Taking Action Photoshop actions automate post-processing workflows and boost creativity. |
by Ken Hubbard |
We live in a 24/7 world, where automation is key to simplifying the repetitive tasks in our day-to-day routine. Photographers who enhance their images in Photoshop may especially covet a streamlined workflow that allows them to focus their efforts on the creative end of photo enhancement instead of on the often-elaborate and monotonous sequence of steps leading up to the final image. |
Enter Photoshop actions, a series of commands performed on an image (or ideally, on a batch of images) that are combined into one simple step in your Actions menu. An action can be as simple as renaming a file or as complex as multiple retouching/color-correcting commands performed to create a specific effect. Actions are created by customizing and recording all commands performed on an image, then saving them under one name. |
For photographers who want to process multiple images using the same effect, Photoshop actions can prove to be an invaluable time-saver (think of all the mouse clicks and keystrokes that would normally be involved in such a batch undertaking). Actions also boost your creativity, allowing you to experiment with different effects and tailor previously created actions to new projects. |
Photoshop actions have ballooned into a huge online industry, with many sites sharing free basic actions and selling more complex ones. On Web sites like Pioneer Woman Photography (www.thepioneerwoman.com) or EZ Actions (www.ezactions.com), you can find many actions that will produce the effects you want quickly. You may even be introduced to effects that perhaps you haven’t learned to create on your own yet. |
Installing and using Photoshop actions is simple: In most cases, you just need to download the file and then double-click on it. Photoshop will then open up the action and place it into your actions tab. |
A Real-Life Test Drive |
Below we show the progression of an image processed using the Actions Pack Set 1, downloaded for free from Pioneer Woman Photography. The images show, in chronological order, the steps involved with actions and how they work to produce the desired effect. |
Image 1: Here is the original, unprocessed image. The goal: to add an old-fashioned feel.
|
Image 2: This shows the Actions tab within Photoshop with a list of preinstalled default actions, as well as some that have been downloaded and installed in my Photoshop program. “Heartland” is the action effect I’d like to apply to this image.
|
Image 3: This image shows all the steps within the Heartland action that have been recorded by the person who created it. As you can see, there are approximately 27 steps that are necessary to create the final desired Heartland effect. If you performed each of these steps individually for just one image, it would be a time-consuming process for even the most skilled Photoshop user. Instead, all of these steps have been condensed down to one step: Just open the image, then click on the Actions tab for the effect you’re looking for.
|
Image 4: This image shows the result of simply clicking on the Heartland action: All 27 commands are launched with just one click. When you open an image and click on a specific action, you will actually witness Photoshop going through all the steps in sequence to create this final image. Don’t be alarmed when you see the image changing quickly in front of your eyes. These steps should only take a few seconds.
|
Image 5: Once Photoshop has gone through this process, it creates a file with layers. This image shows all the layers that were needed to create the final result. Not all actions will need to create layered files, but it’s always important to check the Layers tab to see if it actually has done so. If the action you used did create layers, you’ll need to flatten the image before printing and saving. (The megapixel size of layered files tends to be very large, so flattening the layers will reduce the file size significantly.)
|
Image 6: This image shows the final result of the action: a complex set of Photoshop commands reduced to a simple click in the Actions tab.
|
DIY Actions |
Downloading and using actions you find online can expand your efficiency and creativity. Creating your own actions can also be achieved in a few easy steps, shown below: 1. Open Photoshop file. 2. Click the Actions tab. 3. Click on “New Action.” 4. Name the action and choose what “set” you want the action saved to. 5. Press “Record.” 6. Perform all Photoshop commands to product the desired final effect. 7. Press the Stop button on the Actions tab to stop recording all the commands. |
You will now see the name of the action up in the Actions tab. The action is now ready for future use. |
