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New front end.<\/strong> The first thing that\u2019s different about Elements 3.0 is that the interface (opening window) looks very different from that of Elements 2. Basically, you can choose to make adjustments from either Standard Edit or Quick Fix. Here\u2019s a look at the Standard Edit dialog window. For more serious work and for more control, Standard Edit is the way to go. Although its features may be in different places, they function the same way they do in Elements 2.<\/p>\nIn both of these windows you\u2019ll notice that the working image is displayed in a Photo Bin, another new addition to Elements 3.0. When working on several images at one time, each image is displayed in the Photo Bin. Clicking on an image gives you instant access to it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let\u2019s move on to some new features in the Menu Bar.<\/p>\n Shadow\/Highlight Control.<\/strong> Under Enhance we find Adjust Lighting and another new feature, Shadow\/Highlight. Now let\u2019s take a look at two new filters.<\/p>\n Photo Filter.<\/strong> When you go to Filter Adjustments, you\u2019ll find that a filter from Photoshop CS, Photo Filter, is now included in Elements 3.0. At the click of a mouse (or tap of a WACOM stylus), you can add one of 18 photo filters to a picture. Warming, cooling, sepia, red, yellow and green are just a few of the digital filters, all of which can be applied to an image in different densities via the Density slider.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s take a look at how just two of the filters affected one of my photographs of Bryce Canyon. In the center shot, I used the Warming Filter 85 filter to warm up the picture, simulating the light of late afternoon or early morning. In the photo on the right I used the Cooling Filter 80 to cool off my picture, creating the impression that the photograph was taken by moonlight.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_1.jpg\")
Quick Fix.<\/strong> The Quick Fix window offers (surprise, surprise) a quick fix for images using sliders. If you are in a hurry to make an adjustment, check out Quick Fix.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_2.jpg\")
New tools and a redesigned Tool Bar.<\/strong>
\nTwo new tools have been added to the redesigned Tool Bar, the Cookie Cutter Tool and two Healing Brush Tools, Spot Healing and Healing Brush. Both tools work like the Clone Stamp tool in Elements 2. They are useful for healing (fixing) blemishes and marks on a subject\u2019s face. The Spot Healing Brush Tool is a one-click tool (just click over a spot with a brush that is larger than the spot), and the Healing Brush Tool works like the Clone Stamp Tool (you pick up one appropriately toned area from the subject and paste it over the area to be fixed.)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_3.jpg\")
Spot Healing Brush.<\/strong> Here\u2019s an example of how I used the Spot Healing Brush Tool to remove a few blemishes from this monk\u2019s face.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_4.jpg\")
Cookie Cutter Tool.<\/strong> You\u2019ll find many different shapes (hearts, dogs, cats, butterflies and so on) in the Cookie Cutter Tool that we can use to frame objects in a photograph. Personally, I think some of the \u201ccookies\u201d are a bit silly. But, there are very cool features of the Cookie Cutter Tool too, such as the many digital frames you can use to artistically frame a photograph. Here I dressed up a picture of a jaguar using one of the frames.<\/p>\n
\nBy clicking and moving the Shadow and Highlight sliders, you can individually control, you guessed it, the shadows and highlights of the scene. In the Shadow\/Highlight dialog box there is also a slider to control Midtone Contrast. Sure, Levels (and Curves in CS) offers more precise control over shadows and highlights, especially when you\u2019re working on adjustment layers and selectively erasing areas of an image. But, the Shadow\/Highlight control makes the process easier.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_5.jpg\")
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\nIn this example, I lightened the shadow area (green leaves) without brightening the white flower.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_7.jpg\")
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Once the Digital Noise dialog box is opened, you have access to three settings for reducing the digital noise in a digital file, Strength, Preserve Detail and Reduce Color Noise. Due to display limitations, you may not be able to see how effectively this filter works in these before-and-after screen shots. However, when making inkjet prints, I am confident you\u2019ll be able to see the benefits of this way cool tool.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/alc_images\/article8215_12.jpg\")
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