Creating an Action

I have LOVED the "Actions" tab ever since I figured out how to use it. I use the Actions folder alot when I do photoshoots. What it does is records everything you do to ONE picture so that you can run a "batch" that will do all the same things to a FOLDER of pictures. For instance, I did a photoshoot in my house with my new lighting (yup, got some lighting) that still needed the colors tweaked with the "Auto Levels" option (I was still figuring out the settings on my camera). So, I plopped one picture onto my Photoshop program and pressed the "Create a new action" button (The little picture that looks like a paper is being turned. It's in the bottom right hand corner of the "Actions" folder, next to the little garbage can.) and named my action "Auto Levels". Then I pushed "record". You will notice that a little circle, a few buttons over from the "create a new action" button, turned red. That means Photoshop is recording everything you do to that picture.

So, I selected "Auto Levels" then saved my work. I then pushed the "stop playing/recording" square button to the left of the "record" button. Now the actions that I did to that picture are saved. I can run a "batch" and do that action to every picture in a folder with one click instead of opening everything picture one at a time AND doing Auto Levels AND then saving it. You just sit back and watch it work. Love it!