Hillary Fox, Author at Topaz Labs

Posted on November 12, 2019December 5, 2019 by Hillary Fox — 12 Comments

The Ultimate Workflow for Topaz Labs AI Software

We offer a full suite of advanced photo editing tools here at Topaz Labs. Here’s the ultimate workflow to best utilize Topaz software and get the most out of your photography.

Step 1: JPEG to RAW AI

The first step in your photo editing workflow would be to run JPEG to RAW AI, if needed. Use machine learning to convert JPEG to high-quality RAW for better editing. Prevent banding, remove compression artifacts, recover detail, and enhance dynamic range.

Step 2: DeNoise AI

Next, you would run your image through DeNoise AI for superior noise reduction without loss of detail. Eliminate noise and recover crisp detail in your images with the first AI-powered noise reduction tool.

Step 3: Sharpen AI

Next, you can run your image through Sharpen AI. Create tack-sharp images even when you’re shooting handheld, at night, or with a shallow depth of field.

Step 4: Mask AI

Working on a composite image? Your next step would be to launch Mask AI. Mask AI allows you to create tricky masks in record time thanks to our intuitive machine learning technology and trimap technique.

Step 5: Adjust AI

Next, you would run your image through Adjust AI. Our AI-powered modes bring out colors, shadows, details, and more to make your photos as vivid as intended, all in one step.

Step 6: Topaz Studio 2

Time to get creative! Edit your images beautifully with powerful filters and frictionless masking in a fine-tuned non-destructive layer workflow.

Step 7: Gigapixel AI

Here’s your final step! Upscale your photo by up to 600% while perfectly preserving image quality.

Posted on November 5, 2019December 1, 2019 by Hillary Fox — 4 Comments

We’ve Added 40 New Looks to Topaz Studio 2!

Explore a Whole New Set of Looks!

We recently updated to Studio 2.20 and with big improvements under the hood comes a whole new set of 40 different Looks!

Browse through the list below to discover and experiment with new Studio 2 Looks. New to Studio 2? Download your free 30-day trial now.

Abstract\Floral Gild
Abstract\Travel to Tortuga
Artistic\Charcoal Sketchbook
Artistic\Happy Little Trees
Bold\Egyptian Sand
Bold\Spiny Intensity
Bold\Yellow Intensity
Bright\Hieroglyph Cave
Colorful\Barbie Highlighter
Colorful\Golden Purple
Colorful\Mermaid Flashback
Colorful\Mermaid Texture
Colorful\Under the Sea
Colorful\Vibrant Treetops
Dramatic\A Touch of the Dramatic
Dramatic\Blazing Sunspot
Dramatic\Edged Sketch
Dreamy\Blueberry Dreamgirl
Dreamy\Blush Haze
Dreamy\Dream Cloud
Dreamy\Dreamstrokes
Dreamy\Watercolored Lady
Fun\Easy Wave
Fun\Mayan Static
Fun\Starlight Glitter
Fun\Underwater Polaroid
Moody\Craftmaster Tinotype
Moody\Gothic Glean
Moody\Silent Movie Detailed
Moody\Trails of Ghost
Simple\Comfy Static
Simple\Definition Detail
Simple\Tale of the Bard
Soft\Soft Melt
Soft\Soft Stained Glass
Soft\SoftSketch 2
Soft\SoftSketch
Warm\Autumn Scarf
Warm\Gold Tinted Glasses
Warm\Golden Madonna

Posted on October 10, 2019October 10, 2019 by Hillary Fox — 30 Comments

We Compared Popular Noise Reduction Tools and Denoise AI Came Out The Winner

We Went to Amsterdam to put Denoise to the Test

This month we hosted a photography workshop in Amsterdam to practice nighttime exposures in one of the world’s most photogenic cities.

While our attendees were busy setting up tripods and shooting long-exposures along the canals, we photographed handheld DSLR scenes at high ISOs, capturing images with extreme noise to create the “worst case scenario” in photography.

Because every photographer has been there: Whether you’re shooting a wedding in a venue with no flash photography allowed, or you’re photographing partygoers at a festival in near-darkness, or you encounter a photogenic scene while traveling at night, sometimes we have to shoot in extremely high ISO.

We built Denoise AI to correct noise in any image while preserving sharpness. Let’s take a closer look at noise and some of the leading noise reduction technology available to photographers.

What's Wrong with Shooting High ISO?

Shooting with a high ISO increases the light sensitivity of your camera’s sensor, allowing you to shoot faster and sharper in dark environments.

The downside is a higher ISO creates unsightly artifacts known as noise, which reduce the sharpness and detail of your image. While it’s ideal to shoot in the lowest ISO possible, sometimes we have no other option.

Here’s what noise looks like in this 100% crop shooting at night at 12,600 ISO:

Ouch! A noisey image like this has limited use — would you deliver this to a client? The solution is to process the image with noise reduction software. Let’s compare the most popular options.

Our Test Image

The image we’ll be working with was a classic scene photographed along the Damrak in Amsterdam. It was captured at 25,600 ISO, f11, 1/13 sec.

The original image has very heavy overall noise, obscuring the sharpness and textures of the buildings.

Want to test this image along with us? Download the full-res JPG below.

Noise Reduction in Adobe Lightroom

We tested our image in Adobe Lightroom and pushed the limits of their noise reduction tool. We had to max out the noise reduction slider to remove noise in the sky, while the buildings started to become muddled and lost sharpness.

Lightroom Results

After noise reduction in Lightroom the details were fuzzy. You can see blur around the window frames, and an overall loss of texture.

Noise Reduction in Phase One Capture One

Capture One didn’t even begin to touch the noise in our photo, even at maximum power. There was still obvious noise in the sky despite pushing the slider to 100.

Capture One Results

Even at maximum noise reduction, Capture One still left noise in the sky.

Noise Reduction in DxO PhotoLab

DxO managed to remove the noise from the sky… by burning the whole image. Shadows are darker and blacker than before, and detail is lost.

DxO PhotoLab Results

DxO overbaked the image to downplay the noise, resulting in a burned image.

Noise Reduction in Topaz Labs Denoise AI

Finally, we took our image into Topaz Labs Denoise AI and were able to achieve the perfect balance of noise reduction and detail. Denoise AI uses machine learning technology, comparing your photo against millions of images to calculate the most intelligent improvements. The results are superior to all other noise reduction tools.

Denoise AI Results

The sky is cleared of all noise while texture and sharpness are restored with Denoise AI.

Try Denoise AI free for 30 Days

The results are clear, and that’s why Denoise AI is the industry-standard noise reduction tool used by the pros. Download Denoise AI and try it free for 30 days.

Author: Hillary Fox