I mentioned that from time to time I'd be doing plugs for products, services, and other aspects of the photography industry that I come across. In the spirit of the circled, underlined, and highlighted item on my ongoing To-Do list, today's post is about photo editing.
Why do professional photos look different? No doubt, the artistic talent you work with has a lot to do with this. A good photographer knows the ins and outs of composing a photo beautifully, waiting for the the right moment to "click," and achieving perfect exposure. But in the digital age, the artistry doesn't stop there. Editing software plays a huge role in the outcome of a photo.
Of all of the programs available, Adobe Photoshop kind of takes the cake as the "industry standard," "mecca," "go-to" etc. for photo editing. The range of features (i.e. what you can do) with the program is OUT OF CONTROL, making just about any kind of manipulation possible. Take this or leave it, but I believe a secret of good photography is knowing how to tweak photos to look their best.
The world of ACTIONS has become one of my most exciting editing explorations of late. Actions are like recipes. They are series of commands in Photoshop- bundled together just so- that result in a certain look or feel to a photo. Actions go way beyond boosting color or turning a picture black and white. They can make a scene look whimsical, vintage, retro or punk rock with the click of a button. They can add quality and minimize "user errors" to make your subject look awesome! I could go on and on....
While there are some great action sets available for free online, I want to recognize two artists that have developed inexpensive, amazing packages. I currently use the actions of both, and I can't say enough good things about the fun I've had with their "magic recipes:"
Totally Rad Actions has built their business around making photos look....well...totally rad. Their action sets are impeccable, and whenever I see a photo and ask myself "How'd they do that?".....one of Totally Rad's recipes comes to mind. Plus, their branding totally rocks.
Nichole Van is one of the most talented photographers I've come across in a while. In addition to an amazing portfolio and a website that is absolutely beautiful and unique, she has started to sell some packages of her most famous actions. At only about $40 each, WELL worth the investment. Check out Nichole's action sets (and a variety of other goodies) at her online store, Flourish.
Copyright 2010 NicholeV Photography
If you work in Photoshop Elements 8 or later, or any full-featured version of Photoshop...check these guys out! You won't be sorry.
:), AG
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