Testing frames for photos

[wxwax]

I'm thinking maybe the idea of framing the photo isn't such a bad one. Lots of folks here do it, and it sets off their pics nicely.

I tried a white background with a drop shadow, wasn't thrilled. So this is outerglow, three ways. What other styles do y'all like?


http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295536-M.jpg

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295554-M.jpg

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295556-M.jpg

[wxwax]

And a couple more options. Obviously, not straying from black and white. I'm trying to mimic the white matte and black frame style of actual posters.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295659-M.jpg

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295676-M.jpg

[wxwax]

Hmm, maybe the canvas isn't big enough? I remember someone here posting that they use a 10% addition for canvas size. Here's another version.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295831-M.jpg

[wxwax]

:scratch :scratch :scratch :scratch :scratch

[Shakey]

This one is my choice.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3295536-M.jpg

[wxwax]

:dunno :dunno :dunno

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3296166-M.jpg

[wxwax]

This one is my choice.

Thanks Shakey. I think I agree with you.

[wxwax]

Different shot, same treatment that Shakey and I like.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/3296352-M.jpg

[fish]

I did it once or twice and while I think it looks nice, personally, I think it's a lot of work for little benefit. :dunno

[wxwax]

True. I wonder if there's a way to automate (create an Action) in Photoshop so that the whole thing is done with a keystroke? I think the tricky bit would be getting Photoshop to calculate an automatic 5% increase in the canvas size.

[hutchman]

Waxy,

I have also tried some framing and have been less than overwhelmed with the results. I think if you came up with a template you liked, you could save it as a Photo Shop document and copy your finished image into the template.

Think it should work.

Hutch

[wxwax]

Hutch, that's a good idea. Have to figure out how to easily resize it. But great concept!

[hutchman]

You should be able to resize any layer that is selected or PS document by using "Control T" for the free transform tool. You have to be careful to keep the document in perspective, but it is quick eazy tool


Hutch

[wxwax]

Good one, I never thought about using Free Transform like that. Next step, figure out the ratio between the black and the white, since the black was done as an outer glow, and has no measurements.

[hutchman]

Waxy,

You can do that with another feature in the blending menu called "Strain" (I think). It will outline your image and does have a size feature.

Hutch

It's not Strain, it is Stroke. I have CRS bad!

Hutch

[pathfinder]

True. I wonder if there's a way to automate (create an Action) in Photoshop so that the whole thing is done with a keystroke? I think the tricky bit would be getting Photoshop to calculate an automatic 5% increase in the canvas size.I think since the effect is 360 degrees that you might be able to record an action. I have thought about an action for drop shadows, but I try to arrange the drop shadow direction to match the current lighting direction in the image and I cannot figure how to automate that at all.

On second thought Sid, you can record an action to enlarge the canvas by 5 or 10% easily Go to "Image" "Canvas Size" and change the width and height boxes to percent - leave the relative box checked and increase the percent by 5 or 10% - Check the white color box.
This is an action that can be recorded and used inside other actions. I think this will work - but a 10% increase in canvas border size will give different border widths on rectangles but not squares.

[wxwax]

Waxy,

You can do that with another feature in the blending menu called "Strain" (I think). It will outline your image and does have a size feature.

Hutch

It's not Strain, it is Stroke. I have CRS bad!

Hutch

Stroke, ah yes, I know it well. :wink Ahem. Thanks, I'll try my hand at it. :D

[wxwax]

I think since the effect is 360 degrees that you might be able to record an action. I have thought about an action for drop shadows, but I try to arrange the drop shadow direction to match the current lighting direction in the image and I cannot figure how to automate that at all.

On second thought Sid, you can record an action to enlarge the canvas by 5 or 10% easily Go to "Image" "Canvas Size" and change the width and height boxes to percent - leave the relative box checked and increase the percent by 5 or 10% - Check the white color box.
This is an action that can be recorded and used inside other actions. I think this will work - but a 10% increase in canvas border size will give different border widths on rectangles but not squares.
Good catch, I missed that. Egg-cellent. :1drink

[cletus]

I think since the effect is 360 degrees that you might be able to record an action. I have thought about an action for drop shadows, but I try to arrange the drop shadow direction to match the current lighting direction in the image and I cannot figure how to automate that at all. If you're using Layer Styles to create the drop shadow you can turn on the dialog box for the Set Layer Styles step:

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3309141-M.jpg

With this turned on, every time you run the action it will pull up the drop shadow layer style dialog. It should remember everything that you set when you record the action, but you can go back and tweak things when you run the action.

Sorry if this wasn't what you had in mind.

[wxwax]

On second thought Sid, you can record an action to enlarge the canvas by 5 or 10% easily Go to "Image" "Canvas Size" and change the width and height boxes to percent - leave the reletive box checked and increase the percent by 5 or 10% - Check the white color box.
This is an action that can be recorded and used inside other actions. I think this will work - but a 10% increase in canvas border size will give different border widths on rectangles but not squares.

Thanks Path'. Yes, I've seen that the border sizes don't match. I'll have to work that one out.

[cletus]

Thanks Path'. Yes, I've seen that the border sizes don't match. I'll have to work that one out.
How 'bout this???

I usually resize my shots so that which ever dimension is larger (height for portrait, width for landscape) comes out to be 1500 pixels before I upload them to smugmug. Once the image is resized I could alter the canvas size using some fixed pixel value instead of a percent.

You could even add the re-size to your action. The only catch is the action has no way of knowing which dimension on the picture is larger, so I guess you would have to have two actions, one for potrait orientation and one for landscape :dunno

[pathfinder]

Thanks Path'. Yes, I've seen that the border sizes don't match. I'll have to work that one out.
I'm ruminatin' on that one too - not sure how to fix that yet..... Must be a way somehow.

[wxwax]

How 'bout this???

I usually resize my shots so that which ever dimension is larger (height for portrait, width for landscape) comes out to be 1500 pixels before I upload them to smugmug. Once the image is resized I could alter the canvas size using some fixed pixel value instead of a percent.

You could even add the re-size to your action. The only catch is the action has no way of knowing which dimension on the picture is larger, so I guess you would have to have two actions, one for potrait orientation and one for landscape :dunno


Wild Thing, you make my head spin.

:lol3

[cletus]

Wild Thing, you make my head spin.

:lol3
Sorry... I wrote that while in *engineer mode :scratch

*no train jokes please

[tsiya]

I don't have PHOTO SHOP, so it is sometimes difficult to follow things. With My JASC PAINT SHOP, borders and frames are an auto function, with almost unlimited style and color options. PHOTO SHOP is on My wish list, but to work with JASC, not replace it.

[cletus]

I don't have PHOTO SHOP, so it is sometimes difficult to follow things. With My JASC PAINT SHOP, borders and frames are an auto function, with almost unlimited style and color options. PHOTO SHOP is on My wish list, but to work with JASC, not replace it.
Nice stuff. I like the one in the upper right hand corner. Simple but effective.

-Eric

[cletus]

This one still needs some work. The idea is to make the photo look like a slide mounted in a slide carrier:

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3426628-M.jpg

[tsiya]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know I often come on like the original Redneck Wonder, but had to retire about 5 years before I was ready, those 70 hour weeks finally got ahead of Me. I learn something every time I log on here, but sometimes it seems like the common solution is to throw money at the damn problem. Don't work for the "Gubmint", does it? I just downloaded a freeware program from "Das Nederlands", called "2 pic". Has frame and border options galore.
I have little doubt that "PHOTO SHOP" is great, super, wonderful, but it is not all there is in the world of software, Oops!, they are a sponsor? Oh, well.
My two "dinky" little cameras are likely the ones I'm gonna be buried with Me ,' cause no "real pro" would be caught dead with them, but, "You dance with the girl You brung with You". Should, anyway. Lots of those girls are real steady in the long run, and good cookin' counts big time.
Again, never tried PHOTO SHOP, but from what I hear, it would not hurt to add a few things to it. It is a big world out there, more than a few smart programmers.
Don't put limits on it.
I don't have many pixels, but those I got, shine!
Y'all take care, tsiya

[pathfinder]

This one still needs some work. The idea is to make the photo look like a slide mounted in a slide carrier:

http://ab0wa.smugmug.com/photos/3426628-M.jpg
Did you make this one yourself, Cletus or did you find it in a program somewhere? I like it.

[pathfinder]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know I often come on like the original Redneck Wonder, but had to retire about 5 years before I was ready, those 70 hour weeks finally got ahead of Me. I learn something every time I log on here, but sometimes it seems like the common solution is to throw money at the damn problem. Don't work for the "Gubmint", does it? I just downloaded a freeware program from "Das Nederlands", called "2 pic". Has frame and border options galore.
I have little doubt that "PHOTO SHOP" is great, super, wonderful, but it is not all there is in the world of software, Oops!, they are a sponsor? Oh, well.
My two "dinky" little cameras are likely the ones I'm gonna be buried with Me ,' cause no "real pro" would be caught dead with them, but, "You dance with the girl You brung with You". Should, anyway. Lots of those girls are real steady in the long run, and good cookin' counts big time.
Again, never tried PHOTO SHOP, but from what I hear, it would not hurt to add a few things to it. It is a big world out there, more than a few smart programmers.
Don't put limits on it.
I don't have many pixels, but those I got, shine!
Y'all take care, tsiya

The name of this thread IS Photoshop Shenanigans - and it is a forum for those of us who use PS to chat about our successes and failures. There are any number of other image editing programs from Picture Window Pro, to Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop Elements ( frequently comes with a new digital camera as a come on ) GIMP and others - ALL ARE WELCOME to discuss and debate here.

Many of us have come to PhotoShop over the years after using other software because PS is generally recognized as the most powerful and capable image editing software program with the most plug ins. It IS expensive, but should last almost forever ( except for upgrades of course) And it will outlast many of the cameras people are using today. The Linux/Unix camp will have to defend themselves as I know little about that - But Seamaiden does and can. But if you have software that you are so happy with why holler about people who use other software?

If you have pictures that you are proud of we would be delighted to look at them in our picture forums. Thank you.

[rutt]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know I often come on like the original Redneck Wonder, but had to retire about 5 years before I was ready, those 70 hour weeks finally got ahead of Me. I learn something every time I log on here, but sometimes it seems like the common solution is to throw money at the damn problem. Don't work for the "Gubmint", does it? I just downloaded a freeware program from "Das Nederlands", called "2 pic". Has frame and border options galore.
I have little doubt that "PHOTO SHOP" is great, super, wonderful, but it is not all there is in the world of software, Oops!, they are a sponsor? Oh, well.
My two "dinky" little cameras are likely the ones I'm gonna be buried with Me ,' cause no "real pro" would be caught dead with them, but, "You dance with the girl You brung with You". Should, anyway. Lots of those girls are real steady in the long run, and good cookin' counts big time.
Again, never tried PHOTO SHOP, but from what I hear, it would not hurt to add a few things to it. It is a big world out there, more than a few smart programmers.
Don't put limits on it.
I don't have many pixels, but those I got, shine!
Y'all take care, tsiya
Photoshop is expensive, but you don't have to pay full price. You can get a modern version for a lot less than full price. Here's how. Buy any old version full version and then buy an upgrade. If you dig around on ebay, you can buy a very old full version for maybe $70. Search ebay for "photoshop full version". An upgrade to the latest version is about $150, but you can get an upgrade to version 7, the last version for less than $100 on ebay. For most purposes, this will be great. Version 6 will also be fine and perhaps the upgrade can be found cheaper. In short, you don't have to shell out >$600. You can get on board (perfiectly legally) for a little more than $200.

This is still a lot of money for a computer program. The gimp, for example is free. I used it a lot because I'm Linux free software geek. But ultimately, it's limiting. So if you aspire to be make the best possible images you can, eventually you'll find that it holds you back. I think this is true of everything other than photoshop. I wish this weren't true, but I'm afraid it is. The biggest single advantage of PS is that it's the Lingua Franca of iamge processing programs. Lots of what we do is theory and not specific to any particular program. But since we all use PS, we can use a lot of common language and explanations of process.

Just try googling for "photoshop tips" vs "2 pic tips". Or look on Amazon books for "Photoshop" vs "2 Pic" (or the GIMP, for that matter.

If you really need a free image processing program, I think the GIMP is good. If your computer is realtively new, you might actually have Phtotoshop Elements and not know it. Photoshop LE version 5 has been given away with lots of cameras and printers over the years and I bet you can get it very inexpensively on ebay (but beware this is not really Photoshop and can't be upgraded to it.)

[cletus]

Did you make this one yourself, Cletus or did you find it in a program somewhere? I like it.
I made it myself.

Made the basic shape with the Rounded Rectangle and Rectangle tools. I then went back and added a bevel and a drop shadow. If you do something like this yourself, I would recomend trying to work with Paths and Shape Layers. That way you can save it as a custom shape. Then you can use it at any time (you'll still have to add the bevel and drop shadow, but that's not a big deal).

Now I need to make a custom shape for a section of 35mm film!

[cletus]

This is an action that can be recorded and used inside other actions. I think this will work - but a 10% increase in canvas border size will give different border widths on rectangles but not squares.
I found an answer to this problem that works for me. The answer is Scripting! Here is a very basic JavaScript to create a 5% canvas size increase.


if (!app.documents.length > 0) {
alert("No Active Document");
}

else {
var docRef = app.activeDocument;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
myW = docRef.width;
myH = docRef.height;

var x, newW, newH;

if (myW > myH) {
x = myW;
}
else {
x = myH;
}

x = x / 20;

newW = myW + x;
newH = myH + x;


docRef.resizeCanvas(newW,newH,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);
}

So how do you use it???

Copy and paste the script into a text file.
Save the text file with a name like Canvas5.js - The important part here is the .js extension. That's how Photoshop knows this is JavaScript
Start PS and open the file you want to run the canvas size increase on.
Go to File > Scripts > Browse and point Photoshop to the script file you saved in step 2
Select your script and click on Load (or just double click on your script file)
What's really cool is you can create an Action that calls the script!

If I get some time I'll write a better script that asks you by what percentage you want to increase the canvas size.

If you want to read up on scripting in Photoshop you can start here (http://partners.adobe.com/asn/photoshop/scripting.jsp)

[pathfinder]

I found an answer to this problem that works for me. The answer is Scripting! Here is a very basic JavaScript to create a 5% canvas size increase.


if (!app.documents.length > 0) {
alert("No Active Document");
}

else {
var docRef = app.activeDocument;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
myW = docRef.width;
myH = docRef.height;

var x, newW, newH;

if (myW > myH) {
x = myW;
}
else {
x = myH;
}

x = x / 20;

newW = myW + x;
newH = myH + x;


docRef.resizeCanvas(newW,newH,AnchorPosition.MIDDLECENTER);
}

So how do you use it???

Copy and paste the script into a text file.
Save the text file with a name like Canvas5.js - The important part here is the .js extension. That's how Photoshop knows this is JavaScript
Start PS and open the file you want to run the canvas size increase on.
Go to File > Scripts > Browse and point Photoshop to the script file you saved in step 2
Select your script and click on Load (or just double click on your script file)
What's really cool is you can create an Action that calls the script!

If I get some time I'll write a better script that asks you by what percentage you want to increase the canvas size.

If you want to read up on scripting in Photoshop you can start here (http://partners.adobe.com/asn/photoshop/scripting.jsp)

Cletus - you are becoming a dangerous man.................http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Wink2.gif

[cletus]

Cletus - you are becoming a dangerous man.................http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Wink2.gif Why thank you! :andy

If you get a chance, give the script a try and let me know if it works for you.

By the way, it looks like scripting only works in Photoshop 7.0 and newer. With 7.0 you have to get the Photoshop Scripting Plug-In (http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1536) but scripting is built into CS.