Wedding Photo actions

julien

julien

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192
Name
julien
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi,

anyone know a good link to get some photoshop actions from to add some nice effects to wedding photos ?

thanks
 
effects as in adding a different look to a picture. nothing specific really im just interested in trying some new things out as i dont use actions normally
 
What different look? IMHO the "different look" should be mostly created in camera with depth of field and composition, then nicely processed in either colour or black and white. Anything else is going to be a gimmick.
 
petemc said:
What different look? IMHO the "different look" should be mostly created in camera with depth of field and composition, then nicely processed in either colour or black and white. Anything else is going to be a gimmick.
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Wow check out grumps!!

I do agree essentially with what pete is saying but I,m sure you meant enhancements which IMHO is perfectly acceptable, you could try
http://gettotallyrad.com/#rockin-actions-for-adobe-photoshop-7a1d9
http://www.kubotaimagetools.com/

A little expensive but both widely used and well regarded in the wedding profession

Wayne
 
Tried google?
 
jobe said:
I do agree essentially with what pete is saying but I,m sure you meant enhancements which IMHO is perfectly acceptable, you could try
http://gettotallyrad.com/#rockin-actions-for-adobe-photoshop-7a1d9
http://www.kubotaimagetools.com/

A little expensive but both widely used and well regarded in the wedding profession

Wayne
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Enhancements well thats a debatble term. You could enhance the bride by making her look hot if you feel she's ugly. As I said, processing is ok.

You see the issue with those actions is that its very cut n paste photography. Oh sure its well regarded and the people who use them take great photos but they all look the same. Theres no distinction between each photographer because they've all downloaded the same styles. What does one photographer have over the other if they both use the same kit, and both have the identical button to push for processing?
 
The lady hasn't really clarified what she wants, so I'm just going to keep offering what I believe to be useful advice on the topic until someone closes the thread.
 
Christ Pete - I'm still agreeing with you !!! :D

Stand your (our) ground m8

Prior to a viewing, all my images run through only 2 actions (though I admit they are long and complex), one is for colour the other BW

The aim is merely to boost contrast a bit, add 'romance' and a hint of a vignette - the rest of the 'effect' is done at the taking stage

They are my actions too, so I doubt anyone else's look the same - and no, none of this (new for 2008) style are on my website, some things are worth keeping to oneself :LOL:

DD
 
petemc said:
What different look? IMHO the "different look" should be mostly created in camera with depth of field and composition, then nicely processed in either colour or black and white. Anything else is going to be a gimmick.
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Doesn't your "signature" look come from a downloaded plug-in though Pete?
 
Download it and see if your photos look like mine from pushing 1 button.
 
No thanks. I don't want my pictures to look like yours.

But, the OP asked about actions and you seem to take a "get it right in camera" stance, which I agree with but the majority of the pictures you post on here rely heavily on post processing. I just don't understand the disconnect.
 
grumpybadger said:
No thanks. I don't want my pictures to look like yours.
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They wouldn't. Sort of the point I was getting at because its not a case of pushing 1 button in Photomatix. Its also not a plugin.

But, the OP asked about actions and you seem to take a "get it right in camera" stance, which I agree with but the majority of the pictures you post on here rely heavily on post processing. I just don't understand the disconnect.
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I don't use downloaded actions though. I also don't use HDR for weddings, and this is a wedding thread. Weddings are about getting the photo right in camera regarding composition and depth of field as I said. Then you nicely process them in colour or b&w.
 
petemc said:
The processing is an action bought from Totally Rad
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Is what is confusing me Pete. Nothing wrong with actions and I always think the image produced has to stand on its own merit and not on the journey it took to get there but I am still puzzled by your stance on this.

I can't comment on actions for weddings as I hate people - so am not best suited to wedding photography!
 
You really should have kept reading that thread.

Also I've made the decision to dump the original style I was using for this 365. I found a group of photographers who use it and what hit me was that you couldn't tell their work apart. Its totally download a style and off you go. I don't like that. People say they like the processing on these photos and all I did was push f8 to run the action. That doesn't feel right. So I'm dumping it and going back to learning more rather than coping out.
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Yer I felt that it was a bad idea to be using a downloaded action. Cut & paste photography isn't for me. Its too easy to do that really. Its better to be inspired and create than to simply download and replicate.
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OK, fair point Pete. I don't think that was written when I read the thread a couple of weeks back. Credit to you for going back to original style.
 
ok to start with im not sure why you would think someone with the name Julien would be a woman. :)

to clarify the effects i meant were for example different styles of black and white processes which ive found lots of and also things like adding a little luminence to the white of the brides dress. nothing too major but as i dont normally use actions and wouldnt have a clue how to create my own thats why i asked on here. thanks for all the input even though it did stray a little off course :)
 
Your best bet then is asking how to best do B&W in Photoshop rather than rely on actions. You'll learn from it and develop your own style.
 
You could try looking at deviantart too. There are loads of Photoshop actions in there that can be downloaded for free. I would also agree that you shouldn't rely on someone else's action to give you a "look", but looking at what, and how, these actions do things can often help you define your own style or build your own actions.
 
This thread reminds me of some horrendous wedding pics I have been shown recently. Dodgy PS work to say the least. One involved the happy couple in one third of the landscape frame, surrounded by a peach coloured oval aperture, around the couple, and some very dodgy blurring going on to attempt to blend the two. It was truly awful.

I agree with what's already been said. Try and get what you're after from your camera as much as possible first. Then process to your, and your couples taste afterwards. Try not to rely on PS to turn a snap shot into a pro looking wedding shot. It will only end in tears (or laughter from the real pros :cautious:).
 
95% of our work is done is camera, i was basically looking for some fresh ideas. we have been taking wedding photos for 4-5 years now and i was looking at options for some new manipulation.

we really dont rely on photoshop i promise.

i managed to find a few actions which work really well and im going to study how to create my own actions as to make them unique to us i hope.

thanks for all the pointers
 
kissfoto said:
Pete you make some fair points but maybe you have to give the customer what they want and if that's a certain 'style' then who are we to argue with them, styles and fashions change as do actions...
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I'm the photographer they're hiring. If they want a certain style they come to me. If they want another style, they go somewhere else. I'm not about to start doing selective colouring, stupid wedding cliches or turn up in a clown outfit just because you're supposed to give the customer what they want.
 
petemc said:
I'm the photographer they're hiring. If they want a certain style they come to me. If they want another style, they go somewhere else. I'm not about to start doing selective colouring, stupid wedding cliches or turn up in a clown outfit just because you're supposed to give the customer what they want.
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Nobody is suggesting you turn up in a clown outfit, even though that might fit the bill, you credit everyday people with knowing something about photography, they don't, they just know what they like, if thats what 'you' produce then well and good, but more often than not they want the look their friends have got on their pictures, pretty standard and can be achieved quickly by the tog using standard actions.
 
Actually all my previous wedding clients hired me for my style, not because its what their friends got. People don't hire me to produce something they can get elsewhere. People hire me to produce what I do best. I've had clients say "Can you do it like this?" and I've explained to them why I feel its not a good look. They're hiring me as a photographer, not me as a guy who can use a camera. Processing is a big part of that. I also don't use downloaded actions from other people. By the way, I think you're keyboard is broke. That is a lot of commas.
 
petemc said:
Actually all my previous wedding clients hired me for my style, not because its what their friends got. People don't hire me to produce something they can get elsewhere. People hire me to produce what I do best. I've had clients say "Can you do it like this?" and I've explained to them why I feel its not a good look. They're hiring me as a photographer, not me as a guy who can use a camera. Processing is a big part of that. I also don't use downloaded actions from other people. By the way, I think you're keyboard is broke. That is a lot of commas.
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You only can see one point of view, your own, no point to go any further with this... and here are a few more ,,,,,,, :thumbsdown:
 
julien said:
Hi,

anyone know a good link to get some photoshop actions from to add some nice effects to wedding photos ?

thanks
Click to expand...

Now that you have read all that, what do you intend to do?
 
rh1944 said:
Now that you have read all that, what do you intend to do?
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Hopefully give the customer what they want and pay for ... :shrug:

If a bride wants selective colouring .... Then let her have it!

If she wants a vignette, yeah you guessed it .... Let her have it.

If she wants to get married in a brown dress .... ?????

It's supposed to be the best day of her life .... Not the photographers ... :nono:
 
hypnotic said:
Hopefully give the customer what they want and pay for ... :shrug:

If a bride wants selective colouring .... Then let her have it!

If she wants a vignette, yeah you guessed it .... Let her have it.

If she wants to get married in a brown dress .... ?????

It's supposed to be the best day of her life .... Not the photographers ... :nono:
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Took the words right out of my mouth, Kevin.

What the bride wants, goes. If she hired a cake-maker .. the cake-maker would make the cake that the bride wanted...... not what she herself wanted. thats ludicrous.
 
Janice said:
Took the words right out of my mouth, Kevin.

What the bride wants, goes. If she hired a cake-maker .. the cake-maker would make the cake that the bride wanted...... not what she herself wanted. thats ludicrous.
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My sentiments exactly, they pay the photographer for his skill at bringing ''their'' wishes to life... (y) for that you don't have to have a clown suit on, maybe a dinner jacket LOL :bonk:
 
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