Photoshop: Discover the art of layering

A perfect photograph is constituted of a number of elements light conditions, the amount of exposure and selecting the ideal lens and the filter. It is only when these factors are at their most optimal, that a flawless image is created. However, sometimes even the most talented and exacting of photographers may find that his image lacks a certain "Something" or that the photograph would have looked a lot better, had he just fined tuned a few elements. And hence he turns to editing, which allows him to correct any inadvertent flaws that mar his image while also saving him the time and cost that he would have had to invest of he chose to re-shoot the image. With the passage of time and development of technology, several new kinds of editing software have been developed, among which, the most noteworthy is Adobe Photoshop.

Many photographers shy away from using editing software as extensive retouching of the image significantly deteriorates the image quality. But Photoshop effectively nullifies this obstacle as it allows you to touch up the image without burning the image itself. This it does through the use of layers. Layers function in a manner similar to transparencies, which when stacked on top of each other, form the complete image. Each layer consists of different parts of the image, to which you can apply different effects to modify only those parts of the picture which need to be worked on and leaving the rest intact.

This allows you to modify only specific parts of the image, where you can correct overexposure by building density and modifying the color until the anomaly is barely distinguishable. And if the final result is not quite what you imagined it to be, you can undo your effects in parts, stopping just where you want to instead of having to delete all you efforts away and then start right where you began. This is because, when you work with layers, you are not embedding the effects on the complete image, but only modifying the part which appears on the specific layer. The Multiple Undo option lets your imagination break free, as you can toy around as much as you like and stick with only the effects which augment your image.

Adjustment Layers also allow you to undo all the effects that you have applied on your image, and start all over from scratch without compromising on the image quality. You can also view your editing process at every step by turning of the visibility of the layer you are working on to analyze the final outcome and then turn to visibility back on to continue with the process.

To create your customized adjustment layer, you can either opt to work with the Layer Menu, and choose an adjustment layer which is suited to your requirements from the New Adjustment Layer Sub Menu, or refer to the layer Palette Icon which lets you choose an adjustment layer type from the pop up menu. And once you have crated the perfect Adjustment layer which brings about the exact effect you wish to use, you can even save your layer adjustments to use them on future images, which will save you a lot of time and effort when the need arises.

To distinguish between layers, once you have divided your image, you can name each layer with a distinct title which will make it easier for you to switch between layers and avoid confusion. To do this, double click on the layer you wish to rename and enter the title you've selected in the name field. Once you click on OK, the new name will be saved, letting you proceed with the other layers. If it helps you focus, you can also hide the other layers and concentrate on only one specific layer at a time. You can do this by clicking on the eye icon beside each of the layers to make them disappear and then click on the icon again to bring them back. This allows you to work on one layer at a time, without being distracted by the other un-worked or reworked layers.

You may also inundate yourself with more layers than you can handle in which case, you can easily deleted the unwanted ones, without disturbing the others that you need. You can even select a combination of layers and merge them together by choosing the Merge layers Option in the Layer Menu. As any Photoshop expert will tell you, if there's one tool you need to master when you learn Photoshop and make the most of it, it has got to be layers. So wait no further get to work on that image which you've always wanted to work on, but didn't for fear of ruining it you can never tell just what you might unmask!

By: Dan Feildman

Starting to know Digital Photography Has improved on many points. Classes have developed and new ways have risen. Right now you can read all about tips on lighting

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