I’ve been a big fan of Topaz Adjust for at least the last decade. Back then, there was not the huge selection of imaging software we see today. In fact, there was a $595 (!) Photoshop plug-in that offered unique but one-trick-pony HDR-like effects for its time and it was quite popular among those who could afford it, then along came upstart Topaz with contender Adjust for $50! Adjust was not only offering very similar effects as the primo plug-in, but many other variations as well.
[Save 20% off Topaz Adjust from February 6-12 with coupon “Adjust18”. ALWAYS save 15% on ANY Topaz product on the Plugs ‘n Pixels Discounts page]
Since that time, Adjust has gotten better and better until now where you can do most anything with it, from image correction to reinterpretation. With effect categories such as Film, HDR, Stylized, Toned and Vibrant, there’s no end to how you can re-work your photos. Each of those categories is broken down into preset subsets, and each preset is fully adjustable.
Here’s one of my non-DSLR images that shows what Adjust can do. Obviously the camera’s auto-exposure set itself for the bright fountain in the foreground while (of course) the background went almost completely dark. Adjust was able to pull a full range of detail out of the shadowy depths and balance out the overall tones with the click of a preset and a tweak of a couple sliders:
Here’s an example of adding an interpretive touch to a portrait using one of Adjust’s Stylized presets (“Faded Glory”):
Next we add some life and grit to a photo of a bland, old and smoothed metal gearset:
Now for a lighter touch, adding some artistic flourishes to a still life of potted flowers:
Finally, we use Adjust to reinterpret this cloud scene, not only bringing out details of the mess in the sky but changing the time of day:
If you use no other plug-ins other than Adjust, you can still cover quite a bit of ground. Be s ire to take advantage of the current 20% off deal, because 20 is better than the usual 15 😉
[Save 20% off Topaz Adjust from February 6-12 with coupon “Adjust18”. ALWAYS save 15% on ANY Topaz product on the Plugs ‘n Pixels Discounts page]
From the developer:
About Adjust
With Topaz Adjust you can give your images the soul and character you envisioned in the field! Unlike our eyes, a camera lens can’t compensate for all the tonal values we see right in front of us. If you shoot something bright, you’ll lose all the details in the shadows. If you shoot something dark, the highlights will be blown out. You can try to correct contrast, details, and vibrancy yourself, but it’s difficult to make images pop like you want.
Topaz Adjust is designed to enhance three characteristics: contrast, detail, and color. Specializing in producing vivid images, Adjust uses Topaz’s adaptive exposure, adaptive saturation, and even includes our cutting-edge detail enhancement algorithms to give you the secret “oomph” ingredients that make your images stand out.
Major features introduced in the latest version of Adjust include:
High DPI Display Support for Windows.
High DPI monitors now display Adjust and Simplify properly. The application GUI has been updated to display correctly on 4k monitors.
Preserve Image Metadata
Adjust and Simplify now preserve all image metadata.
Separation of User Data and Program Files
Computer user accounts now store saved effects separately for each computer user. User-created presets are now saved in user specific data locations, in their own separate folder. Once you log off your computer user account, your custom effects stay private!
Import Your Custom Topaz Effects Easily
Adjust and Simplify automatically imports all of your saved effects from previous versions!
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