Exposure 4 plugin recaptures essence of film

There's definitely something to be said for the instant gratification of digital photography, but from time to time, we do find ourselves missing the depth of expression possible with a film camera.

Like many of our readers, we cut our teeth in an analog world. Achieving the look you were after with a film camera was a simple matter. Swap in a different roll of film, and you could completely change the mood of your photo. Sure, some digital cameras offer a selection of presets and filter effects that let you tailor the look a little. A few even try to mimic a few specific film types. Compared to film, though, these presets still tend to feel rather limiting.

Perhaps that's one of the reasons camera phones have grown so popular, so quickly. Not only can you share your photos very quickly, but it's also simple to run them through an application like Instagram or Hipstamatic. A few taps of the finger and your photo suddenly has a soul.

The look of Kodachrome film, recreated by Exposure 4. (Original here). Photo provided by Alien Skin Software LLC.

Of course, there's always the digital darkroom, but we can't all be Photoshop wizards. That's where Alien Skin Software's Exposure plugin comes in, and the company has just announced public availability of its latest version.

Alien Skin Exposure 4 makes it simple to recapture the essence of film photography, with a generous selection of presets that faithfully recreate the look of dozens upon dozens of film types and processing techniques. Whatever look you're after--whether it's a faded Polaroid print, a moody, grain-filled Kodak Tri-X exposure, or something a bit more obscure--chances are you can recreate it, if it's not already included as a preset. Think Instagram on steroids: a couple of mouse clicks can resurrect that boring, digital snapshot.

Exposure 4 doesn't just tweak the color and tone curve, and overlay some grain on the image. There's a wide range of effects possible, including textures, borders, and even the ability to add dust, scratches or light leaks. This is one area in which the plugin has been completely reworked since its predecessor, yielding much more realistic, random effects. There are also more controls available, including color split toning, and the latest release can now recreate the look of more film types, such as color infrared.

This shot, replicating a cyanotype effect, is a much more radical change.(Original here). Photo provided by Alien Skin Software LLC.

Compared to the earlier release, Exposure 4 also has a reworked user interface. There's no longer a separation between color or black and white effects, and there's a clearer division between presets on the left of the window, and the various effect controls at screen right. (Previously, they were all accessed at left through a tabbed layout, making it harder to see what changes were being applied as you switched between presets.) Group presets make it easy to tweak several controls together without completely changing the overall style, and as you browse available settings, previews are updated near-immediately simply by hovering over a preset. There's also a handy search tool to help you find an overall preset you're looking for, with the ability to limit either to color or black and white presets. Alien Skin also notes that overall, Exposure 4 is faster than the previous release.

Available immediately for both Mac and Windows, Alien Skin Exposure 4 works with imaging applications starting from Photoshop CS4, Lightroom 2, or Photoshop Elements 9, through to their current releases. Pricing is set at US$250 or thereabouts, and owners of previous versions can upgrade for around US$100. More details on the Alien Skin website.

A more subtle change in toning completely changes the mood of this shot. (Original here). Photo provided by Alien Skin Software LLC.