Software.
I use a variety of software programs to create my finished prints and to sell
my products. Adobe Photoshop is the program we use for all of our re-
touching. I upgrade Photoshop whenever a new version is available to en-
sure my staff has the latest technology available. It’s expensive, but it’s
necessary to create the highest-quality work. Photoshop serves as the base
program for all basic retouching, advanced retouching, and digital effects.
My digital artists use a variety of Photoshop-compatible plug-ins and fil-
ters to create special effects. You can find what you need at http://www.graphic
authority.com. I also recommend the use of Nik Software Inc.’s Color Efex
Pro, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine.
I use ACDSee Photo Manager to create simple slide shows of my clients’
images. I also use this program in the sales room. I can quickly change an
image from color to black & white, show sepia tones, and even rate images
on a scale of 1 to 5. Rating images helps narrow down the client’s choices
and speeds up the sales process. If a client absolutely hates the way she
looks in a certain pose, I rate it low and hide it so she doesn’t focus on
that image. I want her to have anywhere from eight to twenty-four poses
that she cannot live without.
84 ELLIE VAYO’S GUIDE TO BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
Recommend that subjects avoid tanning
prior to the session. Though a little color
from the sun looks nice, fake orange
tans and noticeable tan lines look terri-
ble in portraits.