LandscapePro v1 Software Review

Features
Ease Of Use & Performance
Verdict
System Requirements

LandscapePro, from Anthropics Technology, was introduced to the World back in May and it's billed as being 'intelligent landscape photo editing software' that makes it easy for photographers to enhance their shots. With one-click presets, targetted editing and tools that adapt to the photo that's open in the software, it does sound like it could be as easy to use as the software creator says it is. To find out, we've put it to the test. 

LandscapePro v1 Features

• Intelligent selection tools
• Unique editing controls that adapt to your photo
• Easy-to-use slider interface
• Targeted editing
• Automatic area selection
• One-click presets
• Lighting tools
• Sky adjustments 
• No technical skill required
• Supports RAW files (studio version only)
• Photoshop Plug-in (studio version only)
• Supports different colour spaces (studio version only)

LandscapePro is designed to make it easy for photographers to enhance their landscape shots in an interface that's user-friendly and easy to use. 

For those new to the software, you can view sample photos which demonstrate what can be achieved with the software on the LandscapePro website along with video tutorials that talk you through various aspects of the photo editing software. Plus, little pop-ups also appear when using the various tools the software has to offer to show you how they work.

Two versions of Landscape Pro are available: Studio and Standard with Studio offering RAW and different colour space support and it can be used as a plug-in with Photoshop. There's a free trial available of the software that runs on both MAC and Windows and if you do purchase the software, there's a full money-back guarantee if you decide you're not satisfied with it. The usual price for LandscapePro is £59.90 but it's currently available for £29.95 on the LandscapePro website. 

LandscapePro v1 Ease Of Use 

When you first open up LandscapePro, you're greeted with a simple interface where you can access settings, adjust the width of the window, open an image, view and edit example images, access tutorials, leave feedback or read the help files. The inclusion of sample images is really handy for those who are trialling the software or are just getting to grips with how it works. Having the tutorials at a click of a button is a useful feature, too. 

After opening an image, the interface will change to show a toolbar down the left side and your image will appear to the right and no matter which stage of editing you are at, your tools will appear on the left side in the same column. The layout is actually really clean and simple which makes it easy to use as well as navigate. The interface doesn't feel cluttered and there's not really anything a beginner would struggle to understand. 

LandscapePro actually operates in stages, using a tagging system and masking as the basis for how it works. When you first open an image you'll find a labelling system to the left which you use to add labels to the image so the software can define specific areas of the image which can then be edited individually as well as a whole image. Labels include 'sky', 'tree', 'rock' and 'ground' and they are all applied to the image by clicking and dragging them into place. If you're unsure what to do, the software opens a small window with instructions which is actually really helpful. The software also gives handy hints such as 'you don't need that many labels' which saves you time and speeds up your editing process. 

Once you've labelled the image up, you can click continue and this opens up the next set of tools. The selection editing tools can be used to adjust the masks that are now in place on the image. Different colours represent different parts of the image which makes it easy to adjust and simple to understand. If masks are appearing in the wrong place you simply drag the right coloured mask over it and the software automatically updates and fixes the problem. 

Making / adjusting selections is really easy and actually, is one of the less complicated selection methods I've used in photo editing software. There are also tools that are designed to make adding / removing specific masks from objects in the sky, such as wires on bridges and trees, which can often be tricky to adjust manually. There's also a tool for removing masks from small objects, such as people on a beach, that shouldn't have the same one as the sand that surrounds them. All of the selection tools are really responsive and for the most part, accurate. Plus, they can be adjusted in size should you need more control. Landscapes with lots of detail and different textures can take more time to add the masks to than less complicated scenes but with patience, they can be fully applied. 

There's a horizon adjustment tool that allows you to adjust where the horizon line is, should it need it, so the software can more accurately make edits. These includes removing water from above the horizon and sky from below it. It's also used to calculate depth for: relighting, depth colouring, depth of field and haze removal. When in the 'fixes' section, it can be used to straighten the horizon. 

For those who are new to photo editing and are just looking for a 'quick fix' there are global presets that adjust the entire image, giving it a particular look / feel. These include 'Black & White', 'Cold Sunset' and 'Dusk'. To apply a global presets, just click on it and it's pretty much applied to your image straight away. 

For those wanting a little more control over how the final image will look, there are menus for doing exactly that. Under 'Style', you can adjust the depth of field of the shot as well as make the image black & white and add a vignette. The tools under 'Depth' allow you to adjust the foreground / background separately while under 'Fixes' you'll find options for straightening the horizon and removing noise. 'Lighting' basically allows you to move the position of the sun and this can be done with presets or by pulling the sun symbol to different parts of the image.

The rest of the tabs you'll see will be the names of the tags you place on the image and under each separate tab, you'll be able to adjust one specific section of the shot which is pretty cool. There are sliders to adjust the intensity of the effect and there are also manual options available under each tab should you wish to tweak the presets even further with more precise control. 

You can actually spend quite a lot of time playing around with the different options and making adjustments to your landscape when using LandscapePro and the software never really showed any lag when making adjustments. The incorporation of live editing makes the software even more useful and it's a great time saver as you're not going in and out of preview windows to see how your edits have changed the overall look of the photo. If you're wondering what live editing is, it's basically the ability to see previews live rather than having to adjust some settings, wait for it to take effect then go back and further adjust the settings, often found in menus / windows, if it's not quite right. 

Not all of the presets work well on every image and sometimes the foreground looked like it was superimposed onto the background. However, there are plenty of options to choose from so you will more than likely find one that does suit the image you're working with. There was also the odd occasion where haloing appeared around foreground objects which made them really stand out against new skies but you can try and limit this with the 'Soften' / 'Unsoften' tools when adjusting / adding area masks. It's also easy to miss some areas when applying your mask which is very noticeable when you start applying effects but you can go back and adjust these masks if this turns out to be a problem.

It's good that the software tries to balance the light of the whole image when inserting new skies but on occasion, this did spoil the foreground and it took quite a bit of readjusting to get it right. Other times, it was fixed by just simply using the adjustment slider.  

Overall, LandscapePro is pretty quick to respond, intuitive, easy to learn and once you've perfected your masking, you can use it to improve your images in not much time at all. 

Left: Before, Right: After, Black & White Conversion

Value For Money

There isn't really something we can compare LandscapePro directly with as it's a product specifically designed to edit landscape photos but for a similar price point, Mac users can purchase Serif Affinity Photo for £39.99. Corel PaintShop Pro X8 (basic) retails for £59.99 while Adobe products are now part of the Creative Cloud monthly pricing options and for the photography package, which includes Photoshop and Lightroom, it costs £6.98 a month (£83.76 a year) or you can pay £17.15 a month just for a single application. Adobe Photoshop Elements can still be accessed without a Creative Cloud membership for around £70 but again, it's a general photo editor rather than something that's specifically designed for editing and improving landscape photos. Other alternatives include Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 11 or OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 9.5. 

LandscapePro v1 Verdict

The usual price for LandscapePro is £59.90 but it's currently available for £29.95 which makes it a bit of a bargain for both PC and Mac users. The software's easy to work out how to use, performs well and can produce some great results. Those who are new to photo editing will find the built-in presets really helpful and the manual options do give the advanced user more control.  The helpful tips and tutorials are really useful should you need to check how a particular tool works and the interface looks great. 

There are plenty of options and tools available for improving your landscapes and you can have quite a lot of fun switching in and out different skies in your shots. Yes, some presets don't work with every shot and it can take a little bit of tweaking to stop halos spoiling your photo but when you've found the perfect sky and have got your settings just right, you can produce great results. 

LandscapePro v1 Pros

Excellent value for money
Easy to use 
Quick processing 
An abundance of presets are available
Live edits 
Manual edits for more control
RAW file support 

LandscapePro v1 Cons

Can take some 'tweaking' to make the background / foreground 'fit'

FEATURES
EASE OF USE
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT

LandscapePro is a bit of a bargain, easy to use and produces great results. 

LandscapePro v1 System Requirements 

• 1GHz processor or faster recommended
• 2GB RAM minimum recommended. To handle larger images (8 megapixel or more) you would benefit from having 3GB or more RAM
• Windows - Requires Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP
• Mac - OSX 10.7 or later