Photoshop Actions

What Are They and How Do I Use Them?

Adobe Photoshop Actions exploit one of the true joys of computing...

If you own a copy of Photoshop and haven't explored the Actions Palette yet, it's time for you to be guided step-by-step towards dramatic enhancements in your workflow.

Enjoy the simple fact that if you perform a task once, you can tell a computer to do it exactly the same again, as many times as you wish!

There are few things more satisfying in the digital imaging world than to record your every step on one image, knowing that you won't have to do it again.

Once those steps are recorded in the Actions Palette, it's simply blissful to set Photoshop repeating those same steps over and over and over (!) again while you do nothing more than walk to the kettle and, erm, switch it on.

As the image above suggests, my guess is that you will repeatedly find yourself performing any of the following tasks when working with digital photographs:

• Resample photos for your website that are perfectly sized and sharpened;
• Resample photos for Facebook, also perfectly sized and sharpened;
• Optimise for print at a specific size;
• Sharpen for print output;
• Prepare a JPEG at the ideal size for emailing;
• Duplicate, flatten and save a layered file.

The list is endless and I could go on. These are but a few examples of mundane, functional tasks.

Isn't it great to know that you can record them once using Photoshop Actions and, in future, simply hit Play in the Actions Palette and let Photoshop handle it all for you?

Of course, there are also creative ways to use Actions too. For example:

• You could add luminance to your work with a gentle diffused glow;
• Or how about an elegant stocking net appearance?
• Perhaps a classic vintage look?
• Or maybe you would like to see a highly contemporary look with lots of bite?

Again, the possibilities are limited only by our imagination.

Step by Step

Among these pages, I will teach you how to use Adobe Photoshop Actions in my step-by-step eBooks.

Newly published in July 2011, I'm already receiving wonderful comments and feedback for Part 1 of my three part series, Action Basics.

Downloadable Actions

Fancy trying some Actions that I've made?

Take a look at my new Photoshop Actions Downloads Collection and get yourself on the path to a truly streamlined workflow!

My Actions cut to the chase and get the job done in the most elegant, effective manner.

I have just released two awesome Actions to Resize Photos for Facebook that are certainly worth a look...

The collection is brand new, so keep coming back to see the new additions.

Remember, you can even ask me to make Photoshop Actions to perform a specific task.

If it looks as though your request would also be useful to other visitors, then I may well write it for you and add it to The Collection!

I hope you enjoy this new section of my site.

As always, any comments and feedback are gratefully received either by using the Contact Form or the new Facebook Comments feature at the bottom of every page...

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