INSTALL YOUR PHOTOSHOP ACTIONS
Download your actions from the provided link to your computer
Open photoshop and go to “window” - “actions”
In the top right corner of the actions palette click on the 4 small lines to bring up the actions palette dropdown menu
Click on “load actions”
Select the actions that you previously saved to your computer (the.atn files)
Click “open” and your actions will be loaded
The actions will remain in photoshop unless the action files are deleted from the place where you stored them
STEP ONE
Two options to download - from the order confirmation page or from the email with the download link
STEP ONE
step TWO
STEP THREE
STEP FOUR
USING THE ACTIONS
Open the image you would like to edit (often in Camera Raw I do the following to all my images: bring down exposure a touch, add 7pts of clarity, and desaturate by about 5). Once you are in Photoshop open the Actions palette from the Window Menu drop down. Select the action you would like to run and click the triangle play button. The action automatically runs and creates layer options for you to customize the look of your image. At the end of the running of most actions an eyedropper tool appears that requires you to select a vignette color. Select a color from the edge of the image where it is naturally slightly darker.
The Lighten, Darken and Desaturate layers are turned off. To apply these layers click on the small square to the left of the layer until an eye appears. Then adjust the opacity. You can also invert the layer (command + I) so when you use the brush only the areas which you brush over apply the layer effect.
HELPFUL PHOTOSHOP TIPS AND SHORTCUTS:
Pressing the letter ‘D’ resets your foreground and background color to black and white (they need to be set on black and white for brushing on or off masked layers).
Clicking letter ‘X’ switches the foreground and background colors.
Pressing letter “B” selects the brush tool.
Changing opacity of the brush tool allows for more control over the applied layers.
Command + I inverts masked layers. For the Lighten, Darken and Desaturate layers, you can unapply the whole layer at once by inverting. And then brush on the areas where you want the effect applied.
Use “SKIN SMOOTH” sparingly. Keeping texture makes for a more dynamic and natural appearing image.
The areas of customization for many of the actions are Vignette, Haze, Highlights, Sharpen, Smooth Skin, Shadows, Darken, Lighten and Desaturate. These can be adjusted in anyway, but to see a few ways the actions can be used visit the Image Recipe page.
