cosmical

i just try to think node based workflows: create new filter layers, brushes driven by particles and physics nodes - or mixing/combingin clone/inpainting/brush/color tools/nodes to create new tools. And the way how i could possible edit image with multiple layers - - i could group images more complex way and keep bigger composites more flexible than in current layer only based system for example moving layers (some of behind and some of them in middle and some of them in front) - i could group them more easily without need to use links like in photoshop - https://youtu.be/JXI-sYrwQ-8?t=37 like this kind of situations i could make composite where one layer would be behind the trees for example.. and some other layer in front of trees and i could still move them in sync without losing layer hierarchy but wihtout need to link them in node based workflow where i could easily separate background, middle and foreground layers and select what i want without messing my head - for example - by dragging wanted "layers" / nodes to same group but which would be driven through different "hierarchy node layers". There could be for example: z-index node - and i could assemble my nodes how ever i want - unlike in layers - there i need to consider hierarchy. Nodes could be also good for building new tools like brushers which i already mentioned. So i really hope Affinity will bring some node based brush creation tools and filters and compositing / image editing node workflow.

Nodes for generating new brushes (with physics like corel's Particle Brushes, with wetness simulation and viscosity simulation or adding some AI detailing enhance brush etc.) Nodes for compositing - generating new filter layers - color grading effects - masking. Nodes for generating visualizations from json data like in Blender - https://youtu.be/0aRjInmibSw But mostly i see there future for building new tools - brushes - adding motion blur vectors, particles, physics, combining clone tool with other tools available in AP and creating new ones. But this would require lots of nodes: motion vectors, blur, math nodes, particles with life and birth rate, clone, inpainting, blending, mirroring (for example creating new inpaint with mirroring/flip options would be nice), stacking node, coloring node, alpha/mask node but i am not coder so i can just wish that Affinity will introduce something innovating in future for photo editing.. ultimate photo editing.

Yup - this would be the feature for industry needs - like these tools: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/design-visualization/omniverse/ https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/collaboration

Live collaboration would be this day industry need / feature - just like in video editing: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/collaboration or in 3D graphics https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/design-visualization/omniverse/ So thumbs up for live collaboration

Something more revolutionary for affinity photo if "AI" / neural engine algorithms are planned for affinity photo - for example Facial recognition (algorihtm that wuould recognite multiple faces from same photo and from multiple photos like stacking) then it would separatre those faces and give users to choose wich one will be blended (semi-automatic option) or it will suggest for user that which one are best - full automatic (eyes open and smiling and most sharpest) + focus stack (check the sharpness from photos and stack them in same picture by aligning multiple faces from same photo) so it would like swap same faces from different photos by selecting best ones and combining / merging them into one ultimate photo (by sharpness, and facial expressions). Did i explain this right? Was this bad idea? This kind of technique would be good for photographers who take group photos.

At the moment (still in 1.x) it is possible to use soruces in clone stamp tool after merging (focus, hdr, panorama) but i think there should be also option to generate project with layers and masks (for better / more flexible / easier way to improve masking / continue masks by manually - and if affinity photo generates depth maps - generating grey color image layers from depth map data would make it handy for controlling depth effects (btw. dof / detph of field effect should have some grey scale control for blur bias) / filters and for controlling alpha/opacity generating more interesting effects for focus merged/stacked images/compositing - http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/helicon-focus-for-basic-focus-stacking/ http://cdn.northlight-images.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/depth-map.jpg ) https://youtu.be/ifWPtCQIGX0?t=317 like photoshop workflow - non-destructive layer based compositing from focus merging/stacking. Also that auto content-aware/inpainting would be nice option and seamless colors/tone select option (even better if this could be done also non-destructive way - some how close / hide seamless colors/tones from some layer option -> for example, generating two version: color corrected and original layers in separate groups). Also raw developer/liquid/tone mapping should be non-destructive but that is different topic.

this is pretty much what i search for / suggested for affinity photo (track path before painting it or generate guides in non destructive way/version) Somehting like this but in inpainting/clone tool form. Inpaiting will need also some mirror and angle features for automated prosessing or somehting that will guide automated inpaint process (some parameters) maybe something like diffuse tensor https://gmic.eu/tutorial/dyidiffusion.shtml That gmic is awesome collection of filters: https://gmic.eu/gallery/stylization.shtml would love to see these integrated into Affinity, especially that style transformer.

I started to wonder would it be possible to add features like compare versions tool: possibility to save history and generate variants / versions from history - or generate some kind of master history points. I also think: is there any plans to make affinity photo support really large projects which could include multiple users at the same time interactively and make possible to compare their changes by some smart compare tool: https://youtu.be/qYxVyK8W8cc?t=715 Like resolve's wonderful timeline comparison tool (which is quite similar than Visual Studios and Visual Code's comparison tools: ) And i also thought some interactive ways to work with same file with multiple users over inernet connection (like Resolve - with PostgreSQL and setup own server and database) And it could be useful for big projects to have something like this: https://youtu.be/oQrSpyUhDYw?t=10 with personal history for each users (and multiple history tables to give control for project leader) and master history. But I know this starts to be a big feature suggestion, sorry. Maybe this was bad idea/suggestion. Anyway I wish Serif will get some good ideas or at least inspiration. And I know that there is still a lot of work to do for Publsiher, Photo and Designer, even the RAW editor / DAM tool.

Ok. Well maybe its better after all. Faster workflow for photographers. But some fast links like publisher will have for AP and AD would be nice. AP with fast link to this new.. erhmm.. (affinity studio/darkroom etc.?)

But is there real need for new Affinity product? What if Affinity Photo 2 would have more advanced UI ? (Like HitFilm has integrated After effects and Premiere into one software kind of - not as powerful yet but its good and they make fast progress. Or DaVinci Resolve and their fusion integration) what if Affinity Photo 2 or Affinity Photo Studio would come with DAM / catalog features (some file explorer ribbon / catalog window in bottom or top UI where user can select next image to process) - if user wants to edit like in lightroom - then developer persona could be activated with this new catalog window. But is there real need for new Affinity product? What if Affinity Photo 2 would have advanced UI with dam features (some file explorer ribbon / catalog window in bottom or top UI where user can select next image to process) - if user wants to edit like in lightroom - then developer persona could be activated with this new catalog window. Sorry for these bad and fast mockups - but here is the idea what i am trying to explain and this is not the way how it should be. I am quite sure that Affinity team now better how UI could be improved to be all in one photo manipulation software. I would really like to see all in one solution for print media like publishers photo and designer links in publisher UI but integrated into one software it would print media's DaVinci Resolve or Nuke Studio (or HitFilm). For lightroom users it could work something like this way - user opens affinity photo - and then select develope persona - if develop persona is selected right after start (with no open project) then develop personas empty working area (image view area) should show catalog window over it (taking all space) - something like this. It would be like homepage if there is no open projects. But this might be bad idea. I am sure affinity team know better what to do and how to do it if there is any idea in this suggestion.

Like most understood - i meant that AP generate new pixel layer - when PS generate new project with multiple layers with masks (and make possible to re-mask these selected areas and layers later - no need to go back panorama persona and develop / generate image from start by jumping from persona to persona this would be handy for small and fast fix/retouch issues - when fast fixes can be made directly in photo persona by selection right layer and mask). And I agree that AP and PS panorama merge isn't as good as Microsoft's ICE or Kolor's Autopano - but I hope it will be someday. I really hope everything will be non-destructive - no matter what process - possiblity to go back in tone mapping persona and change everything just like in the first time even better if user can add tone map layers.. well maybe persona layers would be bad idea? But non-destructive: when focus stacked or panorama sticthed image is generated by AP - it should generate layer image (if user select non-destructive workflow/stitching) -> if non-destructive is selected then generated sticthed image should have all images (layers) with masks for later mask processing if somehting need to be fixed or changed for some reason. Focus stacking should generate also final image with sticthed images with masks - those masks could be used to generate depth map (even better if Affinity could generate it automatically - depth map) But something innovating should be done for these projects where panorama or focus stacking includes thousands of photos - some kind of "smart layer" like group layer (something like smart group in PS but not that complex) - some kind of way to open that one layer with multiple layers and collapse it back when user is ready - and when needed - go back to that layer and expand its hierarchy again - but something more than just expanding and collapsing a hierarchy - what it should be, i don't know. Not yet. i will tell if i get some idea.

+ I would also love to see feature (because i think it would be useful but i might be wrong this why this kind of feature suggestion should be voted and i think affinity team is good enough to think value for this kind of feature if it has any - it might be also useless) which would show directly / interactively (live preview like blend modes) - erased all same color values when color value is selected from colour panel and background eraser tool is selected to visualize the color range better (but also option to disable/unactived this kind of feature). So it would be just interactive / live preview for color picked / color panel selected color to show / visualize the color range by erasing it with live preview for user to see that what color range value is selected at the moment. I might have missed this kind of feature if there is already something similar.

I know those features but I really would love to more direct and fast way - like background eraser to save data directly into mask layer and have same features like background eraser but non destructively - so it would only need to transform data to mask layer. At the moment i can also use background eraser tool and use final results to make it alpha channel / mask layer and continue my work with mask layers but it is slow process - i just wondered could there be new feature - option for background eraser tool where user could select mask layer for keying data. And sure i can also duplicate layer (other for color pick) and use background eraser for other one and use it by blend mode to earase the data but it is not as streamlined workflow as i would love to see.

I would also like to see some depth map features (some basic 3d rendering) like in silhouettefx: https://youtu.be/w5yJvAttO2c?t=13 Some way to save focus stacking photo with depth map data for HEIF file using Auxiliary picture information (also openexr file save with depth map layer data). This reminds me that Focus stacking and HDR Merge and Panorama sticthing should be non destructive in Affinity Photo - need to make feature request from that feature or is there already one? Some added icon/tag to show if picutre is not rastered and it is panorama, hdr or focus stacking developed and is still active - not rastered data by user. User should have control to decide when data is rastered like crop tool and when user add other images to new porject etc.

Non-destructive "Background eraser" to mask layer workflow - background eraser with option to use mask layer to save keying information (separated and non destructive way if user select mask layer for save keying data)