photoshop – Page 6 – Gavtrain.com

Cut Corners Action

You know how some ideas sound easy until you try and make them happen, well this Friday Freebie Photoshop action really ticks that box. All I wanted to do was make a photo look like it was slotted into the corners of a vintage photo album page. My first test worked really well but recreating a similar result within the confines of a Photoshop action took a lot of working out and many, many hours of trial and error (mostly error). However I think you’ll agree that the end result was worth the effort!

You can download the action here: Cut Corners – Gavtrain

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. 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 and CS3 but because it uses “Warp Transform” it WILL NOT work with any version of Elements, sorry.

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/2014/05/Cut-Corners-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 🙂

How to make a DSLR time-laspe

A few years ago I made a video about shooting a time-lapse sequence with a DSLR and then making a video from the images. Most of the information is still as valid today as it was in 2011 but it’s amazing haw fast technology changes the way we shoot and edit. Back then very few cameras had a built in intervalometer and you needed a custom made slideshow preset for Lightroom if you wanted to create the time-lapse video in your photo editing software.

Skip forward 3 years and although my Canon DSLR’s still don’t have timelaspse out of the box I can use my smart phone to control my camera and take the photos. Plus Photoshop CS6 and CC can both create video from stills in just a few clicks of the mouse.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Bwpm8_5XM[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click here http://youtu.be/J5Bwpm8_5XM

Equipment used in this video (Links to Adorama)

Canon 60D

Sigma 10mm-20mm

ioShutter release cable

Vanguard 284 CB100 Tripod

My Studio Texture

If you caught my post yesterday then you’ll know that I recently built a textured background in my studio. Well it seems there are quite a few people out there that would love to do the same but don’t have the space, time or need for a similar permanent structure. So for today’s Friday freebie I’m giving away my studio background… OK so I’m not giving away the real thing but I am sharing a photo of it

Full download instructions are below but you can also
Click Here To download my studio background.
There are a couple of ways you could use it. You could do exactly what it’s designed for and use it as a background for your studio shots. All you’d need to do is shoot on a clean background (light grey works best) and then simply extract the model and paste them in. I made an in depth video tutorial with Mark Wallace on how that’s done last year. If you missed it take a look here.

Of course you can also use the texture as… well, a texture! Simply paste it over your photo, use a spot of Free Transofrm to make it fit and change the layer blending mode. Multiply, Overlay and Hard Light (as used here) are three to try but don’t stop there.

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://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Mmmm3K1utNYW53T3RUbDk0LVE/view?usp=sharing
1. Click the Download button

2. The download should start automatically

Walking Brooklyn Bridge

It’s been just over two months since I made a flying visit to New York and the third of my four videos from the visit has recently been released by Adorama. This time I take a walk around and part way across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge to see what photographs I can find.

To say the weather was cold is an understatement, in fact just a few hours earlier it had been snowing. Fortunately the weather cleared, the sun came out and the opportunity to visit the bridge was one I couldn’t resist.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLsKdJIsHT8&list=UU8Pksdbj37CdE00kmE7Z1dw[/youtube]
Can’t see the video? Click here http://youtu.be/PLsKdJIsHT8

I have to say a huge thank you to Claude, Adorama’s video guy. It was thanks to his local knowledge and ability to work in sub zero temperatures that made this video possible.

Equipment used in this video (Links to Adorama)

Canon 60D http://www.adorama.com/ICA60D.html?KBID=67338

Sigma 10mm-20mm http://www.adorama.com/SG1020EOS.html?KBID=67338

Four Parts Action

The idea with this Friday Freebie is really simple, take one photo, cut it into four equal parts and give each bit a twist or two. Well that was my plan when I started making this action but I just had to go one step further. So not only do the four parts get a twist but I also added a slight bow and simple shadow to create a feeling of depth. The best part is, all this happens with just one click of the mouse.

You can download the action here: four-parts-gavtrain.zip

To use the action, start with the photo you wish to chop up 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. As with most actions, the size of your image will effect the final effect. The photo above was 3000 pixels on the long edge but you can go bigger or smaller if you wish. The main difference will be the border size, so I’ve left the layer styles open and you can alter the border (Stroke) thickness at the end if you wish.

The action will work with Photoshop CC, CS6, CS4, CS4 and CS3 but WILL NOT work with any version of Elements, sorry.

Download instructions
The direct link to download the actions is https://www.gavtrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/four-parts-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 🙂

Three Light Leaks

Here’s a Friday Freebie for those that love the vintage style photos. Light leaks were always a potential hazard for me back in the days of film photography, especially with my very first Praktica camera. Fortunately it rarely happened but now it’s very in.

Click Here To Download three light leaks

This Friday Freebie is not one, not two but three light leak images that are all ready to be pasted to your images. They’ll work with pretty much any photo but they really look good on vintage style images with a retro or timeless feel. In this case it’s a photo I snapped on a recent trip to New York

To use the light leaks first download them and unzip the file. Open the light leaks into Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and simply copy and paste them on to your image. Use Free Transform to rotate and resize them as much as you need. To blend them in simply change the Layer Blending Mode from Normal to Screen. If you want more light leaks, just paste them in!

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 template 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 image without my permission

Wet Paint Border

The Friday Freebies have had a bit of a break but by popular request, they’re back! So to kick things off here’s a free border that I made by pouring paint to form a photo frame.

Full download instructions are below but you can also
Click Here To Wet Paint Border

I do like getting in a mess with my creations but this one was particularly bad. I created it by dribbling paint from a pot onto white paper in a rough rectangular shape.

To make life for you a little easier I’ve already made the cut out hole, so all you need to do is drop your photo on a layer below the border and resize it to fit.

Don’t like the colour of the border? No problem. I’ve added a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer that only effects the border. Double click it and alter the Hue and Saturation values to create all these and lots more too. You can also adjust the Lightness value but it will have to be in the plus range only.

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.

Download instructions

Click the link https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Mmmm3K1utNdjB1YjRidjZocE0/view?usp=sharing
1. Click the Download button

2. The download should start automatically

A Splash of Lemon

Winter round these parts usually means short days, long nights and inclement weather which makes for a tough time for us photographers. So here’s a photo project that you can take at any time and whatever the weather.

The technique makes use of a single flash to freeze the moment a slice of lemon splashes into a glass of water. No flash? Well you might be able to do this with a super bright light but to hit the really fast shutter speeds needed to freeze the action you’ll need to bump up your ISO and open up the aperture. Flash really is the way to go as you’ll get sharper shots with a bigger depth of field and be able to use a nice low ISO.

I’m using glass “ice cubes” real ones are fine but they will float. So either pack them in tight or use a bigger, heavier piece of lemon (other fruit slices can be used too). Alternatively lose the ice and use fizzy water, the idea is simply to put some texture in the glass and how you do that is up to you.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/9GxRwBxc8-8[/youtube]

Equipment used in this video (Links to Adorama)

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom V5 Software, Windows and Mac OS

Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AutoFocus Wide Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens

Enlight photo Frio Universal Locking Cold Shoe V2

Canon RS-60 E3 Remote Switch (2′) for Canon Sub-Mini (E3)

Flashpoint Universal Swivel Holder -Umbrella holder

Vanguard Alta Pro 284 Carbon Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head

Flashpoint 6.5′ Black Lightstand, 5/8″ Top Stud

Flashpoint 40×60″ Collapsible Disc Background

Reigate Fort 15 Minute Photo Challenge

It’s time for another 15 minute photo challenge and this time I visit a fort in Surrey. Unfortunately for me this particular fort is mostly buried below ground and isn’t accessible to casual visitors such as myself.

But I wasn’t going to let a little thing like that stop me taking photos, nor did the particularly poor weather slow me down.

As always at the end of the challenge I’ll take you through the Photoshop edit of one photo. You can see the end result here. Keep scrolling down to see a few more final photos in higher resoloution

So let the 15 Minute Photo Challenge begin!
[youtube]http://youtu.be/niciZgOWBfA[/youtube]

If you enjoy the 15 minute photo challenge and you’re coming to my FREE New York workshop day then you’ll get to see an exclusive 15 minute challenge that’s never been seen online before!

NYC here I come!

Next month, for three days only, I’ll be in New York City and thanks to Adorama I’ll be sharing part of the experience with as many photographers as possible.

If you’re in New York on Tuesday 25th February I’d love to meet you. I have a whole day of photography talks and demo’s lined up and the best bit is… it’s all FREE!

Full details are over on the Adorama website. It’s a ticket only event and very much first come first served so bag yours now!

If you can’t join me in person then you can still join me online. The plan is to live stream a small part of the day, so no matter where you are in the world you can join me live! More details to follow.