November 14, 2010

by Gavin Seim: Pricing is an interesting thing. Those of you that listen to me on the Pro Photo Show podcast know that I don’t try to be the cheapest in my photography.  Not by a long shot. Truth is I don’t try to be cheapest with Seim Effects either, though I often am for what I offer. I just try to make the best tools and charge what I think is sensible. Through that process I often come out less expensive than other editing products available in the industry.

Now it’s true that often you get what you pay for. It’s also true that sometimes people buy something just because it’s more expensive. That’s perceived value. How much you can charge because of your brand. Experience and service are worth something too, but sometimes paying more does not mean you get that.

Most effects out there are different and have something unique to offer, so I’m not saying mine are the only ones worth buying. I’ve not used all the editing products available, but I’ve used a lot of them. Some are really good, some less so. In the end I just want to sure my product is something special. I’ve had people essentially call to ask…

“Are Seim Effects any good. Their so much cheaper than brand K or Z”.

The answer of course is yes. In fact many users tell me their a lot better. Truth is I put my heart and soul into this stuff. I’m fanatical about making it as flawless and effective as I can. Their not $5 because their good and their worth a lot more. Their not $200 either. Not because I hate money, but because I think that would be overkill and the overall benefit would go down.

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October 28, 2010

by Gavin Seim: my Hollywood 2 Photoshop actions were featured in the October issue of Shutterbug Magazine, in the Digital Innovations column by Joe Farace. Back in September, Joe took a look at my Naked Elements Textures and Creative Essentials actions and gave them a great review. This month Joe came back for more, taking a peek at HE2, a collection of effects dedicated to adjustable finishing touches and giving any type of photo a little something more.

Joe gave a glowing review, Calling HE2 “Outstanding” and stating “If you photograph people, you need this inexpensive set of actions”. A shout out to him and the folks at Shutterbug for taking the time to notice my work. Here’s a copy of the review (click for larger version). You can also pick up the Oct 2010 issue of shutterbug and see it on pages 37-38.

You can learn more about Hollywood Effects 2 here as well as download some free samples… Gav

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August 20, 2010

by Gavin Seim:

Power Worklfow v3 has finally arrived, representing three total years of LR study and experimentation since this all started. I’m really excited. I feel they set a standard for workflow presets that fit just about any situation you could possibly need. You can see the details, video, samples etc, on the PW3 info page.

As always, I wanted to post up a freebie sample pack so readers can get some goodies and a small taste of what in store inside my latest collection. Below you’ll find a download with 8 presets from Power Worklfow3, including Super Hero2 and my new LOTR effect. The full collection has more than 75 presets, so if like them there’s lots more where these came from. Download and enjoy… Gav

Download FREE PW3 LR Presets Sampler (ZIP)

Check Out My Video & The Complete Set

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August 19, 2010

by Gavin Seim: PW3 is my new preset collection. It’s drop dead effective at making great images by doing things you would never even try otherwise.

It’s been a long time coming. PW1 came out in 2007. Followed in 2008 by PW2. I was inspired to take it further. As I went along I kept refining and releasing free updates until I got to PW2.5, but along the way I was already working on the next version.

Taking PW2 and setting the bar twice as high meant a challenge. Early on I was not sure what I could do to make them that much better. Boy was I wrong. I started really getting under the hood in LR. Yes, more than before. I looked at every aspect I could think of. When the dust started settling I was thrilled with the results and the response from teasers I put out. Every effect has been revised and lots of new ones added, while maintaining the orderly streamlined structure that makes Power Workflow a perfect starting point for editing. It takes advantage of Lightroom 3 and remains backwards comparable with older versions.

I guess I’m just saying I’m really proud of PW3. It’s not just a pile of presets. I’ve been working on it over a year and it represents three years of studying what makes a great workflow and what makes a great effect. I feel like a scientist. PW3 is balanced, and it has a little of everything yet it still fits perfectly right beside of my other collections. Each package is still totally unique.

You can check out the Power Workflow3 page for full details, new features and even a brand new PDF that lists every effect and tells a little about what it does. Enjoy… Gav

Upgrading: Those of you that own a previous version are available for a discounted upgrade price, which happens to be more than half off. If you did not get your email with the upgrade code contact and I’ll get you taken care of.

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July 15, 2010

by Gavin Seim: I’ve said it many times. I think Burn & Dodge is a very under appreciated tool in today’s digital world. It’s about subtlety and taking the time for precise burning and dodging once your primary effects are finished can make a world of difference in your final work. Good B&D work can separate the men from the boys when it comes to the final work.

With good b&d can draw the attention exactly where you need it, enhance dynamic range, add dimension and more. It’s all there in this simple tool. I made a quick video recently as I was working to show how I use b&d in a to take control my scene. This clip looks at skies in particular, but really it can make any image pop. I also plan to make more videos on B&D the future. There’s a lot to be learned from it.

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