Why does Finishing Touches exist?

The problem: context-dependent finishing

Finishing is where otherwise solid workflows start to break down. Not because the individual steps are difficult, but because they depend on context. The same image may require different handling depending on its aspect ratio, resolution, or whether it’s color or black and white. Most tools don’t account for this. They apply the same actions in the same way, regardless of what the image actually is. The result is constant manual decision-making—switching between different actions, adjusting settings, or maintaining parallel workflows just to handle variations in format and output.

Rule-based processing

Finishing Touches removes that friction by introducing rule-based processing. Instead of choosing what to do for each image, you define conditions based on keywords, aspect ratio, or size. The script then executes the appropriate Photoshop actions automatically. A black and white image can trigger one grain action, a color image another, with further variations depending on output size or format—without any manual intervention.

Scaling and consistency

This becomes critical as volume increases. Running Photoshop actions manually is manageable for a small set of images, but quickly becomes unreliable at scale. Actions are applied out of order, the wrong variants are used, or steps are skipped entirely. By handling action selection and execution automatically, Finishing Touches ensures that each image is processed according to the same logic, every time.

Reducing recompression

It also addresses a less visible but important issue: cumulative image degradation. In many workflows, images are saved multiple times between steps—particularly when chaining actions or exporting intermediate files. Each JPEG save introduces additional compression. Finishing Touches runs the entire sequence in a single pass, eliminating unnecessary intermediate saves and reducing recompression.

Repeatable, defined workflows

The result is a finishing process that is no longer manual or situational, but defined and repeatable. You specify what should happen under given conditions, and the script applies those decisions consistently across every image.