Cyberlink PhotoDirector - 8.0 User’s Guide

CyberLink

PhotoDirector

User's Guide

To the extent allowed by law, PhotoDirector IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY FOR INFORMATION, SERVICES, OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH OR IN CONNECTION WITH PhotoDirector AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. BY USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE THAT CYBERLINK WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE OR MATERIALS CONTAINED EITHER IN THIS PACKAGE.

The terms and conditions here under shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of Taiwan.

PhotoDirector is a registered trademark along with other company and product names mentioned in this publication, used for identification purposes and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

International Headquarters

Mailing Address CyberLink Corporation

15F., No. 100, Minquan Rd., Xindian Dist. New Taipei City 231, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Web Site Telephone 886-2-8667-1298 Fax 886-2-8667-1385

http://www.cyberlink.com

..............................................................1

Introduction

................................................................................................1Welcome

.................................................................................................1Latest Features

.................................................................................................2DirectorZone and CyberLink Cloud

.................................................................................................3PhotoDirector Ve rsions

................................................................................................5System Requirements

..............................................................6

Importing Photos

................................................................................................6Supported File Formats

................................................................................................6Importing Photos into the Library

.................................................................................................8Apply During Import

................................................................................................9Importing Videos (Video-to-Photo)

.................................................................................................10Capturing Frames in Video-to-Photo

.................................................................................................13Advanced Import Settings

..............................................................15

The PhotoDirector Workspace

................................................................................................15PhotoDirector Modules

.................................................................................................16Library

.................................................................................................16Adjustment

.................................................................................................16Edit

.................................................................................................16Layers

.................................................................................................16Slideshow

.................................................................................................16Print

................................................................................................17Library Panel

.................................................................................................17Project Tab

.................................................................................................23Tagging Faces

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

.................................................................................................26Metadata Tab

................................................................................................29Adjustment Panel

................................................................................................30Edit Panel

................................................................................................30Layer Manager

................................................................................................30Slideshow Panel

................................................................................................30Print Panel

................................................................................................30Photo Browser Panel

.................................................................................................33Stacking Photos

.................................................................................................35Searching for Photos

................................................................................................35Photo Viewer Window

.................................................................................................36Selecting View Mode

.................................................................................................37Selecting Viewer Display Mode

.................................................................................................39History

.................................................................................................39Photo View er Toolbar

.................................................................................................40View er Zoom

..............................................................42

PhotoDirector Projects

................................................................................................42Exporting Projects

................................................................................................42CyberLink Cloud Projects

..............................................................44

Adjustments

................................................................................................44Creating Virtual Photos

................................................................................................45Histogram

.................................................................................................46Converting Photos to Black and White

.................................................................................................46Viewing Exposed Areas

................................................................................................47Regional Adjustment Tools

.................................................................................................48Cropping and Straightening Photos

.................................................................................................51Rem oving Spots

.................................................................................................53Rem oving Re d-Eye

.................................................................................................53Using the Adjustment Brush

.................................................................................................57Using Adjustment Selection

.................................................................................................60Using a Gradient Mask

.................................................................................................63Using a Radial Filter

.................................................................................................67Regional Adjustment Options

................................................................................................69Global Adjustment Tools

.................................................................................................69White Balance

.................................................................................................71Tone

.................................................................................................72HDR Effect

.................................................................................................74Level

.................................................................................................75Curve

.................................................................................................77HSL/Color

.................................................................................................79Black and White Mix

.................................................................................................80Split Toning

.................................................................................................81Detail

.................................................................................................83Lens Correction

................................................................................................86Copying Adjustments

................................................................................................86Using Adjustment Presets

.................................................................................................88Downloading Presets from DirectorZone

.................................................................................................89Downloading Presets from CyberLink Cloud

.................................................................................................90Saving C ustom Presets

.................................................................................................90Applying Presets on Photos

.................................................................................................91Sharing and Backing Up Presets

.................................................................................................92Exporting/Import Presets

................................................................................................92Viewing History

................................................................................................93Turning Adjustments On/Off

..............................................................94

Edits

................................................................................................94People Beautifier

.................................................................................................94Face Tools

.................................................................................................99Skin Tools

.................................................................................................102Body Shaper

................................................................................................105Photo Effects

.................................................................................................105C olor Effects

.................................................................................................108Blur Tools

iii

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

.................................................................................................112Grain Effe ct

.................................................................................................112Overlay

................................................................................................114Object Removal

.................................................................................................114Smart Patch

.................................................................................................115Content Aware Re moval

................................................................................................116Extract or Compose

.................................................................................................117Background Removal

.................................................................................................119Photo Composer

................................................................................................120Photo Merge

.................................................................................................120Bracket HDR

.................................................................................................123Panorama

.................................................................................................124Face Swap

.................................................................................................124Multi Exposure

................................................................................................126Frames & Watermarks

.................................................................................................126Watermark Creator

.................................................................................................130Using Watermark Templates

..............................................................132

Layers

................................................................................................133Layers Overview

.................................................................................................138Using Express Templates

................................................................................................139Using the Layer Manager

.................................................................................................140Adjusting Photo Layer

.................................................................................................142Adjusting Layer Opacity

.................................................................................................143Ble nding Layers

.................................................................................................146Managing Layers

................................................................................................148Using the Layer Tools

.................................................................................................148Pe n Tool

.................................................................................................149Eraser Tool

.................................................................................................149Shape Tool

.................................................................................................153Text Tool

.................................................................................................155Sele ct Area Tool

.................................................................................................158Fill Tool

.................................................................................................158Gradient Tool

.................................................................................................159Blur Tool

................................................................................................160Using the Editing Tools

................................................................................................163Saving Layers Projects

..............................................................165

Exporting and Sharing Photos

................................................................................................165The Export Photo Process

.................................................................................................168Export Profiles

................................................................................................169Sharing Photos

.................................................................................................169Uploading Photos to Facebook

.................................................................................................170Uploading Photos to Flickr

.................................................................................................171Backing Up Photos on CyberLink Cloud

.................................................................................................172Uploading Photos to DirectorZone

.................................................................................................172E-mailing Photos

..............................................................174

Slideshows

................................................................................................174Creating Photo Slideshows

.................................................................................................175Producing Slideshows

.................................................................................................176Sharing Slideshow Videos on YouTube

..............................................................178

Printing

................................................................................................178Printing Photos

.................................................................................................178Customizing the Layout

.................................................................................................179Customizing the Image Settings

.................................................................................................180Customizing the Print Settings

.................................................................................................180Watermarks

..............................................................181

PhotoDirector Preferences

................................................................................................181General Preferences

................................................................................................181Project Preferences

................................................................................................182DirectorZone Preferences

................................................................................................182File Handling Preferences

................................................................................................183Improvement Program Preferences

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

................................................................................................184CyberLink Cloud Preferences

................................................................................................184Hardware Acceleration Preferences

..............................................................186

PhotoDirector Hotkeys

..............................................................192

Technical Support

................................................................................................192Before Contacting Technical Support

................................................................................................193Web Support

................................................................................................193Help Resources

Introduction

Note: this document is for reference and informational use only. Its content and the corresponding program are subject to change without notice. For more helpful tips on using the program, please visit our user forum, or see the video tutorials in the Learning Center at http:// directorzone.cyberlink.com/tutorial/phd.

Chapter 1:

Introduction

This chapter introduces CyberLink PhotoDirector and provides an overview of all its features. It also outlines the system requirements for installing and using the program.

Welcome

Welcome to the CyberLink family of digital media tools. CyberLink PhotoDirector is a photography program that lets you manage, adjust, and edit your digital photos, or create new ones using layers. You can then share your photos on Facebook or Flickr, use them in slideshows, produce slideshow videos you can upload to YouTube, and much more.

Latest Features

This section outlines some of the latest features within the CyberLink PhotoDirector program.

Video-to-Photo

· Capture photos from video files that are up to 2K/4K in quality.

· Apply TrueTheater Adjustments to enhance the quality of the captured

photos.

· Import captured photos directly into the Panorama, Face Swap, and new Multi

Exposure feature.

Compose Multi Exposure Photos

· Use burst shot photos, or photos captured from a video file, to create amazing

Multi Exposure photos.

· Auto object tracking makes creation easy.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

· Three output styles to fit your creative needs.

Enhanced Layer Tools

· Use express layer templates to instantly create fantastic looking photos.

· Save layers projects as new express templates and share on DirectorZone.

· Preview blending mode results before applying in your layers project.

· Apply blur effects directly on a selected layer.

· Utilize the magic wand selection tool for more advanced layer editing.

New Effects

· Create stylish photos with ease using the 40+ built-in overlay templates.

· Remove all but a chosen color from a photo with the color splash effect.

· Give subjects/objects in photos the perception of motion using the motion

blur effect.

More PhotoDirector Im provements

· Hierarchical tags make photo management even easier.

· Thumbnail view previews of adjustment presets.

· Continued improvement of the auto tone adjustment feature.

· Supports even more camera lens profiles and RAW image formats.

DirectorZone and CyberLink Cloud

You can upload/download color presets and lens profiles, and back up photos, preferences, projects, and more with the DirectorZone and CyberLink Cloud* features.

DirectorZone

DirectorZone is a free web service that lets you search for and download color presets and lens profiles created by other users of CyberLink PhotoDirector.

Introduction

Note: CyberLink Cloud is a subscription cloud storage service that is included with some CyberLink products, and is available for purchase through our web site. For more detailed information, see http:// www.cyberlink.com/products/cyberlink-cloud/.

To access the benefits of DirectorZone, you can sign in by:

· clic king the S ign in to DirectorZone link in the top right corner of the

CyberLink PhotoDirector window.

· clic king the button at the top of the window to open the PhotoDirector

preferences, and then on the DirectorZone tab. See DirectorZone Preferences for more information.

Also, be sure to periodically click the button to check out the latest

DirectorZone B ulletin, and view Templates and Tutorials on D irectorZone or the Photo Gallery on D irectorZone. Just click in one of these sections in the

Notifications window to view the bulletin or download these templates. Or go to http://directorzone.cyberlink.com to find out more information on the features and benefits of the DirectorZone web service.

CyberLink Cloud

CyberLink Cloud is a cloud storage service from CyberLink where users can upload and download their presets, PhotoDirector projects, exported photos, and more. CyberLink Cloud allows users to back up media, preferences, projects, etc., and ensure their working environment is the same on multiple computers.

PhotoDirector Versions

The features that are available in CyberLink PhotoDirector are completely dependent on the version you have installed on your computer.

To view the PhotoDirector version table, please go to our web site: http:// www.cyberlink.com/products/photodirector-ultra/compare_en_US.html

Click the CyberLink PhotoDirector logo in the top right, or select Help > About CyberLink PhotoDirector from the menu, to determine the version and build number for your copy of CyberLink PhotoDirector.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: you can prevent CyberLink PhotoDirector from auto checking for updates/upgrades in General Preferences.

Note: you must connect to the Internet to use this feature.

PhotoDirector Live

PhotoDirector Live is a subscription based version of CyberLink PhotoDirector that provides all the photo adjustment features you expect, and adds the CyberLink Cloud storage service and more.

With a PhotoDirector Live subscription, you get:

· All the advanced photo adjustment and editing features of the Ultra version of

CyberLink PhotoDirector.

· The ability to back up program preferences, projects, and presets on the cloud

storage space CyberLink Cloud.

· Guaranteed updates to the latest versions of CyberLink PhotoDirector Ultra.

PhotoDirector Live is the must-have solution for on-the-go photo editors who want easy access to their media and the latest up-to-date photo editing technologies.

Updating PhotoDirector

Software upgrades and updates (patches) are periodically available from CyberLink. CyberLink PhotoDirector automatically prompts you when either is available.

To update your software, do this:

1. Click the button to open the Notifications window.

2. Check the New U pdates and U pgrade Info sections.

3. Select an item in these sections to open your web browser, where you can purchase product upgrades or download the latest patch update.

Introduction

System R equirements

Operating System

· Microsoft Windows 10, 8/8.1, 7 (64 bit OS

recommended)

Scr een Resolution

· 1024 x 768, 16-bit color or above

Memory

· 2GB required

CPU

· Intel Core™ i-series or AMD Phenom® II

and above

VGA

· 128 MB VGA VRAM or higher

Hard Disk S pace

· 1GB required

Internet Connection

· Internet connection also required for initial

software & file formats activation

System Requirements

The system requirements listed below are recommended as minimums for using the CyberLink PhotoDirector program.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: you can also import PHI files into CyberLink PhotoDirector, which are PhotoDirector layers project files. See Layers for more information.

Chapter 2:

Importing Photos

The first step when using CyberLink PhotoDirector is to import your photos into the program. CyberLink PhotoDirector supports a variety of different photo file types, including most camera RAW file formats.

Supported File Formats

CyberLink PhotoDirector supports the following photo file formats:

Photos: JPEG, PNG, TIFF.

RAW photo formats: CyberLink PhotoDirector also supports the import of most

camera RAW photo formats. See the PhotoDirector spec page on the CyberLink web site for an up-to-date list of all the supported RAW photo formats: http:// www.cyberlink.com/products/photodirector-ultra/spec_en_US.html

Importing Photos into the Library

You can import photos into CyberLink PhotoDirector from your computer's hard drive, a digital camera, and also from removable devices, such as memory cards and portable hard drives.

To import photos into CyberLink PhotoDirector, do this:

1. Click on Library, and then on the Import button at the bottom of the library panel.

2. Select one of the following import options:

· Photos: select to import individual photo files. Once selected, browse to and

then select all of the photos on your computer/removable device that you want to import, and then click Open. Thumbnails of all the photos display in the Photo Import window.

Impo rting Pho tos

Note: if the photo files you want to import are not displayed in the current folder, ensure that the correct file type is selected in the bottom right corner of the Select Some Photos dialog.

Note: you can use in the bottom right of the preview window to resize the photo thumbnails. * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

· Folder: select to import a folder that contains your photos. Once selected,

browse to and then select the folder on your computer/removable device that you want to import photos from, and then click S elect Folder. Thumbnails of all the photos in the selected folder display in the Photo Import window.

· From Camera: select to import photos directly from a digital camera or a card

reader. Ensure that your camera is connected to your computer (and turned on) and then select From Camera to import photos from it. Once selected, the Photo Import window displays. Select your camera (or card reader) from the Source drop-down to display thumbnails of all the photos in the Photo Import window.

· From Cloud*: if you have a subscription to CyberLink Cloud, select this option

to download photos that are in your CyberLink Cloud storage. Once selected, find all the photos you want to download, select them, and then click the Download button.

3. Select Inc lude subfolders, if you are importing photos from a folder, device, or digital camera, to display and import photos that are in any subfolders.

4. Select Exclude possible duplicates to have CyberLink PhotoDirector filter out any photos that were imported previously.

5. Manually select the thumbnails of the photos you want to import, or use the

(deselect all) and (select all) buttons if necessary.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: you can also rename the photos as they are copied into the specified destination folder. See Apply During Import for more information.

Note: if you cannot find the Apply During Import section of the Photo

Import window, click on the right edge of the window to display it.

6. Select one of the following two import options:

· Keep in cur rent location: keeps the photos in their original source location.

· Make extra copy in: select this option if you want CyberLink PhotoDirector to

copy the imported photos to another location you select in the Destination drop-down.

7. If making an extra copy of the photos in another location, click to select the Destination where the imported photos are copied. You can also

click to edit the name of the folder that will be created in this location, if required.

8. If making an extra copy of the photos in another location, you can Organize them by selecting one of the following:

· Put in Single Folder: puts all of the photos in one folder.

· By Or iginal Folder S tructure: duplicates the original folder structure from the

source location.

· By Capture Date: puts the photos in a series of folders, labeled by the date

they were captured. Click to set the date format for the folder naming.

9. Click Import. CyberLink PhotoDirector imports the photos into your project library.

Apply During Import

CyberLink PhotoDirector can apply adjustment presets to photos during the import process. You can also begin organizing your photos by adding copyright information and keyword tags as they are imported.

· Apply preset: select to apply the adjustment preset you select from the drop-

down to all of the photos during import. See Using Adjustment Presets for information on creating adjustment presets.

Impo rting Pho tos

Note: you can add existing tags by typing in the tag name and then selecting them. To add new tags, just enter the new tag name in the field provided, and they will be added to the library during import.

· Copyright: in the field provided, enter in the copyright text you would like to

embed in each photo. The copyright information can be viewed and edited later on the Metadata tab in the library panel.

· Tags: in the field provided, enter in the keyword tags you want to apply to

each photo, separated by a semi colon.

· Rename: if you selected the Make extra copy in option, you can select this

option to rename the files as they are being copied. Once selected, choose the naming format from the drop-down. The File Name options use the current name of the photo file, but will add a numbering sequence or the capture date to the end. Select the Custom Name options to enter in your own custom name for the photo files in the field provided. You can also specify the photo file numbering format, and the starting number used.

Importing Videos (Video-to-Photo)

You can import videos files into CyberLink PhotoDirector, and then capture select video frames. These video frames are imported as new photos in to the library, where they can be adjusted, edited, and much more.

To import videos into CyberLink PhotoDirector, do this:

1. Click on Library, and then on the Video-to-Photo button at the bottom of the library panel.

2. Browse to and select the video file you want to import, and then click Open.

3. Select one of the following Video-to-Photo import options:

· Im port Video F rames as New Photos: select this option to just capture frames

of your video file and import them into the library. Once in the library you can make adjustments to them, or use them with any of the other features available in CyberLink PhotoDirector.

· Create a Panorama Photo: select this option to capture frames of your video

file and then use them to create a panorama image. See Panorama for information on creating a panorama image once imported.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: for the best results, use a video file where the camera steadily pans left or right.

Note: for the best results, make sure there is minimal camera, background, and head movement of the subjects in the video you are using for this feature.

Note: for the best results, make sure there is minimal camera or background movement in the video you are using for this feature.

Note: you can click Advanced for more import settings. See Advanced Import Settings for more information.

· Make a Perfect Group Shot: select this option to capture frames of your video

file and then use them to incorporate the best faces in a new photo. See Face

Swap for information once imported.

· Compose a Multi Exposure Photo: select this option to capture frames of your

video file and then use them to create a multi exposure photo. See Multi

Exposure for information once imported.

4. In the Video-to-Photo window, capture all the frames of video you want to import in the library. See Capturing Frames in Video-to-Photo for more information.

5. Once you are ready, click Go to Library.

6. Set the Import Settings as follows:

· Folder: indicates the folder on your computer where the photos will be saved.

To change the folder, click and then browse to and select the new folder.

· Put in subfolder: select this option if you want to place the imported photos in

a new subfolder. Input the name of the new folder in the field provided.

7. Click Import to import the new photos into the library, and use them in the selected feature.

Capturing Frames in Video-to-Photo

Once you have selected a video and an import option, the Video-to-Photo window displays.

Impo rting Pho tos

A - Preview Window , B - Captured Frames/New Photos Panel, C - TrueTheater Adjustments, D Captured Frame I ndicators, E - P laybac k Controls, F - Cap ture Frame, G - Trim Video, H - Go to Library/I mport New Ph otos

In the Video-to-Photo window you can trim the imported video clip, apply TrueTheater Adjustments, and capture frames as new photos.

Trimming the Video Clip

Before capturing the frames you can trim the imported video clip. To trim the video clip, do this:

1. Click the button to open the Trim window.

2. Use the player controls to find where you want the trimmed clip to begin, and then drag the mark in position slider to this position.

3. Use the player controls to find where you want the trimmed clip to end, and then drag the mark out position slider to this position.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: you can reenter the trim window to refine the trimmed clip at any time.

Note: you can click at any time while applying the TrueTheater

Adjustments to view the original video and compare how the adjustments have enhanced your video.

4. If required, you can preview what the trimmed clip will look like by clicking Output and then clicking the play button on the player controls. Click Original if you want to play the original video.

5. Click OK to set your changes and trim the clip.

Applying TrueTheater Adjustments

Before you capture frames, you can apply TrueTheater Adjustments to enhance your video and the resulting photos.

To apply TrueTheater Adjustments, do this:

1. Select the T rueTheater Adjustments check box in the bottom left corner to enable them.

2. Click and then adjust the TrueTheater Adjustments options as follows:

· Sharpness: select this option to up scale the original video to a higher

resolution version, which is sharper and artifact-free. Use the slider to adjust the sharpness to the best output that suits your configuration.

· Lighting: is a video enhancement technology developed by CyberLink that

detects video content and dynamically adjusts the brightness/contrast ratios. Use the level slider to adjust the TrueTheater Lighting effect the desired amount.

· Color: select this option to dynamically adjust the color saturation ratio in the

video. Use the level slider to make the colors in the video more vivid, without affecting skin tones.

Impo rting Pho tos

Note: if you find that the video preview is not smooth during playback, you

can cli ck and then select Non Real-time Preview. This mutes the audio and displays the preview at a reduced speed to help make the preview go more smoothly.

Capturing Frames as New Photos

To capture frames of the imported video, do this:

1. Use the playback controls to find a moment in your video where you want to capture the video and then pause the video.

2. If required, use the and buttons to find the exact video frame you want to capture.

3. When ready, click to capture the frame of video and add it to the captured frames panel.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 to capture as many frames as required.

5. When you are done, click Go to Library to import the new photos into the library, and then use them in the selected feature.

Advanced Import Settings

Before importing the photos into the PhotoDirector library, you can set the following advanced import settings:

1. In the Destination section of the Import Settings window, specify the import location as follows:

· Folder: specify the folder that photos are imported to as follows:

· Click on to specify a specific folder on your computer where the

photos are imported to.

· Put in subfolder: select this option if you want to place the imported

photos in a new subfolder. Input the name of the new folder in the field provided.

2. In the File Settings section of the Import Settings window, if required, you can specify the file format and color space as follows.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: see the Example field at the bottom of Naming format section to view an example of the naming that will be used on the imported photos.

· Format: specify whether you want the captured photos to be in the JPEG,

PNG, or TIFF file format.

· Color space: select the type of color space you want used on the imported

photos.

3. In the Image Size section of the Import Settings window is where you can set the size of the imported photos, as follows:

· Keep original resolution as video frame: select this option if you don't want

the photos resized during the import process.

· Resize to fit: select this option if you want CyberLink PhotoDirector to resize

the photos during the import process. In the fields provided, specify the new size as follows:

· Width/Height: specify the width or height of each photo in the fields

provided. CyberLink PhotoDirector will resize photos to the specified size, and ensure the photos maintain their current aspect ratio.

· Resolution: enter the desired resolution of the photos in the field provided.

4. In the Naming form at section of the Import Settings window, specify the naming convention used on the imported photo files as follows:

· Prefix: in the field provided, enter the prefix used in each photo file name.

· Start number: if you want the file name to contain a number sequence,

specify the starting number in the field provided.

5. In the Apply during import section of the Import Settings window, you can add copyright information and keyword tags as follows:

· Copyright: in the field provided, enter in the copyright text you would like to

embed in each photo. The copyright information can be viewed and edited later on the Metadata tab in the library panel.

· Tags: in the field provided, enter in the keyword tags you want to apply to

each photo, separated by a semi colon.

6. Click Import. CyberLink PhotoDirector will import the captured photos as specified.

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Chapter 3:

The PhotoDirector Workspace

This chapter outlines the CyberLink PhotoDirector workspace, and all of its features. Getting familiar with the workspace is helpful, because it is where you spend all of your time when using CyberLink PhotoDirector.

A - Pho toDirector Mo dules, B - Library/Adjustment/Edit/Layers/Sl ideshow/ Print Panel , C - Pho to Browser Pan el, D - Ph oto Viewer Wi ndow

PhotoDirector Modules

CyberLink PhotoDirector is comprised of six main modules: Library, Adjustment, Edit, Layers, Slideshow, and Print.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Library

Click the Library button to open the photo library of CyberLink PhotoDirector. When you import photos into CyberLink PhotoDirector, they are stored in the photo library. Once in the library you can organize them in a smart collection, folder, album, and by keyword tags. See Library Panel for more information.

Adjustment

The Adjustment module is where you touch up and make adjustments to the photos in your library. Click the Adjustment button apply presets, crop and rotate photos, apply gradients, remove spots, red-eye, and make other corrections. You can also adjust white balance, sharpness, color, and much, much more. See

Adjustments for more information.

Edit

In the Edit module you can touch up the faces in your photos, apply effects, remove objects and backgrounds, add images on photos, apply watermarks and frames on your photos, and much more. See Edits for more information.

Layers

In the Layers module you can perform advanced photo composing. See Layers for detailed information.

Slideshow

In this module you can use your photos to create slideshows with background music, and then export them as video files or upload them directly to YouTube. Select the Slideshow button to access the slideshow module. See Slideshows for more information on all the features in this module.

Print

Once you have finished adjusting and editing your images, you can print them in the Print module. You can print off your photos one at time, print multiple photos on a single sheet of paper, and also add watermarks to your printed photos. For more information see Printing Photos.

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Library Panel

The library panel is where you import, organize, and view all of the photos in CyberLink PhotoDirector. It also provides access to the metadata information for each individual photo.

The library panel has two tabs: Project and Metadata. To access either tab, simply click on it to view its contents.

Project Tab

Click Project to access all of the photos in the library. When photos are imported into the library, a CyberLink PhotoDirector project database keeps track of photo location, and associated photo information, including adjustments you make to each photo. If required you can add new projects, open existing projects, or export smart collections, albums, folders, and tags as new projects.

On the Project tab you can also organize imported photos by album, folder, keyword tags, and more.

Smart Collection

CyberLink PhotoDirector automatically organizes your photos in a Smart Collection for easy browsing. Every time you import, rate, or reject photos, CyberLink PhotoDirector updates the Smart Collection.

· All Photos: select to view all the photos you have imported into the current

project database.

· Latest Imports: select to view the photos that were most recently imported

into the library.

· 1 S tar or B etter: select to view photos you have rated 1 or more stars.

· 5 S tars: select to view all the photos you have rated 5 stars.

· Rejected: select to view all the rejected photos.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Right click on a Smart Collection folder to export the photos, or create a new project that contains just the photos in the selected collection. You can also Rename, Edit or Delete some folders out of the Smart Collection.

You can also create a custom Smart Collection based on rules you specify. To create a custom Smart Collection, do this:

1. Select the Project tab, and then click in the Smart Collection section.

2. Select Create Smart Collection.

3. Enter the information in the fields as follows:

· Name: enter a name for the new collection of photos.

· Match: select whether to match at least one (Any) of the rules, All of the rules,

or None of them.

4. Use the drop-down boxes to set the rules for the type of photos that you want to include in the Smart Collection.

5. Click on Create to finish. CyberLink PhotoDirector creates the collection based on your selected rules.

Folders

When photos are imported into the library, CyberLink PhotoDirector organizes them into folders based on the structure of the import source location.

Right click on a folder to:

· Synchronize Folder: select to ensure the folder is up-to-date. Use this feature

if the photos were added, deleted, or moved out of the folder. Synchronize folders as follows:

Synchronizing folder options

If CyberLink PhotoDirector detects any changes, the following related options become enabled.

· Im port new photos: if photos were added to the folder, this option becomes

enabled. Select it to import the specified number of photos into the folder.

· Show import dialog before importing: select if you want to display the Photo

Import window before importing. If you do not select this option, CyberLink PhotoDirector performs a background import of the photos.

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

· Remov e missing photos: if there are missing photos in the folder, this option

becomes enabled. Select it to remove the specified number of photos from the folder. Click the Show Missing Photos button to see which photos are missing.

Click the Synchronize button to begin the process.

· Find Missing Folder: select to locate the selected folder if it was moved to a

different location. Click the button to specify the New location of the missing folder.

· Export Photos: select to export the photos, with any changes applied to them,

in the selected folder. See Exporting and Sharing Photos for more information.

· Export Folder as New Project: select to create a new project database that

only includes the photos in the selected folder.

· Tag Faces: select this option if you want CyberLink PhotoDirector to analyze

all the photos in the selected folder and tag any faces it detects in them. See

Tagging Faces for more information.

· Remov e from Library: select to remove the selected folder, and all of the

photos it contains, from the library.

· Locate on Disk: select to view the selected folder, and all of its contents, in

Windows Explorer.

· Rename Folder: select to give the selected folder a different name.

Albums

You can organize your photos in custom albums. To create a new album, do this:

1. Select the Project tab, and then click in the Albums section.

2. In the pop-up menu that displays:

· select Create Album with Selected Photos to create a new album that contains

all the current photos you have selected.

· select Create Empty Album to create an album that does not have any photos

in it.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

· select Create Em pty Album Set to create a new album set. Album sets are

comprised of a number of albums that you can group together. You cannot add photos directly into an album set, but it can contain multiple albums comprised of a number of photos.

3. Enter an Album name in the dialog that displays, and then click Create to add it to the library.

To add photos into albums in the library, just drag them from the photo browser panel to the album in the library.

Right click on an album to:

· Export Album as New Project: select to create a new project database that

only includes the photos in the selected album.

· Export Photos: select to export the photos, with any changes applied to them,

in the selected album. See Exporting and Sharing Photos for more information.

· Tag Faces: select this option if you want CyberLink PhotoDirector to analyze

all the photos in the selected album and tag any faces it detects in them. See

Tagging Faces for more information.

· Rename: select to give the selected album a different name.

· Delete: select to delete the selected album from the library. Any photos it

contains are not removed from the project library.

Tagging Faces

CyberLink PhotoDirector can analyze the photos in your library, detecting any faces in them. You can then tag* the people you want in your photos, by reviewing the results or by manually tagging them yourself. Once the faces are tagged, the photos are then categorized in the Faces section of the library, and included on Facebook if you choose to share them on the social media web site.

Analyzing Photos for Faces

CyberLink PhotoDirector uses face recognition to auto detect the faces in your photos. To have CyberLink PhotoDirector analyze photos for faces, do this:

1. Select all of the photos in the photo browser panel that you want to analyze.

2. Click the button. CyberLink PhotoDirector will analyze the photos and detect all the faces in them.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: CyberLink PhotoDirector groups the similar faces together in the group browser. Select a group of faces to view them and tag the faces. Click

on to show the group browser if necessary, or to hide it.

Note: if one of the photos in a group does not match the others, just deselect its checkbox before tagging the faces, so that it won't be included.

3. When the analysis process is complete, the Tag Faces window is displayed. See Managing Faces in the Library below for information on managing the faces you just finished analyzing.

Managing Faces in the Library

After CyberLink PhotoDirector has analyzed photos, it groups similar faces together in the Tag Faces window. In this window you can review each face and associate it with a person in the library, or add a new person. You can also skip faces if you want to add them later.

The Tag Faces window can be access by the following methods:

· select photos in the photo browser panel, and then click the button. The

Tag Faces window displays after analyzing the photos for faces.

· in the Faces section of the library panel, click next to the item marked

Unknown and then select one of the following:

· Tag Faces in S elected Photos to have CyberLink PhotoDirector analyze the

currently selected photos for faces.

· Tag Previously U nnamed Faces to continue tagging and naming the faces

previously analyzed.

· Continue Last Pr ocess if you canceled the analysis process previously

before the face tagging was complete on the selected photos.

Once in the Tag Faces window you can manage the tagged faces, for each group of faces, by doing the following:

· if the person tagged in the group of photos is not in your library, select the

check boxes on the photos, click on Select, and then enter the person's name in the Add New Person field. Click OK to add the person and tag them in the photos.

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Note: if required, hover your mouse over a tagged face in the Tag Faces window and then click to view the photo the face is tagged in.

Note: once you are done tagging a person in some photos, you can select more photos in the library, click next to the person's name, and then

select Find M ore Faces of this Person in the Selected Photos. CyberLink PhotoDirector will analyze all the selected photos, looking for more photos that contain this person.

· select the check boxes on the photos, click on the Select button, and then

select the person from the list that matches the face in the group of photos.

· if the person tagged in the group of photos is in the suggestion list above the

group of photos, just select the button with the name of the person.

· select Skip to ignore the tagged face. At any time you can click on the

Skipped tab and tag the photos if required.

Click the Done button to close the tag faces window when you are finished.

Manually Tagging Faces

If CyberLink PhotoDirector missed faces during the auto tagging process, you can manually tag faces in your photos.

To manually tag faces, do this:

1. First, ensure you are in the Library module and that the face tag tools are available on the Photo Viewer Toolbar.

2. Select the photo in the browser panel you want to tag faces in.

3. Click the button at the bottom of the photo viewer window to enter the tag face editor.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector will place tag face boxes on all the faces it detects in the photo. If none are added, click on the button to add one.

5. If required, drag and resize any manually placed face squares so that they fit on the person's face.

6. Do one of the following:

· clic k on Unnamed and then enter the person's name in the Add New Person

field. Click OK to add the person and tag them in the photo.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: at any time you can hover your mouse over a tagged face and click the X to remove the face tag information.

Note: the photo EXIF metadata available on the Metadata tab is dependent on the information that was embedded in the photo when it was shot.

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

· clic k on Unnamed and then select the person from the list that matches the

face in the photo.

· if CyberLink PhotoDirector thinks it recognizes the person tagged in the

photo, it will display the suggested name below the photo. Click the check mark under it if it is correct. If incorrect, click on the suggested name and then select another person from the list. If it is a new person, enter his or her name in Add New Person field and then click OK.

7. If required, repeat the above steps to tag more faces in the photo as required.

Metadata Tab

Click the Metadata tab to view the detailed embedded information for the current photo or photos that are selected. Included on the Metadata tab are the EXIF camera details and capture information, including date captured, shutter speed, and exposure information. The tab also includes fields where you can manually enter IPTC metadata for your photos, including contact and copyright information.

On the Metadata tab you can also:

· rate each photo by selecting the desired star rating.

· click to flag a photo that you like and may want to use later. You can then

filter flagged photos in the photo browser panel later.

· click to reject a photo you do not like.

· if required, you can edit the EXIF capture date* of one or more selected

photos. Just click in the Capture date field, and then enter the new date and time in the YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss format.

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· add IPTC metadata to your photos. To do this, select all the photos you want

to add IPTC metadata information to, click in the spaces next to the IPTC fields, and then enter the metadata in the fields provided.

· add IPTC copyright information to your photos. To do this, select all the

photos you want to add copyright information to, and the select the Copyright status from the drop down in the Copyright section. Next, click in the spaces next to the Copyright section, and then enter the copyright info in the fields provided.

· select Tags to view all the tags for the selected photos. If required, you can

create a new tag for all the selected photos by entering it in the field provided and then clicking .

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

You can also add existing tags to the selected photos by typing in the tag name in the field provided and then clicking .

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· hover your mouse over a tag and then click to remove it from a photo.

Adjustment Panel

The adjustment panel displays when in the adjustment window and contains all of the tools you use to touch up and adjust your photos. See Adjustments for a detailed description of the all the tools available on the adjustment panel.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Edit Panel

When in the edit window, the edit panel displays. It provides access to all of the editing options you can use on the photos in the library. See Edits for a detailed description of the all the options available on the edit panel.

Layer Manager

The Layer Manager displays when in the layers module and is where you can manage all of the layers involved in creating new photos. See Using the Layer

Manager for a detailed description of the Layer Manager and all of its features.

Slideshow Panel

When in the slideshow module, you can set slideshow preferences and settings on the slideshow panel. See Slideshows for detailed information about the controls on the slideshow panel.

Print Panel

Use the options on the print panel to set up your photos for printing in the print window. See Printing for detail information on the available controls on the print panel.

Photo Browser Panel

The photo browser panel is where you can browse through all the photos in your project library. When you select a collection, folder, album, tag, etc. in the library panel, all the photos it contains display in the photo browser panel.

A - Thumbna il View, B - List View, C - Filter Pho tos, D - Stack Photos, E - Tag Faces, F - R esize P anel, G Search, H - Exp ort Pho tos, I - Share Photos

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Note: the time it takes for CyberLink PhotoDirector to load a preview of the photo is dependent on the preview quality selected in File Handing Preferences. See Preview cache in File Handling Preferences for more information.

Note: for best results when sorting photos in list view, try the Browser Onl y mode. See Selecting View Mode for more information.

Select a photo in the panel to display it in the photo viewer window.

While browsing through photos in the panel, you can:

· select to browse through photos in a thumbnail view that includes large

photo thumbnails.

· select to view more detailed information about photos, including date

captured, aperture, and shutter speed. In list view you can also sort the photos in the panel by clicking on a column header.

· when in thumbnail view, select a photo and then rate it by selecting the

desired star rating.

· when in thumbnail view, select a photo and then click to flag a photo that

you like and may want to use later.

· when in thumbnail view, select a photo and then click to reject a photo

you do not like or want to use.

· you can also group photos using color labels. To label, right click on a photo

in the photo browser panel, select the Label option, and then a color from the list.

· right click on a photo in the panel (or in the viewer) and then select Show

Photos in Same Folder to only display photos in the Library that are in the

same folder as the selected photo.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

· right click on a photo in the panel (or in the viewer) and then select Show

Photos in Same Album to only display photos in the Library that are in the

same album as the selected photo.

· click and then select an item in the list to filter the photos in the panel

by their flagged and rejected status.

· click and then select an item in the list to filter the photos in the panel

by their label.

· click and then select an option in the list to filter the photos in the panel

by whether they have been adjusted or not.

· click to stack* the photos in the browser panel. See Stacking Photos for

more information.

· right click on a photo and select Create Virtual Photo to create another copy

you can use for editing. See Creating Virtual Photos for more information.

· click and drag the top edge of the photo browser panel to resize it and the size

of the photo thumbnails (when in thumbnail view).

· if you are in the library module, click Tag F aces* to have CyberLink

PhotoDirector tag all the faces in the photos selected in the browser panel. See Analyzing Photos for Faces for more information.

· click Export to export, with the adjustments applied to them, the selected

photos. See Exporting and Sharing Photos for more information.

· click Share to upload the selected photos to Flickr or Facebook. See Sharing

Photos for more information.

· double-click in the photo viewer canvas area to hide the photo browser panel

from view and get a larger view of the current photo (viewer only mode). Double-click on it again to redisplay the browser panel (viewer & browser mode).

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: the number of stacks that will be created is displayed at the bottom of the dialog.

Stacking Photos

Use the stack* photo feature for easy grouping of photos in the photo browser panel. You can manually stack the photos, or have CyberLink PhotoDirector assist you using the Auto Stack feature.

Auto Stacking of Photos

The Auto Stack feature stacks photos based on the date and time the photos were taken.

To automatically stack photos in the photo browser panel, do this:

1. Select all of the photos in the photo browser panel that you want to stack.

2. Click and then select Auto Stack.

3. In the dialog that displays, use the slider to set the amount of time (up to one hour) between the photos in the stacks. Dragging the slider left creates more stacks, while dragging it right creates fewer.

4. Click OK. CyberLink PhotoDirector stacks the photos based on your settings.

Manual Stacking of Photos

The Manual Stack feature lets you select which photos you want in each stack.

To manually stack some photos in the photo browser panel, do this:

1. Select all of the photos in the photo browser panel that you want to put in a single stack.

2. Click and then select Manual Stack.

3. CyberLink PhotoDirector puts the photos you selected in a stack.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: you can repeat these steps as many times as required to stack the photos in the photo browser panel.

Note: you can change which photo is on top of the stack by dragging it to the first photo position in the stack.

Viewing the Photos in Stacks

Once the photos in the photo browser panel are in stacks, you can more easily view your photos, especially if browsing through a large number of them. Stacks are indicated by a number in the top left corner of a photo thumbnail. The number is placed on the first photo in each stack.

To view the photos in a stack, just click on the number to expand it.

Click and then select E xpand All Stacks if you want to open all of the stacks and view all of the photos in the photo browser panel. Select Collapse All Stacks to only show photo stacks in the panel.

Drag an existing stack on top of another stack if you want to combine them into one stack. To remove all of the photos from a stack, just select the stack, click ,

and then select Unstack.

Splitting Stacks

If you want to split the photos in a stack into two different stacks, do this:

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Note: click on to clear the search results and display all the photos in the browser panel.

1. Select the photo stack you want to split.

2. If required, click on the stack number in the top left corner to expand the stack so you can view all the photos in it.

3. Click on the photo in the stack that you want in the new stack, i.e. the place where you want the new stack to begin.

4. Click and then select Split Stack.

5. The photo you selected, and all of the photos after it, will be put in a new stack.

Searching for Photos

If you are looking for specific photos in the browser panel, use the search function to find them using keyword tags.

To search for photos in the browser panel, do this:

1. Enter in a keyword in the search field located on top of the browser panel.

2. CyberLink PhotoDirector filters the photos based on the keywords entered.

Photo Viewer Window

The photo viewer window displays a preview of a photo selected in the photo browser panel. Any adjustments you make to photos are viewable in the photo viewer window as well.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

A - Selec t Vi ew Mod e, B - Vi ew at Ful l Screen, C - Sec ondary Mo nitor Displa y Mod e, D - Zoom Tool, E Pan Tool, F - Selec t Viewer Displ ay M ode, G - Vi ew Hi story, H - Show Original Pho to, I - Photo Vi ewer Toolb ar, J - Cu stomiz e Toolb ar, K - Viewer Zo om

Selecting View Mode

In the top left of the photo viewer window, select one of the following view modes when browsing through and viewing photos in CyberLink PhotoDirector:

· Viewer & B rowser Mode - select to display the photo viewer window

and the photo browser panel for easy browsing and viewing of photos.

· Viewer Only Mode - select to display a larger view of the photos.

· Br owser Only Mode - select to display a large photo browser panel. This

view is ideal when sorting through photos when in list view.

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Note: you can double-click in the photo viewer canvas area to hide the photo browser panel from view and get a larger view of the current photo (viewer only mode). Double-click on it again to redisplay the browser panel (viewer & browser mode).

Note: if you have more than one display device connected to your computer, the primary device is listed as M ain M onitor, while the secondary device is

li sted as Secondary M onitor. Click the button to view the secondary monitor display mode options.

Note: the buttons/modes that are available is dependent on which CyberLink PhotoDirector module you are currently within.

When previewing photos in the project library or when making adjustments, select

to view the current photo at full screen. Once in full screen mode, you can

click to display the library/adjustment/edit panel if required.

Selecting Viewer Display Mode

The photo viewer window has several display modes, including compare, mirror, and also the ability to view photos on more than one display device.

Click the buttons in the bottom left corner of the photo viewer window to set the display mode.

Main Monitor

· Show one - shows one preview window for the selected photo in the

library and adjustment modules.

· Compare two - when browsing through photos in your project library,

use this display mode to compare two different photos in the library. The photo on the left (Current) is the photo you are comparing to other (Candidate) photos. Click the Set as Current button to set the Candidate photo as the Current photo, or the one you are using to compare. If zoomed in on a photo in this mode, the following buttons are available:

· Link focus - select to link the movement of two photos you are

comparing when zoomed in.

· Sync - select to quickly sync the zoomed in focus area of both photos

you are comparing.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

· Show m ultiple - when browsing through photos in your project library,

use this display mode to show multiple photos at once. To select multiple photos, hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and select as many photos as you want. In this view you can rate, flag, and reject each of the photos. Hover your mouse over a photo and then click the X in the top right corner to remove it from the view, if required.

· Compare before/after - when in the adjustment module, click this

button to display before and after panels, or a comparison between the original photo (Before) and the photo with the adjustments applied (After). There are four available comparison modes you can choose from:

· Side by side - select to compare adjustments to photos side by side.

· Split - left/right - select to split the photo, with the left half

containing the original photo, and the right half of the photo with the adjustments applied.

· Top/bottom - select to compare adjustments to photos top to

bottom.

· Split - top/bottom - select to split the photo, with the top half

containing the original photo, and the bottom half of the photo with the adjustments applied.

Secondary Monitor

If you have more than one monitor connected to your computer and have extended your desktop, click the button and select the display mode for the

secondary monitor.

· Mirror: duplicates the viewer display on the secondary monitor.

· Alternate: provides a secondary view of the photos you are viewing. For

example, if you are viewing a photo in normal mode, the photo displays at full screen on the secondary monitor. If you are in compare two mode, select one of the two photos to have it display at full screen on the secondary monitor.

· None: select if you don't want anything displayed on your secondary

monitor.

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

Note: when in the library module, these two buttons are hidden and replaced by and . Use these buttons to manually tag people in selected

photos. See Manually Tagging Faces for more information.

History

When in the adjustment or edit module, click to view a history of all the adjustments and edits you have made to the current photo you are viewing. See

Viewing History for more information.

You can also click and hold the button to quickly view the original photo during the adjustment/edit process.

Photo Viewer Toolbar

When in the library, adjustment, or edit module, the photo viewer toolbar provides quick access to several useful tools you can use to manage the photos as you work.

Click on to customize the tools displayed on the photo viewer toolbar. The available tools are as follows:

· Face Tag Tools: use the face tag tools to manually tag faces in selected

photos. See Manually Tagging Faces for more information.

· Flag: when viewing a photo, click to flag a photo that you like and may

want to use later.when viewing a photo, click to reject a photo you do not like or want to use.

· Rate: when viewing a photo, rate it by selecting the desired star rating on the

tool bar, or directly below the bottom left corner of the photo.

· Color Labels: when viewing a photo, click a color to label it. You can use color

labels to group photos together by selecting the same color label for similar types of photos.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: the Navigation option must be selected in the Zoom drop-down for the navigation thumbnail to display.

· Rotate: when viewing a photo, click to rotate it 90 degrees in the

counterclockwise direction, or to rotate it 90 degrees in the clockwise direction.

· Previous/Next: when viewing a photo, click to select the previous photo in

the browser panel, or to select the next one.

Viewer Zoom

When previewing photos in the photo viewer window, use the Zoom drop-down to set the size of the photo preview. Select Fit to resize the selected photo so that is fits in the viewer window.

When you zoom in or out on a photo, a navigation thumbnail for the viewer displays above the drop-down. Click and drag the available box to change the focus area to suit your zooming requirements.

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Note: when selected, hold down the left mouse button and then draw a square on the photo to quickly zoom in on a specific area.

You can also use the following zoom and pan tools for easier viewing of your photos in the photo viewer window:

· - when selected, clicking the left mouse button in the photo viewer

window zooms in on the current photo. Click the right mouse button to zoom out.

· - click to enable panning when zoomed in on a photo. To pan, just click

on the photo and drag it to view different areas.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: a CyberLink PhotoDirector project (.phd) file essentially contains a list of the photos in the library, and a log of all the edits and adjustments you want to make to these photos. Project files do not include the photos in them. If you want to back up your project and the photos, use the export project function. See Exporting Projects for more information.

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Chapter 4:

PhotoDirector Projects

When you import photos into CyberLink PhotoDirector, the program automatically creates and saves your work in a project in the .phd file format. Use the options in the File menu to create new a project or open an existing project.

If you have a CyberLink Cloud* subscription you can also upload saved projects to CyberLink Cloud. See CyberLink Cloud Projects for more information.

Exporting Projects

You can export your CyberLink PhotoDirector project as a new project. All of the photos, their copyright info, tags, and more will be included in the exported project. You can also export it by packing all the project materials in a folder and then uploading it to CyberLink Cloud*. Exported projects can then be imported into another computer running CyberLink PhotoDirector.

To export your project, select File > Export Project. If you have a CyberLink Cloud subscription you can select File > Pack Proj ect Materials and Upload to CyberLink Cloud to back it up in a folder on CyberLink Cloud.

CyberLink Cloud Projects

If you have a CyberLink Cloud subscription you can select F ile > Upload Project to CyberLink Cloud to store project files on CyberLink Cloud*.

Photo Director Projects

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: when you open a packed project stored on CyberLink Cloud, the project file and all the project media is downloaded to your local computer and stored in the download folder specified in CyberLink Cloud Preferences.

To open a project that was saved on CyberLink Cloud, including projects that were packed in a folder with their photos (materials), select Download Project from CyberLink Cloud from the File menu. In the window that displays, select a project and then click Download.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Chapter 5:

Adjustments

This chapter outlines all of the adjustments you can make to your photos in CyberLink PhotoDirector. It also provides a description of adjustment presets, and how you can use them to quickly edit your photos.

Click on the Adjustment button and then on the Manual tab to begin making adjustments to your photos. Any adjustments you make are not auto-applied to the original photo file. CyberLink PhotoDirector keeps a log of all the adjustments you want to make, and then applies them to each photo when it is exported, printed, shared, etc. This leaves the original photo untouched.

At any time during the adjustment process, you can:

· click to quickly peek at the original photo.

· click to view a log of the adjustments applied on a photo in History. See

Viewing History for more information.

· click Reset at the bottom of the adjustment panel to revert all the changes

back to the original photo.

Creating Virtual Photos

Before you begin making adjustments to your photos, you can duplicate them by creating virtual copies. To do this, right click on a photo in the photo browser panel and select Create Virtual Photo.

Virtual photos are not physical photos on your hard drive until you export them. This allows you to make a different set of adjustments on the same photo, simultaneously, and then export the different resulting photos together.

You can create as many virtual copies as you want. They are indicated in the photo browser panel as shown below.

Adjustments

Note: hover the mouse pointer over any pixel on the selected photo to view its RGB tone value in the histogram.

Histogram

The histogram is a graphical representation of the color tone distribution in a selected photo. Below the histogram is some metadata information for the photo.

To find the histogram, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. The Histogram is at the top of the Manual tab.

The X axis of the graph represents the RGB color tone value between 0 and 255, while the Y axis indicates the number of pixels in the photo that have this value.

The histogram is created with the three RGB (red, green, and blue) color values given to each pixel in a photo. The gray portions indicate where all three colors overlap on the histogram, while yellow, magenta, and cyan appear when two of the colors overlap.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: after you convert a photo to black and white, the Black and White section of the adjustment panel is enabled. See Black and White Mix for details on adjusting the lightness in black and white photos.

Converting Photos to Black and White

You can instantly convert a selected photo to black and white, i.e. replace the colors with grayscale, using the histogram.

To convert, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. The Histogram is at the top of the Manual tab.

3. Select B&W. To convert back, select Color on the top of the histogram.

Viewing Exposed Areas

The histogram can be used to determine if the photo was shot correctly. A photo with a histogram that arcs towards the left, indicates the photo was underexposed (contains a lot of dark pixels), while one that arcs towards the right means there was an overexposure (lots of lighter pixels).

Click to view the areas of a photo that were so over and underexposed that all detail was lost, or clipped, in that area.

Adjustments

The areas that are overexposed are indicated in red. The areas of the photo that are underexposed, in blue. Click to hide these areas.

Regional Adjustment Tools

Use the regional adjustment tools if you want to modify only a specific area of a photo. You can also use these tools to crop, straighten, remove spots and red-eye, and more.

The following sections outline the features and functions available in the regional adjustment tools of CyberLink PhotoDirector.

· Cropping and Rotating Photos

· Removing Spots

· Removing Red-Eye

· Using the Adjustment Brush

· Using Adjustment Selection

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: cli ck if you want to manually resize the crop area. Click if you want the crop area to maintain its aspect ratio.

· Using a Gradient Mask

To begin using a regional adjustment tool, just select it from the available icons.

Cropping and Straightening Photos

You can crop out portions of a photo you do not want, and rotate them up to 45 degrees for an effect or to straighten them if they are a little crooked or uneven.

To assist you when cropping and rotating photos, select a Tool overlay from the drop-down in the bottom right of the photo viewer window. Use the overlay that will best guide and assist you to more precisely crop and straighten a photo.

Cropping Photos

To crop a photo, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to display the available crop and rotate options.

3. To crop, do one of the following:

· click to manually crop out a section. Click and drag on the photo to

manually set the crop area.

· select a crop area shape from the Area drop-down. To create a custom shape,

select Enter Custom, enter the Aspect r atio values in the field provided, and then click OK.

3. Click and drag the corners and sides of the crop area to resize, if necessary.

4. Click inside the shape and drag to move the crop area, if necessary.

5. Click Done to crop the photo.

Adjustments

Note: when you straighten a photo, some portions are cropped to make it square. You can rotate photos 90 degrees by right clicking on it and selecting Rotate Ri ght/Left.

Straightening Photos

To straighten a photo, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to display the available crop and straighten options.

3. To straighten, do one of the following:

· click and then click and drag on the photo to draw a line along the part

you want to be horizontal or vertical. For best results, draw on a straight line in the photo that you know should be level, as shown in the example below.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

· click and drag the Angle slider until the photo appears to be level.

· hover the mouse outside the crop area until the mouse pointer becomes

curved. Then click and drag on the photo to manually straighten it.

4. Click inside the crop area and drag to move it, if necessary. You can also resize the crop area as well.

5. Click Done. CyberLink PhotoDirector crops out the excess portions of the photo to make it square.

Adjustments

Removing Spots

The spot removal tool lets you fix any imperfections or blemishes in a photo.

To remove spots, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to open the spot removal tools.

3. Set the spot removal options as follows:

· Clone/Heal: select and use Clone if you want to copy an area of the photo and

use it to cover up the spot. Select and use Heal to touch up the spot using the photo information (texture, lighting, and shading) that surrounds it.

· Size: use the slider to set the size of area that the tool covers up.

· Feather: use the slider to set the transition level between the area being

covered up and the pixels around the area.

· Opacity: use the slider to set the transparency of the applied cover up.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

4. Click on the part of the photo you want to touch up and then drag the spot removal tool to the part of the photo you want the spot to resemble.

5. Click Done to finish the adjustments and close the panel.

Using Intelligent Spot Removal

If you find that a large number of photos have a spot on them in the exact same place, you can use the intelligent spot removal feature to remove all of the spots at once. This works best if the spot was caused by something on the lens.

To use intelligent spot removal on a number of photos, do this:

1. On the first photo, perform the spot removal as noted above.

2. Click the Copy button.

3. In the Adjustment Copy window, ensure that Spot remov al is selected and then select:

· Manual if all the spots in the photos are in the same position and were taken

with a similar background.

· Auto if you want CyberLink PhotoDirector to auto find the correct pixels

required to fix each photo. Select this item if the backgrounds in the photos are different from the original photo.

4. Click Copy to close the Adjustment Copy window.

5. Select all of the photos in the photo browser panel that have the similar spots that need removing.

6. Click on Paste. CyberLink PhotoDirector will duplicate the spot removal in all the selected photos.

Adjustments

Note: you can adjust multiple areas of the photo using masks. See Using Masks for Multiple Brush Adjustments for more information.

Removing Red-Eye

You can remove red-eye from photos using the tool in regional adjustments.

To remove red-eye, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to open the remove red- eye tools.

3. On the photo, click in the center of the affected eye, and drag the mouse to resize a color spot that is placed over the red-eye.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector should auto detect the red-eye, and then fix it for you. If it is unable to detect it properly, click and drag the applied spot to center it over the red area, and then use the available sliders to manually fix it as follows:

· Pupil size: use the slider to resize the spot on the red area of the pupil.

· Darken: use the slider to darken the spot to the desired color.

5. Click Done to finish the adjustments and close the panel.

Using the Adjustment Brush

You can use the adjustment brush to select, or brush, just the parts of a photo that you want to adjust.

To use the adjustment brush, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: the mask disappears as soon as you start adjusting the brush options. See Using Masks for Multiple Brush Adjustments for more information.

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to open the adjustment brush controls.

3. Click and drag on the photo to apply a brush stroke. CyberLink PhotoDirector displays a mask color on the area you apply.

4. Set the adjustment brush options as follows:

· Brush/Eraser: select the Brush to apply the set adjustments. Use the Eraser if

you make some errors using the brush and want to remove areas of the applied adjustments.

· Size: use the slider to set the size of the brushed or erased area. You can also

use the mouse scroll wheel to adjust the diameter of the brush.

· Feather: use the slider to set the transition level between the area being

brushed and the pixels around the area. The area between the inner and outer circle is the size of the gradient that CyberLink PhotoDirector uses to create a smooth transition between the areas.

· Strength: use the slider to set the amount of adjustment applied with a brush

stroke.

· Fit to edges: select this option to limit applied adjustments to areas of the

photo that have a similar properties. CyberLink PhotoDirector auto applies them for you based on your brush strokes.

5. Set the type of W hite B alance adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See White Balance for details on the available adjustment options.

6. Set the type of Tone adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Tone for details on the available adjustment options.

7. Set the type of HSL/Color adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See HSL/Color for details on the available adjustment options.

8. Set the type of Detail adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Detail for details on the available adjustment options.

9. Click and drag on the other areas of the photo where the adjustments should be applied. Use the sliders to further refine the adjustments as required.

Adjustments

10. Click Done to finish the adjustments and close the panel.

Using Masks for Multiple Brush Adjustments

You can make up to five different brush adjustments on a photo. When you modify the adjustment options and use the brush to apply them to a photo, a mask is auto created and labeled by color.

The mask label is visible in the Mask drop-down at the top of the brush panel.

To create a new adjustment mask, do this:

1. Select New from the Mask drop-down to create a new mask.

2. Apply a brush stroke and then use the sliders to set the adjustments as required for the second adjustment.

3. CyberLink PhotoDirector labels the mask with another color in the Mask dropdown.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector marks each mask on the photo with the color label.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: to remove a mask from a photo, just click its color label node and then press the Delete key on your keyboard.

5. Click the color label to toggle the masks on and off, and view the areas of the photo where each of the adjustments was applied.

Adjustments

Note: you can adjust multiple areas of the photo using masks. See Using Masks for Multiple Adjustment Selections for more information.

Using Adjustment Selection

Adjustment selection lets you select only the pixels in a photo you want to adjust. This allows you to select and adjust objects in the photo, and areas that are similarly colored, only.

To use adjustment selection, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to open the adjustment selection controls.

3. Set the adjustment selection options as follows:

· Brush/Eraser: select the Brush to select areas (pixels) to adjust. Use the Eraser

to deselect areas (pixels).

· Size: use the slider to set the size of the selection tool. You can also use the

mouse scroll wheel to adjust the diameter of the selection tool.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: CyberLink PhotoDirector displays a mask color on the area you select. See Using Masks for Multiple Adjustment Selections for more information.

Note: if required, click the button in the brush tools to invert the selected pixels. When selected, CyberLink PhotoDirector will apply the adjustments to areas that were not selected.

· Intelligent: enable this option if you want CyberLink PhotoDirector to assist

you when using the brush to select pixels. Once enabled, all pixels with similar properties are selected for you when you make a brush stoke.

· Feather: use the slider to set the transition level between the area being

selected and the pixels around the area. The area between the inner and outer circle is the size of the gradient that CyberLink PhotoDirector uses to create a smooth transition between the areas.

4. If Brush is selected, click on an area of the photo and CyberLink PhotoDirector will auto select a range of similar pixels. If there are some pixels selected that you don't want to adjust, use the Eraser to deselect them.

5. Once you have the area of the photo selected, you can use the Shift slider to reduce or enlarge the selection area. Drag the slider left to shrink to selection area, or right to enlarge it.

6. Set the type of W hite B alance adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See White Balance for details on the available adjustment options.

7. Set the type of Tone adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Tone for details on the available adjustment options.

8. Set the type of HSL/Color adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See HSL/Color for details on the available adjustment options.

9. Set the type of Detail adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Detail for details on the available adjustment options.

10. Click Done to finish the adjustments and close the panel.

Using Masks for Multiple Adjustment Selections

You can make up to five different selected adjustments on a photo. When you select areas of the photo and modify the adjustment options, a mask is auto created and labeled by color.

Adjustments

The mask label is visible in the Mask drop-down at the top of the brush panel.

To create a new adjustment mask, do this:

1. Select New from the Mask drop-down to create a new mask.

2. Select an area of the photo and then use the sliders to set the adjustments as required for the second adjustment.

3. CyberLink PhotoDirector labels the mask with another color in the Mask dropdown.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector marks each mask on the photo with the color label.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: to remove a mask from a photo, just click its color label node and then press the Delete key on your keyboard.

5. Click the color label to quickly select the mask, and view the selected areas (pixels) of the photo where each of the adjustments was applied.

Using a Gradient Mask

Use the gradient mask to apply adjustments gradually across a large area of a photo.

To use a gradient mask, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to open the gradient mask tools.

3. Click and drag on the photo to set the gradient across a portion of the photo. CyberLink PhotoDirector displays a mask color on the area you apply.

Adjustments

Note: the mask disappears as soon as you start adjusting the gradient mask options. See Using Multiple Gradient Masks for more information.

4. Set the type of W hite B alance adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See White Balance for details on the available adjustment options.

5. Set the type of Tone adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Tone for details on the available adjustment options.

6. Set the type of HSL/Color adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See HSL/Color for details on the available adjustment options.

7. Set the type of Detail adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Detail for details on the available adjustment options.

8. Click Done to finish the adjustments and close the panel.

Using Multiple Gradient Masks

You can use up to five gradient masks on a photo in CyberLink PhotoDirector. When you modify the adjustment options and use the gradient mask on the photo, CyberLink PhotoDirector auto creates a mask labeled by color.

The mask label is visible in the Mask drop-down at the top of the gradient mask panel.

To create a new gradient mask, do this:

1. Select New from the Mask drop-down to create a new mask.

2. Click and drag on the photo to set the gradient across a different portion of the photo.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: to remove a mask from a photo, just click its color label node and then press the Delete key on your keyboard.

3. Use the sliders to set the adjustments as required for the second gradient mask.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector labels the mask with another color in the Mask dropdown.

5. CyberLink PhotoDirector marks each gradient mask on the photo with the color label.

6. Click the color label to toggle the masks on and off, and view the areas of the photo where the gradient was applied.

Adjustments

Using a Radial Filter

The radial filter* tool lets you apply regional adjustments in an elliptical shaped masked area. You can use the radial filter to highlight a specific area of a photo, or to manually create a vignette effect.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: CyberLink PhotoDirector displays a mask color on the area in the ellipse. The mask disappears as soon as you start adjusting the radial filter mask options. See Using Multiple Radial Filter Masks for more information.

Note: when you start making adjustments on the photo, CyberLink PhotoDirector applies the adjustments outside the created ellipse. Select

the button if you want the adjustments applied inside the ellipse.

Note: you can use the Gradient slider to set the size of the gradient on the edges of the radial filter ellipse.

To use the radial filter, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the Regional Adjustment Tools section, c lick to open the radial filter tools.

3. Click and drag on the photo to create an ellipse around the area you want to highlight. Once the ellipse is drawn, you can resize it by clicking and dragging any of the four white nodes to create the exact shape you need. Click the green control node outside the ellipse and drag it left or right to rotate it. You can also click anywhere inside the ellipse to move it to another location on the photo.

4. Set the type of W hite B alance adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See White Balance for details on the available adjustment options.

5. Set the type of Tone adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Tone for details on the available adjustment options.

6. Set the type of HSL/Color adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See HSL/Color for details on the available adjustment options.

7. Set the type of Detail adjustments you want to make using the available sliders. See Detail for details on the available adjustment options.

8. Click Done to finish the adjustments and close the panel.

Adjustments

Using Multiple Radial Filter Masks

You can use up to five radial filter masks on a photo in CyberLink PhotoDirector, allowing to highlight multiple areas of the photo. When you create a radial filter ellipse on a photo, CyberLink PhotoDirector auto creates a new mask labeled by color.

The mask label is visible in the Mask drop-down at the top of the radial filter panel.

To create a new radial filter mask, do this:

1. Select New from the Mask drop-down to create a new mask.

2. Click and drag on the photo to add an ellipse on a different area of the photo.

3. Use the sliders to set the adjustments as required for the second radial filter mask.

4. CyberLink PhotoDirector labels the mask with another color in the Mask dropdown.

5. CyberLink PhotoDirector marks each radial filter mask on the photo with the color label.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: to remove a mask from a photo, just click its color label node and then press the Delete key on your keyboard.

6. Click the color label to toggle the masks on and off, and view the areas of the photo where the radial filter was applied.

Adjustments

Regional Adjustment Options

When making regional adjustments with the adjustment brush, adjustment

selection, a gradient mask, or the radial filter, the following options are available to

you.

White Balance

· Temp: use to adjust the color temperature in the selected region of the photo.

A negative value applies a colder temperature, while a positive value applies an atmosphere that is warmer.

· Tint: use to adjust the color level in the selected region of the photo.

Tone

· Exposure: use to adjust areas of the photo that are over or underexposed. A

negative value darkens overexposed areas, while a positive value lightens underexposed areas.

· Brightness: use to adjust the brightness in parts of the photo.

· Contrast: use to adjust contrast, or the difference between light and dark areas

of the photo.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

· Clarity: use to adjust the clarity of details in the photo.

· Vibrance: use to make the colors in areas of a photo brighter and more vivid,

by enhancing the duller colors.

· Saturation: use to adjust the intensity of a color in certain areas of the photo.

HSL/Color

See HSL/Color for a detailed explanation of the HSL/Color options available on the selected areas of your photo.

Detail

Sharpness

· Amount: use the slider to adjust the amount of sharpness applied to the

photo.

Noise Reduction

Applying sharpness to areas of photos may result in some image noise. Use the following sliders to reduce the noise as required:

· Luminance: use this slider to slightly adjust the color brightness, by reducing

any unwanted light grey spots in a photo that cause luminance noise.

· Detail: use this slider to adjust/recover detail in the photo that may be lost

when reducing luminance noise from a photo.

· Texture: use this slider to adjust/recover texture in the photo that may be lost

when reducing luminance noise from a photo.

· Color: use this slider to slightly adjust the overall color saturation, by reducing

any unwanted color spots in a photo that cause color noise.

· Detail: use this slider to adjust/recover detail in the photo that may be lost

when reducing color noise from a photo.

Adjustments

Global Adjustment Tools

Use the global adjustment tools to modify the entire photo. The following sections outline the features and functions available in the global adjustment tools of CyberLink PhotoDirector.

· White Balance

· Tone

· HDR Effect

· Level

· Curve

· HSL/Color

· Black and White Mix

· Split Toning

· Detail

· Lens Correction

White Balance

Use white balance for color correction or you can use it to adjust the color temperature of a photo to create a specific atmosphere. A warmer color shifts light toward the yellows and reds; a colder color shifts light toward the blues and greens.

To adjust the atmosphere of an entire photo using white balance, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the White Balance section.

3. Drag the Temp slider to adjust the color temperature in the photo. A negative value applies a colder temperature, while a positive value applies an atmosphere that is warm er.

4. Drag the Tint slider to adjust the color level of in the photo.

To use white balance to color correct a photo, do one of the following:

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: to reset the white balance back to the original color values, select As Shot in the drop-down.

· click and then use the eye dropper to select a pixel in the photo that you

believe should be grey.

CyberLink PhotoDirector auto corrects the color in the photo.

· select Auto in the drop-down to have CyberLink PhotoDirector auto adjust

white balance and correct the color for you.

White Balance on RAW Photos

When adjusting the white balance on camera RAW photo formats, there are several white balance presets available.

Adjustments

Select a preset from the list to have CyberLink PhotoDirector auto adjust the white balance for you.

Tone

In this section of the adjustment panel, the sliders available adjust the tone of the entire photo, while the Tinge sliders let you modify the clarity, vibrancy, and saturation levels. Use the histogram to assist you in the adjustment of some of the options.

To adjust the tonal level of an entire photo, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Tone section.

3. Click to have CyberLink PhotoDirector automatically adjust the color tone in the selected photo.

4. Manually adjust color tone using the available sliders as follows:

· Exposure: use on photos that are over or underexposed. A negative value

darkens all the colors in the photo, while a positive value lightens them.

· Contrast: use to adjust contrast, or the difference between light and dark areas

of the photo.

· Brightest: use to brighten/darken the colors in the photo that are close to

whites. Darkening the lighter colors can enhance their contrast and make highlights stand out more. Drag the slider left to darken, reducing the clipping

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

in highlights. Drag it right to brighten and clip the colors that are close to white.

· Bright: is applied to areas of photos that are overexposed, which can recover

detail in the highlights and brighter areas. Drag the slider left to recuperate lost detail in highlights by darkening them. Drag it right to brighten the photo without clipping the brighter areas.

· Midtone: use to adjust the overall brightness of the photo by changing the

midtone colors only. Drag the slider left to darken, or right to brighten.

· Dark: can be used to help enhance detail in dark sections of the photo by

brightening shadows and underexposed areas. Drag the slider left to darken the photo without clipping the shadows. Drag it right to recuperate lost detail in shadows by brightening them.

· Darkest: use to brighten/darken the colors in the photo that are close to

blacks. Brightening the darker colors can enhance their contrast and make shadows stand out more. Drag the slider left to darken and clip the dark colors. Drag it right to brighten and reduce clipping in shadows.

5. Manually adjust the sliders to adjust the photo tinge as follows:

· Clarity: use to adjust photo clarity. Dragging the slider to the right makes the

photo appear crisper, while to the left makes it appear more "dreamy".

· Vibrance: use to make the colors in a photo brighter and more vivid, by

enhancing the duller colors.

· Saturation: use to adjust the saturation of color in a photo. A negative value

moves the colors towards black and white, while a positive value increases the overall intensity of color in the photo.

HDR Effect

In this section of the adjustment panel, use the sliders to apply an HDR effect* on your photos.

The HDR (high dynamic range) effect adjusts the lighting range on the edges in photos, allowing you to recover any loss of detail caused by contrasting brightness

Adjustments

Note: if you shot multiple photos at different exposures and you want to use them to create a real HDR photo, you can do this in the Edit module. See Bracket HDR for more information.

during photo exposure. Users can also use this effect to give photos a more dramatic tone.

To apply the HDR effect to an entire photo, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the HDR Effect section.

Applying the HDR Effect

Use the available sliders as outlined below to apply the HDR effect.

Glow

Use the Glow sliders as follows to apply an HDR glow effect, or a "halo" edge, on contrast edges in your photos:

· Strength: use this slider to adjust the amount of the HDR glow effect applied

to the photo.

· Radius: use the slider to adjust the radius of the HDR glow effect, or the

amount of contrast applied to the edges in the photo.

· Balance: use the slider to adjust the balance (where it is applied) of the HDR

glow effect. Moving the slider right applies it on the brighter parts (highlights) of edges. Moving it left applies it to the darker parts (shadows) of edges.

Edge

Use the Edge sliders as follows to apply the HDR effect on contrast edges in the photo:

· Strength: use this slider to adjust the amount of the HDR edge effect applied

to the photo. Dragging it right will reveal more detail on the contrast edges. Dragging it left will blur them.

· Radius: use the slider to adjust the radius of the HDR edge effect, or the

amount of contrast applied to the edges in the photo.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: if the photo is in black and white, the only channel available is for luminance, or overall brightness of the photo.

· Balance: use the slider to adjust the balance (where it is applied) of the HDR

edge effect. Moving the slider right applies it on the brighter parts (highlights) of edges. Moving it left applies it to the darker parts (shadows) of edges.

Level

In the Level* section of the adjustment panel you can redefine the color in the photo by adjusting the color levels. You can adjust using the available presets or manually with the histogram.

To use Level to redefine the colors of an entire photo, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Level section.

Redefining the Colors

To redefine the color using the available presets, select a preset from the Level preset drop-down list that best suits the selected photo.

To manually redefine the color in photo, do this:

1. Select whether you want to adjust just the R (red), G (green), or B (blue) color channel levels. Select RGB to adjust all three levels at once.

2. Click to display the midtone controls.

3. Click and drag the sliders to adjust the color levels in the photo.

Adjustments

Note: in the above example, the colors in the photo are changed by redefining how many pixels should have a value of 0.

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Dragging the sliders on the left, right, make the colors in the photo darker. While dragging sliders left make the colors brighter.

Curve

In the Curve* section you can use the tone curve graph and controls to change the tonal scale, or overall contrast of a photo.

To use Curve to change the tonal scale, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Curve section.

Adjusting the Curve

Select whether you want to adjust just the R (red), G (green), or B (blue) color channel's tonal scale. Select RGB to adjust the tonal scale of all three at once.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: click the button at any time to reset the curve back to its default setting.

Click on the curve and drag it up or down, or use the tool to target the adjustments on a specific tonal region in the photo. Dragging the curve/tool down makes the photo darker. Dragging it up makes it lighter.

Select the T onal region checkbox if you want to limit the range of tones that are affected when you make changes to the curve. Once selected, you can drag the region control sliders at the bottom of the tone curve graph to fine tune the shape of the curve and the overall tonal scale of the photo.

You can also use the Tonal region sliders to make adjustments to the curve as follows:

· Highlights: affects the top end of the curve, and is applied to areas of photos

that are overexposed to recover detail in the highlights and brighter areas.

· Lights: affects mainly the upper middle of the curve, and is used to adjust the

color tone of the lighter pixels in the photo.

· Darks: affects mainly the bottom middle of the curve, and is used to adjust

the color tone of the darker pixels in the photo.

· Shadows: affects the bottom end of the curve, and enhances detail in dark

sections of the photo by lightening shadows and underexposed areas.

Adjustments

Note: if you converted the selected photo to black and white, the HSL/color section displays as Black and White. See Black and White Mix for details on adjusting the lightness in black and white photos.

If you want free range on the curve, just deselect the Tonal region checkbox. Once deselected you can shape the curve any way you want to achieve the tonal adjustment you require.

HSL/Color

In the HSL/Color section you can fine tune the color in a photo by adjusting its hue, saturation, and lightness. CyberLink PhotoDirector lets you adjust the color in two different ways, but with the similar results.

HSL

To fine tune your photo's colors with HSL, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the HSL/Curve section.

3. When you enter the HSL/Color section of the adjustment panel, the HSL controls display.

These sliders let you adjust the entire hue, saturation, or lightness of a photo at the same time.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Hue

Click on Hue to fine tune the shade or purity of a specific color the photo. Use the sliders to adjust the eight color band ranges as required.

You can also use the tool to target the adjustments on a specific color in the

photo. To do this, click to enable the tool, and then click and (while holding the mouse button down) drag on the color. Drag the mouse up to increase its hue, or down to decrease it in the targeted color.

Saturation

Click on Saturation to adjust the saturation of color in the photo. Dragging the sliders to right increases the amount of that color in the photo, while dragging it to the left reduces it. If you drag the slider all the way to the left, you can completely remove a color from the photo.

You can also use the tool to target the adjustments on a specific color in the

photo. To do this, click to enable the tool, and then click and (while holding the mouse button down) drag on the color. Drag the mouse up to increase the color's saturation, or drag it down to decrease it in the targeted color.

Lightness

Click on Lightness to adjust color brightness. For each of the eight colors listed, you can adjust how light or dark the specific color is.

You can also use the tool to target the adjustments on a specific color in the

photo. To do this, click to enable the tool, and then click and (while holding the mouse button down) drag on the color. Drag the mouse up to increase the color's brightness, or drag it down to decrease, making the color darker.

Adjustments

Color

To adjust the hue, saturation, and lightness of one specific color using the color palette, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the HSL/Curve section.

3. Click on Color to display the color palette and available sliders.

To use, select a color on the palette and then use the sliders to adjust the hue, saturation, and lightness as required. See the HSL descriptions above for information on the effects of using these sliders. Click on HSL to return to the HSL sliders.

Black and White Mix

When you convert photos to black and white in the histogram, this section becomes enabled, replacing the HSL/Color section. In it you can adjust the grayscale levels, or the overall image lightness of the converted photos.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

To change the grayscale levels in a photo, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In the histogram, convert the photo to black and white.

3. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Black and White section.

4. Use the Lightness sliders to adjust the brightness of the original colors, which are now black and white.

You can also use the tool to target the adjustments on a specific color (shade

of gray) in the photo. To do this, click to enable the tool, and then click and (while holding the mouse button down) drag on the color. Drag the mouse up to increase the brightness of the color, or drag it down to decrease.

Split Toning

In the Split Toning* section of the Adjustment panel you can produce creative effects on your photos, such as the Lomo photography effect. You can also add color to monochrome photos, or photos you converted to black and white.

To use Split Toning to produce creative effects, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

Adjustments

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Split Toning section.

3. Use the Split Toning controls on a selected photo as outlined below.

Highlights

Use the sliders to adjust the hue and saturation of the highlights, or the brightest areas of a selected photo.

· Hue: use this slider to set the hue or color of the highlights in the photo. You

can also click and then use the eye dropper to select the precise color (both hue and saturation) you want used in the photo's highlights.

· Saturation: use this slider to set the saturation of the color used, or its

amount/strength. Dragging the slider right makes the color more saturated, while dragging it left makes it less saturated.

Balance

· use the Balance slider to set the balance between the split toning effect

applied on the highlights and shadows in the photo. Drag the slider left to increase the influence of the Shadows sliders on the photo, drag it right to increase the influence of the Highlights sliders. Set the Balance slider's value to 0 if you want both the effects on the highlights and shadows equally applied.

Shadows

Use the sliders to adjust the hue and saturation of the shadows, or the darkest areas of a selected photo.

· Hue: use this slider to set the hue or color of the shadows in the photo. You

can also click and then use the eye dropper to select the precise color (both hue and saturation) you want used in the photo's shadows.

· Saturation: use this slider to set the saturation of the color used, or its

amount/strength. Dragging the slider right makes the color more saturated, while dragging it left makes it less saturated.

Detail

You can adjust the sharpness in a photo in the Detail section. The sharpness is applied to edges in a photo to enhance photo detail, where possible.

To adjust the photo sharpness, do this:

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: to see the radius mask, ensure that Show affected areas is selected. When enabled, dragging the slider lets you see the applied range of sharpness.

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Detail section.

3. Use the Detail controls on a selected photo as outlined below.

Magnifier

You can use the Magnifier to get a better view of the applied sharpness on a particular area of the photo. To change the area that is magnified, just click in the Magnifier and then drag your mouse to change the area of focus.

If the area you want to magnify is in a completely different area of the photo, it is

faster to change the area of focus in the Magnifier by clicking on . Then click on the area of the photo you want to magnify.

Adjusting Sharpness

To adjust the sharpness in the photo, use the available sliders as follows:

· Amount: use this slider to adjust the amount of sharpness applied to the

photo.

· Radius: use the slider to adjust the radius or range of sharpness applied to

edges in the photo.

· Edge mask: use the slider to apply a mask over on the detected edges in the

photo. Once a mask is applied, CyberLink PhotoDirector only applies the sharpness to the masked areas, leaving the surrounded areas untouched.

Adjustments

Note: to see the edge mask, ensure that Show affected areas is selected. When enabled, dragging the slider lets you see the detected edges in the photo.

Noise Reduction

Applying sharpness and other adjustments may result in image noise appearing on

the resulting photos. Click the button to apply auto denoise on a selected photo. Then use the following sliders to further reduce the image noise as required:

· Luminance: use this slider to slightly adjust the color brightness, by reducing

any unwanted light grey spots in a photo that cause luminance noise.

· Detail: use this slider to adjust/recover detail in the photo that may be lost

when reducing luminance noise from a photo.

· Texture: use this slider to adjust/recover texture in the photo that may be lost

when reducing luminance noise from a photo.

· Color: use this slider to slightly adjust the overall color saturation, by reducing

any unwanted color spots in a photo that cause color noise.

· Detail: use this slider to adjust/recover detail in the photo that may be lost

when reducing color noise from a photo.

Lens Correction

In the Lens Correction section of the Adjustment panel you can use Auto Lens Correction to correct distorted photos, or just manually correct them if they have a keystone effect, fisheye distortion, or vignette effect. Or you can add a custom vignetting effect to photos if required.

To use Lens Correction on your photos, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Manual tab (if necessary).

2. In Global Adjustment Tools, go to the Lens Correction section.

Auto Lens Correction

If you find that many of the photos you shot with your camera appear distorted, you may be able to use the Auto Lens Correction* feature to fix them if a fix for the camera's model and lens is available.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: if any of the drop-downs have a None value, there is no correction profile currently available for that lens. See Downloading Lens Profiles from DirectorZone for information on finding the lens profile for your camera.

Note: click the button to redo the lens detection and reset any changes made to the drop-downs.

To use Auto Lens Correction on a photo, do this:

1. Select the photo in the photo browser panel that you want to correct and then select Enable cor rection.

2. By default, CyberLink PhotoDirector will read the photo's metadata, auto select the drop-downs for you, and then correct the photo.

3. If the detected lens is incorrect, you can manually select a different Maker, Lens, or Profile if required to correct the photo.

Downloading Lens Profiles from DirectorZone

If your camera's lens and profile are not available in CyberLink PhotoDirector you can click the button to download more lens profiles from DirectorZone.

Once downloaded, click the button to import it and then click to refresh the profile. CyberLink PhotoDirector should auto detected the imported profile and then correct the selected photo.

Keystone

The keystone section lets you correct the perspective of your photos. Use the available sliders if the subject in a photo appears off because it was taken at an incorrect angle.

Use the sliders to fix the perspective as follows:

· Vertical: use the slider to adjust the vertical perspective in the photo. This

slider helps correct photos that were taken from an upward or downward angle, for example if the camera was tilted up or down.

Adjustments

· Horizontal: use the slider to adjust the horizontal perspective in the photo.

This slider helps correct photos that were taken from a left or right angle from the intended subject.

Fisheye Distortion

The fisheye distortion section helps correct photos that appear distorted. Dragging the Distortion slider to the right straightens lines that bend away from the center, correcting barrel distortions. Dragging it to the left straightens lines that bend towards the center, fixing pincushion distortions in photos.

Chromatic Aberration

The chromatic aberration section helps to remove color distortions, or fringes, along boundaries that separate dark and bright colors in photos. These fringes are caused when a camera lens does not properly focus all the colors at these boundaries.

Use the sliders to fix the chromatic aberration as follows:

· Blue/Yellow: drag the slider left to remove the fringing in colors that are close

to blue. Drag it right to remove the fringing in colors that are close to yellow.

· Red/Cyan: drag the slider left to remove the fringing in colors that are close to

red. Drag it right to remove the fringing in colors that are close to cyan.

Vignette Removal

Use the following sliders to remove an unwanted vignette effect on photos that was caused by a camera lens or the lighting environment:

· Amount: use this slider to adjust the level of vignette removal on the photo.

· Midpoint: drag the midpoint slider to the left to increase the size of the area

(towards the center of the photo) where the vignette removal is applied. Drag it right to decrease the size, towards the corners.

Vignetting Effect

You can add custom vignetting effects to photos in CyberLink PhotoDirector.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: the vignetting effect sliders also remove unwanted vignette effect on photos, however the degree of application is greater.

· Shade: use this slider to adjust the shade of the vignetting effect. Dragging

the slider to the left darkens the corners of the photo towards black, while dragging it right lightens them towards white.

· Size: use this slider to adjust the size of the vignetting effect. Dragging the

slider to the left increases the size of the vignette effect, closing in a circle on the center of the photo.

· Roundness: use this slider to adjust the overall shape of the vignetting effect.

· Feather: use this slider to adjust the edge sharpness of the vignetting effect.

Dragging the slider to the left makes the edge blunt, while to right uses more of a gradient.

Copying Adjustments

When you have finished applying adjustments to a photo, you can copy all of the adjustments you made and apply them to other photos by pasting them. This is useful if you took several photos in the same lighting environment and you need to apply similar adjustments.

To copy and apply adjustments to other photos in the library, do this:

1. At the bottom of the Adjustment panel (Manual tab), click Copy.

2. In the Adjustment Copy window, select or deselect any adjustment types as required. This allows you to customize the copied adjustment if required.

3. Click the Copy button.

4. In the photo browser panel, browse to and select all of the photos you want apply the adjustments to.

5. Click the Paste button at the bottom of the adjustment panel to apply the adjustments to the selected photos.

Using Adjustment Presets

Adjustment presets are a saved set of adjustments that you can apply to your photos. You can also download and import presets created by other users, or save your own to use on other photos or share them by uploading to DirectorZone.

Adjustments

Click on Adjustment and then the Presets tab to display the available adjustment presets.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

When browsing through the available presets, click to view a thumbnail preview of each preset on the currently selected photo. You can also view the

presets in list view by clicking .

Downloading Presets from DirectorZone

You can download additional adjustment presets from DirectorZone, which were create by CyberLink and other PhotoDirector users.

To download additional adjustment presets from DirectorZone, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Presets tab.

2. Click on . CyberLink PhotoDirector launches DirectorZone in your default web browser.

3. You must first sign in to DirectorZone to download templates. If you don't have an account, click the Create Account link at the top of the page to get one for free.

4. Select the PhotoDirector tab to display all the available adjustment presets you can download.

5. Find a preset you want to download, and then click the Download link underneath it.

6. Click Download again.

7. Save the template to your computer. Find the location on your computer where you saved the preset .pdadj file, and then double-click on it to install it in the Presets window.

My DirectorZone Presets

In the My DirectorZone window you can conveniently download your custom presets that you previously uploaded to DirectorZone. You can also access and download presets from your DirectorZone download history and also your favorite presets.

To download My DirectorZone presets, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Presets tab.

Adjustments

Note: the presets you download are available in the Downloaded Presets section of the Presets tab.

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: the presets you download are available in the Downloaded Presets section of the Presets tab.

2. Click on the Presets tab.

3. Click the My DirectorZone tab.

4. Filter the presets by My Uploads, Dow nload H istory, or My F avorites, or enter a search keyword in the field provided.

5. Select all of the presets you want to download.

6. Click Download to download them to your computer and import them into the presets library.

Downloading Presets from CyberLink Cloud

If you have a CyberLink Cloud subscription you can download the presets you previously backed up to CyberLink Cloud*. Once downloaded, these presets are stored in the download folder specified in CyberLink Cloud Preferences, and imported into the presets library on the Presets tab.

To download presets from CyberLink Cloud, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Presets tab.

2. Click on the Presets tab.

3. Click the My CyberLink Cloud tab.

4. Filter the presets by selecting a collection from the drop-down, or enter a search keyword in the field provided.

5. Select all of the presets you want to download.

6. Click Download to download them to your computer and import them into the presets library.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: before saving the preset, click the Upload button if you want to upload it to DirectorZone or back it up on CyberLink Cloud. See Sharing and Backing Up Presets for more information on uploading presets.

Saving Custom Presets

You can save all the adjustments you made on a photo into a custom preset, so that you can use them on other photos.

To save a custom adjustment preset, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Presets tab.

2. Click on when on the Presets tab, or at the bottom of the Manual tab click on Save.

3. In the New Preset window, enter the following information:

· Name: enter a custom name for the new preset.

· Save in: select which preset folder on the Presets tab you want to save the

preset in. Select N ew F older if you want to save the custom preset in a new folder.

3. Select or deselect any adjustment types as required. This allows you to customize the adjustment if required.

4. Click the Save button.

Applying Presets on Photos

You can apply any of the adjustments presets in the Presets window on photos in your library.

To apply adjustment presets on photos, do this:

1. Click on Adjustment and then on the Presets tab.

2. Select the photos you want to apply presets to in the photo browser panel.

3. Hover your mouse over each available preset to preview the current photo with the adjustment applied.

4. Click on the adjustment preset you want to use to apply it.

Adjustments

Note: * optional feature in CyberLink PhotoDirector. Check the version table on our web site for detailed versioning information.

Note: separate each tag you enter with a space. If you want to use two words as the tag, just put quotes around them, e.g. "dollar bill".

Note: if you are not signed into DirectorZone, you will first be asked to sign in to continue.

Sharing and Backing Up Presets

You can share your customized presets with other CyberLink PhotoDirector users by uploading them to DirectorZone. If you have a CyberLink Cloud subscription you can back up all your customized presets by storing them on CyberLink Cloud*.

To share and back up your presets, do this:

1. Do either of the following:

· in the New Preset window, enter a name for the custom preset, and then click

Upload.

· select the preset in the My Created Presets section of the Presets tab, and then

click .

· right click on the preset in the My Created Presets section of the Presets tab,

and then select Upload to DirectorZone/CyberLink Cloud.

2. In the upload window, enter the information as follows:

· Destination: select where you want to upload the preset.

· Preset name: name of the preset as it will display once uploaded.

· This preset belongs to w hich styles: select the styles or category for the preset.

· Description: enter a short description of your preset.

· Collection: enter the name of the collection you want the preset added to.

· Tags: enter some keyword search tags that will help users find the preset

when searching.

3. Click Next to proceed.

Cyb erLink PhotoDirecto r Help

Note: you can only import adjustment presets in the .pdadj file format via this import method. If you are trying to import an adjustment preset in the .pdadj format that you downloaded from DirectorZone, just double click on it.

4. Confirm the copyright disclaimer, and then click Next to proceed with the upload.

5. Click on Close to close the upload window.

Exporting/Import Presets

You can export your adjustment presets for import and use on another computer. To export an adjustment preset, do this:

1. Right click on a preset and then select Export.

2. Enter a file name for the preset, and then select the location where you want to export it.

3. Click Save. CyberLink PhotoDirector saves the preset in the .pdadj file format.

To import an adjustment preset, do this:

1. Within the Downloaded Preset or My Created Presets section, click on and then select Import.

2. Browse to location of the preset file and then select Open to complete the import.

Viewing History

Click Adjustment and then on the button below the photo viewer to view a history of all the adjustments and edits you made to the selected photo in CyberLink PhotoDirector.

Hover your mouse over an item in the history to view in the thumbnail what the photo looked like at that moment in the history.

If required, select an item to revert the photo back to that adjustment or edit. Click Apply to close the History window.

Cyberlink PhotoDirector - 8.0 User’s Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Introduction

Welcome

Latest Features

DirectorZone and CyberLink Cloud

PhotoDirector Versions

System R equirements

Importing Photos

Supported File Formats

Importing Photos into the Library

Apply During Import

Importing Videos (Video-to-Photo)

Capturing Frames in Video-to-Photo

Advanced Import Settings

The PhotoDirecto r Worksp ace

PhotoDirector Modules

Library

Adjustment

Edit

Layers

Slideshow

Print

Library Panel

Project Tab

Tagging Faces

Metadata Tab

Adjustment Panel

Edit Panel

Layer Manager

Slideshow Panel

Print Panel

Photo Browser Panel

Stacking Photos

Searching for Photos

Photo Viewer Window

Selecting View Mode

Selecting Viewer Display Mode

History

Photo Viewer Toolbar

Viewer Zoom

PhotoDirector Projects

Exporting Projects

CyberLink Cloud Projects

Adjustments

Creating Virtual Photos

Histogram

Converting Photos to Black and White

Viewing Exposed Areas

Regional Adjustment Tools

Cropping and Straightening Photos

Removing Spots

Removing Red-Eye

Using the Adjustment Brush

Using Adjustment Selection

Using a Gradient Mask

Using a Radial Filter

Regional Adjustment Options

Global Adjustment Tools

White Balance

Tone

HDR Effect

Level

Curve

HSL/Color

Black and White Mix

Split Toning

Detail

Lens Correction

Copying Adjustments

Using Adjustment Presets

Downloading Presets from DirectorZone

Downloading Presets from CyberLink Cloud

Saving Custom Presets

Applying Presets on Photos

Sharing and Backing Up Presets

Exporting/Import Presets