Using layers

[Nick Rains]

Without wishing to sound too evangelical but layers, layer masks made from channel operations (calculations and apply image) and blend modes are the next level of power in Photoshop.

Working on single layers is pointless, you can do most of that with more control in Lightroom. Layers and all the associated techniques that they open up are not for the faint hearted but represent the true power of Photoshop.

That book that was mentioned earlier is a good starting point, but it's only fairly basic. Worth a go if you want to get a taste for what's possible.

[Alan Klein]

It's not that I haven't tried layers, for some reason I just didn't get it to save so when I reopened I had everything combined and couldn't seee the layers so I gave up.  I also tried LR3 and liked it, the flow and control was nice but then I read that its mainly for indexing  large picture files, more for professionals, and I don't have that need, so I began using Elements 8 only.

Question though if you're also using LR3.  How does layers in PS work for you since your main adjstments are in LR?

[Justan]

That book that was mentioned earlier is a good starting point, but it's only fairly basic. Worth a go if you want to get a taste for what's possible.

What other books can you recommend??

[Joe S]

I have recently moved over to the layers school.   When I save a TIFF file with layers it appears only as an icon in Bridge rather than the thumbnail I have grown used to.  Is there anyway to get the much more useful thumbnail to display?

Joe

[Nick Rains]

What other books can you recommend??

Unfortunately there are almost no books that cover this field in any detail. Lots of books include some stuff on masks and channels but only as a small part of bigger books. If you can track down a secondhand copy of David Beidny's Channel Chops then get that.

[Thomas McConnell]

Sometimes I use layer and sometimes not, sometimes I even don't take my photo into the PS, it happens in different conditions.

Thomas McConnell

[AFairley]

Justin, for the kind of work you are describing, like events where you plow through a bunch of images to bring them up to par, you might really prefer the workflow offered by Lightroom. Then the whole discussion of layers becomes irrelevant. The ability to sync corrections for a whole set of shots is a real time saver in these situations. And it's still non-destructive, just in case.

Or you can do the same thing in Camera Raw, the only advantage with Lightroom being that you can then batch print them, which you can't do in PS.  On the other hand, the advantage of batch ACR is that you can open any image in PS if any pixel-level adjustments are needed.

[Schewe]

Or you can do the same thing in Camera Raw, the only advantage with Lightroom being that you can then batch print them, which you can't do in PS. 

Actually, the Photoshop CS5 Print command can be recorded as an action and you can print multiple images from Bridge using the Batch command. The only limitation is that you'll need a separate recorded action for horizontal and vertical images since the Print command can't auto-rotate like Lightroom.

BTW, this is just one of the new "tips" that Mike and I have added to the new Camera to Print and Screen video due towards the end of the summer.

[ThomasMcConnell]

Regarding the recent posts that you mentioned and 'stalking'....  someone is using my name and linking to my website.  I have not registered on this forum until now.
If possible, please delete me and the other 'user' that is using my name.
Regards,
Tom

[Jack Varney]

Well gee, how does this save time and effort or improve the image?

I have tried a similar experiment in which I took a small section of an image and made a copy. This copy I then subjected to curves twice, the first time to lighten it and the second to restore it to its original exposure. I closed and saved the file in between ensuring that it was treated twice.

Several images could be processed, using layers, in the time all those steps were being made!