PORTRAIT PRO 17
Enhance and retouch portraits in seconds with this intelligent piece of software
SRP: £99/$131 OS: OS X 10.7 or later, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP
A portrait photographer’s dream! This is the perfect tool for the novice retoucher and also for professionals that want a super-quick, no-hassle edit.
For the first time ever, Portrait Pro 17 lets you completely edit the background in your images without having to leave the program. You can pick from four different types of background that include the original image, a new image, flat colour and a gradient. In our testing, the Selection tool for cutting the subject out wasn’t as accurate as we’d have liked, meaning that our cut-out images looked a bit rough.
The new Snapshot feature lets you save versions of your image as you work through the edits and allows you to go back and pick a previous version. This feature is great because it gives you the power to experiment with more dramatic edits while still in the knowledge that you can go back and choose one of your previous snapshots.
We really love the intuitive make-up and face-sculpting sliders that enable you to make subtle changes to your shots or go all out and completely transform your portraits into glamorous captures. We particularly liked the new Bronzer feature that lets you add dimension and depth to your subject’s face.
Also new for PortraitPro 17 is the vignette feature that allows you to add more punch to your shots. We particularly liked the darker vignettes that made our subject really pop. Not only that, but you can utilise the preset options in the program – create custom presets using your favourite tools, which means you’ll be able to edit images in just a couple of clicks. You can even build your own make-up looks or save your favourite skin smoothing settings.
This kind of retouching is not for everyone, but the software is simple to use. If you find yourself shooting a lot of portraits, but you don’t feel you have the skills to execute a professional retouch then this tool is for you. Even used subtly, it’s effective and intuitive.