August 1, 2008

3

special effects

On Lightroom 2

So lightroom 2 is out. It’s a pretty amazing looking app though I have found it a bit slower. Not sure why, some things just seem to take longer. I’m sure Adobe will have it corrected soon.

I wanted to post about it because it’s cool, and also to let you know that Seim Effects presets are still fully compatible. Everything should work fine in LR 1, or 2.

There are also new features though, and that means new potential por presets. Stay tune because some cool new presets will be coming down the pipes in thye near future.

Gavin

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July 24, 2008

0

news, ProPhotoShow, special effects, tips

Being PURPLE. 5 Ideas For Business:

Gosh, I sure made this cool fire look UGLY!

I really enjoyed the book Purple Cow. It’s a book about making your business stand out in an world where paid advertising is failing. It got me thinking about what we do here at Seim Effects. Aside from saving time editing, I use the effects to help me stand out more. I made the above photo bad to get your attention. It probably worked, but I wouldn’t suggest using that effect to get new clients and it’s not included with my collections.

I think  as photographers we sometimes feel that automating parts of our business takes away from our creative edge. That does not need to be so. If we did all our editing manually, we would use far fewer effects, and because they would take so much longer. In the end the results might not be as good because we would be in a hurry. Also by being fast in my editing my client gets their pictures fast. This is a Purple Cow in itself because clients often have to wait toomlong for their pictures to be ready.

So I for one am looking for more ways to stand out. Here’s a few things on my mind for Seim Photography as well as Seim Effects

  • 1. Am I being extraordinary in the products and services I sell?
  • 2. How can I make it even better?
  • 3. What does my target market really want?
  • 4. What can I do to give simple added bonuses? ( the prize inside)
  • 5. What can I do that’s daring and amazing?

I have various answers to these questions rolling in my head like marbles. We’ll talk about those later. The bottom line is this. If I can answer the questions above, and then take action, I can be a purple cow that everyone is amazed by and telling their friends about. That’s FREE MARKETING.

Do you do anything in your business to be the Purple Cow?

By the way. Here’s a good version of that photo.

Gavin Seim

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July 19, 2008

0

special effects

Creative Essentials Photoshop Actions. Now Available

I’m super excited to announce the release on Creative Essentials. This is an action set you’ll use all the time. I’m using them like crazy on Seim Studios shoots and loving them. Even if you have no other actions, this set will keep you more creative, and more efficient.

C.E does not replace the popular Hollywood Effects Action set. It’s more like the missing link between my Lightroom presets and Hollywood Actions. It’s a set of workflow enhancing effects and tools that include sharpening. There’s a Video on the page that will show you all the power of Creative Essentials.

Check Em Out

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June 27, 2008

2

special effects

Hollywood Effects Actions – 1.7 update

I just finished the version 1.7 update for Hollywood Effects. There’s were no new effects added, but some good improvements were made. Here the version details.

If you already own Hollywood effects you’ll be getting a free update so check your inbox. If you don’t yet have Hollywood Effects check them out… Gav

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Hollywood Fashion and Sexy Soft were improved to be more universal. Glow control remains in the layers, but images will look better out of the box than before and require less (if any) adjustments.

The Reset Actions button has been added. This is really useful when running action in button mode (the easiest method of controlling actions) If an action is stopped in mid process however it will turn red to show and error. Hitting the reset actions button will return the entire set to normal without having to leave button mode.

Action order. I’ve changed the order of the actions and sorted them more to the intensity of the effect. You can of course re arrange them, but this seemed more natural to the workflow process.

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June 17, 2008

0

special effects

Working on new Effects

I‘ve been writing Photoshop actions for the up coming release of the Photographer Essentials collection (title subject to change)

I‘m pretty stoked about the progress. While the Hollywood effects action have a wide range of killer effects, I felt Seim Effects needed a collection that offered clean everyday effects and production tools. This set will not be replacing Hollywood Effects at all, but rather adding to the possibilities.

One example is the new Simple Soft. I wanted a softening effects that was not over the top. Just straightforward and cool looking. Simply soft is smooth and effective, without being complex. Heres a sample of Simply Soft II. It a subtle look that makes images amazing!

I‘ve also been working with a method to make Burn and Dodging easy and non destructive, yet have it apply to all layers. I’m really happy with the effects that are going to be in this set. It’;s not a repeat of our Hollywood Effects, but a whole new addition to the Seim workflow. There’s not an official release date yet, but these actions should be out in the next couple months. Stay tunes for news, or drop me an email to be notified… Gavin

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