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Open the appPhotoshop actions are a series of commands or steps that you can record and play back on any photo or group of photos. You can create your own actions or use the ones that come with Photoshop or that you can download from other sources. Actions can help you perform common tasks such as resizing, cropping, sharpening, adding contrast, or applying filters with just one click. You can also customize and modify your actions to suit your needs and preferences.
I do use a luminosity masking action I learned in a Joel Grimes workshop. I have them for different types of landscapes I've done. Until Lightroom Classic puts Levels into it, I'll keep using Photoshop if I want to do some luminosity masks.
To create a Photoshop action, you need to open the Actions panel (Window > Actions) and click on the Create New Action button at the bottom. You can name your action, assign a keyboard shortcut, and choose a set to save it in. Then, you can start recording your action by performing the steps that you want to apply to your photos. You can use any tool, menu, or adjustment that Photoshop offers. When you are done, click on the Stop button to finish recording. To use your action, you can select it from the Actions panel and click on the Play button, or use the keyboard shortcut that you assigned. You can also edit, delete, or duplicate your actions by using the buttons or the menu in the Actions panel.
When I get back from a road trip (usually out West). I always shoot and set my camera so that I'm shooting a raw file and an jpg file. I look through my jpgs and pick the one's that i really like. Usually it's only a few. Then I open the raw file in Photoshop and work on it. Some are vertical and others horizontal. I can't use an action because each one is different so I have to work on each one individually.
In one of Joel Grimes' masterclasses, he walks you through how to create luminosity masks and I've continued to use those when I want to play around with Levels on my image. I don't always do it, but having those actions there in case I need that tool is helpful. I mostly use them if I have clouds/sky in my images and I am not getting the results I want in Lightroom Classic.
Photoshop scripts are files that contain code that can perform complex or advanced tasks that are not possible with actions. Scripts can use variables, conditions, loops, and other programming elements to manipulate your photos or documents. You can write your own scripts using JavaScript, AppleScript, or VBScript, or use the ones that come with Photoshop or that you can download from other sources. Scripts can help you perform tasks such as creating calendars, watermarks, collages, or panoramas with your photos.
To run a Photoshop script, you need to go to File > Scripts and choose the script that you want from the list. Some scripts will open a dialog box where you can set some options or parameters, while others will run automatically. You can also browse for a script that is not in the list by choosing Browse from the File > Scripts menu. To create your own script, you need to use a text editor or an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that supports the scripting language that you want to use. You can find more information and tutorials on how to write Photoshop scripts on the Adobe website or other online resources.
The image processor is a built-in feature of Photoshop that allows you to batch process multiple photos and save them in different formats, sizes, and quality settings. You can also apply an action to your photos using the image processor. The image processor can help you prepare your photos for printing, web, or other purposes.
To use the image processor, you need to go to File > Scripts > Image Processor. You will see a dialog box where you can choose the source folder of your photos, the destination folder where you want to save them, the file type and quality settings, and the action that you want to apply. You can also resize your photos by entering the desired width and height in pixels. After you set all the options, click on the Run button and wait for the image processor to finish. You will see the processed photos in the destination folder that you specified.
Photoshop Scripts and Actions are very nuanced, and many people don't understand how to use these beneficial features to their full extent. This can also be said for Gradient Mapping, creating .LUT files for videography, and creating .DNG presets for photos. If you're a content creator alongside a landscape photographer, consider how you can use these features to optimize your content development workflow while also teaching others about these features. Photographic influencers are making quite a bit of money from selling presets, and I believe scripts/actions are an untouched market for many.