The Bottom Line
Bokeh by Alien Skin is a plug-in effect system for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. While the cost is a bit high for casual amateurs (list price $199), this is a very powerful system that serious amateurs and pros alike will find extremely useful.
Pros
- Wide Variety of Effects Available
- Intuitive Controls
- Lens Specific Presets
- Strong Tutorials Available on Alien Skin Site
- Works on Mac and PC
Cons
- Price
- Relies Heavily on Selection Skill
Description
- Includes a large number of lens presents to emulate the look and feel of images taken with specific equipment
- Allows for precision control of planar and radial bokeh as well as easy vignette
- Strong tutorials available on Alien Skin website at no charge
- Trial copy of software available form Alien Skin at no charge
Guide Review - Photo Software
Bokeh by Alien Skin gives photographers more creative control over their images in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements without adding a lot of work. While the system relies heavily on the photographer's selection skills (as does every system currently available), it has a wide variety of presents to emulate the bokeh of various lenses and camera systems. Want to play with Holga effects but not purchase a Holga? Bokeh can do it. Want your bokeh pattern to be hearts for Valentine's Day? They're only a quick mouse click away in Bokeh from Alien Skin.
While effects such as depth of field simulation (planar bokeh) require very precise selection of subjects by the photographer, Bokeh also allows you to recreate Lensbaby effects and vignettes without tedious selections. Bokeh is also an excellent way to "fix" bad bokeh where you might have pattern lines or an unpleasing amount of bokeh in an image. In these cases Bokeh can give you a second chance at getting the diffusion right.
Controls within the Bokeh tool are relatively intuitive and very precise control of the resulting bokeh are quickly attainable. This software much more closely emulates the patterns of real lenses than basic Photoshop blur effects are capable of doing. From the shape of the aperture to the amount of highlight and even the creaminess of the effect, Bokeh by Alien Skin lets you control it all. This makes Bokeh from Alien Skin a very attractive piece of software for photographers.
While effects such as depth of field simulation (planar bokeh) require very precise selection of subjects by the photographer, Bokeh also allows you to recreate Lensbaby effects and vignettes without tedious selections. Bokeh is also an excellent way to "fix" bad bokeh where you might have pattern lines or an unpleasing amount of bokeh in an image. In these cases Bokeh can give you a second chance at getting the diffusion right.
Controls within the Bokeh tool are relatively intuitive and very precise control of the resulting bokeh are quickly attainable. This software much more closely emulates the patterns of real lenses than basic Photoshop blur effects are capable of doing. From the shape of the aperture to the amount of highlight and even the creaminess of the effect, Bokeh by Alien Skin lets you control it all. This makes Bokeh from Alien Skin a very attractive piece of software for photographers.
