Photoshop Scripts

[Ashanali]

Scripts are a very useful tool for batch processing large volumes and way easier than actions, but can combine actions if you wish. It works on an entire folder so ensure that you only have images you want processed in that folder.

We use it after we have finished proofing in lightroom and exported the jpgs. We need smaller files to use for client viewing so this is the sort of situation where scripts come in.

Click on file, in the drop down menu you will see "scripts", hover over that then click on 'image processor"

The script box opens and looks like this:

In that top section, select the folder that you want to process.

In the second section you can select where you want the processed files moved to, if you select, "save in same location" it will automatically create a new folder - image processor will never save over the top of your images. It has a great safety net.

In the third section, specify the size you want the images to be.

eg. If you had shot on a 40D and wanted the images to stay at full size you would put in jpg 12 and 'resize to fit' width 4800 and height 4800.

This is because a 40D shoots at 12 inches x 8 inches 400PPI.

12inches x 400 pixels per inch = 4800 pixels

Because you want the processor to process both landscape and portrait orientated images, you need to specify how long you want the longest side in BOTH of the boxes.

So say you want to process the images to a web size, first work out how long you want it (maybe 10 inches on the longest side) then times that by 72 pixels per inch. You would want both boxes to say 720 pixels and you'd probably want to save as jpg 6 or 7.

As you can see, there are also options for TIFF and PSD, if you save multiple versions of the files, you can create all versions in here at the one time. Or you can simply select the option that suits your needs.

Section four is the next most useful part - this is where you can apply an already existing action to the entire folder... handy for adding a watermark, making everything black and white, adding a border anything you want as long as you have it in an action and you want it applied to the whole folder. (or combine two or three actions into one single action, then add the new combined action to the box and let it do three things at once.)

That's it! Hit run and let it do it's thing.

LOVE scripts!

Edited August 24, 2009 by Ashanali

[~Anne~]

Wow, how cool is that. Thanks. I never knew about scripts before!

[Ashanali]

I have only recently discovered it myself and don't know what I did without it! It makes processing so much faster.

[kja]

I think I'm starting to understand scripts a little but am curious why you chose to use this for your proofs instead of just exporting them from lightroom with whatever droplet (watermark, PROOF or whatever)? In the export menu in lightroom you can set the image size, the folder to save to, the file type, the file quality and your choices in section 4? This particular script looks like what Lightroom can already do so just curious what it does that I'm missing or how you've found that this helps your workflow.

I know this isn't the *only* script and was just an example, but now you've made me curious about this one specifically

[Ashanali]

because quite often I will go over images in photoshop and do a re-edit, fine tune or apply textures before I'm completely finished. I could add everything in lightroom but then I would be double handling as I'd need to do some of them again in PS. (ETA - not that I 'NEED' to, but I want to and like to. )

btw - have you seen the awesome new texture tool from Totally Rad Actions? It's called "Dirty Pictures". It will be my next purchase

Edited August 24, 2009 by Ashanali

[ruthless]

ETA - not that I 'NEED' to, but I want to and like to.

[kja]

I haven't played with textures and such much at all so haven't really thought too much about buying it tho it does look cool!

Hmmm, when you work on an image in PS, doesn't it pop back up in LR when you save it after the changes? Mine do and then I just use the edited version for export (usually by adding a * to the original so the filter removes it once it's done). Then I have everything in one place if I want it.

So many ways to skin a cat, I love learning new ways to think about things...

[Ashanali]

I haven't played with textures and such much at all so haven't really thought too much about buying it tho it does look cool!

Hmmm, when you work on an image in PS, doesn't it pop back up in LR when you save it after the changes? Mine do and then I just use the edited version for export (usually by adding a * to the original so the filter removes it once it's done). Then I have everything in one place if I want it.

So many ways to skin a cat, I love learning new ways to think about things...

Difference of workflow. I rush through my lightroom batch process and get it exported asap. I used to do 'edit in photoshop' but I found that I wasted time playing around with too many photos. (which was great for the couple but not so great for time management.)

So I got strict on myself - proof and export only in LR. Then I select a small amount of images to play around with in PS - edit them, process the whole folder with scripts and get out of there.

Yep - so many ways to skin a cat. I'm sure I'll have a different way of doing things in a few months time.

[kja]

OMG how many hours can be lost once you start experimenting LOL Being strict with yourself is the only way to go ... and some days I start looking around the web and trying new things and combining things and then say "bad me! just git 'er done THEN play"

Almost all my edits are done in LR but I don't do much fancy schmancy stuff right now so PS doesn't give me any benefits for my basic workflow on an overall shoot. I keep getting tempted to work more in it, but can't quite bring myself to go there LOL

But I am going to take the time to learn more about this scripts thing!

[rocco]

This is very helpful. Thanks.

[Ripley]

Question: How does one find time editing pics when they work full time, get home after 6.30pm, have a husband and animals to pay attention to and like to get out of the house on weekends? My OH gets the sh*ts if I stay upstairs on the computer of an evening, plus I then can't sleep as my mind is still active come bed time. I am overwhelmed with the editing I need to do as they are all in RAW. I don't have Lightroom, I have Photoshop. I am talking about editing shots from last May and many from last year. I know what I need to do with them, I just keep changing my mind.

[kja]

I have a whole other job where I work 8-19 hours a day most days of the week, all year round mostly. I also do photography professionally in there somewhere and shoot a crazy amount just for the hell of it. I have 100s and 1000s of images each week.

I survive without living in front of the computer and without getting too far behind by culling and tagging...and I am not the world's best culler, frankly LOL I, too, have a whole bunch of images from 2008 that I haven't processed - why? Because I've prioritized things and those are images that I can go back to any time but that have no real time sensitive value to me. When I first shot them, I pulled out my very favourites (or at least the ones that grabbed me right at import LOL), dealt with them and left the rest to do later when I wanted to.

I can cull and tag 1000 photos pretty much as fast as my computer can download them - I use a combo of colours and star ratings in Lightroom then use the filters.

I think Bridge with Photoshop will give you a lot of options when you import your images - you can tag em, tweak em, batch em whatever. Hopefully someone who uses it will chime in...I hated it and just fell in love with Lightroom so use that. Both work, I think, especially the newer Bridge. Anyhoo.

Shooting in RAW really shouldn't increase your editing time. Import 'em, cull 'em, tag 'em, tweak 'em and get 'em out the other end. Pretty much what you do when you shoot jpeg (or tiff if anyone still has one of those!)

It took a while to develop an effective workflow and honestly, it changes and evolves as I learn more..but I'm spending more time shooting and less time editing, organizing and the like than I was even 12 months ago.

Edited August 24, 2009 by kja

[Ripley]

I, too, have a whole bunch of images from 2008 that I haven't processed - why? Because I've prioritized things and those are images that I can go back to any time but that have no real time sensitive value to me. When I first shot them, I pulled out my very favourites (or at least the ones that grabbed me right at import LOL), dealt with them and left the rest to do later when I wanted to.

olves as I learn more..but I'm spending more time shooting and less time editing, organizing and the like than I was even 12 months ago.

Thanks, kja. I need to cull more. Some from last year were shot in blerk conditions so unless I convert them to b/w or crop out the sky completely, they are going to be binned I think, unless they are of architectual stuff like buildings and castles.

I'm taking an annual leave day on Friday and will get cracking. I'm going to get a pbase site up and running just to put up pics so I can email the link to friends and family and for my own sanity.

[kja]

Ripley - if you don't already, maybe try using the marking tools - like colours, stars, flags...dunno what your program uses.

That way you don't have to actually toss stuff you might go back to one day but you can hit the filter button and not be so overwhelmed with the sheer volume of images as it will only bring up a certain set.

It took me awhile to find a marking system that worked for me (and I'm sure this will evolve too) but once I even started messing with it things became a lot more manageable

[Ripley]

Thanks, will give that a go. The way they are structured is on a portable drive and when I flick that on, they are all in folders and then sub folders under that if need be. So I know exactly where to locate everything and they are also dated. That is OH who did that, he downloaded them all and filed them for me.

[kja]

Sorry, I was talking about more than locating images...I should have been more clear I think

I mark mine like "yes I'm going to deal with this one right now" and "I kinda like this so I'll mark it to come back to one day but I'm not going to work on it right now" and "this needs to be cropped" and "this needs some curves or a split tone or black/white" etc ... I tag 'em with my "instructions" and "timeline" at import then when the mood strikes, I hit the purple filter and it brings me all the ones I want to split tone/black white or whatever.

Green with a star? I know it's one that I'll deal with right away and that I want to do something to it (depends on what kind of shot as to what, but usually something like straighten a horizon).

Saves oodles of time as I don't get (too) distracted looking at a whole heap of images at one time and helps me keep focused. Not having to think about a different treatment for each frame - like I do all of my crops/straighten or all my split tone/bw in one hit - is a huge time saver for me.

Does this make sense?

[Ripley]

Yep, thanks kja. CS3 has split tone but I have no idea how to use it. Don't really need it for the kind of photos I like taking (birds and landscapes), but looks interesting.