ArcSoft introduced a Mac version of Perfect365. This software uses advanced facial recognition technology for one-click portrait touch-ups, letting you effortlessly adjust up to 21 individual facial features. Perfect365 allows you to add creative effects such as eye shadows, blushes, lipsticks, colored contact lenses, under-eye circle removal, and blemish removal. The software is available as a free download (www.perfect365.com) or in a premium edition ($39).

It is rare that I have so much fun using studio strobes. But such was the case with the Interfit cyberFLASH 300 ($449.99) and digitFLASH 1000 ($899.00) lights from Paterson Photographic, rated respectively at 300 and 1000 ws. And the battery-driven eFLASH...

A monolight makes entering the world of studio flash photography as painless as possible. Before long you’ll find that this studio strobe will be as easy to use as your shoe-mount flash (perhaps easier) and provide undreamt of creative possibilities. Some monolights make the transition much easier. Enter the digital Interfit Stellar XD.

The Stellar XD is a...

For starters, we often need soft, largely even, and, for the most part, shadowless illumination to bring out all the salient features in the item. While a light tent or other diffusion enclosure can be used, getting lighting ratios just right can prove time-consuming. Using household lighting is often unsatisfactory if you want to make the item sparkle so that it beats out any competitive offerings online, and especially if you want the pictures to reflect an air of professionalism. Besides, color balance is often an issue, made even more difficult when available fluorescent lighting is used. And if you use flash, you’ll need more than one strobe, which becomes a costly and often time-consuming proposition.