Playing with Actions

[Laura Sedivy]

I have to admit I never used to be an action person. However, I recently purchased "Craig's Actions" (and I have no idea who Craig is, so don't ask) and thought I would start playing.

HOWEVER, I always second guess myself and worry about what my "conservative" clients might think of some of these different looks.

THEREFORE, I would appreciate some constructive, quality criticism on any of the following (which many are "softy").

Thanks in advance,
Laura J

[Laura Sedivy]

Some more. Obviously, this girl is going to be my "guinea pig".

[Guest]

Of the first set two is my fav. Ever single customer will tell you they are blurry. They don't care about the effect!

Of the second set One is really bad, she looks sick. 4 is my fav. Customers will probably say it's blurry but not as many. Somehow it works. I like the bw if it was softer.

Is that what you were looking for?

[Tim Babin]

Honestly, Laura, I do not like them. I much rather doing the move and varying the gaussian blur.

[Laura Sedivy]

Yes, Rebecca. That is what I was looking for.

I studied with Fuzzy last month and he is doing several "art effects" on a number of his proofs (projected, of course). He sells a gob of albums with these artfx images in them. But I've always been so traditional and haven't forced myself out of the box. Thought I would give it a try.

I'm going to watch Fuzzy's slide show again of senior images. But most of these posted are pretty close to what he's doing.

If I find anything that client like, I'll post.

Thanks for feedback. I'm not trying to look like everyone else (i.e. the move) and wanted to come up with something kids are seeing from other photogs.

Appreciate your taking the time to look and comment and look forward to others.

Laura J

[Guest]

Number 4 on the second set is beautiful. I bet it will sell.
ann

[Jeff Kennedy]

Regardless of the method you use to soften an image I think its almost always best to keep the eyes sharp. And in most cases I bring back sharpness to the brows, nostrils, and lips/teeth. I kind of like the effect in the first reclined image.

As for not wanting to look like others stuff, I applaud that. That's why I like to experiment and when I find something I like I make my own action.

[Shirley C Dawson]

Laura, I really like the 4th one in the 2nd set. I've always kinda liked the soft dreamy look.

[Laura Sedivy]

Number 4 on the second set is beautiful. I bet it will sell.
ann

Yep, it did.

As did the last daisy and the "fashionizer" effect which is the first of the laying down images.

Laura J

[Kevin Connery]

Regardless of the method you use to soften an image I think its almost always best to keep the eyes sharp. And in most cases I bring back sharpness to the brows, nostrils, and lips/teeth.

Doing that tends to give most images a very artificial look--far more so than being soft overall. If that's an acceptable direction, go for it, but be aware that it's changing the characteristics of the image, not just the contents.

(My personal pet peeve is images that have the eyes and/or lips sharp, but everything else looks out of focus--not 'soft', but oof-looking. Especially when the transitions between the sharp and not-sharp areas are obvious, and the underlying texture of the different parts is different. But that's just because I can no longer not see it--it jumps out and attacks almost as quickly and painfully as glowing eyes and teeth do.)

[Jeff Kennedy]

Doing that tends to give most images a very artificial look--far more so than being soft overall. If that's an acceptable direction, go for it, but be aware that it's changing the characteristics of the image, not just the contents.

(My personal pet peeve is images that have the eyes and/or lips sharp, but everything else looks out of focus--not 'soft', but oof-looking. Especially when the transitions between the sharp and not-sharp areas are obvious, and the underlying texture of the different parts is different. But that's just because I can no longer not see it--it jumps out and attacks almost as quickly and painfully as glowing eyes and teeth do.)

It works for me because my softening is very subtle. Its intent is to smooth out skin tones and minor flaws. I'm not into heavy softening.

[Rosemary Rideout]

Laura,

I have Craig's actions and I believe this is the Shadowsoft HC action. I always do my actions on a second layer and then you can dial down the opacity. Craig also has several stops in his action which allow you to tweek the curve and later to lower the opacity. When I've lowered the opacity to about 40%, I then erase the top layer to allow the sharpness of the eyes, hair, lips, nostrils, earrings, etc. to be restored.

I really like it much more subtle. And clients either love it or they hate it.

Rosemary

[Brenda Westwood]

Hi Laura,

I have had Craig's actions for quite a while now and I swear by them.. the main thing though, is the painting back of details in the ssoft layer. There are many actions of his that I couldn't do without.. mainly shadow soft, shadow soft and grainy sepia, porcelain skin and especially facial enhancements..

the whole thing about these is play play play experiment and do not forget to paint back details and you can choose your opacity for everything..

here are some examples using these actions: facial enhancement, porcelains skin and pskin hidden.. shadowsoft and grainy etc..

Brenda

[pamela smith]

Brenda,
I just stumbled upon Craigs Actions last night through a link in shutterbug.
I was wondering how they would look on someones images other than his examples, and these look very nice!

[Brenda Westwood]

Thanks Pamela, that's the cool thing about the actions... everyone's preferences are different, more grain, less grain, some like heavily retouched, others just a hint and all of that is possible with the actions.. I know, I sound like I am selling them, but my work improved too after I started using them, I knew what things to look for in the shoot that works well with the effects I like... and also the stuff I was tired of fixing.. hehehe

These actions have paid for themselves over and over. Clients love the porcelain skin and shadowsoft expecially.