High Noon | Free Photoshop Action

You might be interested to know that I (sadly) spend a lot more time in front of the computer than I do behind a camera. The post-processing takes hours and hours. That's part of what you're paying for in a session, the time I put in to make the photos just right. Let me show you the difference:

Before:

Super cute, right? He's a natural. :) But look at what can happen with a little time and know-how.


After:

It makes a big difference, and although I try not to over-process my images and make them look fake, editing is part of what makes a photograph look good. Of course, if you don't start with a well-composed and exposed image, all the editing in the world won't make the difference. :)

One thing that saves me a little time is Photoshop actions. Actions are a great way to record the steps I use most in Photoshop, so you can apply them to a photo with one simple click.

For all my photographer friends out there, today, I'm providing a FREE action for you. I call it "High Noon." It works best with outdoor photos that just need a little...boost.

The action can be downloaded here. 

If you aren't sure how to install Photoshop actions, there's a good tutorial here at The CoffeeShop blog.

Feel free to comment with any questions, I will try to respond as quickly as possible. You can also email me at secondstarphotography@gmail.com.

Or email me to schedule a session.

Did You Know That? | Photoshop Tips

Did anyone else watch BIll Nye growing up? I used to love his funky segment with obscure facts about science. I can still hear the weirdly synthesized voice in my head: "Did you KNOW that?"


  
You can thank me for that rockin' video in the comments section. :)

But back to the task at hand: I learned something new a few weeks ago that I have found extremely helpful, and maybe some of you will too! I do online proofing for clients. To post large quantities of images online, you almost always need to size them down. This can also be helpful for emailing pictures to Grandma. You can write an "Action" in Photoshop to do this for you, but it can take some trial and error to get it to work out perfectly.

The good news is, Photoshop will do all of the work for you!

First, place all of the files you'd like to re size in the same folder. I find it helpful to also create a new folder where the re-sized files will go. This isn't necessary - Photoshop will not save over the current images, but it is nice when you are going back in to upload photos to have them already separated out.

Next, open Photoshop and simply choose File > Scripts > Image Processor:

 From here you will browse to the folder with your current files, then select a location to save the new files (the current folder or your new folder), and hit "run."

Easy-peasy! Now you have a whole folder of smaller sized files, so you can email even more photos to your family! (Your Mom is so going to love me)

If you don't have Photoshop, you can do the same thing with several free programs, including one I found here:
http://www.fotosizer.com/
(Disclaimer: I did download and try this and didn't have any problems with spamware, etc., but I am not responsible for your computer. :))


Now you know!

What Not to Wear.

One of the questions I am asked most often is "What should we wear for our photos?"

Good question. There are a lot of right answers here, and a few wrong ones. Different things apply to different families, and children are their own category all together! This post by Leigh Anne of "Your Homebased Mom" is a good place to start.

Recently, the Burgener clan had our own family photos taken. Despite my experience as a photographer, and the secret way I laugh at people for worrying so much over what to wear, I found myself carefully considering our attire. I wanted it to be just right. Everybody does it! So, based on that experience, let me give you my own advice:

1. Be comfortable.
Just as with location, lighting, and colors, great photos rely on relaxed subjects. If you squeeze yourself into that perfect dress or those fabulous shoes that pinch your toes, you will likely be uncomfortable, worried about ruining your clothes, and look uptight in your photos. Choose clothing that you love to wear - your favorite shirt...you know, that one that makes you feel gorgeous because it's just the perfect shade to highlight your eyes or hair...is a good option.

Nine months after having a baby, I was still very aware that my body is not the same as it used to be - so I rocked a cardi that is loose but flattering. I also chose a blazer for my baby, since it was winter but I wanted non-seasonal looking portraits. The blazer kept him warm and stylish without adding a coat.

 

Photo by Kenna Grace

2. Coordinate, don't match.
This is a personal preference, but I find that most people like this look better, once they put their finger on it. Nothing screams 90s more than matching sweaters (or denim jackets!), and the all-black thing is just a little over the top. (Of course, sometimes you are going for "over the top," in which case, be my guest!) For example, bright bold colors, jewel tones, "earth" tones (green, brown, dark blue) are all good color schemes. For my own family photos, since there are 3 of us, I decided to go with primary colors. I had a favorite shirt in yellow, my husband's favorite color is blue, so that left red for our son. Perfect!

This was our style/inspiration board:

3. Start with mom.
In general, guys are less self-conscious that the ladies. They aren't too hung-up on appearance, especially when it comes to clothes. So, start with mom and work from there. Find something that you feel pretty and comfortable in, that flatters you, and then dress your family to coordinate with what you're wearing. This applies to extended families as well. Begin with the pickiest dresser (which I can almost guarantee will be the oldest female), and then let the family know what the general idea is and let them choose their own perfect outfit. This way, everyone is comfortable and happy.

Photo by Kenna Grace 

That's it! I find that stressing out too much about clothes is needless. You can have great photos in any outfit. Getting your photo taken should be fun and feel glamorous. Making you look good - that's my job.