To those budding photographers rearing to excel, grabbing your beloved camera and clicking on anything that piques your interest is highly recommended. Although not all that you click will turn out to be your ticket to fame, but surely capturing interesting images on your camera is the only way you can get there. And there is one more aspect of photography you might want to remember. That’s editing and managing your photos. Every photographer worth his name (and fame) will definitely have Photoshop in his editing armory.  It is perhaps time to include Apple’s Aperture to your photo editing arsenal so that when Photoshop is not enough, Aperture can take over.

There are certain plug-in’s that can turn you from a novice to a professional in no minute.   So, let’s get started on our search for the top plug-ins that can help you explore your hidden photographic talents.

• Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro
  
  

Most of us suffer from editing a photo to such an extent that we end up spoiling the whole effect. But photo filters when used correctly can make your photos look much better. When it comes to photo filtering plug-ins, using Nik Software’s Color Efex Pro brings out the best from your photos. It has more than 250 editing options and close to 52 filters that you can indulge yourself in. One feature that is unique about Efex Pro is its ‘control points’ feature. This feature lets you choose a particular region you don’t want to apply any of the effect. It makes this region remain untouched while the rest of the photo undergoes transformation.

• Tiffen DFX

There is much more to photo editing than what meets the eye. When you get Tiffen DFX, you get more than a hundred individual filters, custom presets, a sophisticated layering system, and ability to apply filters on multiple layers. A photo can be edited after previewing the effect of filter.  The filters are sharp; the color correction tools are on-the-dot, and there are excellent brightness and blur adjustment tools to make way for your taste buds.

• Viveza

Viveza is a selective photo editing plug-in from the house of Nik Software that allows you to control the light and colors in your photos. With Viveza, controlling the amount of light and color on your photographs is very easy. The enhancements are blended naturally into your photograph. You can adjust the brightness, shadow, contrast, light as easily as ever.

• Toonlt

Don’t we all want to look a bit cartoonish (if we don’t already look cartoonish, that is!) at times? Well, here is your chance to sport the best cartoon look. Digital Anarchy’s Toonlt plug-in has over 50 cartooning styles to choose from. Your friends can have a good laugh when they glance at your zombie look.

• Noise Ninja

Haven’t you noticed that sometimes the photos you have taken on a perfect weather appear to have been taken during a sandstorm? There is just so much noise in the photo making everything look blurred. Only when you remove the excess noise will the photo look interesting. Get Picture Code’s Ninja Noise; it cleans up the mess quite well. It has automatic clean up that works amazingly fast. And you can even edit various photos at the same time without any problem.

Using these plug-in will definitely take you that much closer to your dream of turning every shot a master shot and making every click count.

Robin Mckenzie has been writing articles related to Technology News, Gadget Reviews and How To’s. Also, he does guest posting for Centurylink.com, a site that offers great savings and up-to-date information on consumers broadband internet and cable.