Photoshop/Elements Plugins and Filters
| Photoshop-compatible plugins are generally created to provide additional special image effects that would be impossible or difficult to achieve with an image editing application alone. They integrate into the host application and are executed from within the application. The most common type are filter plugins which have the have the file extension .8bf. Popular applications that support them are Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, PaintShop Pro, PhotoImpact, and Photo-Paint. Always read the requirements and info carefully or try before you buy to make sure the plugin is compatible with Elements! (Most if not all, are.) |
| These are some of the plugins that I use and recommend or that I would like to have! They are not cheap, but, hey, it's a hobby! Nearly all websites listed let you download a demo to try. Also check out freebies link below. |
| buZZ | Turn photos into art. Several versions and prices. My FAVORITE plugin. |
| PhotoArt Master | Stand-alone program (not a plugin) does about same thing as buZZ |
| Flaming Pear | Whole line of plugins. I have Aetherize and a couple others. |
| PhotoGrapic Edges | 10,000 edges, mattes, frames for your photos - from AutoFX (the ultimate collection!) |
| PhotoFrame | 2000+ frames and edges for images (I have this one, simpler to use than the above) |
| pxl Smartscale | Upsize images up to 1600% without losing quality - by Extensis |
| Nik Color Efex | Sets of photographic and other filters in several collections/packages |
| DCE Tools | Moderately priced set of nice plugins, especially the skin smoother |
| AutoFX | Several plugins. Mystical Tint Tone and Color and Mystical Lighting are great. |
| Focus Magic | Fixes out of focus or motion blur problems better than using Elements alone |
| Virtual Painter | Turns any digital photo into a work of art with bright colors |
| Image Doctor | Magically replaces objects (clone stamp on steroids!), removes blemishes etc. |
| Full list of commercial plugins here |
| Full list of FREE plugins here |
I put Xero plugins on the
disk. See what it does here
I put Dreamy plugin on the disk, see what it does here
| Some plugins come with an installer which installs them into the Elements plugins folder. Others tell you to just copy the .8bf file(s) into the plugins folder yourself. (In Explorer - go to program files > Adobe > Photoshop Elements > plug-ins) Do not have Elements running when you are doing this! Sometimes you have to restart the computer to get them to work. Plugins are accessed when you open your photo and then click on Filters top menu. They will be in the bottom section below the native Elements filters. |