SEim Effects Photo Tools

By Gavin Seim: Last year I posted a collection of LR2 print layouts for making page designs in Lighrtoom. With LR3, things have changed a bit and we now use the Custom Package option to make layouts. It’s more powerful and has more features. For that reason however the old layouts no longer work correctly. If your using an older LR, you’ll want the old layouts. If you have LR3 download these new ones for more variety and cool new stuff like controlling background color and drag and drop simplicity.

While there’s some album design style features I would like to see added, LR3 is defiantly coming along in allowing you to make layouts. Once you have these installed (see here for LR preset install video) you select the layout you want in the print module. Then simply drag and drop images from the filmstrip into the cells. When you done you can print or print to file to save as a JPEG.

Not in my opinion this does not replace a tool like In Design for doing full on album design (weddings for example). It has far less features and there’s really no ability to save a project with its layouts. That said, these can be great for quick layouts, folios or album pages. This download has 9 different 10×10 layouts, with both black and white background. If you like them and want more I may consider a complete set in the future. Enjoy… Gav

- Download LR Page Layout Templates II ZIP -

by Gavin Seim: So Power Worklfow v3 has finally arrived, representing three total years of Lightroom 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 love 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

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.

by Gavin Seim: I have to say I’m pretty excited. Seim Effects tools were just featured in a glowing review by Joe Farace, in his Digital Innovations column inside the September issue of Shutterbug Magazine. It was a nice bit of recognition, by a great photographer, in a magazine that’s nearly as familiar to the photo world as the camera itself. Gave me a really nice bit of exposure (no pun intended). Below is a capture of the page 41. Go pick up the latest issue and take a peek.

I confess. When I started making all this stuff I was determined to make it really good. But I can’t say I expected it to take off so well. It’s been a few years and a lot of work, but I feel the system is really solid now and getting better all the time. This part of my job is almost like being a scientist. I sit down in my little test lab and just start trying things, searching for little nuances that do something remarkable. After the dust settles and I get it refined, I get to share what I discover with photographers all over the world.

Now I’m a huge proponent of getting things right in the camera. But when we get in right in camera, then get it right in post. We can make something magical. Being able to make these tools has really been a blessing and I want to give a shout out of thanks to all of you for helping it happen. Not to mention one to Joe, and Shutterbug for taking the time to notice this little punk fish in a big sea… Gav

by Gavin Seim: I’ve said it many times. I think Burn & Dodge is a very under appreciated tool. Taking the time for some manual burning and dodging once your primary effects are finished can make a world of difference in your final photo. Proper use of it can often separate a good image from a great one.

You 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, but B&D can make any image POP.

“Doing all your editing in Photoshop does not mean you’re more creative. It just means you’re slow!”

by Gavin Seim (updated 07/21/10): This is not a short piece, but a lot of thought has gone into it. In fact I started writing it nearly two years ago. If you read this, then take action, you will edit faster. I’ve actually become a better editor just by writing it all down in form. I’m going to be a bit blunt today so don’t take it personally and don’t think me arrogant. The goal is to make us all better photo editors.

I devote a lot of energy to planning workflow for my own studio and for the tools that I make. Not that I’m perfect at all this. I’ve just experimented a LOT and I’ve built a system that works pretty well. As photographers we often end up with hundreds or even thousands of images to edit. But editing should not be a tedious overbearing monster. What we need is direction and a good plan. If you regularly spend more than 20 minutes sorting and editing per 100 images, then you likely have Editing Non-Awesomeness Syndrome. In short your wasting time. It’s a common ailment among photographers, but there is a cure.

The solution is Super Editing, and it works for 25 images or 25,000. It’s about being awesome, creative and efficient with editing, so you have more time for life. It’s the opposite of having countless pieces of software you switch back forth to, or endless erratic steps to reaching your goal. It means getting a system.  I can edit a wedding with 1500 images in 3-5hrs of computer time. I’m not a light editor either, so some will do it even faster. Sure, it’s OK to spend extra time editing and tweaking because you’re enjoying your work, but first you need a solid foundation. Now because I’ve made a business out of making workflow tools, I’ll of course be using my own effects today. But these tips apply to any, providing they fit into a good editing plan.

I’m using Lightroom. It’s the fastest I’ve found and can do about 90% of what Photoshop can, but about 5x faster. That’s huge! If you use Aperture or something similar that’s cool too. The approach is essentially the same. If however you’re still doing all your editing in PS, you’re probably wasting time. You may be thinking “I use PS because I’m really thorough with my edits”. I used to say the same thing. Until I learned that doing all your editing in PS does not mean you’re more creative. It just means you’re slow! With a good workflow you can edit faster and have your images looking better than ever. And if you’re already fast, this will probably make you even faster.

Here’s an average Super Editing overview. Let’s pretend we’re working with about 1500 images from a wedding.

1. Prepare your workspace.
2. Import & apply batch corrections:
3. Sort out rejects.
4. Perform the Grid Edit.
5. Apply creative effects as needed:
6. Edit the “best” in Photoshop if needed:
7. Tidy up and export for web, album designs etc.

Lets take a closer look. Read the rest of this entry »

By Gavin Seim. Disclaimer: I don’t know Captain Awesome personally, but I feel confident that this would be his approach is he used Lightroom.

Understanding the Catalog: I’ve discussed catalogs on the Pro Photo Show and also cover them in my LR workshops, but I wanted write it down in simple terms. First lets get clear on what a catalog does. The LR catalog is a single file that houses the edits and changes you’ve made to the photos it points to. I generally explain it in analog terms. Imagine a file cabinet of negatives in your storage room. Next to it is another box and inside that are note cards referencing every negative in the file cabinet, each stating what needs to be applied to that negative to produce the final result.

The LR catalog is similar only it’s digital. It references any images you tell it to and keeps track of what changes have been made. Rather than looking up a note card however, you just open the catalog and LR shows the result of any changes that have been made. LR does not care which folder the actual files (negatives) reside in. It just looks where you told it to. Now if you were to delete the LR catalog, it would be like throwing out that box of note cards. The negatives would still be sitting where you left them, but the changes would be lost.

LR makes a default catalog when you start using it, but you can make as many catalogs as you want (File/New Catalog) and open any one of them by simply double clicking the on the catalog (.lrcat) file. Now let me share some power user tips that can make your image management easier. I make a Lightroom Catalog for each job. That’s right every senior, family, and couple get a catalog made in their honor. Sometimes people think I’m sort of a LR heretic for this, but they usually change their minds in time. It’s simple management mechanics and is becoming more common every day.

Why Separate Catalogs? Many photographers that use Lightroom have one huge catalog that all their images are referenced from. They manage projects from within that catalog using collections and the folders. The actual images may be referenced from various drives and directories all over their system. What happens when those images are moved? The catalog can no longer see them and you get an annoying question mark on the thumbnail that indicates a missing file. To use them again you have to point LR to the new location where the files have moved. In itself  this is not hard, but as a catalog grows and drives fill, file management often becomes an issue.

There’s also the somewhat smaller issue of speed and reliability. Though LR deals with large amounts of images pretty well, the bigger a LR catalog becomes, the more the system must handle and the more hassle you could have should the catalog become damaged (of course you should always have a backup). I prefer a more streamlined approach to catalogs so I don’t have to worry about a huge master catalog getting out of hand. Lets take a look. Read the rest of this entry »