The Photo Argus (@thephotoargus) just released an amazing set of Photoshop Actions that give photographers professional retouching workflows with a single click. If you’re a photographer, ranging from a hobbyist to professional, you’ll want to check out these well-done, thought-out actions.
There are three different suites of Photoshop Union Actions.
Within each suite, the user has various are sets of Photoshop Actions to pick and choose from.
What I like about these 3 different sets of Photoshop Actions is that not only can you just click a button to apply professional retouching techniques, but they are organized in such a way that one can study and explore how the actions behave. This adds the flexibility of being able to tweak any of the actions to your liking. As the author of the actions states, it gives the user “Total Workflow Control.” Sweet!
Photo Designer
This collection of actions replicate common (and not-so-common) filters and dark room techniques. The suite includes the following sets.
Vintage
This set of actions skews colors and increases contrasts – taking your ordinary photo to another level.
UA Vintage actions include:
- Vanilla Cream
- Warm
- SX-70
- Classic
- Blue Dawn
- Nostalgia
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| Original Photo | Nostalgia Action |
Vignette
This action set is a powerful collection of custom vignette actions. It lets you fine tune the focus of your image by drawing attention where you want it to be. These post-process vignettes are both customizable and reversible.
This set includes the Burn Edge action. The Burn Edge action set uses the vignette workflow to burn your edges instead of underexposing them. The Vignette set offers several different resolution actions (low, mid, and high-res).
UA Vignette actions include:
- Vignette
- Burn Edge
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| Original Photo | Vignette Action |
Tone
The UA Tone collection is the most comprehensive set. It includes 14 different actions. Eight of the actions are a ‘solid’ tone. The remaining 6 is a series of split tone actions. The split tone actions tint the highlights in one color, the shadows in another. The effect can be more dramatic than using one color.
| Tones | Split Tones |
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| Original Image | Sepia Action | Sepia Highlights Actions |
Lens Filters
These actions replicate some of the most popular photography filters.
UA Lens Filters include:
- Graduated Neutral Density (skey enahnce)
- Graduate Neutral Density (ground enhance)
- Infrared
- Infrared – touch of color
- Polarizing
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| Original Image | Infrared – touch of color |
Light Leak
Add a streak of light to your images by using an action within this set. The actions in this set let you overexpose parts of your image. Each of the eight actions lets you apply a light leak to a different part of your image (top, bottom, upper corners, etc.)
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| Original Image | Light Leak (left side) |
Toy Camera (Lomo)
Lomography (lomo for short) is becoming more and more popular in the photography world. The UA Toy Camera lomo action increases saturation, adds film grain, and softens the focus. This set of actions also include black and white versions.
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| Original Image | Lomo | Lomo Black and White |
Click here to view more details for the Photo Designer Suite. (affiliate link)
Portrait Suite
This suite of Union Actions brings you professional portrait editing right to your fingertips. The action sets in this suite affect the skin, eyes, lips, and teeth.
Skin
This set of actions smooths out unwanted blemishes and wrinkles.
UA Portrait Skin
- Simple Soften
- Advanced Soften
- Blemish Blaster
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| Original Image | Simple Soften |
Eyes
This UA Eyes action set effects the eye tones, colors, and vibrancy.
UA Portrait Eyes
- Enhance Catch Lights
- Iris – Increase depth/enhance color
- Eye Sharpen
- Brighten the Whites
- Eye Enhancer
- Eye Color (light blue, blue, light green, hazel, brown)
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| Original Image | Eye Color |
Lips
This set of actions brings life and vibrancy to a huge focal point of any portrait. These various actions affect the lips color and brightness.
UA Portrait Lips
- Lip Gloss
- Lip Shade Enhancement
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| Original Image | Lip Shade Enhancement |
Teeth
This set of actions removes unwanted discoloration, leaving a bright and clear smile.
UA Portrait Teeth
- Whiten
- Super Whiten
- Brighten
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| Original Image | Whiten |
Click here for more details for the Portrait Suite. (affiliate link)
Texturize
Adding texture brings a whole new dimension to an image. The UA Texture Suite includes 32 custom textures, ranging from weathered to vintage.
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| Original Image | Texturize |
Click here to view more details for the Texturize Suite. (affiliate link)
If you do any retouching with your photos, I highly recommend these Photoshop Actions. Each suite is only $49. And, right now they are running a two for one. Click here to visit Union Actions (affiliate link)
How do I purchase and download UA: Portrait v2.0