Easily Adjust Color and Light in Digital Photos

At the recent PMA trade show in Las Vegas, Nik Software announced Viveza, a new software tool that allows users of Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements to select and control the light and color in images while working within Photoshop. It is designed for photographers of all skill levels (entry to pro).

With Nik Software’s U Point technology (www.upoint.com), Viveza lets you easily correct and enhance images without creating layer masks or have expert-level knowledge of Adobe Photoshop. To make adjustments to a photo, simply place U Point powered Color Control Points directly on colors or objects in an image (such as sky, skin, grass, etc.), then adjust the sliders for brightness, contrast, color and more. Viveza automatically selects objects and creates masks based on where the user places a Color Control Point. By working directly on the image, enhancements can be made in a fraction of the time needed by using other methods.

Michael J. Slater, president and CEO of Nik Software said, “When attempting to selectively edit images, photographers typically face the challenge of isolating the color or object they want to enhance and then need to ensure the selective enhancements look natural”. “At the heart of Viveza is our U Point technology, which uniquely addresses these challenges and provides Photoshop users with a full range of capabilities for selectively controlling color and light,” Slater concluded.

With Nik Software’s Viveza plug-in, photographers can improve images that are often too difficult with other tools. For more information about Viveza, including an introductory video, please visit www.niksoftware.com/viveza.

Features Include:

• Color Control Points – U Point technology incorporated into Viveza brings a new level of precision and efficiency to photographic image editing. Users easily control an image’s color, light and tonality with Color Control Points. Simple-to-use sliders let users quickly adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, red, green, blue, hue, and warmth, providing ultimate mastery over digital images. Enhancements are automatically and naturally blended throughout the image for spectacular results.
• Smart Filter Support – Viveza is compatible with Adobe Photoshop's Smart Filter feature which permits users to fine-tune enhancements after they’ve been applied, without adding additional layers.
• Powerful Selective Tool – Viveza’s Selective Tool allows users to brush any light and color changes into their image using Photoshop’s brush tools. Layers and masks are created automatically, enabling users to quickly and easily apply any filter selectively. For added control and fine detail adjustments, Viveza also supports pressure-sensitive features optimized for Wacom Pen Tablets.

Nik Software’s Viveza will be available directly from Nik Software (www.niksoftware.com) and specialty camera retailers in North America in the first quarter of 2008 for $249.95. Viveza installs as a Photoshop or Photoshop Elements plug-in and will be available for Windows and Macintosh operating systems, including Vista and Leopard.