain types of imagery. It’s for this reason that I classify it as an absolute must’.