what are your favourite photoshop plugins

[Hoogle]

Ok we all like to think we can achieve most effects and gradually buil up layers etc to achieve it but there are plugins that make life a lot simpler and usually just using slider bars so here I would like for people to share what plugins they use and maybe tell us which 1s are worth buying or avoiding maybe even post some before and after pics.
The 1s I like to use on a regular basis are
1) Nik software colour effects pro suite 3 basically a program that works within photoshop and produces many wonderful effects especially for portrait photography expensive but worth it if you do a lot of model retouching etc
2) topasz labs suite this has everything from reducing boise and jpeg artifacts to resizing and my personal favourite topasz remask that alone is worth the money it masks out objects even hair effortlessly also excellent for things like trees which are very hard to do well if in doubt do a search on youtube to see this 1 app in action

 

[allenrm]

I have to say Fractalius is my favorite. Its one effect that i've really not figured out how to do without the plugin. Basically it makes Fractal like images from your pics, pretty sweet. Here is a sample.

I love the effect, it looks sweet.

 

[Hoogle]

mm not seen this 1 before but looks very cool I do a lot of DJ style artwork so I could use that just looking on their site now thank you I love it

 

[allenrm]

Its a sweet plugin and the price is right. I have to warn you though, it will not work on every picture, some just turn into a mess. If we are allowed to post our web sites I can show you some more samples that I have done. Anyway, its a great plugin.

 

[Hoogle]

just been reading that it has problems with 64 bit windows version of photoshop but their site says it is compatable any thoughts before I pay $39

 

[allenrm]

Sadly my PS is only 32 bit. I'm running on a 64 bit OS I should move up, but not working so thats out of the question lol.

 

[Steve]

I like Topaz Simplify and Flaming Pearroducts:Flood although I use them very sparingly.

I may add Fractalius to the list, I love the effect.

 

[Hoogle]

I have just got it and so far seems very good and works fine on my pc 64 bit photoshop having a play with it now yes I like flaming pear flood that was the first plugin I bought

 

[Hoogle]

View attachment 4728

My first attempt with it I am sure I can use it more efficiently on other things but the irst thing that came to mind was an old pic I had taken very simple to use I love it thank you AllenRM

 

[$1r_M4x1mu$]

I have to say Fractalius is my favorite

Have to agree whit allenrm that's a pretty amazing plugin, been using it since 2008 you can create pretty awesome art whit it, that hardly whit PS embedded plugins will be able to replicate.

As a side note you need to experiment a lot whit it in order to get good results, at the end of the day it all dependes on your taste an preferences.

when i create something using this plugin i will use from 2 to 4 layers depending of the result required and the complexity of the image

 

[Hoogle]

I have to agree I am playing around with an eagle as I loved the example and already on layer 10 here is a preview
View attachment 4729

 

[Hoogle]

View attachment 4730
the starting image Allenr4 I love you for this new plugin I have not discovered yet

 

[allenrm]

Another great thing to do with it is copy the layer you want to fractalize, put the fractal as top layer then fade it back or change its blending mode so you see both layers nicely. Looks amazing. Something like this.

You get the highlights and sparkle effect of the fractal, but the original image comes through.

 

[Hoogle]

yeah I had to do that a bit as the fractals did not like the white on the head as much but I wanted the abstract (ish) look I am excited to see what I could use this for with other things your my new best friend

 

[SunilSamuel]

All of the Nik software plus Onone 'Photo Tools'.

 

[SCTRWD]

One of my favorite one was Custom...

Then I discovered Filter Factory. It was just amazing...

But then came FilterMeister, which beat them all like a baby...

Actually, just never ran into plugin that suited me perfectly. With plugins there is always that thing: Oh... That's nice, but manually I could do this better...

Given my programming background FilterMeister just opened another dimension... You can do just whatever you want - literally.

No one can look at your work and say: hey, I know that one, it's simple, it's just this filter and that...

You never have to keep in mind what some filter's good at and where it is just flat bad, and what you, given that knowledge, have to do in advance to prepare your image for it.

And what artifacts you have to expect having applied some filter, and what to whatch out for, and why and when... And think in the first place how you will be gonna fight them...

Most filters are best applied in some sequence, there is no one "magic pill", which would give you perfect result right away. The thing is to know and feel what this sequence could be...

For everyday work I use the basic filters, like Gaussian Blur, High Pass, all of the Distort ones, Render, sometimes Sharpen, but with lots of variations, like splitting the effect among different layers...

Never in my practice I use Artistic, Brush Stokes, Sketch, Stylize, Video, etc... Just never had the need to...

And, of course, the best filters of all, in my POV are still Kai Krause things.

 

[General_T]

Hi,

Will all of these work with Photoshop CS5 64 bit?

TB

 

[dsxrus]

i using alienskin plugins ,it is good for me

 

[Hoogle]

Hi general T all the 1s mentioned so far will work with 64 buthere are some links for you to the sites
www.[B]niksoftware[/B].com/ for colour effects suite and more
Topaz Labs - Downloads for remask tools and more
Fractalius: Photoshop plug-in for eccentric graphic effects for the plugin the eagles were made by
Award Winning Plug-Ins for Adobe Photoshop - onOne Software they do a lot of image resizing and image correction plugins

 

[General_T]

Hi,

Thanks Hoogleman,

I have downloaded a number of these to have a look at. I also like Red Giant Knoll Light Factory for Lens Flare Effects Red Giant - Products - Knoll Light Factory 2.7