Applying Settings to Multiple Images?

concord977

In CS4 (or CS5), is it possible to take the [levels / curves / color balance / contrast] used in one photo and apply them to additional images?

If I've taken a series of photos in the same general setting and light environment, i'd like to make sure that I don't post-process them into completely different looking images after the fact.

If I've taken a long time with one image to get the settings exactly as I want them, I want to avoid having to do the same with each related photo individually.

BinaryFx

concord977 wrote: »

If I've taken a long time with one image to get the settings exactly as I want them, I want to avoid having to do the same with each related photo individually.

That depends, did you use adjustment layers - and do you still have the adjustment layers? Ideally one plans ahead, knowing that similar shots will have the same/similar settings applied. If you have the adjustment layers, then all is good!

Some would plan ahead for such a project and use Adobe Camera Raw or Adobe Lightroom, however one can plan ahead and do things the traditional way with Adjustment layers, if one keeps the original adjustment layers that is!


Sincerely,

Stephen Marsh

http://binaryfx.customer.netspace.net.au/ (coming soon!)
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

concord977

Since you've mentioned "adjustment layers" five times and "planning ahead" 3 times, I get the impression that you want to know if I get these basic concepts and whether or not I use them. Yes, and yes.

I was looking for a more streamlined solution. I'm looking for a way to call up a number of different types of adjustments as a package, whenever I need it.

BinaryFx wrote: »

That depends, did you use adjustment layers - and do you still have the adjustment layers? Ideally one plans ahead, knowing that similar shots will have the same/similar settings applied. If you have the adjustment layers, then all is good!

Some would plan ahead for such a project and use Adobe Camera Raw or Adobe Lightroom, however one can plan ahead and do things the traditional way with Adjustment layers, if one keeps the original adjustment layers that is!


Sincerely,

Stephen Marsh

http://binaryfx.customer.netspace.net.au/ (coming soon!)
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

BinaryFx

>> Since you've mentioned "adjustment layers" five times and "planning ahead" 3 times, I get the impression that you want to know if I get these basic concepts and whether or not I use them. Yes, and yes. <<


Well, if I had $1 for every time that some unknown person of undetermined skill/knowledge posted on an internet forum that they had an image that they wanted to copy the edits from - and then it turns out that the image has been flattened and they did not think ahead...then I would be a rich man!


>> I was looking for a more streamlined solution. I'm looking for a way to call up a number of different types of adjustments as a package, whenever I need it. <<

I would put all of the adjustment layers in a layer set, then drag the layer set to the other document/s (layer masks would of course have to be re-made).


Regards,

Stephen Marsh

http://binaryfx.customer.netspace.net.au/ (coming soon!)
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

racer

concord977 wrote: »

I was looking for a more streamlined solution. I'm looking for a way to call up a number of different types of adjustments as a package, whenever I need it.

I would make them into actions, then every time you need it that set of adjustments, you just hit play!
http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/03/07/how-to-create-photoshop-actions/

colourbox

concord977 wrote: »

I'm looking for a way to call up a number of different types of adjustments as a package, whenever I need it.

You can save a "good correction" as a preset in CS4 and CS5, not sure about CS3. The preset goes into a menu in the panel and then you just call it up on whatever image you're on.

racer wrote: »

I would make them into actions, then every time you need it that set of adjustments, you just hit play!
http://blog.epicedits.com/2008/03/07/how-to-create-photoshop-actions/

Yeah, that's another way. I guess you could make an action that applies a preset. Or you can export curves, levels, etc. as settings files and import them back into another image. Build an action out of that and you can then apply them to hundreds of images through the Batch command. But automating this in Photoshop is still many times slower than the Lightroom/Camera Raw/Bridge/Aperture workflow of just selecting a bunch of images and clicking "sync" or copying and pasting corrections to any number of images.

racer

colourbox wrote: »

Yeah, that's another way. I guess you could make an action that applies a preset. Or you can export curves, levels, etc. as settings files and import them back into another image. Build an action out of that and you can then apply them to hundreds of images through the Batch command. But automating this in Photoshop is still many times slower than the Lightroom/Camera Raw/Bridge/Aperture workflow of just selecting a bunch of images and clicking "sync" or copying and pasting corrections to any number of images.

I think I was a bit confused when I typed that I totally agree, lightroom/camera raw/bridge workflow is much better solution (in reply to post #1 to this thread). I think what confused me, was my sleep deprived brain replying to the third post