Your can't live without PS actions for kids...

I haven't purchased any PS actions but I do use some freebies that a few websites offer. I feel like my photos are missing "something" and I'm thinking it has to do with my editing, maybe I should splurge for a few actions. Can you please share some PS actions you couldn't live without...and possibly a before and after if you have of what it does so I could see, thanks so much!

I've recently purchased the MCP Actions and am very happy with them. http://www.mcpactions.​com/

I most certainly can, and do, live without actions.

Anyway, the only thing that I do use are VSCO Film presets for Lightroom.

Im not a fan of actions because everyone work starts to look the same, I used to be crazy in love with them when I first started but got away from them when I started working on forming my own style of photography. I actually have two actions that I created for color and black and white that I use on my images.

I can live without actions but as someone with very little time, I choose to use them. Everyone's style is different but I found Paint the Moon actions to provide the feel I want for my photography. And I shoot children 90% of the time and think her site has great examples of this for you to check out.

http://paintthemoon.ne​t/blog

Are PS actions the same as LR presets?

cameraperson wrote in post #14502959
Are PS actions the same as LR presets?

in this context yes.

PS actions basically run a predetermined set of commands on an image. they can do a number of things and aren't limited to just making image have a certian style.

I grow my own. I have a few different LR presets for different lighting conditions that I use as starting points, and then I adjust each image from that starting point. I am not at all a fan of heavy handed post, and I don't want my 'look' to be the result of some plugin or action set I purchased from another photographer.

MDEphoto wrote in post #14485954
I can live without actions but as someone with very little time, I choose to use them. Everyone's style is different but I found Paint the Moon actions to provide the feel I want for my photography. And I shoot children 90% of the time and think her site has great examples of this for you to check out.

http://paintthemoon.ne​t/blog

very truth. i do my own editing for my images , I don't like the same look over and over.
so no actions for me.

Coffee Shop Blog and their sunny pop action! Its free and wonderful. I will even use it with just 10% opacity to add warmth to faces.

I only use LR presets, with a few of my own.

I use homegrown actions to speed up my workflow and help with consistency when both my wife and I are working on editing the same sessions or events. I have tried actions from some of the big players at conferences and stuff, I really think almost all of them look way overprocessed. They seem to be aimed at rebels and kit lenses, and when you are starting with much higher levels of contrast and sharpness due to good lighting, good lenses, good bodies, ETC.....it seems like its overdone. But then again maybe I just am not happy with that look. I went back and ran them on some older work before we got the 5d and L lenses, and they seemed to look much better. Of course you can dial it back, easy too, but after a point making my own became easier. Then they are set up exactly how I want them, and always retain their playability.

Agreed, if you use actions your photos will def look like everyone else's. So I tend to get an action set and use it for years vs keep updating to the "newest".

I use KUBOTA actions (not many of the stylized ones) and Florabella. MCP is very well known and seems popular. I also have the VSCO for LR that I am experiment with.

I find most actions only work 100% opacity on under-exposed images and many times the action just lightens the image up way too much, which makes me think they are geared more towards "Auto" mode users who get slightly more under-exposed photos and they want to mimic the perfectly exposed skin one can get in manual.

I use them very sparingly and instead when I buy actions try to figure out how to do the same thing on my own so I can figure out what they are doing in PS that I liked, and tweak to my own liking. I have to say I have a great fondness for B&W actions as I've not figured out the best way to edit those myself just yet and I ADORE B&W!

I like certain actions from different places... like MCP Fusion, I like all of Totally Rad actions, like Eye Dr/Dentist from MCP, love all of Florabella.. I tone the actions down most of the time, so they're not so overdone... it takes a bit of tweaking, I think, to use a more "hazy/artistic" action well..