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March 2, 2012

lightroom, news, presets, ProPhotoShow, special effects

Silver Shadows 2.2 is Here – The Ultimate B&W Toolkit for LR.

Mouse over for before/after effect of Lumen Modified.

Silver Shadows 2 is a complete black-and-white system for Lightroom users. We released it a few months ago it’s has received a resounding thumbs up in reviews and feedback across the web. That’s cool, but it gets better.

Today I’m proud to announce Silver Shadows 2.2. It’s a FREE update for existing v2 presets users. In fact, you should already have received an email with your download.

What’s inside. Silver Shadows 2.2?

2.2 features FULL compatibility with Lightroom 4. A separate set, revised for use with the LR4 2012 process and the new adjustment features. With that however, Silver Shadows 2 remains compatible with older versions, and includes a set for LR1-3 users. Both sets have all the Silver Shadows 2 presets effects.

New Effects & Refinements:

Silver Shadows 2.2 also includes three NEW presets including, Lumen Modified #1 and Light Modified #2 (Cp). Both are versatile creative effects to go with the more than 100 existing black and white presets in Silver Shadows 2. They give you rich tones and bold notes while maintaining dynamic range. Another new effect is Dynamic Dark Boost, a conversion meant for images that are a bit too dark. With this effect you can quickly bring up tone without altering exposure. It can also be used on lighter images for an ultra high key effect.

There’s lots of little refinements and updates throughout Silver Shadows 2. You can find a full list in the release notes of the info page that comes with the download. If you don’t yet own Silver Shadows 2, head over and check out the demo to see why it’s the only black-and-white toolkit you need. If you already have Silver Shadows 2, get your download now. This version completely replaces the previous. V1 users of Silver Shadows can also get a discounted upgrade to V2. If you did not receive your download or have press/support related questions, contact us, effects@seimstufios.com.

Gavin Seim

November 14, 2010

lightroom, news, photoshop, ProPhotoShow, special effects

Thoughts on Value. How Seim Effects are Priced & Why They Often Cost Less.

by Gavin Seim: Pricing is an interesting thing. Those of you that listen to me on the Pro Photo Show podcast know that I don’t try to be the cheapest in my photography. Not by a long shot. Truth is I don’t try to be cheapest with Seim Effects either, though I often am for what I offer. I just try to make the best tools and charge what I think is sensible. Through that process I often come out less expensive than other editing products available in the industry.

Now it’s true that often you get what you pay for. It’s also true that sometimes people buy something just because it’s more expensive. That’s perceived value. How much you can charge because of your brand. Experience and service are worth something too, but sometimes paying more does not mean you get that.

Most effects out there are different and have something unique to offer, so I’m not saying mine are the only ones worth buying. I’ve not used all the editing products available, but I’ve used a lot of them. Some are really good, some less so. In the end I just want to sure my product is something special. I’ve had people essentially call to ask…

“Are Seim Effects any good. Their so much cheaper than brand K or Z”.

The answer of course is yes. In fact many users tell me their a lot better. Truth is I put my heart and soul into this stuff. I’m fanatical about making it as flawless and effective as I can. Their not $5 because their good and their worth a lot more. Their not $200 either. Not because I hate money, but because I think that would be overkill and the overall benefit would go down.

April 30, 2010

Gavin Seim, PPS Photography Tips, ProPhotoShow

JPEG vs RAW – Let's Settle it With a Single Example:

by Gavin Seim. Updated 06/23/12: It’s been a common debate, though much less so as pro’s learn that RAW is a no brainier. I deal with both the JPEG and RAW side quite often because the tools I make on Seim Effects. I’ve seen the value of RAW and once you do there’s no going back. Some photographers that still use JPEG, use a reason like… “I nail my exposure, so there’s no reason for me to use RAW”. I think when this happens it’s one of two things.

Showmanship. For some, I think showing everyone how spot on your exposure comes out is a great way to show off when making a presentation. OK I get that, we all like to show our proficiency, but I’d rather not toss away quality on my clients images to get expert points on the minds of my peers.
The most common reason however. I think some still have a mental block about RAW and don’t want to address it. I remember being in that spot years back. Somehow the larger files size and RAW data seems daunting. In reality it was not big deal at all. I know because I went thru it. If you’re in this camp just move beyond it and you’ll be glad you did.

This idea is simple and that’s why this article will be short. JPEG tosses out information that you might need later in order to make a smaller file. It keeps that the camera “thinks” it needs. RAW keeps it all. And with today’s direct RAW editing and localized adjustments using software like Lightroom, the power of using RAW data has become crystal clear. Let’s skip the banter however and settle this. I could make up a bunch of examples for you, but this one photo proves my reasoning, so I’ll keep this short.

________________

1: Here is an outdoor wedding scene from a 5D MK2 unedited other than being cropped. Yes it’s a bit under exposed, but had it been correctly exposed I would have lost even more detail in the sky area. Now at a glace, this photo seems like no matter what we do it will be pretty bland. Lets look.

February 26, 2009

Gavin Seim, PPS Photography Tips, ProPhotoShow, Review

Noise Reduction Shootout: Straight Dope Comparison Review

NOTE: This article is a few years old. Most of the products mentioned here have newer refined versions. They arr all viable options. Look over our review. But also check out the latest offerings from each company and see what they offer.

by Gavin Seim. Updated 04/2010: Even with cameras getting amazing at high ISO, low noise images, there’s still room in our kits for good noise reduction software. It allows us to push the limits and keep our images clean and vivid. Nearly every serious photographer should have a good noise reduction tool in his arsenal. That said I don’t think we need to use NR all the time like we did in the past. A little noise is not always bad, especially the more appealing grain like noise coming from today’s cameras. I keep various NR tools on hand however so if I want to reduce, their ready to go.

Today the showdown has come. I see lots of talk about what’s the best noise reduction software, but mostly it’s all talk. Rather than just talk, I’ve made comparisons. Lots of comparisons. I’ll give you examples with various products, images, cameras and ISO settings, including some HDR. At the end I’ll give my final opinions of each product and let you decide for yourself. Let’s get started.

The Contenders:
Neat Image VS Noise Ninja VS Noiseware VS Dfine VS Lightroom VS Topaz Denoise VS Photoshop:

All tests were made using the Photoshop plugin versions of the products but some are available as standalone apps. Settings varied, but I used mostly default settings and automatic profiles, with occasional tweaks to get the results I felt looked best. This means these images represent the results you would get with a single pass and minimal hassle.

Often I found that one product maybe great on one image, while another product may work better on the next. Tweaking the settings would perhaps improve results a little depending on the image, however I wanted a real feel of the results we’ll get everyday. You can click any image for a large view, but some results are similar so you may want to download the large image bundle linked below.

Download all HR Images in bundle

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