The major problem with most plugins and filters, is they don't quite capture the realism of the effect selected. With Auto FX's Mystical Lighting, I get realistic hard to create effects at the press of a few mouse clicks.

Mystical Lighting has such a robust feature set, I found myself still disovering new ideas which haven't been published in this review. Suffice it to say, ML has kept my interest.

One really nice feature I can't leave out is using the Photo Layer option. If you have images which naturally go together, you can layer them and add effects which only affect the particular image within that layer chosen. This really comes in handy for maximizing an image presentation.

The graphical user interface of Mystical Lighting is modern and intuitive to use. With the added features of Memory Dots, you can see several of your previous effects on your image. If you have a rather complicated effect which you noticed you just can't do without, click on a memory dot and it is saved at that point for future loading if subsequent effects are not wanted.

Ellipse controls are part of the reason why Mystical Lighting is so effective. Auto FX demonstrates they understand how lighting, shadows, angles, and the subject interact with one another. By modifying the ellipses and/or creating new ones within a particular filter effect, you can build on Mystical Lighting's creativity.

For photographers who are just discovering their images are desired in a business setting, you really need to purchase Mystical Lighting. It's just one of those essential tools which will enhance your professional status and give you an edge over your competition who spend thousands of dollars on graphics lessons, but just can't get the effects of your sub-$200 application. If you own a DSLR, you owe it to yourself to set aside a few bills for Mystical Lighting.