willgoss

I would suggest IrFanview (freeware) to run the plugins.....In some cases you also need layers to blend in the results..... I copy my PDN image I am working on.....paste into IrFanview....run the plugin....copy and paste back into PDN to finish......

I wonder..... Lomo pictures are more than darkening and vignettes...... As I understand.....from other scripts The red and green channels have their contrast increased. An overall vignette effect is added using a Levels adjustment layer filled with a black-to-white gradient. The settings for the blue channel are a little different from that for the red and green channels so that blue halos form in skies. The contrast of the vignette layer is increased and the affected image region is decreased using a Histogram type Adjustment. Overall we imitate the film used with increased contrast for Reds and Greens and slight reduction in blue channel, with a simple vignette effect added to the corners....Over a bright image with loss on color in the corners due to the lens system on the cameras..... Could our script better support these ideas....

---or---- Download FastStone a viewer/browser (freeware) and use it in conjunction with Paint.Net.... It offers cropping, resizing and an excellent set of print options....and anyway Paint.net does not have a browser......I print from it foe all my graphics programs....

It loads in the Programs folder as a folder Paint.net....if you reload it will load to the same location.....

I would suggest you try FastStone,Viewer/Browser (freeware), which has an excellent screen capture with 4 options....It also lets you open into your Graphic Editors......I also use it for lossless crop, printer and resizing..... It couples well with PDN....

version X2 of PSPP has an organizer (instead of Browser) that spends a lot of time when first installed to search out all the images on the computer.....during this time everything slows down....many people leave the computer on overnight to accomplish the Oraganizer start-up issues..... Under preferences you can limit the image types and also limit the directories included....In effect you can turn off the organizer function and regain the speed.......

PND does not support many of the PSD layer modes.....If PND doesn't have them it cant open them properly....but worth a try...

I too like Auto levels....... I find that PDN can benefit from a Browser.....especially for initial review of new pictures and deleting some....but they already exist and work as well as built in's such as on Paint Shop Pro.. I use the freeware FastStone which does have some editing capabilities, a good screen capture, and allows you to launch any picture into PDN or other graphics program, resize files, e-mail,......the main limitation is it will not view .pdn files but will view a .psd or .tif.... I open FastStone, select a picture, launch PDN or Gimp or whatever....at any time you can open FastStone from the toolbar to review or launch or drag and drop another picture.... I especially like the ability to Edit-Enhance Colors (and retain the slider settings) for use on other photos....this works on one screen, fullscreen....You can save as ,jpg or.tif (to minimize losses) and open or drag to PDN. I use this as my interface for all my graphics work and did delete Picasa......I also use it to Print from which gives me a single point to print from...

amether...you commented on Gimp and not having it.... Currently in Gimp or GimpPortable, you can uses rectangle select which has a settiing for aspect ratio as well as the a setting to set size in px (high and wide)...then Image crop to selection....both changes in one step... I would hope this is the approach PDN goes as I find it great for cropping and sizing in one step...

Perhaps....you need to try an easier approach.....I personally find the magic wand very time consuming... I use the following to mix B&W and Color...also can blur the B&W area if appropriate... B&W with Color + Blurring the BW Portion * Duplicate the Layer * Desaturate the Top Layer * Erase Area for Color to show through (Your Picture Combining Color & BW can now be merged and saved)) Option to blur * Turn Off Background – Select Erased areas- Invert Selection * Turn on and move to Background Layer – Gaussian Blur Option to blend (adding tint to B&W areas) * Reduce Opacity of Top layer to let some color show through the B&W * Merge Down or save with layers.

Or the easy way..... Duplicate the later.....then Blur the bottom Layer....then Erase the portions of the top layer allowing the blurred section to show through... Along the same line you can convert the blurred layer to B&W to further enhance the effect...

Most often, I pick the easy way........ I make a selection, then use curves to lighten or darken the color...or even adjust the RG or B color.......found it effective for faces, hair and sometimes backgrounds.....

Curves and Levels have individual R, G, B selection that can be used..... I copied the image, used Black & White to eliminate the Sepia tint....then used levels to set the luminosity. Then use the Effect-Color-Color Tint which can quickly select the Blue and adjust it for the specific darkness.... Note: the Color Tint works like other classic Colorize filters and desaturates the image and doesn't require using Black & White to desaturate ...but.. I prefer desaturating, setting contrast and luminosity using Levels, sharpening then adding color tint....

You can improve some photos by Image-Re size making the width slightly narrower while keeping the height the same....of course this depends what else is in the picture....

Before giving up on adjusting color.... I would us the Effects-Color-Extract Channel - Blue (Grayscale checked) Now I would use levels.....move the left bottom up and the gamma (center right) to the top....in any case you can set the black level and intensity using these two controls......... Now clean-up the finqal details...

There are many ways to mix color into Black & White Images...... Yhe easiest is as follows.... 1) open image 2) under Layer select Duplicate Layer 3) you are now on the duplicate or top layer 4) under Adjustments select Black & White which converts this top layer 5) now from the tools select eraser 6) now erase the parts that you want to color...the color on the layer below will appear Fast and easy and doesn't require any difficult selection process...... This repeats a previous answer to the same Question......

I simulate infrared image as follows..... Open Image... Duplicate layer 3 times On the first duplicate, Effects-Colors-Extract Channel-Red Now set Opacity at 50 Mode normal On the second duplicate, Effects-Colors-Extract Channel-Blue Now set Opacity at 100-120 Mode normal On the third duplicate, Effects-Colors-Extract Channel-Green Now set Opacity at 160 Mode Screen or Overlay Gaussian Blur the Green (Top) at 20 or so To simulate an infrared filter we have reduced the red a lot, the blue some and finally added blur to the green layer to achieve a lighter, less focused image.... Finally you can select sky and clouds, on the green layer, use the levels control Auto which will darken that area somewhat....You can now convert the background layer to B&W and play with the opacity and modes to achieve the image you like...

I simulate infrared image as follows..... Open Image... Duplicate layer 3 times On the first duplicate, Effects-Colors-Extract Channel-Red Now set Opacity at 50 Mode normal On the second duplicate, Effects-Colors-Extract Channel-Blue Now set Opacity at 100-120 Mode normal On the third duplicate, Effects-Colors-Extract Channel-Green Now set Opacity at 160 Mode Screen or Overlay Gaussian Blur the Green (Top) at 20 or so To simulate an infrared filter we have reduced the red a lot, the blue some and finally added blur to the green layer to achieve a lighter, less focused image.... Finally you can select sky and clouds, on the green layer, use the levels control Auto which will darken that area somewhat....You can now convert the background layer to B&W and play with the opacity and modes to achieve the image you like...

Use the easy way... Duplicate the Layer....Then Use the ellipse tool to select a tire size circle.... use the move selection tool to locate it over the tire..... use the move pixels to raise the tire.... Use the move selection tool to locate it over the other tire use the move pixels to raise the tire.... Now fix the shadow using the clone tool... Now fix the area above the tire by erasing, letting the lower layer show through....

Looks great.... Now you can also, before merging the layers, Select the erased area from the top B&W layer, invert the selected area Move to the background layer and blur it slightly (inverted selected area) Return to the top and adjust the opacity allowing some color and blurred background to show through.... Another way to blur the background without going through a difficult selection process....

The easy way.... Duplicate your image layer (layers-Duplicate Layer) Convert this top layer to black & White (Adjustments-Black & White) Now erase the foreground areas allowing the color to show through Option - change the opacity of the top layer allowing faint background color Final - Merge Layers (Image Flatten)

There are many ways to mix color into Black & White Images...... Yhe easiest is as follows.... 1) open image 2) under Layer select Duplicate Layer 3) you are now on the duplicate or top layer 4) under Adjustments select Black & White which converts this top layer 5) now from the tools select eraser 6) now erase the parts that you want to color...the color on the layer below will appear Fast and easy and doesn't require any difficult selection process......

I think this is perfect for a new user... Using Digital (6 to 10 mega pixels) is so different from film....you can shoot a lot of pictures and then delete a lot...... Paint.Net does not have a Browser for reviewing...I suggest adding Picasa ( free from Google to supplement Paint.net Paint.Net has a lot of capabilities ... I am currently setting up a method of producing a B&W Ansel Adams procedure..... # Effects-Color-Filtered B&W Set Red at Left (0) and Density to 255 # Increase contrast and bring out detail in Red channel. # Sharpen+ using Amount 20, Radius 80, Threshold 0, Run Twice ---------Alternate---------- # Effects-Noise-Median Filter set to Radius 2, Percentage 50%, Run Twice # Repeat Effects-Noise-Median Filter # Levels – Run Low Input at 3, set Gamma to 1.15 # use Brightness-Contrast to get good White to Black spread # Give the image a bluish tint... # Effects-Color-Color Tint set to 160, amount 50 # Sharpen Slightly (Under Effects-Sharpen+) Amount 100, Radius 2, Threshold 15 I am sure you will find many approaches including adding Borders, cropping, cutting out backgrounds.........Have Fun......

I like you feel that a crop to size is important... I use rectangular selection tool, which I position at the upper left corner, pull down to a rectangle of the size relationship I want for printing. Example pull to 1200 px by 800 px for a 4" by 6" picture. Now click on the Move Selection tool and stretch or move the rectangle into the size and position for cropping, then select from top menu, Image-Crop to Selection. This is quick and simple....

I do a lot of erasing using selection tools.... Take the rectangle tool.....draw a long narrow rectangle then delete or use the eraser or paint the line selection.... This is a good way to erase accurately...