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Monday, February 22, 2010

More Ways To Finish It

You've probably read all the hype lately about mcp actions new set Finish It.
Well, you're about to read some more!


I was fortunate enough to be a tester for this new set and I had so much fun playing around with it.  I've never really used anything like this before for framing or branding so I was actually a little skeptical about how much I would use it.  But these handy actions have lived in my photoshop elements palette for about 3 weeks now and I've referred to them way more than I thought I was going to.  


I'll skip the technical explanation...Jodi explains all their fabulous benefits on her site, but basically these actions enhance the way you present and prepare images for the web.  I'll just show you a few of the ways I've used the different options...and keep in mind these were created in Photoshop Elements so that's a huge plus that they're compatible with Elements~


This is an example of the Brand It Bottom Framed...I changed the bar color to pink and added my logo with the Branding Iron
*the black border is added by my blog, not by the Finish It set*

I like this...I think the frame adds an artistic touch that I would have never pursued if I hadn't been trying out these actions.


Here's another using the Frame It Oversize Frame...

There's also circles and ovals in the Round It set which I have never done before but I'm liking that extra little artistic flair it adds...


I really like the color bars that I'm able to add with the Build It...these would be great for making greeting cards or invitations...

And here's another color block with the Brand It option, they're very versatile and I can change any colors of the bar or the strokes...

...here's the screenshot showing the layer options I have when working with this...the big yellow X shows where I clicked to change the color of the skinny white border between the photo and the color block.



So my "unofficial review" of the Finish It set is Excellent!  The option I use the most is the Size It which quickly sizes my photos for the web so it doesn't take forever when I'm uploading pics for my blog or facebook.


One thing I wanted to point out though...I've seen a ton of fabulous examples of how pro photographers have used this action for their professional portraits.  Obviously this set is ideal for anyone doing a lot of branding or posting a large amount of pictures to the web, but it's not just for the big time pros.  I was using it on some soccer shots to send to the family and I love how it gave them a....finished look!  What a perfect name!





So don't be intimidated...the Finish It set is for everyone!  Head over to mcp actions and check it out!

3 comments:

Melissa said...

Wow, I am impressed. Your photography is stunning.
thanks for the information :)

allie k reid said...

Wow how did you get that little girl's eyes so blue? Great pictures!

way outnumbered said...

Allie~
Her eyes are very blue naturally, but when I added the Coffeeshop Vivid 2 action on the photo it really made them stand out. I used the "Bright" option...you should try it, it's great for vivid colors!

 
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