Finding and Using Photoshop Plug-ins

[Florence Belushi]

While Adobe does provide an all-inclusive solution for photo editing
and digital graphics work it also supports the use of software
programs designed to add additional features to Photoshop. These
software programs are usually called plug-ins. They are available from
Adobe as well as other third party software companies.
Several special effects plug-ins come preinstalled with Photoshop and
are automatically available inside the Photoshop plug-ins folder.
Photoshop tutorials like Photoshop Fast Track can teach you how to
find new plug-ins and install them to Photoshop. Photoshop plug-ins
allow you to actually add the features available in other photo
editing programs to Photoshop without having to open and use the other
program.
You can find Photoshop plug-ins that allow you to use various filters
for the purpose of special effects or tint or tonal adjustments. These
plug-ins work just like the filters you can purchase to add to your
camera lens. You can find plug-ins that will turn your photo to black
and white, increase or decrease contrast, soften details, enrich black
tones, increase or decrease saturation, restore details or make an
image appear old using sepia tones.
The benefit of using plug-ins for special effects is that you can
quickly produce very professional results that would otherwise require
multiple editing steps. Plug-ins are popular not because Photoshop is
not capable of all of these effects but because the plug-ins simplify
the process by combining more difficult steps into an easy to use
interface.
Whether you want to create the appearance of hand-tinted photographs
or simply increase the vibrancy of colors in your image, by using
Photoshop plug-ins you will quickly be creating amazing images like a
professional photographer or graphic artist. Photoshop Fast Track
makes it easy to learn how to find, install and use Photoshop plug-
ins.