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

Mouse over for Before/After sample.

I frequently crawl under the hood in Lightroom. Today I’m working some projects in LR3 and experimenting with the latest features and tools. Something I’ve started doing to make certain effects more adaptable, is what I’m calling Tone Independent Presets. They add an effects without using any of the primary tone settings like exposure, brightness, contrast, white balance etc. The result is an effect that can easily be applied to a plain image, or after general and batch corrections without effecting previous tone settings. This preset is an example of that.

I’ve spent quite some time today (probably too much) looking at the tones and feel of classic Polaroids and doing lots of tweaks in LR to get the look I wanted. The result is this effect I’m calling Gavin’s Old Polaroid. It’s a classic Polaroid themed tone that I think you’ll find appealing. This is a test of effects that will probably show up soon in an update to Color Fantasies presets collection. You get it today however and it’s free to boot. You can download the ZIP below. While it uses some LR3 features, This, like all my other presets will still work on older versions of LR. Enjoy… Gav

- Download Old Polaroid Preset ZIP -

How to install Lightroom Presets.

Color Fantasies is my latest collection of Lightroom Presets that focuses entirely on color. It doesn’t mess around about it either. CF gets under the hood in Lightroom and transforms images into beautiful color tones that can be applied instantly with a click. Wow I sound like my own PR guy (oh wait, I am).

In tradition with my other collections, here’s a FREE sampler pack that includes 5 presets from Color Fantasies. There’s more image samples and a video on the product page so feel free to take a peek. The complete set come with more than 45 presets, plus an action. So when you like what you see, go check out the complete collection

- Watch the video and check out the whole set -

- Download the FREE CF sampler pack -

Included sampler effects are…

• Dynamica.
• 1975.
• Lemon Drops.
• Criss Cross.
• Morning Coffee.

by Gavin Seim: I’ve spent much of this Christmas Eve doing the final prep, but it’s ready. The Seim Effects/Pro Photo Show annual Christmas gift pack. Just my way of saying thanks for all your support and feedback over the past year. Theres good things in store for 2010 so stay tuned.

This years pack has four new presets based on tones inspired by film. This is something I’ve been working on lately and there’s more to come in the future. Next are four textures to add character to your photos. There’s also an action included to make overlaying and placing any texture really easy.

You can get more specific details with the info that’s included in the download and see a couple samples below. Mouse over the images to see the presets before and after. Also don’t forget the contest we’re hosting for the free  Lensbaby Composer. Go here for entry info. Also stop by Pro Photo Show for the latest podcasts and join the community. There’s good things ins tore for 2010.

Download and enjoy. Here’s to a great 2010 and wishing you a Merry Christmas and New Year. I’m off to spend mine with the family. Hope you are too… Gavin Seim

- Download the FREE 2010 Gift Pack Zip -

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Around New Years I make a pack of goodies to send out to fans and customers of Seim Effects throughout the year. I sent these in the SE newsletter, but have not posted it officially.

Inside you’ll find a few cool Photoshop actions and a couple great presets for Lightroom. Bold and clear is the order of this year and included in the actions you’ll find Visual Razor X, the 4th generation of my vivid sharp action.

If you need help installing presets see here, and to learn how to manage actions see here. To stay more up to date on the latest freebies you can join the Seim Effects club on Facebook. Enjoy… Gavin

– Download 2009 Free Effects Pack -

Update! 08/2010: If you’re using Lightroom 3, these templates will not work correctly. LR3 users need the new layout templates. You can download them here for free.

by Gavin Seim Most of us Lightroom users have heard about print templates. What most don’t know is the super cool trick to use them for simple album page layouts for albums and press printed books. Matt recently posted a video on LR Killer Tips about tweaking template settings to allow multiple images on one layout.

I’ve made a set of print presets that allows you to make some quick square layouts like the one’s below. Great for press printed books and albums. Load em up, select the layout, then select the photo’s you want used. There’s eight in this set and all have about 1/4″ edge space to allow trim room for books. Best of all is their FREE.

LR2 has no way to add a black background itself, so I used this workaround. I’ve included a black file in the download and there’s more details in the help file. Once set up you can turn on “Identity Plate” in the settings and load the black background as desired. A future version of LT should include this feature without a workaround.

Download Seim LR Album Layout Presets v1.2

UPDATE V1.1: 6/2009, Minor tweaks were made and a new square preset was added.
UPDATE V1.2: 4/2010, Disabled auto rotation (more control), added new Square/2 Corner layout. Bug fixes.

(more…)