Playing with Photoshop

I started this other blog.  It's for Project 365.  With the idea that you take a photo a day.  More often than not.  I get to the end of the day without a photo.  And not much of an idea for what might be interesting to post.  And then I thought I might use it as a spot to play with the actions that I downloaded for photoshop.  Yes.  I have photoshop.  But I have absolutely no idea as to how to use it.  There is not a button to push that says "Make this brighter."  Or "get rid of the blur."  Or even "make it pretty."  How I wish there were buttons like these.

One of the buttons that I really wish I had was "make the ______ part in this black and white picture colorized." I think that with as much as photoshop costs, it should just know where the flower or fountain or bird is in the picture.  And if I want the black and white picture to have a pop of color.  It should just know how to do it.

Photoshop through osmosis.  That is what I really want.  Sigh.  Unfortunately.  It does not exist.  But.  I did find a fabulous tutorial.  And look at what I created today.

Adventures in Photoshop

You would think that sitting here at my kitchen table, typing away on my laptop, would be an inexpensive venture. But, the blogosphere has set off some rather pricey cravings. I am going to need to rob a bank win the lottery so that I can travel the world, buy more lenses for my camera, get Teaching Company dvds, and buy Photoshop. Oh wait...I've already indulged in photoshop. But I have absolutely no idea as to how to use it. I am in desperate need of a class. Or a pool boy to hold my hand and tell me which buttons to push. Did I just say a pool boy? Yep...thought so.

A few weeks ago, over at Pioneer Woman's website, I downloaded "actions" (which were free...Free is my husband's favorite word. Right up there with "I have a coupon.") for Photoshop. Actions are...well...I really don't know. I think they are basically a group of things that you find yourself doing over and over again to your photos...so you can group them and do them all at once with the click of a button. I really needed that Pool boy (maybe we should call him photoshop boy) to explain how to get them into photoshop once I downloaded them. That was an afternoon adventure all on its own.

Over the weekend, I was playing with the actions - and thought you might want to see what they can do. And maybe I will inspire someone to go out and buy photoshop. And then you can explain to me how it works.

Here is a picture from the strawberry patch. And using the words of Pioneer woman - this is the straight out of the camera shot (SOOC):

The first action I tried is called "fresh and colorful." I really like this one with people. It's pretty nice with strawberries, too:

The action really does what it's called - makes those berries look quite devine.

The next one I tried is called "lovely and etheral." This one doesn't really give it that pop. But it's still an improvement over the SOOC shot: Next up: "soft and faded." I like this one. It would be really cool if I could figure out how to just make the berries redder - but keep the background like this. But I don't know how. Go take a class and then get back to me. Please.
Then I tried "define and sharpen." This is a simple action with some quick results. I really like this one...but not quite as much as the "fresh and colorful."
Then I did one last tweak...and gave the defined and sharpened image a quick edge burn:What do you think? What's your favorite?