Alien skin exposure x3
A subtle and powerful effects tool that deserves more recognition than it gets in the mainstream (PC/MAC) £116 (converted)/$149
Alien Skin Exposure X3 is not as well known as most of the programs here, but deserves to be. It’s a subtle, powerful and efficient all-in-one photo editing and browsing tool that specializes in analog film effects and comes with a huge library of simple one-click preset effects.
These are created using a combination of manual adjustments, so you can modify an existing effect or create your own completely from scratch – or you can just use Exposure X3 as a regular photo editor, thanks to its tone and colour tools, cropping and cloning options.
It also supports layers and masks, so you can blend in different adjustments or even potentially combine different preset images effects. It does not support image layers, though, so you can’t create multi-image composites, which is ultimately a bit of a downer really.
However, all editing adjustments are non-destructive, though, and it’s also possible to create ‘virtual copies’ – multiple variants of the same image which take up no extra disk space at all.
Performance
Exposure X3 can be a little slow to scan large folders or collections of folders, but once that’s done it’s fast and responsive. You can preview a preset effect on the main image just by hovering the mouse pointer over its thumbnail, and the ability to ‘audition’ multiple presets before making a final choice is actually incredibly clever and useful.
The range of presets available is extensive and also sensitive to the subtle variations of old analog materials, right down to vignette and bokeh effects. It’s not just a tool for creating vintage looks, however, but a highly effective all-purpose, all-in-one photo editor that more should know about.