Little Sawyer the Snow Bunny // Kids Lifestyle Photography // Ash Tree Photoshop Actions

Sawyer's hair is getting so long and I just don't know what to do with it. I'm so torn! Part of me wants to cut it into the shorter on the sides longer on the top style, but another part of me loves loves loves his long hair, and think I should just get it trimmed...

Especially because lately he's been twirling it. And it's ridiculously cute. He's always been a thumb sucker and an ear puller, like King John in Disney's Robin Hood cartoon, but now he sucks his thumb and twirls his hair. Seriously, I could die.

- ash

Action Used: Houndstooth from the new Mahogany Collection from Ash Tree Actions

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Then you might be interested in my line of unique photoshop actions!

Ash Tree Photoshop Actions.

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How to Add a Sunlit Glow in Photoshop

Always wondered how to add a beautiful burst of sunlight to your photos?

Follow this simple eight step tutorial!

 

S T E P   O N E
After choosing your photo, add a gradient fill layer (Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient...)

S T E P   T W O
Change the mode to Hard Light and rename the layer if you want.

S T E P   T H R E E
Change the style to Radial and adjust the size to suit your photo (135%).

S T E P   F O U R
Click on the gradient box. This will open the Gradient Editor.
Click the space below the gradient box to add a new stop.

S T E P   F I V E
Change the first bottom stop to a creamy off white and then add two extra bottom stops.
Change their colours to yellow and orange and then adjust their location on the slider as shown.
Change the far bottom right stop to grey.

S T E P   S I X
Click on the far top right stop and change the opacity to about 30%.

STEP SEVEN
Add a stop somewhere in the top middle between the two top stops and change it to about 70%.

S T E P   E I G H T
Click okay. Now without closing the Gradient Fill window, move your new sunburst to your preferred area of the photo and click okay!
Adjust the opacity of your fill layer to your liking.

{ O P T I O N A L   S T E P   N I N E }
Don't be afraid to add a second burst to really sunny up the shot!

The finished shot...

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Giving Your Photos the Matte-Look

If you ever use VSCO CAM or Afterlight on your iPhone, you're likely familiar with the fade adjustment or the matte look you can achieve using some of the preset filters.

I use this edit a lot on my iPhone photos and it's perfect for when I want to keep the dynamic look of a higher contrast shot, but without the stark edginess between the the high and low lights. It also seems to take the saturation down just a touch, giving a bit of a washed out feel.

There are likely tons of different way of achieving this look in photoshop, but I've found the following method to be efficient and versatile enough for my own editing style and I haven't had to go looking for any other more in depth or complicated steps.

So I open up the photo I'm going to edit in PS and my first step is to enhance and increase the contrast. I duplicate the background layer (Layer > Duplicate Layer or Command J) and I set the blending mode to Overlay.

Then I change the Opacity to about 35%. Next I go down to my "create new fill or adjustment layer" button and choose Solid Color...

I pick a nice dark grey (#616161) and hit OK. Then I change the blending mode of that layer to Lighten.

Now here is where you choose how much "fade" you want your photo to have by adjusting the Opacity to your liking. For this photo I'm going with a nice subtle 50%.

Then complete your editing to your liking and you're done! I lightened the photo just a touch by using a Curves adjustment layer and then brightened up my models face just a smidgen.

C'est fin!

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Wedding and Bachelorette Party Planning

I've got big plans for my bachelorette party! I'm not even sure if I'm supposed to be planning it, but I really want to head up this operation.

As I won't be able to photograph my own wedding for obvious reasons, but would like to take advantage of the amazing props I will have collected for the big day, I am going to plan my bachelorette party as a Styled Shoot so I have a photo set to submit to some publishers when it's all said and done!

Once I have the exact directions to the property I'll map out the directions on a third invite card like these two and any last tid-bits of information the guests will need.

Last week was when we officially {finally} found our venue and chose our Wedding date! A couple days later I started creating in photoshop and came up with these Save the Date postcards.

The venue is a family friend's hunting property near Hudson Hope, BC. The land is mostly uninhabited and somewhere around 300 acres of trees and meadows along the river, so we'll have our choice of places to set up everything we need!

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the area in the Summer time yet, but these Winter photos give you an idea of what the place is like.

If you like the fonts I've used in the invitations, I've provided links to their download sources below. 

I also created a template of the Mint Chevron Frame in photoshop. If you'd like the file leave your email in the comment section and I will send it to you!

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