Just a quick heads up to let you all know that Nik Software is running a killer deal on their amazing Complete Collection of Lightroom and Photoshop plug-ins.  Until July 8 you can pick up the Lightroom only version for $224.95, which is $75 off retail.  If you need or want the Photoshop version, it’s $349.95 – $150 off.  Nik doesn’t often offer discounts this deep so this is a great time to jump in if you’ve been on the fence about it.  As you likely already know, I use Nik plug-ins on every image I process.  As a bonus, you’ll receive a free copy of the excellent book, ”Nik Software Captured: The Complete Guide to Using Nik Software’s Photographic Tools”.  Book supplies are limited and this offer is only active until their inventory is gone.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the software that comes bundled in the Nik Software Complete Collection:

Viveza 2 – Allows you to easily control color and light in your photographs.  I start by making some global adjustments and then use Nik’s control points to make local adjustments.  Soooo powerful and yet so easy to use.  Some of the adjustments you can make with Viveza 2 include brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth and structure (which is a micro-contrast adjustment).  Lots more here but that covers the basics.

Color Efex Pro 4 – This is a collection of specialty photographic filters.  I use the Tonal Contrast, Brilliance/Warmth, Foliage and Remove Color Cast filters regularly.  There are additional filters that are great for outdoor photography, portrait photography and more.  Another one I can’t live without!

Sharpener Pro 2 – Sharpening for web and print is an almost mystical (maybe even mythical) process.  Frankly, I never got good at it using manual methods.  Sharpener Pro 2 mostly automates the process and delivers near perfect results every time.  Truly a critical piece of software for me and well worth the investment.

Dfine 2 – Got noise in your images?  Dfine 2 allows you to remove noise from your images without sacrificing detail.  One of the things I love about Dfine 2 is that you’re not stuck with global noise reduction – it’s super easy to select only the areas you want to be affected. 

Silver Efex Pro 2 – Simply put, this is THE most efficient and powerful way to convert color images to incredible black and white photographs.  Without exception, every photo in my black and white gallery on my website was developed using Silver Efex Pro 2.

HDR Efex Pro – As the name implies, HDR Efex Pro allows you to combine multiple exposures to create one image with expanded dynamic range (HDR = High Dynamic Range Imaging).  I don’t use this one much as I prefer to manually blend exposures but when I do need it, HDR Efex Pro works very well.

So, there you have it.  Jump over to the Nik Software website to learn more about the Complete Collection.  Don’t forget, you can download the package and use it for free for 15 days prior to making the investment.  Just remember, this sale ends July 8.