Hey Girl, Nice Shot

MCP Action Releases Finish It Actions Set

Last week I was a lucky recipient of the MCP Actions Finish It action set sneak preview.  I had a little time to use this new action set and am excited about it.

If you are not familiar with MCP Actions definitely check out their site.  Jodi Friedman has created a bunch of different action sets designed to help with both your editing and finishing of your images.

Not long ago she released the Blog It Boards which let you create compositions of photos in a web sized designs.  And while I liked them and occasionally use them - I still have a fairly narrow blog so I tend to show one image at a time.  Add in wanting to also upload the same images to my facebook fan page and I again, am stuck wanting to display individual images.

So her new action set is perfect really for me.  Here's her description...

As a photographer, your blog and website are two of your best marketing tools. So, make your images look the best they can online by using the Finish It actions. This spectacular set of actions makes it easy to prepare your photos for the web.

Included in this set is a choice of 35 finishing touches to make your images fit the style of your blog post. From thin frames to color bars to rounded edges, you can choose what is best for you and any particular image. Heck, you can even change the colors too! Within every action, your image is automatically sharpened for the web, converted to sRGB for best monitor colors, re-sized to fit a blog, and provides the option to include your logo if desired.

And finally, it also includes 8 actions that will re-size your final web image to fit most standard blog and site sizes from small to large photos. Yes, we have thought of everything you may need at your fingertips to make preparing beautiful images for the web easy and fast!

And she was not kidding.  I ran her actions on some of my photos from last week and I'm loving the results.  And they are so quick.  If you are thinking that you know how to create a color block yourself in Photoshop you might be rights...but there is a MAJOR time savings in having a bunch of them in easy and quick actions.

  

This image was processed using the Round It Oval action.

 

This one was using the Build It Color Block which allows you to choose the color of your block each time you run it.

 
And probably my favorite....the Build It Rounded Color Block!

Jodi launched these new actions today so they are now available for purchase.  And better yet...she even has them available for Photoshop Elements in addition to Photoshop CS!

MCP Actions: New Multiple Choice Actions

Today, MCP Actions releases their newest set of actions: Bag of Tricks.  These actions include some GREAT skin correction actions such as "Sunburn Vanisher" and "Shiny Skin Vanisher".  In addition you can give your color a POP with the color finder actions.  Add in come bleaching options, and some fun options for skies and you have a well rounded set of actions ready to help you give your photos additional life.

I'm currently loading the 1000 pictures taken today by my associates and I so I can't wait to go in and start using these actions as part of my regular processing.  I can definitely see the skin corrections and bleaching options as being a great addition to the actions I already use.  I was able to get a beta version of these actions to try them out and they are very robust.  I still need to actually go back and read the manual but I did do one play on a photo of my daughter to just get a feel for them.

  

I think I will go back and still do a little play with her skin but it was VERY fast going from the straight from the camera above to this vivid version below. I used: Magic Light, Magic Color Finder, Magical Clarity, Pot of Gold.

If you do not already visit the MCP Actions blog, you should definitely add it to your "must read" list.  Jodi gives out LOTS of tips and tutorials for post processing and many do not require you to have any other tools like these actions...but it does make the job go faster.  Definitely visit the MCP Actions site to see some FANTASTIC examples of photos edited with these actions, and the formulas that were used.

Animoto Special Offer

One of my first video-in-video Animoto videos is currently being featured on the Case Studies page on the animoto website for photographers.  And to help celebrate, animoto has given me a great deal to pass on to you!!!!  A free month when you sign up for the 3 month package.  Three months is plenty of time to learn that you are going to LOVE animoto, but 4 for the price of 3 is even better.  If you've been putting off signing up for your commercial account, do it now!

To get an extra month on a 3-month package, enter the promo code:

heygirl

at:

animoto.com/photography/upgrade

The code is good until October 16th.

When I was focusing on print sales, I included the animoto video as a bonus when they purchased one of my packages.  My packages were priced to be where I wanted to be with my average sales and this was a great way to add value.  Now that I am concentrating on digital sales, I include the music video only with the full length session which encourages clients to sign up for a full length session instead of the just a lower cost mini-sessions.  How are you using these videos if you have already signed up?

After all that focus talk...

After talking about setting focus points in the previous post "The Importance of Focus" I thought I would do a quick search and see if there was a handy video that would show you how to set your focus points.  Turns out there is!!!  

(for RSS subscribers, you can see the video on YouTube here)

I came across this video on YouTube that is a quick and simple explanation of how to change your focus points. The guy in the video is using a Canon 40D but I think it is the same on any of the Canon cameras.  One thing I wanted to note is that towards the end of the video he talks about setting your focus and recomposing the picture.  I will say that I did that ALL the time with my Canon 50mm 1.4 lens with fantastic results.  At the time I just left it on center point focusing and always recomposed.  However, my Canon 50mm 1.2L does NOT like it if I try to do that.  I had a really hard time with missing my focus when I first got it because I tried to use the same way that I did my 1.4 but now that I just change the focus point frequently and don't recompose my photos has been much sharper!  Your results may vary.

If you are shooting at open apertures, you MUST get you focus down.  When you have such a shallow depth of field, letting the camera choose what to focus on will WILL will result in unfocused faces and eyes.  The camera is usually going to focus on the closest poing which may be your subject's arms or nose...in either caes, the eyes would not have the sharpest focus.  In most cases you are going to want the eyes to be in focus!  So this is a skill that is essential for you to master!

New Product | Urban Textures

This is a little something I have been working on for a while and I'm so excited to finally launch it.

My very own collection of TEXTURES available for purchase from this site.

I love working with textures and I put together this collection from original images I photographed in the area surrounding my loft.  Visit the Urban Texture Collection page for more information on purchasing the 13 texture files, view examples of the textures, and see a video tutorial on how to use textures in Photoshop.

(Edited Image with No Texture)

(Sample with Warm Rain Texture applied at 100%)

(Pocket of Dust Texture applied at 100%)

See more examples and purchase with online download on the Urban Texture Collection information page.

Remember when I was talking about how fab the Totally Rad Actions Dirty Pictures Photoshop Plug-in looked?  Well, if you have already bought Dirty Pictures, you can actually add these textures into that plug in.  And textures are so addictive once you get going with them!!!

The Importance of Focus

This week I am emphasizing the importance of concentrating on focus with my associate photographers and thought I would include the same information here on the blog

How many of you show your clients pictures from the back of the camera as you go?  Well, do it with caution.  Because sometimes a picture that looks great on the back of the camera is not actually client worthy when you go back and start reviewing your images.

As I review the images from a shoot in Lightroom, I rate the ones I want to edit so I can filter them out later.  And when I see a photo I want to include I always zoom in on the face at 100%.  The reason?  Because some photos may look fine web sized BUT actually have the focus be off just a little bit.  Here is an example...

These two pictures were taken within seconds of each other.  The web sized versions look pretty much the same.  But above them are the 100% crops of one eye from each baby.  Notice what a big difference there is in the focus.  The first picture the eye is MUCH sharper and you can see a little crud to the right of the eye.  The second photo is clearly not in focus and you can't even see where that crud is.  So if you had not viewed the image at 100% before showing it to the client, you are setting yourself up for a bad situation - especially if they decide they want to order a large print. 

So, be sure you check your focus carefully before showing your client your images.  I have noticed a number of new photographers that seem to have very soft focus in their images. Focus is something that you should definitely not compromise on.

Both photos taken with the Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 50mm 1.2L Lens.

Animoto Video Samples

Last week I blogged about Animoto's new feature where you can add video into your musical slideshows.  I was really excited to give it a try so I made sure to shoot some video this weekend both at the portrait session I had Saturday morning, and when I took my kids to the zoo on Sunday.  Now that I've made these slideshows I can picture how I can really incorporate more video work into my shoots.  I'm so excited about this.

Since my Canon 5D Mark II has the built in video capabilities, during my shoot on Saturday I would just switch over to video, shoot a quick 15 seconds or so of video, and then switch back over to take pictures. I do not use Live View when shoot pictures.

So here is my first sample using client photos.  I had this session on Saturday morning with an 18 month old girl.  The video portions are of her dancing around in two of the four outfits, and generally running around in a third outfit.  I think in the future I would love to do some more "behind the scenes" type video combined with the finished images. 

18 Month Portrait Session from Jessica Grieves on Vimeo.

I also took my camera to the zoo with me this weekend to try to take some pictures and video of the visit with my children.  They are 2.5 yrs and 4.5 years so they LOVE visiting the zoo.  And since we are members we go frequently so they know lots of the animals.  I took pictures of some of the animals and some video of the lion training and the kids riding on the carousel.  I think this would be a great and fairly easy way to create video slideshows too.

Houston Zoo Visit - August 30, 2009 from Jessica Grieves on Vimeo.

I think this is a great addition to the Animoto feature set.  I would love to see more granular controls on the video length timing but otherwise it was super easy to add in a segment and you have the choice whether to include the sound or not.  Give it a try!  Come back and comment with a link to your video - I'd love to see how others are using this!

Totally Rad Actions Add Texture

So, it is no surprise to learn how much I love my totally rad actions.  There are a few that are essential to my "look" and then I like to use many of the others when I want to add in some variety.

Recently they announced that they were going to add a new tool to their product offerings: Dirty Pictures.  Essentially it is a tool that will allow you to more easily manage the texture that you are applying to your images.  Now that I'm doing more urban shoots I have found that I apply textures to a LOT More of my photography.  And I really like the look so I've started adding more to my everyday photography too  So, I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on this and adding it to my toolset - I think it will save me a lot of time.

(Photo by Jessica Grieves, Bubblegum Tree Photography)

Some things that really stood out to me about the features set:

• You can add your own textures.  So, if like me, you have built up a collection of textures, you can add those in and use them in addition to the predefined options.
• You can add your own preview images.  It comes with some pre-defined images for previewing how the texture will look when applied to the image.  But if you have a few favorite spots for pictures why not replace what's there with your own samples to see how the texture will look on your own images.

You can watch the video showing this tool on the Get Totally Rad Blog!

Seniors, Seniors, Seniors

For some reason I avoided senior portrait photography for a long long time.  Well consider me a convert!!!

Senior portraits have changed a LOT since I was in high school.  Our senior portraits were done at the school.  You went in and were draped in a black wrap and had about 10 pictures taken of which you picked the one that you would use for your yearbook and for your announcements.  Blah.

Now senior portraits have so much more personality!  They are more fashion photography meets portraits.  And seniors don't run away when you try to take their picture!!!  

I had my first senior session about a week ago.  She showed up with luggage, hanging garments, bags filled with jewelry, and bags of shoes.  It was awesome. 

I would have been FAR more nervous about it but Natalie sent me her Senior Solutions Guide to help get me started!!!  I got the posing guide printed at WHCC so I could flip through for some ideas.  Unfortunately I had a touch of food poisoning the day of my shoot so I was sick in my bed all morning but I still had a chance to brush up on some ideas before the session which was mid-afternoon.

As it turns out, I have plenty to talk to a senior girl about. After all, some of my favorite shows are Gossip Girl and America's Next Top Model.  Yeah, I'm 34 going on 17.  LOL.

And it seems like information on how to approach senior sessions can be found all over this month!

Check out:

• Natalie B's Senior Solutions Guide
• MCP Actions Blog: How to Pose Seniors
• PPA Magazine Current Issue: Focus on Seniors

Here are a couple of pictures from my session...

And, of course, I did an animoto video of the photos too which I posted to Facebook as well...

For this shooot I used:

• Canon 5D Mark II
• Canon 50mm 1.2L Lens
• Canon 20-35mm Lens
• Impact 32" Reflector Disk

For editing I used the Jesh de Rox Textures, and the Totally Rad Actions.

I've heard tattoos are addictive...

And I think maybe actions are too.  I just can't get enough of them.  I think it is fun to see pictures in a different "light" and actions are a fun quick way to achieve that.  A couple of weeks ago Jodi at MCP Actions sent me a sneak preview of her new action collection "All in the Details".  Since I was sitting down proofing a bunch of pictures today I picked a couple to try out the new actions collection and they are fantastic.

It is no surprise that the Extreme Color was a fast favorite.  I also liked the Urban a bunch.  I can't wait to try more of them out.  I have more and more urban shoots now that I have a downtown loft so I can see these being a fun way to pump up those pictures!

Click on the image below to see a bigger version!  And check out MCP Actions blog to see lots more samples and to buy your own set!