Newborn Photoshop Actions from MCP ACTIONS: Before and After

As a photographer I am asked what I think about Photoshop. I think of Photoshop as my digital darkroom where I develop my images on the computer rather than from a negative film strip that is processed by dodging various lights on photographic paper. Granted, there are many cool treatments and techniques that can be performed using Photoshop, Elements or Lightroom that you can't quite do with film and a darkroom. But the premise is very similar.

So, that being said, I have to share some amazing Photoshop tools from my new acquaintance, Jodi, over at MCP Actions. She has made my life SO much easier as a photographer. I stumbled upon her work when I was searching the internet for some help with Photoshop. Jodi came to the rescue with her video tutorials which are thorough, educational and accessible whenever I need a refresher. She also has some of the best actions out there for Photoshop and Elements. Including the one I'm using below called Newborn Necessities Photoshop Actions. (Believe me, if you're a photographer this is WELL worth it.)

Newborn babies often have a reddish skin tone when they are just a few weeks old. In many cases this red hue disappears as they put on a few pounds and add a little bit of baby fat. But those first few newborn shots often have that red hue and MCP Actions has just the tool (or two) to help you dust it away. In the Before photo you see, the top image is the photo I took straight out of the camera (SOOC), no touch ups were done at all. I loved the composition but the coloring was a bit too red.

I used the "Hush the Reds" from MCP Actions which got rid of the red beautifully. But I also added a little tiny bit of MCP's "Dusting of Baby Powder" to develop the effect I wanted. You can see the results in the bottom photo.


Before (top), After (bottom)

Before I made my final adjustments, I compared the images side-by-side as you see from my screenshot below. What used to take me 15-20 minutes per image prior to using MCP actions now literally takes a few seconds. It speeds up my workflow and the images come out beautifully.

Our sister blog, Moms Who Click, will have more info on MCP soon so stay tuned. If you're a Photoshop, Elements or Lightroom user, MCP Actions is a must stop on your virtual photographic journey. We HEART MCP Actions!