Photoshop Actions

[gramps]

How much can be included in a Photoshop 'Action'?
For example can I include a Nik Filter or a Topaz Filter process (using a standard preset)?

 

[Box Brownie]

Purely a general comment ~ post processing is a little like cookery.

Not everyone's recipe produces a dish that all folk will like........so just "do your own thing ....to your taste....." but expect universal acceptance.

PS ooops! just realised you were (also ) talking about creating an "action" preset.......though my thoughts above apply ~ an action or use of it pre-supposes that all the images it is used on will all look equally good to you (and others???).

 

[gramps]

Purely a general comment ~ post processing is a little like cookery.

Not everyone's recipe produces a dish that all folk will like........so just "do your own thing ....to your taste....." but expect universal acceptance.

Yes appreciated, however I'm finding processing a bit tiring and some of my flow is identical, hence Actions might cut down some of the tedium.

 

[Box Brownie]

Yes appreciated, however I'm finding processing a bit tiring and some of my flow is identical, hence Actions mat cut down some of the tedium.

I hear you but though my editing is mainly KISS method I do adjust as needed to suit the image as very few are so close (so to speak) to be the exact same settings.

 

[AceCo55]

I hear you but though my editing is mainly KISS method I do adjust as needed to suit the image as very few are so close (so to speak) to be the exact same settings.

Are you aware that part of an action can stop/pause whilst you make an adjustment suited that that particular image and then move on to the next setting?

For example my Basic action (initiated with a keyboard shortcut) does an Auto levels adjustment then pauses so I can make adjustments (or not) to the levels settings
... then when I press ENTER it brings up and pauses at the "Shadows and Highlights" dialogue box (where I have set some basic default settings) which I can then change to suit the image
... then when I press ENTER again it brings up the "Brightness & Contrast" dialogue box where I can make changes for that particular image
... then when I press ENTER it brings up the "Unsharp Mask" dialogue box where I can make changes to my default settings to suit that particular image.
If I need to make other changes (eg local adjustments) I will do that before or after sharpening depend on what it is.

Then I have another shortcut to an action that saves the image to a particular location.

I have a number of basic processing actions - each with their own shortcut that utilise the pause-and-adjust feature of actions.
So you can most definitely have an action to speed up basic processing WITHOUT every image getting exactly the same settings/treatment.

 

[Box Brownie]

Are you aware that part of an action can stop/pause whilst you make an adjustment suited that that particular image and then move on to the next setting?

For example my Basic action (initiated with a keyboard shortcut) does an Auto levels adjustment then pauses so I can make adjustments (or not) to the levels settings
... then when I press ENTER it brings up and pauses at the "Shadows and Highlights" dialogue box (where I have set some basic default settings) which I can then change to suit the image
... then when I press ENTER again it brings up the "Brightness & Contrast" dialogue box where I can make changes for that particular image
... then when I press ENTER it brings up the "Unsharp Mask" dialogue box where I can make changes to my default settings to suit that particular image.
If I need to make other changes (eg local adjustments) I will do that before or after sharpening depend on what it is.

Then I have another shortcut to an action that saves the image to a particular location.

I have a number of basic processing actions - each with their own shortcut that utilise the pause-and-adjust feature of actions.
So you can most definitely have an action to speed up basic processing WITHOUT every image getting exactly the same settings/treatment.

I stand corrected.....this is what I like about TP, all the wide spread of knowledge and sharing

 

[AceCo55]

How much can be included in a Photoshop 'Action'?
For example can I include a Nik Filter or a Topaz Filter process (using a standard preset)?

I don't have Topaz, but I just created an action in PS that included a Nik Filter.
As I was recording the action, when I got to the point of wanting to use the Nik filter I went to
Filter > Nik Collection > choose filter of your choice
Made changes, saved and it took me back to PS with the action still recording.