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Adjustments panel
Quickly access the controls you need to non-destructively adjust image color and tone in the Adjustments panel. Includes on-image controls and presets in one location. This one is an awesome addition. While you can do adjustments in RAW as well (and many are much easier and more fine tuned), this is a wonderful tool for those quick edits.

Masks panel
Quickly create precise masks in the Masks panel. The Masks panel offers tools and options for creating editable pixel- and vector-based masks, adjusting mask density and feathering, and selecting non-contiguous objects.

Advanced compositing
Create more accurate composites using the enhanced Auto-Align Layers command, and use the spherical alignment to create 360-degree panoramas. The enhanced Auto-Blend Layers command smoothly blends color and shading, and extends your depth of field by correcting vignettes and lens distortion. This works very well, with only minor perfecting needed.

Canvas rotation
Click to smoothly turn your canvas for nondestructive viewing at any desired angle. This is a cool feature, as all of us have better skills at certain angles, with this feature you can turn your project to the most comfortable angle for your task and complete it better and faster.

Smoother panning and zooming
Gracefully navigate to any area of an image with smoother panning and zooming. Maintain clarity as you zoom to invididual pixels, and easily edit at the highest magnification with the new Pixel Grid.

Better raw processing in Camera Raw
Apply corrections to specific areas of an image using the Camera Raw 5.0 plug-in, enjoy superior conversion quality, and apply postcrop vignettes to images. The new Camera Raw is incredible, and has made a raw shooter out of me. The adjustments are so much more accurate and fine than in Photoshop, that no matter how you shoot, you should be doing your initial adjustments in Raw.

Improved Lightroom workflow
Enhanced integration between Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop® Lightroom® 2 allows you to open photos from Lightroom in Photoshop and seamlessly roundtrip back to Lightroom. Automatically merge photos from Lightroom into panoramas, open as HDR images, or open as multilayer Photoshop file.

Efficient file management with
Adobe® Bridge CS4
Enjoy efficient visual asset management with Adobe Bridge CS4, which features faster startup, workspaces that suit the task at hand, and the ability to create web galleries and Adobe PDF contact sheets. Bridge is now the tool it should have been all along. It is much faster, and has many more features than ever. Try it, you’ll be a believer.

Powerful printing options
The Photoshop CS4 print engine provides tight integration with all the most popular printers, the capability to preview out-of-gamut image areas, and support for 16-bit printing on Mac OS. Now in the printing department, we are not so happy. With an Epson 9800 and large files, CS4 has a tendency to crash. If printing from CS3 these crashes are not experienced. So beware, if you are having trouble printing wide format with an Epson, go back to CS3. We have not experienced this same crashing using a Canon 6100.

3D acceleration
Enable OpenGL Drawing to accelerate 3D operations. See About OpenGL.

Comprehesive 3D tools
The new 3D is a lot of fun to play with, however in my work flow 3D isn’t an issue. Those who use 3D a lot will probably find it more cumbersom than what they are used to. But it allows you to paint directly on 3D models, wrap 2D images around 3D shapes, convert gradient shapes to 3 objects, add depth to layers and text, and enjoy exporting to common 3D formats. It is very nice to be able to manipulate 3D objects right in Photoshop instead of another program.

Higher performance on very large images
Windows only)
Work faster with very large images by taking advantage of additional RAM. The 64 bit processing is much better than with 32 bit. (Requires a 64-bit computer with a 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista®).If you run it on a 32 bit Vista machine your extra ram will not be utilized.

THE BOTTOM LINE ...
If you use Photoshop at least once a day ... you are silly if you are staying with an earlier version. CS4 has added so many new features that will speed up your workflow, the cost of upgrading will be offset quickly by the amount of time you will save, and the quality of your work.
One other tip ... we highly recommend that you get some training, whether it be in workshops, books with DVDs or online, it doesn’t matter. You will have a tough time utilizing all of the new features without a helping hand, even for us grizzled long-time Photoshop users.

QuickMats 4 -
Photographic Matting
QuickMats 4 is a 5th-generation version of of John Hartman’s digital matting software. In it he has added many more mats and alterations, and the realistic results are incredible.

Ok, how about we get to the bottom line of QuickMats 4 ... and that bottom line is that if you are a portrait photographer, whether it be weddings, seniors, children, or families, you need to be using QuickMats. John Hartman has developed a foolproof system that quickly digitally mats any image. Once you have tried it, you’ll be hooked. Read on for more details.

QuickMats 4's new prebuilt mats make it easier than ever to create mats in virtually any size and shape. The Build -Your-Own mats section has also been expanded to allow for even more customized mat products you can make to satisfy even the most particular client.

The 105 surface textures are more than double the number in QuickMats 4. Additionally, 78 new customizable image overlays allow you an almost limitless set of appearance for your mats, to make your work unique and more valuable to your customer.

QuickMats 4's printed manual has been replaced by an all new video tutorial series, anchored by an easy-to-follow, hyperlinked reference manual. Browse through the entire manual or go right to the page that interests you, where you will be guided to the appropriate high-quality QuickTime video tutorial. These videos help you make your first QuickMat in no time, and will also show you how to create some of the more sophisticated looks once you are comfortable with the basic operation.

If you are a photographer, whether it be portrait, wedding, or scenic, these mats can make a huge difference in your bottom line. It is nearly impossible to tell that a photograph is not really in a physical mat, especially behind glass. Viewers will reach out to touch the mat, not believing that it isn’t really there.
QuickMats 3 helps you can create an incredibly realistic mat for any size image. With openings as small as 1" and as large as 40", and eight different aspect ratios from 1:1 square all the way to 4:1 extreme panoramic, you can easily mat virtually any digital image in your portfolio.
Over 640 mat openings in rectangle, oval, square, circle, even letter, number and assorted shapes mat openings are included. You specify the size outside mat while you position one, or up to 40 mat openings in any size and shape on a single mat. Included are Photoshop actions, and with one click your mat is built. They aren’t done there, however, because everything is customizable, from size of outside mat, inside liners, textures and colors. They can then be saved as templates, and used repeatedly. Photo overlays on the mat are also possible, in any strength. Making a mat with a phantom image such as leaves, faces or anything else is very simple.
QuickMats3 works with Photoshop 7 or greater, m other special software is required. Best of all, QuickMats 3 is easy to learn with a 60 page full color manual plus 24 narrated QuickTime HELPMovies to get you up and running in no time. Check with John Hartman’s site at www.jhartman.com/quickmats/index.php for more information. Once you have tried QuickMats 3, you will not want to do without it.

What's New in QuickMats 4?
A quick comparision...