DUE TO THE DIGITAL NATURE OF THE CONTENTS SOLD IN THIS SHOP NO REFUNDS ARE PROVIDED. PLEASE BE CERTAIN THAT YOU ARE NOT DOUBLE PURCHASING OR READ THE FULL DESCRIPTION OF EACH ITEM IN THE SHOP BEFORE PURCHASING.
Here are some of my most frequently asked questions. Please refer to this BEFORE emailing me because most likely the answer is right here. I am so thankful you chose to buy my goodies. Before you read on please know that I love to help but can not hand hold due to a lack of time (I so wish I could) so if you have no experience with actions you may want to try the freebies located on my fan page in the freebie Tab first. Also if you do read absolutely everything here and do need to contact me for any reason at all please be as specific as you can including information such as what version of Photoshop or Elements you are using and any other details that are important pertaining to your issue. Also make sure if you are writing regarding expired links you include your PayPal email address and be sure read the policy below on expired links.
Customer Service FAQ
I Just purchased something in your shop. How long before I get my goodies?
The purchases are delivered to your PAYPAL email address or any email address you entered at time of check out automatically from my shopping cart system. You can also continue through the checkout process and download your links automatically as well. Make sure that you are checking your spam or bulk folder as well if you do not see your links automatically, as well your main email folder, if you do not see them initially. Sometimes when you purchase multiple action sets at once they will head in Spam or Bulk by mistake. My Photoshop Actions, Presets for Lightroom and Textures are however as mentioned sent to the email address you used at checkout so if you need them forwarded to a different email account note it can take up to 24 hours so it is best to use a correct email address whenever possible. Also note my business hours are 10 am to 4:30 Pm and I am in the Mountain time zone so you will most likely not hear back until the following morning if emailing after closing business hours.
I just sent you an email? How long is your general response time?
I try to respond to my emails as soon as I possibly can and most the time you will receive a response before or within 24-48 hours however I am not on the computer Saturday or Sunday as often, so if you don’t hear back right away you will certainly hear back by Monday of that following week. If I plan to be offline an auto responder email will usually say so or I will post notice on my Facebook fan page.
Do you have a refund policy?
Due to the Photoshop Actions and Lightroom Presets being a digital download, I can not offer any refunds. All sales are final. Please read the descriptions before purchasing the products.
My links have expired, can you reset them?
Please try to download your products before the links expire. Also please try to back up your Photoshop actions as you would your photos so you have them saved safely in case anything were to happen. I can also absolutely reset your links for you. There is a fee of $8.00 and you can purchase a link reset using this link right here:
LINK RESET
Before purchasing this note that ONLY current product in the shop can be reset. Anything retired from the shop is no longer carried in the shopping cart system and is no longer retrievable. Also, be sure to have the Paypal e-mail address you purchased with ready as well as the e-mail you would prefer to have the actions sent to if that has changed since your original purchase.
If you need your links reset and would like to pay the fee to have them reinstalled please contact me and I will send you a link to do so!
I don’t see the Action set I purchased in the shop any longer. Is there a way to retrieve links to those?
Anything that has been “retired” or is no longer listed in the shop can not be retrieved as it has been long purged from my shopping cart system and back up systems to make room for more current releases and items. If you do not see the item in the shop it is no longer available. Make sure to back these items up. If they are lost they are most likely gone for good.
What is the best way to stay current on M4H Photography News?
I update the fan page frequently and you can find that at http://www.facebook.com/myfourhens. You can also stay up to date by subscribing to the newsletter. You can do that right on the front page of the shop here.
Editing Resources FAQ
Lightroom
Are all presets for Lightroom in the shop Lightroom 4 compatible?
Unfortunately, no. The only set MADE specifically for Lr4 is Harmony and Life Inspired. You can however help get your presets compatible by checking out resource: http://www.presetsheaven.com/2012/04/08/how-to-update-lightroom-3-presets-to-lightroom-4/ I especially recommend the resource linked above if you already own any earlier Lightroom Presets and want to upgrade to a later version of Lightroom.
Will your Lightroom Presets work in Lightroom 5?
At this time they haven’t been tested in Lightroom 5. Developing and testing will be happening within the coming months and once the presets are deemed compatible an announcement will be made on Facebook and here in the shop or blog.
Will you be making new Presets for Lightroom 2 and 3?
Maybe. It a huge goal to be able to carry presets for earlier versions of Lightroom as I have been able to in the past. Due to the major changes Adobe implemented in the sliders and format it is extremely hard to match certain presets up correctly and make the same presets compatible for both versions of the program. I will absolutely try my best though and if I can not I will make sure to announce compatibility in the shop previews so there is no confusion.
There isn’t a Jpeg and Raw option for my presets in Lightroom 4 like there are with previous preset versions. Why?
In the past, due to the sliders that were in Lightroom 2 and 3 you indeed needed a Raw and Jpeg version of each preset for the preset to apply correctly. Now with Lr4 the presets will work with BOTH jpeg and raw! Easy peasy!
Also as a note the presets for Lr 2&3 will be slightly varied for Lr4. Due to the difference in tools and having to remake everything by eye there is a slight variation. Nothing too major though.
Do you make presets for Lightroom?
Yes!! There is a separate area from the Photoshop actions solely for Lightroom.
Do Lightroom Presets work in my Photoshop Elements or CS Versions? How about ACR?
They do not unfortunately. They only work in the programs specified.
How do I get the most out of my Lightroom Presets?
Start with a well exposed image with good white balance. I do make Presets for both RAW and JPEG images however you really need to make sure you are using JPEG presets with JPEG images and RAW images with RAW files to utilize them correctly. Also there is no one size fits all with Presets and if you find that a preset doesn’t look quite right, is to bright, or needs more contrast etc. be sure to tweak it. Just changing the Exposure slider can do a world of good for you. Don’t be afraid to change things to your own personal preference or taste.
How do I install Lightroom Presets into my Lightroom Program?
Installing Presets is super easy!! With your Lightroom Program open locate the left hand side of your program in the DEVELOP tab up top. You will be there after you have already imported your images or files into Lightroom and are ready to edit them. You then want to make sure the Preset panel to the left is open. Right click on that area and select IMPORT. Locate the Presets on your hard drive or EHD (or other media) and click open. You are ready to begin playing! That easy!! So a quick recap:
1. Open Lightroom and Import your Photos.
2. Click the DEVELOP tab to the top right hand side of your Lightroom Program.
3. Locate where it says presets to the left hand side of your Lightroom Program.
4. Right click and choose Import while hovering over where the presets are stored.
5. Locate your presets on your Hard Drive (or other means of media) and click on it. Then hit open.
6. Have fun!
Photoshop Actions
What is an Action? How Do I use them?
An Action is a series of steps in Photoshop or elements recorded into a file. Each action contains different steps or different processes and create different editing styles on your photographs. I create these actions for you in MY way and style of doing things. You do need the Photoshop Versions or Elements Versions stated in order to run these actions. If you have any further questions not stated in this faq please contact me via the contact form or at Sarah@myfourhensphotography.com There is also a wealth of fabulous installation help for elements and how to install actions there here: http://www.thecoffeeshopblog.com/p/loading-actions-into-photoshop-elements.html?m=1 I strongly recommend you read this if you need any help!
How Do I adjust an Entire Action without Adjusting the layers individually in Photoshop Cs/CC Versions?
Some of the older actions have an action called “Group Me” available. You run that action with the layers open and it will neatly group all the layers in the action so you can tweak the entire action as a whole. You can also find this action for FREE on the fan page in the Freebie tab under the timeline header. You can also Group them yourself by going to Layer>Select All Layers and then group layers and tweak from there. Newer sets come grouped for you.
How Do I adjust an Entire Action without adjusting the layers individually in Elements Versions?
The easiest way is to Duplicate your Background layer and then after selecting the duplicated background layer (the second one from the very bottom you do NOT want to grab the main background layer) AND all the action layers above that one Merge all those layers. You can now adjust the layer opacity on the entire action on the duplicated background layer. Note that you won’t be able to access the layers inside the action after you do this so tread carefully or make any adjustments prior to merging.
Will my Photo look exactly like the Preview images?
Most likely not. All photographers are different. Images are taken in different lighting conditions, at different settings, with different gears. Photography is as individualized as a finger print. You need to be sure to customize the actions to your taste. I leave the adjustment layers in tact for you to easily do this. Your best bet is to make sure you start with an image that is well exposed, with good white balance and focus. You also want to be editing on a calibrated monitor when possible to be sure you are seeing color correctly.
How do I “tweak” an Action?
There are many ways, but the easiest is to go through each adjustment layer by hiding and unhiding it to see what it is doing to your image. Each layer holds a different effect, and contributes to the overall feel of the edit produced by the action but is not completely necessary. You can reduce the opacity of any of these layers, or hide them completely.
I also strongly suggest adding your own adjustment layers and making your own personalized touches. You can also use the “Helper” actions included in many of the sets (they will be listed in the previews) in conjunction with the “Creative Actions.”
Some of the layers to tweak for a better exposure for your image if you are getting an overly bright or over exposed feel is layers that contain words like “Pop, Lighten, Midtone Lighten” Etc. If your image is still too dark after running an action you can also duplicate these layers or up the opacity if that is an option.
If you are getting an overly warm result look for layers that have keywords like “Warmth, Color Pop, Saturate, etc.” By reducing these layers you can tone that down. You can also up the opacity if you have the opposite issue. Be sure to also mask any of these layers off any areas specifically if you like the effect on some places and not others.
If you are getting too much of a matte feel you can either add more contrast by making your own brightness/contrast layer or you can reduce the opacity of the color fill layers with keywords like “Matte” or “Vintage.” To up the effect simply up the opacity of those layers.
You can also group the entire action as mentioned above and tweak the entire opacity of it so the whole action isn’t full strength.
What is the Difference between a Helper action and a Creative Action?
A Helper action is an action with a couple simple yet effective result that help polish an image. You can run these in addition to your own hand edits or with a “creative” action for a personalized feel. They can be used for many things including to help quickly boost your exposure, add warmth, add a more creative effect such as a vintage or matte feel and many, many more.
A Creative action is an action that changes the entire dynamic of your image. They are meant to transform your image as a whole.
The Photoshop Actions I purchased Duplicate the Main Photo Layer. Is it supposed to?
I like for my actions to be as non destructible as possible meaning that it preserves my original photo as much as possible. The reason I do duplicate the main photo is to be able to do this. The more you Process or Edit a Jpeg file the more the file quality degrades. If you use bridge this may cause problems for you with CS versions and exporting to Lightroom so to avoid this just run the action from the second step down instead of the very top of the action (You can expand the actions to access the steps) and it will avoid creating the copy! If you are using elements you can’t choose where to run the action from but you can absolutely click out of the windows that were previously opened if they are inconvenient in any way!
The Action set I bought says not compatible when installing In CC?
You need to be sure you are unzipping the file and installing the correct file in the folder. If you are using CC this will be the action in the CC labeled folder. You need the atn file to install.
Will Your Actions work in Photoshop Cs6 or Elements 12? The preview doesn’t state this version of Photoshop.
Yup they sure will. They also work with Elements 10 which may not be stated in some of the previews. To get the best results with Elements 11 install actions from the folder labeled Photoshop (it contains one .atn file) instead of the Elements Folder that has the actions broken up individually for older versions of Elements.
Do all your actions work in Photoshop Elements?
There are actions made especially for elements. Most of the previews need to be updated and will work up to Elements 12 however if they don’t state they work for Elements and only CS versions then those particular action sets are not designed to work in Elements. Also PLEASE note that Elements 8 can be hit or miss so I encourage you to grab the action from my fan page (its free) and test it out before investing!
Do your Photoshop Elements Actions work in my CS and up versions of Photoshop?
They sure do!
What is the difference between a Preset and an Action?
A Preset is a file for Lightroom and an Action is a file for Photoshop Elements or Cs versions. A Lightroom file is lr.template and an action is an atn. file. When getting ready to install make sure you unzip the zip file before trying to install these files. They will not work properly if the incorrect file is loaded.
How do you combine actions?
The actions can be combined and used in conjunction together to customize your look or feel of your photo. Just remember to “Flatten” your photos in between actions. The best way to do this is to use the group me action mentioned above and reduce the opacity of the action before running a second action if you want to use a creative action. The “Helper” actions can also be easily stacked on top of the creative actions as well.
When will there be Logos and other design products available for purchase?
This is something I will most likely not be pursuing at this time. If you are in need of a logo do feel free to message me though as I do have friends in the design industry and would be happy to make a couple of recommendations.
What if I have a question that isn’t listed here?
You can contact me by filling out the comment form on the Contact Page or by emailing me directly at Sarah@myfourhensphotography.com Please note however I can not hand hold installing actions or using them. If you do contact please make sure to be extremely specific including your version of Photoshop and print screens of whatever problems you have. Thanks!
