Flood Filter from Flaming Pear

[thomasgeorge]

The talented folks at Flaming Pear software, (See link under Melancholytron filter in the software section)Have, come up with, what I consider another winner with their "Flood" filter. As the name implies, it floods things and does it realistically and relatively quickly. I have not found any downside to this filter although I tried. I really did! The interface is easy to use, the preview window gives a very accurate view of the changes you make before applying to your photo. See example at bottom. While its applicability to photo restoration is hard for me to see, for adding a very neat water/lake/flood effect to a photo for other purposes,well, unbeatable. I have seriously played with this gem for 3 months and have yet to get it to crash. On 20 mb images, it does move real slow but so does most every filter I have tried. I have no connection with Flaming Pear other than being a very satisfied customer. All of the plug-ins from them I have purchased have worked and worked well. Further they are easy to use and fun besides. About the only downside is some are slow, but considering the results they give, I can live with that. I give this one a must have for fun and creative design but a not useful for straight restoration. Tom

[jeaniesa]

Very cool, Tom! Thanks for another great review!

Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

OH this really looks neat!! Thanks Tom. Boy this would have been handy with that Duck challenge.
DJ

[Ed_L]

*Very* wet looking! Cool! Thanks for the review and link.

Ed

[thomasgeorge]

I shamelessly admit it--- this is a filter I bought just to have fun with. It's kinda neat to flood things and have it look realistic down to the reflections in the "water". That being said, it is capable of producing some startlingly real effects and in the right hands, read talented, I know some awesome composits could be produced. Tom

[jeaniesa]

Well, I'm tempted get this filter just to satisfy a curiosity of mine. Four years ago, my town had what was coined a "500 year flash flood". The main (and oldest) section of Colorado State University was under 7-8 feet of water. I rode my bike to campus the next day and stood next to the affected buildings and the water mark was still 2 feet above my head! I just have never been able to picture what it actually looked like with all of that water! Perhaps if I were to take some pictures of that part of campus - then apply this filter - I'd finally "know" what it looked like!

Jeanie

[T Paul]

Looks like you could have way too much fun with this plug-in! I may have to purchase it for fun as well.

:p

-T

[jeaniesa]

Ooh, ooh! I just thought of another reason I "have" to buy this filter. When I was teaching in Vietnam, my students described the flooding that occured in town almost every year. (Luckily, it didn't occur while I was there.) But, they told me in detail how high the water would get in their homes, etc. I've got plenty of picture of those areas - so if I apply the filter, then I could see what they have to live through most years. Wow - who woulda thunk it? -Jeanie

[jeaniesa]

Well, I just checked the Flaming Pear website and there's a special package with the Melancholytron, Flood - and the Hue and Cry filter for $40. (The Melancholytron and Flood are $20 each separately, so it's like getting the Hue and Cry for free.) Tom, do you have the Hue and Cry filter? -Jeanie

[DJ Dubovsky]

Tom
Contact Flaming Pear and get yourself a sales commision fast, you may have started something here. Sounds like more than a few people like this one.
DJ

[thomasgeorge]

I tried one of the package demo sets and I believe it had the Hue and Cry filter but for some reason it didnt impress me enough to even remember much about it. I suspect it was more oriented towards Web and "Glitz design", something I am Not good at, thus I didnt pursue it. I guess the thing I like about this software company is that they pretty much let their products sell themselves without a lot of hyped up over blown claims. Tom