photoshop – Page 5 – Gavtrain.com

Painted Corner Brushes – Friday Freebie

Here’s a painted border effect with a neat twist. First up these are paint brushes rather then a template and that means you can change the colour, opacity and use them with the Brush or Eraser tools. There’s four brushes in this set so you get one for each corners or mix and match to vary the effect.

You can download the brushes here: Painted Corners – GAVTRAIN

The brushes will work with all versions of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements however users of Photoshop CS6, CC and beyond will have the advantage of being able to increase the brush size to a maximum of 5000 pixels and getting bigger borders.

I’ve made a short video as a guide to installing the brushes and a few tips on how to use them. I hope it helps.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkr4rmZef9E&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

Usage rules
The brush set is copyright Gavin Hoey 2014. Use is limited to any personal, non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original action without my permission.

Download instructions
The direct link to download the actions is https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Painted-Corners-GAVTRAIN.zip

You must UNZIP the action before installing it in Photoshop / PS Elements

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer 🙂

Creased and Folded Action – Friday Freebie

In the real world folding a photo isn’t a smart move unless it’s heading for the bin. However in the mad cap world of Photoshop you can virtually fold a photo any time you like.

With this Friday Freebie Photoshop action folding and creasing a photo is a simple one click affair. Not only that but you’ll also get a border and some fancy shadow effects to enhance the 3D feel. The action is one of the longer ones I’ve made for a Friday Freebie and may take a minute or two to run but the wait and the effort to make it is worthwhile.

You can download the action here: Creased and folded

To use the action, start with the photo you wish to use already open in Photoshop and then play the action. The first thing it does is make a copy of your photo so the original will be untouched and safe. There’s a lot of things for Photoshop to do with this action so it may take a minute or two to run through. DO NOT switch to another image whilst running the action.

There are no options or controls for this action but at the end you will be left with several layers, so if you need to make any adjustments to the final effect you can.

As with most actions, the size of your image will effect the final effect. Smaller images with less the 2000 pixels on the longest edge are best avoided. Personally I’d also steer clear of portrait format images, this action works best with wide but not too wide shots.

The action will work with Photoshop CC, CS6, CS4, CS4, CS3 and should work with Photoshop Elements 11 and beyond too.

Usage rules
The action is copyright Gavin Hoey 2014. Use is limited to any personal, non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original action without my permission.

Download instructions
The direct link to download the actions is https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Creased-and-folded.zip

You must UNZIP the action before installing it in Photoshop / PS Elements

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer 🙂

Cracked Photoshop Brushes

Cracked and pealing paint always draw me in as a photographer so here’s a great Friday freebie which combines a selection of my peeling paint photo and turns them into cracked Photoshop brushes. These brushes are full resolution and can be used to paint, erase or mask to create all sorts of effects.

Full download instructions are below or Click Here to DOWNLOAD THE CRACKED BRUSH SET

If you like your graphic design then those photo real cracked paint brushes will have plenty of uses and Photographers will find them handy to. For example the photo above was given an aged and distressed look by applying the brushes on a layer set to Overlay blending mode. The cut corner border is a previous Friday Freebie Photoshop action which has also been aged with the cracked brushes and Lighten layer blending mode.

These Brushes will work in any version of Photoshop and they’re fully compatible with Photoshop Elements too!

As always, if you create a photo using the Friday Freebie then let me (and everyone else) know by leaving the link in the comments below.

Usage rules
The brushes are copyright Gavin Hoey 2014. Use is limited to any personal but non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original image without my permission.

Download instructions
1. Click the link https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Cracked-Brushes.zip to download

2. Save the brushes to your desktop

3. Unzip the file

4. Open in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

5. Install the brushes (This link will help if you don’t know how)

6. Enjoy!

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer

Paper Texture – Friday Freebie

We have a small collection of old books in our house which is slowly growing. Each one has aged differently and most have some wonderful textures hidden inside, which means I’m never short of photo inspiration. This weeks Friday freebie is a combination of two pages which gives a brilliant vintage feel when added to a photo.

Full download instructions are below but you can also Click Here To Download the Paper Texture

This texture works best when blended with photos that have plenty of light colours, so that’ll be skies or in this case a light coloured wall. In the photo above I used the Overlay blending mode but you can get great results with multiply and even Divide mode too. Just try them all and see what works.

As always, if you create a photo using the Friday Freebie then let me (and everyone else) know by leaving the link in the comments below.

Usage rules
The image is copyright Gavin Hoey 2014. Use is limited to any personal but non-commercial purposes. Please share the Friday Freebie by linking back to this page. Do not redistribute the original image without my permission.

Download instructions
Click the link https://www.dropbox.com/s/9vozzrhjv99xuzo/FF-Book-Texture.zip to take you to the Dropbox download page (no sign up is needed)

1. Click the Download button

2. Save the template to your hard drive

3. Unzip the file

4. Open in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

5. Paste on to your photo

6. Resize (CTRL+T) and change the Layer Blending mode as needed.

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer

Instant Photo Collage Action – Friday Freebie

It’s a case of two for the price of one with this Friday freebie Photoshop action as I’ve recorded a version for portrait (upright) and landscape (wide) format images. This action is an extension of the four part split action I made a few weeks back and generates a collage of small scattered prints from one single photo. There’s also the option at slightly alter the exposure of each print which really adds to the effect.

You can download the action here: photo-collage-gavtrain

To use the action, start with the photo you wish to use already open in Photoshop and then play the landscape or portrait version of the action as appropriate. The first thing it does is make a copy of your photo so the original will be untouched and safe. There’s a lot of things for Photoshop to do with this action so it may take a minute or two to run through. DO NOT switch to another image whilst running the action.

Towards the end of the action you’ll be given the option to automatically adjust the exposure of each print, it’s a subtle effect but well worth doing. After the action is run you’ll notice plenty of layers which I’ve left so you can move, alter and tweak to vary the effect to your taste.

As with most actions, the size of your image will effect the final effect small images (less pixels) will get a bigger border and wider shadow although these settings can always be adjusted after the action has completed.

The action will work with Photoshop CC, CS6, CS4, CS4, CS3 and should work with Photoshop Elements 11 and beyond too.

Download instructions
The direct link to download the actions is https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo-collage-gavtrain.zip

You must UNZIP the action before installing it in Photoshop / PS Elements

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer 🙂

Home Studio Essentials – Episode 2

Speedlites and flash units are great but after a while the hard light they produce can become a bit limiting. In part 1 of my home studio essential skills I used a bare flash but now it’s time to add an umbrella. It’s almost certainly the first light modifier you’ll buy and for good reason. They’re very versatile, quick to set up and fold down nice and small which makes them perfect for mobile and small home studio set ups.

Umbrellas come in two basic types, ones you bounce light into (reflective) and translucent umbrellas that you shoot light through. Whichever you use they soften the light by increasing the size of the light relative to the size of the subject. In other words, the bigger the umbrella the softer the light and the closer you get it to your subject the softer the light.

In this video I use a shoot through umbrella to create two very different looks. The first is a moody low key shot but it’s the second, more evenly lit shot that I love and it took lots of balls to make… about 50 colourful plastic balls to be precise!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur58XNQwMXA&list=UU8Pksdbj37CdE00kmE7Z1dw[/youtube]

For this series of videos I want you to do more then just watch it, I’m hoping you’ll get your camera and take a photo based on the ideas you see in the video. That might be the lighting set up, the models pose or the Photoshop post processing. If you do (and you’re on Facebook) then please add them to Adorama’s Facebook page. I’ll be checking it regularly and giving constructive feedback on as many as possible

Gear used in this video (Links back to Adorama)

Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Ws Creative Collection (Includes flash, battery, trigger, boom etc)

Canon 5D Mark 2

Canon 24-105L

If like me you like to keep a visual record of you’re lighting set ups then this image should come in very handy.

Pile of Prints Action – Friday Freebie

Here’s a lovely little Photoshop action which produces a very pleasing effect, all with one click of the mouse. Back in the day I recall the joy and frustration of getting a pile of prints back from the developers and sorting them into a pile of keepers and a big pile of photos fit only for the bin.

You can download the action here: Pile of prints – gavtrain

This action works best on landscape format images but will work on upright format photos too. As with most actions, the size of your image will effect the final effect and I’d suggest starting with a photo 3000 pixels (longest edge) or bigger.

The action will work with Photoshop CC, CS6, CS4, CS4, CS3 and should work with Photoshop Elements but I have yet to test that.

Download instructions
The direct link to download the actions is https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Pile-of-prints-gavtrain.zip

No support is provided with the Friday Freebies. If you need help Google or YouTube the question and you’ll almost certainly find the answer 🙂

Home Studio Essentials – Episode 1

Very few photographers have access to a professional studio but lots of us enjoy shooting portraits and so all over the world spare bedrooms, garages and front rooms are regularly converted from their intended use into makeshift small studios.

These small spaces can produce stunning photos but they come with their own unique set of problems and challenges. More often then not the home studio photographer may also feel restricted by owning a small range of lighting gear and using friends or family as models but truth be told that’s not the handicap it might at first appear.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR4DW7dXOsk&list=UU8Pksdbj37CdE00kmE7Z1dw[/youtube]

This is the first of a mini series of videos I’ve made for Adorama TV in which I work within the limitations of a small home studio. Over the coming weeks I’ll be dealing with the challenge of controlling light in a small space, working with amateur models and in this video, shooting without light modifiers.

Gear used in this video (Links back to Adorama)

Flashpoint StreakLight 360 Ws Creative Collection (Includes flash, battery, trigger, boom etc)

Canon 5D Mark 2

Canon 24-105L

Frio Cold Shoe

Black rapid RS-7 Strap

If like me you like to keep a visual record of you’re lighting set ups then this image should come in very handy.

Summer Workshops

With summer just a round the corner I’m really looking forward to getting out and shooting some photos but I’m also excited about teaching photography and meeting photographers at some of the workshops I have around the UK. These all day events are on top of my usual evening camera club talks and are either practical workshops or all day demos, either way if you’re coming along do bring a camera, a note book and a willingness to get involved!

DATE: 15th June 2014
LOCATION: Foxton, Nr. Cambridge
DESCRIPTION: A day photography and Photoshop tips, techniques and demonstrations.
ORGANISED BY: The Royal Photographic Society
WEBSITE: http://www.rps.org/events/2014/june/15/taking-and-making-creative-photographs

DATE: 28th June 2014
LOCATION: Chester
DESCRIPTION: Create amazing photos by pouring, splashing and adding things to water
ORGANISED BY: Welshot Imaging
WEBSITE: http://www.welshotimaging.co.uk/event/make-create-water-workshop-gavin-hoey

DATE: 29th June 2014
LOCATION: Chester
DESCRIPTION: A day of photo challenges, fun and learning around the city of Chester.
ORGANISED BY: Welshot Imaging
WEBSITE: http://www.welshotimaging.co.uk/event/gavin-hoey-chester-challenge-photography-post-processing-day

DATE: 20th July 2014
LOCATION: Gatwick
DESCRIPTION: Get up close and inside some classic aircraft at the Gatwick Aviation Museum,
ORGANISED BY: Gavtrain
WEBSITE: https://www.gavtrain.com

Manhattan 15 Minute Photo Challenge

So here it is, the last video from a my short visit to New York. Actually this was the first video I made whilst out there but for reasons that are a bit of a mystery to me, this has only just been uploaded to Adorama TV.

The location for this 15 minute photo challenge was Madison Square Park (23rd and 5th) which has the iconic Flatiron building at one end. It’s just a few blocks away from the Adorama store, so when myself and Claude (Adorama’s brilliant video guy) found ourselves surplus to requirements during the set up for my Adorama TV Live workshop, we took the opportunity to shoot a 15 minute challenge video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEuDnBH7jQI&list=UU8Pksdbj37CdE00kmE7Z1dw[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click here http://youtu.be/xEuDnBH7jQI

Equipment used in this video (Links to Adorama)

Canon 60D

Canon 24-105L

Black Rapid Curve (RS-7) Strap