Here's a tutorial I wrote on using layers for non-destructive, completely
reversible dodging and burning:
http://chriscrawfordphoto.com/technical/dodge-burn.php
I think that is the real power of layers.
--
Chris Crawford
Fine Art Photography
Fort Wayne, Indiana
260-437-8990
http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com My portfolio
http://blog.chriscrawfordphoto.com My latest work!
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On 5/4/12 3:45 PM, "Bob Whitmire" <bwhitmire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>Ah, layers. I am no expert, not even close, but I have been fighting with
>them for a couple of years now. Some on the list have been doing it much
>longer, so I invite them to weigh in or correct or taunt as they see fit.
>
>My advice for layers is to start slow and roll on the throttle as you get
>deeper into the subject.
>
>For starters, let's forget for the moment that the later iterations of
>Camera Raw and Lightroom (same thing, different look) make it almost
>unnecessary to visit Photoshop at all. Let's pretend that we do only
>basic adjustments to our Raw files and then export them to Photoshop as
>TIFFs or PSDs.
>
>So you open the file and you have a background layer. First, go up to the
>icons in the tool palette and find the layer for Levels. Click. New layer
>added to your stack. Don't worry about the white window in the layer.
>Photoshop adds a layer mask automatically. You may or may not need it.
>Early on, ignore it or you'll get a headache.
>
>There's a drop down menu of blend modes. Don't worry about what they are,
>and don't be intimidated by the number and apparent opaqueness of them
>all. In the beginning, you're going to use only three: Normal, Luminosity
>and Saturation.
>
>For Levels, use Normal, which as I recall is the default. You make your
>adjustments with those little triangles under the baseline of the
>histogram. Get the black slider just under where the black part starts
>(on the left), the right triangle under just where the highlights start
>(on the right) and the middle triangle to mess with your mid tone values.
>All of this is to taste. When it looks good to you, stop messing with it.
>You've basically set black point, white point and midtones.
>
>Next, find the icon for Curves. Click. Set the blend mode to Luminosity.
>You use Luminosity because if you leave it on normal, curves adjustments
>will also subtly alter your Saturation. You want to wait until the next
>step to muck with that. Make your curves adjustments to taste. I usually
>go for an "S" shape, but it's really relative to what the image needs and
>what looks best, The secret of Curves is contrast. It's the single most
>effective tool for setting contrast because you can do it across the
>entire tonal range.
>
>Now, a trick for working with Curves. You can actually move the line to
>taste, or you can click on that pointed index finger icon (top left of
>the Curves panel?). Then you place it over the area of the image you want
>to adjust, Move it up and down and watch your curves line change as it
>adjusts the tonal values matching the values beneath the pointing finger.
>It's easy to get carried away with this, but don't worry about it. Have
>fun. Play. The nice thing about Layers is they are nondestructive.
>
>Now, having set Levels and Curves, your next step is Saturation. Click
>the Layer icon and add your third layer (not counting the background).
>Set the blend mode to Saturation. You do this because if you leave it at
>normal, adjusting Saturation will also affect Luminosity. You really
>don't want to do that when you can avoid it, which you can by using the
>blend modes. You can make the Saturation adjustment global, or using the
>drop down menu, you can alter the Saturation of different colors. I
>generally set my Saturation this way because there's so much more control.
>
>So, there you have it: Introduction to Layers. It's barely a start, but
>it's an important start. There's lots more you can do with Layers,
>including lightening and darkening using brushes, increasing and
>decreasing Saturation using brushes, adding type, disappearing things and
>what not. But the three I've outlined here are the basic three.
>
>More complex layering sometimes requires merging up and using CMD-J to
>duplicate the background and such, but all of that's for later, when you
>have a good book or DVD tutorial for using Layers, and a bottle of good
>Scotch to handle the frustration.
>
>Rock On!
>
>--Bob
>
>
>On May 4, 2012, at 3:02 PM, Chris Barker wrote:
>
>> I've succumbed. I've bought CS5, ready for the "free" upgrade to CS6
>>when it comes. I don't need it, but I have been curious about the new
>>interface, not to mention the upgrades to some of the features that I
>>use.
>>
>> And I really must get to grips with layers.
>
>--
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>
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