Genuine Fractals 6 Mac Serial Number
Chara Dagres
The Road to Digital High-Res
For more than two years, Ive been exploring the world of digitalphotography using what have become known as "pro-sumer" cameras.Almost from the beginning, I was convinced that there were waysI could produce images with these modestly priced tools that weresuitable for commercial applications. However, the key to achievingthis goal was "processing" the raw image through sophisticated softwarethat could take the captured data, enhance it to maximize the qualityof the image so that it could be reproduced, either in the formof a high quality print, or by graphic processes that utilize CMYKcolor separations.
By the time I began my experiments, studio photographers and a handfulof hardy outdoor types were already using higher end digital scanningbacks on medium and large format cameras to produce excellent imagesfor commercial and fine-art applications. Their systems, however,were tethered to computers, and although some were portable in thesense that they required tethering only to a lap-top, I wanted atruly portable system that was as convenient to use as the conventionalcameras Ive carried into the field for more than forty-fiveyears. I also wanted to be able to produce my images independently.As a photographer/artist, Ive never been comfortable havingsomeone else process and print my images and then taking personalcredit for the work. I believe the art and the process are inextricablybound together.
Early Experiments Showed Promise
By the end of my first year, I had managed to produce and exhibit8" x 10" digital black and white prints that could be hung side-by-sidewith conventional, chemically processed gelatin silver prints. ButI could not exceed that size without displaying an obvious difference.I did not offer digital prints for sale however, because I was certainthat the life expectancy of these early efforts would be rathershort-probably less than five years.
During this same one-year period, I also succeeded in using my "megapixel"digital color images in a handful of commercial print projects.In each instances, the reproduction size of all images was heldto 5" x 7" or smaller. By the end of 1999, I had succeeded in producinglarger images that reproduced well in print, but this was accomplishedby upgrading cameras as newer technology became available. Currently,Im using an Olympus C-2500L that produces a 2.5 megapixelimage file.
Getting back to my earlier comments, however, It is important tosay that my success in using "pro-sumer" digital images is due largelyto the capabilities of the software I use. No one could use theraw file produced by the camera to achieve the same effects.
My primary processing tool is Adobe Photoshop2 5.5. Thisis the industrys premier photo retouching and image editingprogram, used by every professional graphic designer, commercialpre-press operation, service bureau and photographer I know. I knowonly a few people who use more than half of this powerful programscapabilities, and although my experience with Photoshop began manyversions ago, I still use it primarily to produce what most of uswould call "conventional images"where even the most complicatedretouching is not the least bit apparent to viewers who have notseen the original image.
Routinely, by the time an image is ready for reproduction, I havealtered the levels and curves (modifying tonality and contrast),balanced the colors, retouched the picture to eliminate blemishes,minimize reflections, and neutralize obvious distractions, and Ivesharpened the image with the unsharp masking tool.
A Breakthrough from Altamira
Over the years, I have employed a number of plug-ins for Photoshop.For those unfamiliar with the term, "plug-ins" are compatible additionsthat work from the Photoshop palette even though theyre producedby companies outside Adobe Systems, Inc. They include products likeExtensis Mask Pro and Intellihance, and the remarkable product byAltamira Group that Im going to describe in a moment GenuineFractals.
Though it is not a newcomer to the software market (Version 1.0won the Macworld "Eddy Award" as the best graphics plug-in of 1997and Genuine Fractals PrintPro won the 1998 "Eddy Award" as the bestpublishing utility), I didnt discover it until late in 1999.Moreover, when I inquired about the product among my friends ineducation and the graphics arts industry, I found I wasntthe last kid on my block to discover Genuine Fractals.
My first exposure to this plug in was on the recommendation of avisitor to the Imaging Resource Web site. He had written to complimentme on my article about digital landscape photography and closedhis correspondence with the remark, "I hope you have discoveredGenuine Fractals."
Well, I had not discovered Genuine Fractals and although I had heardof fractal technology and read a definition, I had no practicalknowledge or experience. I immediately searched the Internet andfound the web site of Altamira Group, Inc., a software developmentcompany located in Burbank, California. The Company describes itselfas a developer of applications for high-resolution graphics utilizingstate-of-the-art digital imaging technology.
I immediately downloaded a trial versions of Genuine Fractals 2.0and GF PrintPro and began a test on one of my raw image files capturedwith the Olympus C-2000Z. It was a photograph of an antique goldpocket watch that can be seen on my web site. I saved it in theGF PrintPro.STN format and enlarged it to 300% of its original size.I was speechless. Not only was the image sharper than Id seenit before, but I saw on the smooth metal inner surface of the watchface cover a small fingerprint Id never before detected inworking on the file. I couldnt wait to get my hands on thefull program and explore the full capability of Genuine Fractals.Meanwhile, being the curious type, I "needed" to know more aboutfractal technology, so I looked it up.
Heres what Genuine Fractals software does:
After you have optimized your image file in Photoshop, establishing howthe final image will appear, you save the image using the preferred GenuineFractals file extension (FIF or STN). GF transforms the image into "resolutionindependent-assets" eliminating the relationship between pixels and resolution.The image becomes mathematically encoded as an algorithm and the pixelsof the original raster image are replaced with a new file structure thatstores the entire image and none of the pixels. When you open the imageagain, you can re-scale it to the desired size and the algorithm willgenerate new pixels while maintaining sharpness regardless of image size.
Genuine Fractals lets you save time by allowing you to work in mediumsize original files for high resolution output. Whats more, when youscan images from film, no longer is it necessary to scan images at outputresolution. You need only between 15MB and 40MB of RGB data to capturean image for large format output.
Now, I know some of you are beginning to show your skepticism, but bearwith me. This really works and I can prove it. Ive actually tested thefollowing statement found in the GF product sheet:
"You can scan a 4" x 5" transparency at 25MB, do all the image editingat that scan resolution, then encode the image. The encoded filewill typically be 2MB to 12MB. Now, if you need to output the imageat 450MB and 60MB, you can generate both resolutions from the sameencoded file." "For smaller print-quality output, you can startwith a 4MB-5MB original, encode to less than a megabyte, then renderthe image easily and beautifully to 20MB. For screen resolutionoutput, start even smaller."
A Test: Getting the Most from Photoshop
Heres another experiment you can try, comparing the best methodof Photoshop image enlargement against Genuine Fractals. The Photoshopmethod was recommended by an instructor friend some time ago and it doesproduce a pretty good result. Download the JPEG or TIFF image from yourdigital camera and open it in Photoshop (see figure. 1) . Open the actionspalette under the Window menu by clicking on Show Actions. Begin a newset of actions following instructions in your Photoshop user guide andenlarge your image to the desired size by just a few percentage pointsat a time. For "speed," you can enlarge the image in 5% increments, althoughyoull get a far better result resizing the image just 1% at a time.Lets go over this step-by-step.
Though this process is rather time consuming, you will get a much betterresult that you would if you simply resized your image in a single step(Image Size under the Image menu).
Conclusion
It may be a slight exaggeration to say that Genuine Fractals is the greatestthing since sliced bread, but it is a truly remarkable plug-in for users ofPhotoshop. Its given me a way to produce 16" x 20" and larger reproductionsof my pro-sumer digital photographs and thats something that would havebeen called wishful thinking a very short time ago. Nikon now includes GF2.0LE in the software package for its Coolscan 2000 and CoolscanIII film scanners and Epson bundles it with its Stylus Photo 1200 printer.
For more information on Genuine Fractals and a free trial download, go to theAltamira Group Web site. The complete version of Genuine Fractals 2.0 may bepurchased for $159, while genuine Fractals PrintPro is priced at $299.00. (Ownersof the full version of GF 2.0 can upgrade to PrintPro for $139) Both productsare available for Mac or Windows 95/98/NT platforms.
UPDATE : The Genuine Fractals products were acquired by LizardTech in 2001 and were eventually acquired by ON1 Software in 2005. ON1's Perfect Resize product still uses the technology. Their contact info is available here.