Shopping for Photoshop actions can be as difficult as shopping for a new car.
You know what it’s like. You find exactly what you are looking for (or what you thought you were looking for) and then you test drive it. As you are testing driving it, you realize it’s almost perfect but not quite. Maybe the interior is not the exact color you had imagined. Or maybe the way the dashboard is laid out isn’t quite right. It could be that you need want all the bells and whistles and the one you are driving is anything but top of the line. Simply, it does not fit your vision of who you are (the cool cucumber driving the mini van scenario).
Surely, you have had this same experience with Photoshop actions. An image catches your eye as you are scrolling through Facebook and you think to yourself, ‘Self, I LOVE the look of those actions! So you buy. Once you get it downloaded and are testing it out on several of your images, you realize it’s almost perfect but not quite. It doesn’t mesh well with your brand. Or it does not run consistently or it shuts Photoshop down. Whatever the case it’s not for you. Back on the hunt you go and the cycle begins again.
Stop the action insanity hunt today! You do not need to look any further than Kubota Image Tools! They have everything a discerning professional photographer could ever want! Photoshop actions, Lightroom presets, Borders and Textures, and so much more. You really need to check all their products out!
Kubota’s Dashboard 4 Pro is one AMAZING feature! I am absolutely in love with the dashboard! It organizes your actions. You can search from it. Actions can be run from it and the best part is it is FREE and includes free actions!!! (we all like free). If you do nothing else today, click the link and download the Dashboard. You will not be sorry!
I also want to talk with you about Kubota’s Artistic Tools V1. Kubota has four versions of the Artistic Tools. I will talk about the other three versions in the near future.
Artist Tools V1 (ATV1 from here on out) is an amazing set of actions. This set has over 50 actions for you to use. ATV1 is coined the “Classic Film Effects” set. Many of the actions produce an effect you would have gotten from shooting film. For example, below you will find the original image (SOOC) on the left and on the right is the end result after having run Kubota’s BW Grainy Film action.
Kubota Image Tools
When it comes to sepia actions, I am hard to impress. Many sepia actions are too yellow or too green in the shadows and highlights. Sepia Deep Black 2 is a wonderful sepia action. Blacks remain black and whites remain white with this action. Skin tones are a creamy white with a hint of the reddish brown tones of sepia. If you are looking for the perfect sepia action, then look no further! Sepia Deep Black 2 is it!
Kubota Image Tools
Lastly, I want to talk about ATV1’s vignette action. The purpose of a vignette is to draw the viewers eyes to a specific area in the image. Vignettes however can be over done. What stands out to me about Kubota’s vignette action is you have complete control over the opacity of the vignette. You can customize it to your image. And the best part is you can see the changes in real time! Make a little change, you see it immediately! No guessing!
Kubota Image Tools
If you are looking for a solid action pack that you will use over and over, Artistic Tools V1 is the action pack for you! B&W actions, Skin Softening, Sepia, Eye & Teeth Whitener, Sepia and a vignette are just a few of the actions in this must have pack that is perfect for all styles of photography! At $179 for 56 actions($3.19 each), you can not go wrong!
Thank you to Elise Ellis Photography for the use of her images in this blog post.
