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Photoshop Actions + Post Processing
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M y brain is caught somewhere in between a state of mashed potatoes and cream of wheat. And, yes, I always compare my current state to food. My brain feels like mashed potatoes today. My legs felt like jello yesterday. How I felt while trying on bathing suits last week? Like a watermelon. Oh, yeah, my brain thinks in the Food Pyramid and if I can just lean it more toward the leafy green category, my doctor would be so proud.
Speaking of food, I received an email last week from a photographer who offered to send me a batch of cookies if I was able to help her with a few post-processing tips. But remember that whole watermelon debacle last week? Ummm, yeah. I definitely don't need cookies. So I decided to post a Before and After Photoshop blog post to share...it's been six months since I posted my last one, so today is as good a day as ever. These photos will be processed with a mix of Totally Rad Actions and Kubota Photoshop Actions...like I mentioned in previous post-processing posts (like here and here), I use Photoshop sparingly, so here's a peek into what goes down...the first photos are Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) with their settings, and the second photo is the photoshop actions applied... One thing to note...all borders and sharpening is done with BlogStomp... Stephanie+Steven's San Juan Capistrano engagement session f/2.2, 1/320, 200 iso, 50mm |
| Saturation : -100 : 39%
Kubota B/W Channel Mixer 70/20/10 : 100% |
| f/2.0, 1/640, 250 iso, 85mm
Kubota Fuji Snappit : 14% Kubota 81K Warming : 17% Curves bump |
| Brandon+Kristin's San Juan Capistrano engagement session
f/3.5, 1/100, 400 iso, 85mm |
| Kubota Punch Lite : 16%
KubotaTea Stained : 10% |
| f/1.2, 1/2500, 200 iso, 50mm
Totally Rad Actions YingYang : Yang(lighter) : 31% over skin Kubota Fashion Passion : 12% Totally Rad Actions Boring Sepia : 11% |
| Cori+Eli's Santa Monica engagement session
f/2.0, 1/250, 200 iso, 50mm |
| Kubota Renaissance : 11%
Kubota Midbright : 39% |
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FAQ : Reader Questions XI
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I woke up yesterday morning determined to finish my Christmas shopping. I woke up this morning with a new pair of shoes, a new dress, and a complete list of gifts to be bought for others. Yeah, will power? I DON'T HAVE IT. In hopes of making me feel better about being totally selfish and not being in the Christmas spirit, I'm blogging a FAQ post in hopes of getting out of holiday purgatory. Like usual, I don't think I'm a photo genius or guru...my hope is that this post helps one person. If more comes from it, I'll be stoked...
Brandon asked: My question is, do you have any tips on how to improve your manual exposure abilities? Do you have exercises that have helped you get certain lighting conditions down? Have you memorize certain settings for certain lighting conditions? Do you tend to use one metering mode, or do you switch off? Just any tips to improve my saavy (and speed) in manual exposure would be great! As I mentioned in this post, when I bought my camera, it was set to evaluative metering and I haven't changed it since. In all actuality, I use the LCD screen to gauge my exposure...I've done it from the beginning and it's worked like a charm ever since! :) However, when I first started, I was on the beach shooting and I was challenged to shoot manually. Having no idea where to begin, I asked for help. The setting I was given for shooting midday in full sun with my 70-200IS 2.8 lens was the following: f/2.8, 2500, 100 iso. All of a sudden, I felt like someone had given me a lump of gold. I finally found a place to start! I used that setting as the benchmark for all my shooting. I'd always start there and then change my settings accordingly when I was trying to learn how to shoot. For instance, if there was less light in a different situation, I'd first find the right iso, then change the shutter speed to find the right exposure. I know this must sound stupid to many people, but this was my setting...this was an eye-opening key to truly understanding my camera and challenging myself to become a professional photographer. Christina asked: I've been wanting to get more experience in the field of wedding photography ... I am willing to be an assistant shooter, however, how do I contact photographers that are in need to second shooters? Also, in starting a photography business, do you recommend that I take classes for that? or will internet research be sufficient (that's what i've been doing so far...). I addressed the subject of procuring a role as a second shooter on this post, so I hope that helps in a small way... It's hard recommending something not from my personal experience. Of course, I could imagine how things would be had I gone to photography school or taken classes, but that'd be like grasping at straw in a tornado. What I can talk about is my path...although I'll be the first to admit it wasn't easy or perfect! I didn't take classes, or classes in the formal sense anyway. JD bought me a camera in 2006 and I just started practicing. A lot. I forced myself to shoot everyday. I photographed at least one thing everyday manually, so I could better understand my camera. I surfed the Internet for advice and tutorials, but nothing really hit me because I'm a visual learner...I needed to see people in action. During my first two years of business, I attended over ten workshops and seminars. Maybe more! Going to workshops was how I learned best and it exponentially propelled my growth. The people I met, the things I learned, the miles I traveled, all made up my ad hoc photo education. And I'm proud of it. Denise asked: My question is, understanding that the quality of equipment makes a difference in your photography, do I need to wait until I purchase professional lenses before I can charge for my work? To be honest, I don't think you're asking the right question. In my opinion, you should ask if people are willing to pay you now, regardless of your equipment! :) I don't think equipment makes the photography...the photographer makes the photography. Honestly. Having said that, however, procuring professional lenses is always beneficial and allows you to achieve the type of images you're proud to share, and also attracts clients who appreciate your aesthetic and professional appeal. Lisa asked: When I checked out your wedding pictures I was trying to figure out what lens you use the most? Would love & appreciate any advice. I use the 50mm, 1.2 and the 85mm, 1.2 the absolute most! I can't live without those lenses and they've become a cornerstone in how I shoot. However, I would venture to say I use the the 50mm the most out of all my lenses. Other frequently asked questions... What camera and lenses I use: HERE Focus: HERE and HERE Lighting: HERE (using natural reflectors) and HERE (using off camera flash) Photoshop: SOOC Comparisons, HERE and HERE for Photoshop actions I use and examples. And because posts are always better with a photo...here's a sneak peek of what's in store in the next few days.... |
| Happy Sunday! |
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Kubota Photoshop Actions : Tips + Tricks
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T oday I'm running around my house with one sock on. A toothbrush perched on my lower lip. Aaaaand I'm bumping a little Jay Z to get me motivated for what is shaping up to be a crah-a-zee day. But before life gets too crazy to blog, I decided to put together a post on a subject I'm most commonly emailed about: Photoshop and post-processing. I'm definitely the last person you want to ask about Photoshop (because, really, I know very little about such an awesome tool), but I do know I get a ton of help from Photoshop Actions. Like I've mentioned before in the past, I don't heavily use Photoshop to manipulate my images, but it definitely refines my style.
People often ask if I could post photos straight out of camera (sooc), and while I was quite reluctant, I'm throwing caution to the Santa Ana winds and posting side-by-side comparisons. If this post helps one person, then I'm stoked. I use these types of posts to help manage my time via email, as I cannot possibly answer every email personally. Please forgive me. Without further ado, here are three sets of photos from my three most recent shoots... Kubota Fuji Snappit (11%), 81K Warming (60%), a curve bump, and Magic Sharp... |
| Kubota KevX Process Combo (10%), BW Enrichment (61%), Contrast +1, curves bump, Magic Sharp... |
| This picture was completed with one of my newest fav action, Kubota Fashion Passion! I love the cooled tones and yet the subtle saturation! Fashion Passion (22%), curves bump, Magic Sharp... |
| If you'd like to read more Photoshop tips+tricks, please feel free to click HERE and/or HERE!
Happy Thursday! |
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FAQ : Reader Questions X
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T he last time JD was in Scottsdale, Arizona, he was there for a start-up company he worked for when we first got married. He traveled extensively and his absence made life feel extra lonely, but he continued to work for the company because he believed it held the keys for a bright future for us. He'd come home and recount stories of new restaurants or a cool deli he visited on his business trips and he promised to take me back one day. I politely smiled, but hoped we wouldn't be going back for someone else's company. I wanted us to go on our own, to be free from outside expectations and demands.
Today, I'm writing from our hotel room in Scottsdale happy to report the food has been just as good as JD recounted! As we drove up the 51 Freeway, I turned to JD and asked, Can you BELIEVE we are here?! Together?! We're incredibly stoked to be shooting a wedding tomorrow, and I am honored to share in such a special day with the bride and groom. Until then, however, JD and I plan on living life...free from outside expectations and demands. I worked on a FAQ post on the plane ride, so I hope it helps at least one person. Like usual, I don't think I'm right, cool, smart, or some type of sage...I'm simply answering questions the best I can and I hope they help! A few of the questions were emailed from readers, and others were pulled from my Facebook page... Julie asked: Thanks for your recent post on shooting group formal photos at weddings! I'm curious what f/stop you use. Do you shoot group formals wide open with apertures like 1.8? It's funny because I received this question a lot after I blogged that post. While I love shooting wide open, I definitely do not shoot this way when shooting group formals. I don't have a hard and fast rule, but I usually keep my aperture somewhere between f/4.0-5.6 (depending on how many people there are, and their formation) for bridal party pictures, and I keep the center focus on the bride Wilamena asked: I have a hard time coming up with things to blog about. You blog everyday without missing a beat and I can't help but wonder how you do it. Do you have any tips on making my blog a little more personal, especially if I don't have too many shoots to blog about? Oh, Wilamena, welcome to the club! I struggle coming up with fresh content quite often, but I come to believe the blog is an integral part of who I am, and my business. My best piece of advice is not to think too much about what to write, think more about how to write it. Writing a story about a recent trip to the grocery market sounds mundane, but if you care about what you're writing, readers will care too. I also have bi-weekly topics (like Kisses&Disses and FAQs) that make blogging a little more manageable. Furthermore, use your blog to share with others who you are. Do you like the QVC channel? Love cleaning your bathroom tiles with a toothbrush? Have a pet rock collection? Use your blog to showcase different components of your life to further define your character. Trust me...if you write, people will read. Sarah asked: Last weekend I shot a wedding and it went well except for family pictures. There was no where to shoot the groups and I felt stuck. Do you ever struggle with this and how did you handle it? Yes and yes. I can think of two weddings rather recently when I had to make the tough choice of moving large groups of people because of harsh light/mediocre background. In both situations, the light was way too strong (once sidelit, the other backlit), and I struggled with what to do. It's often difficult to make a decision and move a large group of people, but I definitely think it's in everyone's best interest. Most brides think it's of utmost importance to have formal photos at the ceremony site (under an archway, or at the end of the aisle) and while I don't mind this, I will kindly offer another option and explain the light would be better elsewhere. Yes, this is tough to do...but my brides hire me because I'm a professional and they trust my opinion. In both aforementioned instances, I wanted to melt when I explained to the bride that the traditional photo location wouldn't work, but both brides were so supportive and I'm happy with the final results. And if I'm happy, I've come to believe my brides will be too! :) Faraz asked: When framing, how much space should I leave along the borders of my frame so that I can crop the photo for different print sizes and still be safe? You know, I have to admit your question make me think long and hard about how I shoot. Then I got a little worried because I don't think in aspect ratios, I think in moments. I love shooting on the fly, so if a client orders a print later and a portion of the photo is cropped, I've learned to live with it because the aura/essence/moment can still be felt. Freeing yourself from thinking of how the photo will be ordered will allow you creative freedom and I think your clients will love the photo any way they order it. Mike asked: How much time do u spend on your images? This is an interesting question because I don't spend too much time on my images in Photoshop. I definitely stay away from over-processed, action influenced images, so I use Photoshop as a tool to refine my style, not define my style...if that makes sense. Every picture is different, but I don't usually spend more than a couple minutes on an image. I know there are some photographers who roll their eyes and despise my approach, but every artist is different and I prefer to shoot images really close to how I want them straight out of camera. If you're working with a picture you already like, Photoshop should be used to make it better. There's commonly held beliefs that photographers can 'fix' an image later in Photoshop, but I'd kindly disagree with that approach and encourage newbies to hone their skills as photographers, not Photoshop artists. Having said that, if you'd like to read more about what Photoshop actions I use, you can click HERE and HERE for detailed posts relating to this. Happy Friday! |
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Pioneer Woman
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T o say I was a little excited to read my email today would be an understatement...for real. As I've stated many times before, I'm a blogger's blogger. I read a ton of blogs on a daily basis and if it was an Olympic sport, I'd be standing with the gold medal. And wearing a spandex tracksuit. What? Reading can be a good workout too!
One of the mega blogs I enjoy is Pioneer Woman...because of its popularity, the blog has changed since I first started reading and now readers can navigate sections of the blog. Yes, this blog has sections...like Target, without the Garden Center. Today the ever-fab Miz Booshay (whose many comments I've read on my blog before...love her!) featured me and a few other photographers in an Inspirational post. I was honored more than I could really put into words...makes me wanna celebrate with a bag of popcorn and a Slurpee. Dang it...I need my Target fix! |
| To see the article, CLICK HERE to read it in its entirety. Be sure to check out the rest of the blog...there are a ton of photo tips and Photoshop actions! If you're not into photography, the other posts (cooking, home+garden, homeschooling, etc) are just as fabulous! :) |
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| © 2013 Jasmine Star Photography | Blog by infinet design |
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