ocus areas of an image, Bokeh can be used to realistically increase the amount of background blur, add blur selectively for creative vignetting, and create tilt-shift effects. The software is available now for approximately $190.
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\nFor details, read the Alien Skin press release:<\/i>
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Alien Skin Software Announces Bokeh Lens Simulation Plug-in for Photoshop
\nPress Release 11\/21\/08
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Alien Skin Software today announces the immediate availability of Bokeh\u2122, its new lens simulation plug-in for Adobe\u00ae Photoshop\u00ae and Photoshop Elements. Photographers use Bokeh to draw attention to their subject by manipulating focus and depth of field after the shot has been taken. From changing the depth of field to placing a radial sweet spot and adding a vignette, Bokeh has many tools for realistic blurring and altering the mood of a scene. Bokeh is the first software based on mathematics sophisticated enough to produce a natural blur and creamy highlights.
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\n\u201cBokeh is the Japanese word for \u2018blur\u2019 and is a photographic term that refers to the visually-distinctive appearance of the out-of-focus areas in a photograph,\u201d said Terence Tay, the lead developer of Bokeh. \u201cAlien Skin\u2019s Bokeh plug-in provides photographers with the creative freedom to manipulate the aesthetic quality of bokeh, including the ability to create heart and star-shaped bokeh highlights.\u201d
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\nMaking the Subject Pop
\nA busy background or shooting with a narrow aperture can distract the viewer from the photographer\u2019s subject. Bokeh can draw attention back to the subject in multiple ways. If the photographer selects the subject in Photoshop, Bokeh can blur the background to give the realistic impression that the shot was taken with a lower f-stop. This decrease in depth of field gets rid of visual clutter. This capability is useful for any photographer, but particularly for the many cameras without full-frame sensors.
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\nLimitless Creative Freedom
\nBokeh provides a flexible radial sweet spot for gradually softening a scene everywhere except on the subject. This effect could be achieved with expensive tilt-shift lenses, but is more easily done after the shot using Bokeh.
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\nVignette darkening can be used to draw the eye to the subject, change the mood of a scene, or simulate a low-end Lomo camera. Bokeh provides full control over the vignette, including feathering and shape tools such as the radial sweet spot.
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\nThe photographer has a wide range of control over the shape of the simulated aperture in Bokeh. This shape has the most noticeable effect on highlights. Everything from the number of blades to blade curvature to the creaminess (photographic term for softness) of highlights can be manipulated. Bokeh is so flexible that it can even render heart-shaped highlights.
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\nAccurate Lens Simulation
\nBokeh is the only software that accurately simulates the distinctive blurring and creamy highlights of real lenses. The engineers at Alien Skin Software performed careful experiments with lenses famous for their bokeh highlights, such as the Canon EF 85mm f\/1.2 II and the Nikon 105mm f\/2.8 Macro. The result is a photo-realistic look, in contrast to the unnatural blur from other software.
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\nPricing and Availability
\nBokeh sells for $199 USD. Online or physical delivery is available through the Alien Skin website. A real live human (imagine that!) can take orders or answer questions at 888-921-SKIN (7546). Bokeh is also available worldwide through stores, catalogs, and resellers.
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\nHost Requirements
\nBokeh is a plug-in and requires one of the following host applications:
\n* Adobe Photoshop CS3 or later
\n* Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0.1 or later (Macintosh)
\n* Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 or later (Windows)
\n* Adobe Fireworks CS4
\n* Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2
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\nSystem Requirements
\nMicrosoft Windows users must have at least a Pentium 4 processor or compatible and Windows XP or later. Apple Macintosh users must have a PowerPC G5 or Intel processor and Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later. A monitor with 1024×768 resolution or greater is required.
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ocus areas of an image, Bokeh can be used to realistically increase the amount of background blur, add blur selectively for creative vignetting, and create tilt-shift effects. The software is available now for approximately $190. For details, read the Alien Skin press release: Alien Skin Software Announces Bokeh Lens Simulation Plug-in for Photoshop Press Release […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":141,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n