i was visiting a friend not too long ago, who is a photographer also, and we were swapping tips and tricks. she asked me what my process was when editing.
every time i open a new photograph, i find myself doing the same things:
1. i crop as needed.
2. i adjust the curves. i make the blacks "blacker" and the whites "whiter".
3. i up the saturation.
that's about it, unless i want to make it black and white, sepia, vintaged, etc.
this where photoshop actions have come in so handy. a photoshop action is a set of "actions" all pre-recorded and saved into a small button. when i open a new photograph, all i have to do is click that button and suddenly, my curves are adjusted and my saturation is raised. some photographers sell their actions (sheye rosemeyer is one of them). and some companies make them (totally rad actions seem to be the most popular). but i have found that if i look hard enough, i can find lots of actions for free. and here is a list:
i know some photographers love actions, use them exclusively and are proud to say it. i know some photographers who use them and feel bad about it. and finally, i know some photographers who are purists and refuse to use actions. or, they create their own. i belong to the first party. i use them and i don't care who knows it! but what i've noticed about my photography lately is this: the more i know, the better my pictures turn out and the better my pictures turn out, the less i need actions. so maybe i'm not such a "impurist" after all?
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