Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
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Texture
. These filters change the surface of a photo to look like it was made from anoth-
er material. Use them to create a cracked finish, a stained-glass look, or a mosaic effect.
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Other
. This is a group of technical, customizable filters. The High-Pass filter is ex-
plained on
The High-Pass Filter
.
You can use Offset to shift an image or a layer a bit, or
to position tiled image layers.
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Digimarc
. Digimarc is a company that lets subscribers enter their contact info into a
database so that anyone who gets one of their photos can find out who holds the copy-
right. You can use this filter to check for Digimarc watermarks in photos.
You can find a number of filter plug-ins online, ranging from free to very expensive;
Stuff
from the Internet
suggests some places to look. When you install new filters, they appear at
the bottom of the Filter menu.
NOTE
Filters are platform specific, which means you can't use plug-ins written for the Windows
version of Elements if you're on a Mac and vice versa. And for Elements 13, plug-ins
need to be compatible with 64-bit programs. If you aren't sure about whether a plug-in
will work with your version of Elements, ask its developer.
Practical Uses for Filters
Filters aren't only for creating fancy artistic effects. They're also great for fixing common
image problems. This section covers how to use some of Elements' most popular and useful
filters to correct photos and create a few special effects. For instance, you'll learn how to
modify graininess to create an aged effect or to smooth out a repair job. And you'll find out
how to blur photos to create a soft-focus effect or make objects look like they're moving.
Removing Noise: Getting Rid of Graininess
Noise
—undesired graininess in an image—is a big problem with many digital cameras, espe-
cially ones that have small sensors and high megapixel counts, like most recent point-and-
shoot models. It's rare to find a fixed-lens camera with more than 5 mega-pixels that doesn't
have some trouble with noise, especially in underexposed areas.
