Smart Curves PSE6

[Graem.c]

I have missplaced the download details into Elements 6 for the smart curves.
I had it 5.0 and now need to reload it.
Would some kind soul help me out.
Thanks
Graem.c

[TonyW]

http://www.free.pages.at/easyfilter/curves.html

It goes in the plug-in folder (as per PSE5) or you can put it in a seperate plug-in folder and point to it in Preferences (Additional Plug-In Folder). As I still use several versions of Elements that's what I do and just have them all pointing at the same Plug-Ins folder. If you still have PSE5 loaded you could just point PSE6 to the PSE5 plug-ins.

Tony

[Graem.c]

Thanks Tony, but I lost the detail steps needed to get into elements from c: on. If you have those steps I would be grateful.
Graem.c

[TonyW]

It's in that link - scroll down and look where it says Downloads. Not a detailed explanation but close enough. Just unzip and put in the plug-ins folder (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 6.0\Plug-Ins)

Tony

[Photographer Wanabe]

Can you be nice to us beginners and tell us what Smart Curves are? The absence of curves for contrast and brightness adjustments in PSE makes these adjustments more complicated than they have to be. Thanks

[TonyW]

Smart Curves is a plug-in that basically provides you with the same adjustments that the curves in full Photoshop will do. Although you can install an action (Grant's Tools or Graffi's Handy Actions) that will give you some of the full Photoshop curves capability they lack being able to work with individual color channels or alternate color modes that Smart Curves will let you do. That said if you only want basic curve adjustments then the curves that come in PSE5 and PSE6 are really all you need.

Tony

[Photographer Wanabe]

Thank you. Are you refering to Smart Curves V2.0 by Alois Zingl, Vienna, Austria? I found it at http://free.pages.at/easyfilter/curves.html.

[TonyW]

That's the one. It's excellent.

Tony

[dj_paige]

Question about using SmartCurves in PSE5.

You call up SmartCurves, you get a thumbnail of your photo which you can zoom in or out -- but once you zoom in, how do you scroll left, right, up or down?

[TonyW]

Right clicking and dragging around works for me.

Tony

[dj_paige]

How about that, it works for me too! Thanks!

[Photographer Wanabe]

I just installed the Curves, and DJ, the instructions are included in the Info button, or in the site I mentioned above. One word of caution, when you zoom, the colors calculated are only those seen in the zoomed up window (contrary to Levels). In other words, you cannot see in the window or the histogram that a part of the picture is getting over or under exposed.

[dj_paige]

Two more questions about SmartCurves. PSE5, if that matters.

1. Is there a way to toggle the preview window to see the original photo and the curves-adjusted photo (like there is in Levels)?

2. In the Filter menu, SmartCurves appears towards the bottom. Is there a way to move it up on the Filter menu (or assign a short-cut key to it)?

[TonyW]

Right clicking the image toggles between the Preview being adjusted and the unadjusted original.

Right clicking the histogram lets you toggle between the histogram showing the whole image or just the bit in the Preview Window.

There are quite a lot of other useful shortcuts that you'll find in the Info (look at the Quick Reference section)

But I don't know how you'd change where it shows in the filter menu and, at least in Elements, you can't assign shortcuts.

Tony

[padrejeff]

I'm awaiting shipment of my pre-ordered PSE6 for Mac.
Is the smart Curve plug in available for my Mac?

Thanks,

Jeff

[TonyW]

Sadly, like many third party plug-ins (and especially free or almost free ones) it's Windows only. I gather the reason is that there are programs out there that help you write plug-ins but they are for Windows and not for Mac.

Tony