Over the last few decades, most photographers have believed that the more powerful the editing tool, the longer they need to spend behind a screen. Selection tools, color grading, and creative effects require layers of manual work and patience. A major update to one of photography’s oldest plug-in suites broke that pattern by taking the editing problems most photographers have accepted as unavoidable and building tools that solve them.

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Read The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Efex .

All photos taken in 2016 in Cuba by Michael Bonocore .

At a Glance

Stop Losing Time to Masks

Mask by Distance, Not by Hand

Get the Film Glow That Digital Cameras Lost

Color Grade Three Tonal Zones Without Breaking the Others

Recreate a Printing Press Mistake on Purpose

Stop Going Back to Photoshop Just to Blend

Shoot Through Glass You Never…