In the world of photo editing, the term “Artificial Intelligence” has been thrown around quite a lot in the last couple of years. For us as serious portrait photographers, though, we always have just one question: Does it really work?
PortraitPro 21 just came out recently and, you guessed it–AI is present in their newly developed retouching algorithms. This could mean that PortraitPro’s retouching tools have, in fact, gotten a whole lot better. However, you can’t just say “now with AI!” and have everyone assume it is a valuable improvement. So, is it? Yes, indeed it is, to make a long story short. It is a BIG improvement, in quite a few ways, and very much worth investing in. In this review, we’ll tell you what’s new, how it works, and what we like and don’t like about PortraitPro 21!
PortraitPro 21 Review | Specifications
There are three versions of PortraitPro 21: Standard, Studio, and Studio Max.
- PortraitPro Standard ($54.95)
Standalone software for amateur photographers working with JPG or 24-bit TIFF files. - PortraitPro Studio ($84.95)
For amateur or professional photographers who work directly with RAW files or want the higher quality of 48-bit color files, supports conversion between different color spaces, and provides JPEG/TIFF embedded color profile support. Offers Batch dialog. - PortraitPro Studio Max ($169.95)
For professional photographers or those working with lots of images. Full Batch mode to speed workflow greatly.
For more information about what is included in each edition, click here. Below, we’ll dive into each of the main features that are making “version 21” much better than its predecessors.
PortraitPro 21 Review | What’s New?
Lighting Brushes
The existing “Lighting” tool in PortraitPro was already one of the biggest reasons we loved it–you can take a portrait with totally flat, boring light, and add a subtle touch of directionality to the light, and it looks truly amazing.
The new Lighting Brush in PortraitPro 21 takes this impressive feature to the next level, allowing you to modify or create totally new lighting effects for your entire image. This can be perfect for adding that faint warm glow or flare look, with just the right intensity and position.
Simply put, in seconds you can create subtle or dramatic effects that would take a long time to set up using lights on-location.
New Clone Tool
The blemish removal tool in the previous version of PortraitPro was, honestly, not versatile and capable enough for us to use it here at the studio on every single image. Often, we would have to go into Photoshop for more serious retouching challenges.
The new Clone Tool is a significant improvement, getting the subtle texture of skin “just right” much more often. We still go into Photoshop here and there, of course, but the PortraitPro Clone Tool is a significant improvement! Most portrait photographers who are doing basic blemish removal should be able to get virtually all of their work done in PortraitPro 21!
Sky Replacement Feature
Not to be outdone by other software and AI technologies that have debuted in the last year-or-so, PortraitPro’s latest iteration also offers a Sky Replacement tool. Using technology from the company’s other software, Landscape Pro, and simply put, it works pretty well. Not only does it do a good job of selecting a background versus a subject, it also automatically alters the tone/mood on the subject itself, allowing the background to more seamlessly blend and appear realistic.
History Panel
Any user of Photoshop (or Lightroom) will appreciate having a full-featured history panel that allows you to quickly revert back to any step in your process. This is a pretty straightforward feature with obvious benefits; what else can we say except, it works and is very useful!
Noise Reduction & Sharpening
Personally, I like to perform these two adjustments either at the beginning of the editing process, (raw noise reduction is amazing!) …or, at the very end of the editing process, (that’s when sharpening should be done!)
Having said that, both tools are quite impressive in their quality and overall functionality. If you would like to apply any noise reduction or sharpening at some point during the retouching process, for whatever reason, you can get what you need from PortraitPro 21.
Color Styles
Something that has become increasingly popular lately, likely due to the “filters” that are becoming very ubiquitous on social media platforms for image sharing, is a set of variations in stylized processing for tone and color.
PortraitPro adds Color Styles to version 21, offering film emulation or just “faded”, or “crushed” types of looks, along with color toning. If you’re trying to produce a carefully curated “vibe” on a social media page, for yourself or for another business as part of their brand, then even a faint, subtle Color Style could work wonders in creating a cohesive look over time.
Hair Highlights
Another way to add a subtle bit of high-end polish to a quick soft/flat lit portrait is to create highlights in hair. Usually, this would require meticulous, careful burning & dodging, or advanced, complex masking techniques. PortraitPro 21 has a Hair Highlights tool, and once again, it simply works.
PortraitPro 21 Review | Pros & Cons
We’ve outlined the new features above, but what does this translate to in real-world photography editing? Here are our top advantages and disadvantages, in bullet form:
Pros
- Ease-Of-Use
The software isn’t just powerful and advanced, it’s also simple and easy to use, which is what really makes your life easier and your workflow quicker. - Significantly improved Retouching (Cloning) Brush
One area where the older versions of PortraitPro fell short was the clone stamp tool. It just didn’t have enough “intelligence” as far as textures and making skin look realistic. The new tool is night-and-day better! Most photographers will NEVER need to usePhotoshop now. - Unique, Powerful Portrait Adjustments
While simple things like “airbrushing” or retouching or burning & dodging can also be done in Lightroom or Photoshop relatively easily, PortraitPro’s ability to do complex things like re-light an entire face with incredible realism are infinitely easier than in any other common workflow software. Heck, you can even move a catchlight around in an eye iris! - Repeatable access to the same tool or final “look”
One of the main advantages of PortraitPro is that you can not just achieve professional results easily, but you can also repeat those edits on an entire batch of images. No more worrying about if you accidentally missed something in one image out of ten, or just didn’t make the subject look good in one or two images!
Cons
- One extra step (TIF or JPG file) beyond Lightroom
This means that if you are going from Lightroom to PortraitPro, while it is a relatively seamless transition, (with the Studio and Studio Max versions) …you are still creating an additional file, whether TIF or JPG. - Easy to go “too far”
One of the risks of having such a powerful tool, especially one that is so highly automated and intuitive, is that it works well enough that you can really go overboard without even realizing it. For us, by default, we’re usually “dialing it back” to keep most effects more subtle, and then also officially turning some tools off completely when we don’t want to use them. Of course, this is what creating your own new preset is for!
As you can tell, the “Cons” here, although they might be a minor hassle, are just a part of the advanced workflow process. In other words, these are just things to watch out for when you are using the software; they are not necessarily reasons not to get the software!
PortraitPro 21 Review | Conclusion
[NOTE: Always discuss retouching with your portraiture clients beforehand! As a general rule, never make them look so different that they notice you retouched something without their asking you. Want more tips on getting the most out of PortraitPro? Check out THIS tutorial here.]
Whether you do large batches of retouching on a regular basis for professional work, or you just do portraiture casually but don’t want to have to master a dozen advanced techniques, PortraitPro offers the most comprehensive retouching technology. Its combination of streamlined automation, and subtle adjustments, means you can get perfect results virtually every time without having to go all the way to more complex tools in Photoshop.
You can purchase the Standard version for about $55, the Studio version for about %85, and the Studio Max version for about $170. If you do a ton of editing portraits, you should definitely get PortraitPro.
- PortraitPro Standard ($54.95)
Standalone software for amateur photographers working with JPG or 24-bit TIFF files. - PortraitPro Studio ($84.95)
For amateur or professional photographers who work directly with RAW files or want the higher quality of 48-bit color files, supports conversion between different color spaces, and provides JPEG/TIFF embedded color profile support. Offers Batch dialog. - PortraitPro Studio Max ($169.95)
For professional photographers or those working with lots of images. Full Batch mode to speed workflow greatly.
PortraitPro 21 has special offers available on their website, plus, SLR-lounge readers get an EXTRA 15% DISCOUNT on any new edition or upgrade – simply use coupon code MR3014 in the “Apply the Coupon” box at the checkout. Download your free trial today!
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