My printing--the next level

[raymond bleesz]

This may not be the correct spot but here's my question re: my printing.

At present, I am doing my bw printing utilizing CS3 PS software.  I would like to perhaps put more "zip" into my prints via other software, downloads, such as Nik Silver Exex Pro or the Topaz Lab B&W Effects----(if I understand all of this)  (I do not know anything about these or any other "photo enhancement" programs)

Question:  What are your suggestions, evaluations on these 2 programs? and or any other programs/software.

Thank you for your input, suggestions & help clearing the mud.
Raymond

[Justan]

^I haven’t worked with CS3 for some time, but if you are looking to do some specific things, I recommend using doing a search with Mr. Google to show you how to do those things with Photoshop. Most versions of Photoshop can achieve some pretty remarkable results if one follows various well established techniques for doing them.

On the other hand, if you have a desire for some new software to play with, you might want to think about a new edition of Photoshop. The list of things that particular software can do, compared to the CS3 edition is very long and noteworthy.

Edit: I could be wrong but generally speaking many of the plug in software platforms may not get along with CS3. Most plug in things are designed for the latest version for the thing they plug-in to. At any rate, i would suggest checking for specificly stated compatibility with the edition of Creative Suite you use, before buying...

[disneytoy]

I use to use Nik plug ins a lot. Still use define for noise reductions. I'd recommend Lightroom (LR 6 will be out soon). Very powerful. And I have found with Presets, either your own or purchased I can pretty much achieve any effect or look in Nik Color Efex, or Silver Efex. I also prefer a non destructive workflow. With Plug-ins you are always creating new copies of your files. LR you are applying adjustments non destructively.

Also the printing out of LR is far easier than PS. Get all your driver setting right an LR remembers. I hate in PS CC if I open a new file, all my printring settings default to a leser printer.

[Ken Bennett]

That version of Photoshop is several generations old, and, as noted above, may not work with current plugins like the Nik filters.

I'd also recommend Lightroom -- it has the latest Adobe raw processing tools (much better than CS3 for raw files), and the LR Print module is significantly more powerful than Photoshop. Yeah, it has a learning curve, but so does any software.

Then I'd recommend starting with Jeff Schewe's books, the Digital Negative and the Digital Print. These will give you a deep understanding of the printing process and let you get the most out of your prints before adding new plugins and other tools. At that point you'll be in a better place to decide what's missing, or what can be done faster and easier with different plugins.

Good luck and have fun.

[Phil Indeblanc]

Hard to say at what point your prints are at now, and if the plugins would actually make an improvement?
Between the 2?...Try both, they both have test periods.

I also thought I'd use LR for printing, but since I have Qimage, I develop in LR and send/Edit to print in Qimage.

[PeterAit]

I use to use Nik plug ins a lot. Still use define for noise reductions. I'd recommend Lightroom (LR 6 will be out soon). Very powerful. And I have found with Presets, either your own or purchased I can pretty much achieve any effect or look in Nik Color Efex, or Silver Efex. I also prefer a non destructive workflow. With Plug-ins you are always creating new copies of your files. LR you are applying adjustments non destructively.

Also the printing out of LR is far easier than PS. Get all your driver setting right an LR remembers. I hate in PS CC if I open a new file, all my printring settings default to a leser printer.

I agree. Lightroom is an exceptionally well designed and powerful program that can do great things with monochrome. I have Silver Efex Pro and never use it. You need some practice and "smarts" to get good BW results with LR, but given the program's many other capabilities it is certainly worth considering.

[BobShaw]

If you want the best results then never print from an editing application. Use it for what it's designed to do, which is edit, and then export a 16bit TIFF and print from that with a RIP or pseudo RIP like Mirage, which is designed for printing. Apart from never having to worry about upgrades wrecking everything and destroying all of your presets, you will get a better result.

As for getting better files to print from, then Photoshop will do everything. I also use Nik.

[richardboutwell]

That extra "something" with black and white will come from careful editing and visual tonal balancing in Photoshop—the best black and white prints are supported by subtle enhancements that tonally and structurally balance the picture as a whole. These subtle enhancements things that rely on local control with curves adjustment layers and masks, and you can do that you can do all day long in CS3—CS5 or CC might be nice to have but I wouldn't go for it just to get the latest plugin support.

As for presets and plugins: These Lightroom/nik/pixel-magic-genious-silver-bullet presets and "creative" plugins can not make aesthetic judgements about the tonal structure of your pictures. Their "creative looks" will make your pictures look like all the other people trying to look creative instead of actually being creative. I would stay away from Lightroom for making the kind of local adjustments—it is a good at cataloging and as a RAW converter, but you can't beat a pen tablet and photoshop for curves adjustment layers/masks.

The printer, inks, and driver would be the next step. I am not going suggest you invest in Cone Piezography inks at the outset, but they can bring that next thing that ratchets your print quality up just a little more or take advantage of the subtleties in your files. The thing I tell people the most who want to make better black and white prints is go look at all the great black and white prints you can in gallery shows and museums— Get up close, look at them for several minutes each, carefully examining the print and internalize the tones so you know what to strive for when you get back to your own printing.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Get Lightroom. Forget about plug-ins, "looks," canned solutions, effects, "art" filters, etc. Learn to create your own.

[dwswager]

This may not be the correct spot but here's my question re: my printing.

At present, I am doing my bw printing utilizing CS3 PS software.  I would like to perhaps put more "zip" into my prints via other software, downloads, such as Nik Silver Exex Pro or the Topaz Lab B&W Effects----(if I understand all of this)  (I do not know anything about these or any other "photo enhancement" programs)

Question:  What are your suggestions, evaluations on these 2 programs? and or any other programs/software.

Thank you for your input, suggestions & help clearing the mud.
Raymond

First, I recommend LightRoom 5 or an upgrade to PS.  I still use PS CS6.  For the most part, the plug ins are nothing more than alternative ways to do something that PS/LR can do.  Sometimes it easier and even better, but it all depends.  I currently use 2 plug ins.  For portraits, I use Imagenomic Portraiture for dealing with skin.  And for quick and dirty processing on Facebook photos and such I use Allentech Perfectly Clear.

Going from screen to print is not a simple task.  Because of the difference between additive and subtractive color, the limited DR of print and unique characteristics of every printing process, ink and paper it generally takes unique effort for each image.  Obvioulsy, monitor and printer profiles are the 1st place to start.  And then you need to experiment with the types of images you plan to print.  I've owned every Epson stylus printer since the original Stylus Color (though I've been stuck on the R2400 for quite some time now) and there are still times I print something and have to relook at it a few time before I figure out what it needs.  And I'm printing on basic papers with Epson Ink, nothing fancy.

[Pic One]

I'd recommend Alien Skin Exposure.  It runs as a standalone program (and now works with numerous raw formats), or as a plugin to LR5 or CS6/CC if you have these (but only with converted TIFF or JPEG).

It has something like 400+ presets, but each is completely adjustable (increasing/decreasing any of the applied processing parameters.. contrast, saturation, curves, individual color response etc. and grain size (which can be turned off if you have no interest in adding "grain" to your photo).

I find it a nice way to visually see a dozen or so treatments of an image at a time, picking a starting point and adjusting from there.  Yes, you could do much the same in LR or PS, but a lot more work for marginal return on the extra time investment.