Oh my it has been a while since I last blogged. Although until now, there hasn't been all that much to 'write home' about. I recently came across a product that does excite me and is useful to me and I think it will be to many of you also, so figured this was something to 'write home' about.
It is a photo editing program named Vivid-Pix. I first read or heard about it a little over two years ago when it was first introduced. I again came across it within the past couple of months and noticed it has a free 30 day trial period, so thought what the heck, and downloaded and installed it. I was working with a lot of photos and on a project with my book publisher and figured another editing tool in my box, along side of Elements and Lightroom wouldn't hurt. And in fact it helped. There was one photo I had been wanting to use in this project but was losing the wrestling match with it in Elements and Lightroom. Vivid-Pix came to the rescue and I was able to satisfactorily adjust the image and be able to use it in the project.
I did a Facebook post about Vivid-Pix and provided a link there to download Vivid-Pix and enjoy the 30 day free trial period. I will provide that same link here and near the end of my blog. Before that I would like to tell you a little more about Vivid-Pix, its backstory and a bit how it works.
Vivid-Pix was developed and designed by two computer gurus, Rick Voight and Randy Fredlund. Both are divers and underwater photographers. They designed (and patented) a simple to use, yet effective, program and targeted at amateur underwater photographers. To me, it is most useful to those of us who do not use or have a strobe and to me personally it has salvaged several photos that I took when my strobe did not fire.
The program is small and downloads quickly on either a PC or Mac, taking me less than ten minutes. Vivid-Pix does not use a lot of my computer's horsepower to run it. Once installed it is very simple for me to use. You needn't be a photoshop guru of any sort to use Vivid-Pix. I open Vivid-Pix and first select the image I want to work with:
Once I select the photo from its folder a copy of the photo is created and displayed in Vivid-Pix in what they call a "9-Up". Along with the 9-up (one of which I select) a dialogue box appears to guide me in making my selection:
Once I make my selection Vivid-Pix presents it alongside of my original photo:
If I am happy, satisfied with this version of Vivid-Pix's edit I simply select 'Save Vivid Pix' and Vivid-Pix will save it using its original file name with 'Vivid' added and save it back to an in the same folder the original was in. Vivid-Pix is 'non-destructive' and my original image is left unaltered and in its original condition. At this point, I have spent less than five minutes time with this image and mouse-clicked three times. Once to open Vivid-Pix, once to decide on one of the '9-Ups' and once to 'Save Vivid Pix'. I've yet to see anything simpler!
However, if I think I could improve the image there are 7 sliders (including one named "Max Vividness") that I can use to adjust the image further. These I use to experiment with and can always reset them. Here is an example of an 'experiment' using the sliders:
Vivid-Pix also has a crop tool. To use it, we simply mouse curse to the part of the image we want to begin our crop at and (left-mouse click and hold and diagonally drag your cursor across the image to create your crop. This can be re-done if not happy with the first attempt. Here is an example of a before and after photo that there was several things wrong with it, that using Vivid-Pix, I was able to 'fix' most of. Here is the 'before' photo:
I was in Bonaire at the end of my dive heading back to shore when I crossed paths with this Parrotfish and a Trumpetfish stalk-hunting with the Parrotfish. I did not have time to get a better vantage point and to try to get closer. So, I had to shoot at a downward angle to capture this fish behavior (which Vivid-Pix can't fix) and at a farther distance than I would have liked to be. Vivid-Pix and its cropping feature helped with that. Also as luck would have it, and it being the end of my dive, my strobe batteries were exhausted, so my photo was less colorful than it should be. Here is the 'after' photo:
I'm impressed. At least enough to 'write home' about. I think you will be too. And also think it is worth the time to download the free 30 day trial of Vivid-Pix and see for yourself with a few of your own images.
Here is the link:
POST SCRIPT Dateline January 25, 2106. During the weeks I worked with Vivid-Pix I received daily emails from Rick or Randy about how to use their program. And a couple asking for suggestions. And I spoke on the phone a couple times with Rick. Great guy. They offered me an opportunity to become an 'Affiliate' and I accepted. So in the interest o fair disclosure, I will receive a revenue share should any of you purchase Vivid-Pix during or after your trial period. I am also adding a couple more examples of what Vivid-Pix can do:
If you want to leave a comment; 'mouse- curse- and- click' over the time stamp below and it will open this post in a new window enabling you to do so.
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