Anthony L. Celeste

Software NewsSoftware Reviews
Auto FX DreamSuite Ultimate: A Special Effects Stand-Alone And Photoshop Plug-In
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Jun 03, 2014  |  First Published: May 01, 2014

I first looked at Auto FX Software’s DreamSuite Series One in the January, 2006, issue of Shutterbug. Since then, Auto FX has gone on to create DreamSuite Series Two and DreamSuite Gel. Now, Auto FX has released upgraded versions of all of these filter sets, plus an additional 12 new filters in a collection it calls DreamSuite Ultimate.

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Newsletter
Background Magic: Digital Anarchy’s Primatte Chromakey Plug-In
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Sep 10, 2013
Green screens (and blue screens) are used to make it easy to blend in another background to a portrait or model shoot, anything from a plain backdrop to a scenic or cityscape. Many of us, myself included, have photographed models on a green screen background. The expectation is that it should be quick and easy to remove the green screen in Photoshop and drop in another image or color. Unfortunately, when you’re working with software, things don’t always turn out the way you planned.
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Photo Accessory Reviews
Digital Anarchy Backdrop Designer: Studio Styles And Options
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Jun 28, 2013  |  First Published: May 01, 2013

When shooting portraits on a green screen setup the first stage in the work is selecting and removing the green screen itself, something a “magic wand” or similar selection tool will accomplish. The next stage is finding and fitting an appropriate replacement background, and just as Digital Anarchy’s Primatte Chromakey streamlines the green screen removal process, the company also offers a Photoshop plug-in that streamlines the background creation process. Dubbed Backdrop Designer, the software can aid you in digitally creating muslin drapes, lighting effects, and other photographic backgrounds.

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Newsletter
A Basic Set Of Color Controls: A Short List Of Options To Help You Quickly And Easily Improve Your Images
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Jun 15, 2012
Working with color is one of the most common activities when editing photos. All photo-editors, from the most basic to the most advanced, have an abundance of tools available for altering colors. In this article, I’ll take a look at some of the basic tools that you’ll find in the most humble image processing software, even the one that came in the box with your camera.
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Newsletter
A Computer Spec Checklist For Digital Photographers: Handling, Processing And Sharing Big Image Files
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Apr 12, 2012
The computer needs of a digital photographer are different from someone who just wants to check e-mail and surf the Web. In this article, I’ll take a look at some of the features you should look for when considering a new computer. You can look at these suggestions as being divided into two categories: Essentials and Options. Essentials will provide the basic needs for the advanced amateur—not the pro—while Options covers those who use their camera to record video and their computer to edit it.
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Software How ToSoftware NewsSoftware Reviews
Auto FX Software Photo/Graphic Edges 7.0, Platinum Edition: Use It For That “Finishing Touch”
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Oct 13, 2011  |  First Published: Sep 01, 2011

Photo/Graphic Edges (PGE) from Auto FX Software has been with us for many years and the company recently released their latest version, 7.0, Platinum Edition ($249, stand-alone and plug-in; $129, upgrade for owners of Version 5 or 6). The interface is identical to that used by all Auto FX Photoshop plug-ins. If you already use another Auto FX plug-in, such as Mystical Lighting or Mystical Focus, learning to use PGE should be easy. Even if you’re not familiar with Auto FX products, you’ll likely find the interface to be very straightforward and uncluttered, with plenty of room to work on your images.

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Software How ToSoftware NewsSoftware Reviews
Auto FX Software’s Mystical Focus 1.0; A Dual Platform Effects “Stand-Alone,” Or Plug-In
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Oct 01, 2010

Mystical Focus builds on the success of the Auto FX “Mystical” series of plug-ins, which includes Mystical Lighting and Mystical Tint, Tone, and Color.

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Pro Techniques
Web Ways; Selling Stock On The Web; Royalty Free, Rights Managed, And More
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Jul 01, 2010

The web has opened the door to many business opportunities for photographers that never existed before, one being the ability to sell photos via websites that specialize in marketing “stock” photography. Stock photography finds its way into a multitude of fields, including publishing, advertising, business presentations, and web design.

The stock industry has changed...

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Pro Techniques
Attention-Catching Animation Features; Blur & Sharpen Techniques
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Mar 01, 2009

It’s common to see blinking buttons and scrolling banners and other animated graphics on websites that look pretty much the same as those on every other website. I want to show you how you can do something different with animation: blur an image, then use animation to grab your viewer’s attention by bringing the blurred photo back into focus.

I’ll be using Ulead...

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Image-Editing Alternatives For Mac OS X; Affordable Options For Your Photo Work
Anthony L. Celeste  |  Dec 01, 2008

Given the fact that Macs have always been popular among photographers, and that there are now more Mac users than ever, I felt it was high time for an article focusing on affordable Photoshop alternatives for Mac OS X.

ArcSoft’s PhotoStudio 4
PhotoStudio 4 is a graphic editor with a good selection of features and a focus on photo editing. The interface is...

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