How I apply retro effects with a single click in Photoshop CC (with these free actions)

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Actions are custom scripts or mini-programs that automatically stack a bunch of image adjustments or filter commands together, and execute them in lightning-fast time. Stylized treatments and imaging effects that could take ages to create and fine-tune manually can be conjured up with one mouse click. 

Actions have several advantages for the times when you want to give a photo a new look, or take it in a new creative direction. The benefit of working with a complete set that’s ready-made is not only the joy of applying a broad variety of different effects really fast, it’s also the chance to generate new looks you’d simply never have thought of. 

Retro effects added to an image in Photoshop

Retro effects added to an image in Photoshop with our free Retro Chic actions (Image credit: Jon Adams)

Use the link below to get set of custom-made Actions for Photoshop CC called Retro Chic. As the name implies, these will take your shots back in time to add a real sense of nostalgia. These finishes will amplify the emotional appeal of your photographs in an old-school style.

Download the project file(s) to your Downloads folder of your computer (not recommended if you are reading this on a phone)

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Jon Adams

Jon started out as a film-maker, working as a cameraman and video editor before becoming a writer/director. He made corporate & broadcast programmes in the UK and Middle East, and also composed music, writing for TV, radio and cinema. Jon worked as a photographer and journalist alongside this, and took his video skills into magazine publishing, where he edited the Digital Photo magazine for over 15 years. He is an expert in photo editing, video making and camera techniques.