Let me be perfectly clear: I'm lovin' Perfectly Clear, a Photoshop and Lightroom plug-in, as well as an iPhone and iPad app, that lets you quickly and easily turn a flat shot into a fab shot, or a snapshot (dull in color and contrast) into a great shot (one with more details and color).

Of course, I am not talking about changing the content or the mood or the feeling of photograph - the most important elements in a photograph. I've spoken about that and written about that many times. Here is one of my posts (from last year) on that all-important topic.

FYI: I added this paragraph after my original post because some folks thought that a plug-in, any plug-in, could magically transform a photograph with no meaning into a purposeful image. How silly!

Photoshop plug-in used here.

If you are totally hyper, as I am, quick fixes are just a click away. Or, if you want to fine-tune an image - adjusting white balance, tone, color, clarity and noise - fast moving sliders area there for your corrective enhancement pleasure.

I say "corrective" because Perfectly Clear does 12 corrective corrections (I know that sounds redundant) in one click, not creative image enhancements such as those offered in Nik Software's Snapseed and Color Efex Pro, and onOne Software's Perfect Photo Suite.

Above you can see how a quick one-click turned a flat shot, taken on a very overcast day, into a sharper image that pops with color and sharpness.

When I take a photograph, I often want it to look the same as the scene looks to my eyes. That's not as easy as it may sound. You see, we can see a dynamic range of about 13 f-stops, whereas our digital cameras see only about five or six f-stops. That's where digital image editing comes in. In very high-contrast situations, of course, HDR is a must. But in lower contrast situations, we can bring out shadow and highlight detail, adjust color and contrast . . . but that may take some time and some Photoshop or Lightroom know-how.

With Perfectly Clear, what you see is often what you get, again, if the contrast range is not great.

Above you can see how my flat image was transformed into a fab image with a simple click. Kinda cool, no?

I could go on and on about Perfectly Clear, but the plug-in is so simple to use that it's really all about quick clicks.

Hey! You can save 25% (Until January 1) on Perfectly Clear by going to my page on the Perfectly Clear web site. If you following that link, the 25% discount code is automatically added. If you land on that page by chance, use this code to get your discount: RICKSAMMON.

Look for me at the Athentech Imaging/Perfectly Clear booth at Photo Plus Expo in NYC later this month.

Explore the light,
Rick