CS4 layers

I'm getting deeper into Photoshop CS4 and I do not quite understand the whole layers thing. I've watched tutorials and when they make a change, they make a new layer and then when they make another change, they make another layer. And then they merge the layers when they are finished. Can someone please tell me the reasons, because when I try to mess with the layer things, and then merge them, but there's no real difference in the photo. Does anyone have a site that I could go to for tutorials? Thanks

I mostly use adjustment layers for editing images non-destructively.
If you save the image with multiple adjustment layers as a PSD or TIFF file, then you never really need to merge layers. The adjustment layers are saved right along with the image.
You can then reopen the image in the future and change or undo those layers

Here's a simple tutorial that walks you through the process of creating and using adjustment layers.

Of course the other advantage is the ease with which local adjustments are made through the use of layer masks. I'm sure that's pointed out in most/all tutorials.

Here is another thought on using layers. Suppose you make an adjustment on your image. Let's use contrast, since there is an adjustment layer for contrast.

Without layers, you make a contrast adjustment. Later in your processing, you discover that there was just a shade too much contrast applied. You'll have to back through all of your history to undo it and then go forward from memory to get back. (Or play with the history states, which I am not all that familar with).

Or you get through about half of your adjustments and realize that you need to be somewhere else, so you save the image. Now, if you need to go back and tweak the contrast, you have a problem. That history state is gone, so you'll have to start over again.

Or you could have just made a contrast layer and then go back and adjust that. Even you have to save the image, those layers are preserved so you can always adjust them later.

Do any of the above replies begin to answer you questions? We'll be happy to expand on the reply to help.

Another thought might be that your question is more in the direction of layers states, active layers, which one is on top and its effect, select layers, etc. If that is it, I'll let someone else answer. I'll babble badly and make you wish I'd never replied.

Well that kind of did answer my question, I guess I completely forgot that the point of layers is so you can tweak the photo without messing with the original.. am I close so far? And if you are pleased with it's outcome, then you can go ahead and merge the layers, or just save it as another photo all together. Is that pretty close to correction? You definitely make sense, CS4 is just huge and right now I feel safe messing with the vibrance and saturation on most of my photos, I have not yet felt comfortable going in a little deeper. Hopefully that will change as time goes on, sooner than later. Thanks again.

...the point of layers is so you can tweak the photo without messing with the original.. am I close so far?

Actually, you hit the nail on the head!
Levels adjustments to set the correct black/white points are one of the most critical and primary adjustments to make. Oftentimes that's all that is needed.Setting black/white points (per the example in that tutorial) also saturates an image slightly.
Using the Vibrance or Saturation edits is a great example of just when an adjustment layer should be used, because your taste in saturated images may change in the future and those edits aren't permantly 'locked in' as they would be using regular layers.

Also, remember you can fade a layer with the opacity adjustment to get it just right, and you can also fade just one part of the adjustment layer if needed. For example, if you do a higher contrast layer, and the increase in contrast is perfect for one part of the image but too much in another area, you can use a 'gradient' to selectively fade the layer where you want to reduce the contrast effect.

Thanks Mike and John, I will definitely play with those features more. There's a couple of tutorials I've found that talks about cutting an image from one and placing it in another (like for wedding photographers maybe, I've seen one where they put the married couple smiling in the center of a wine or champaigne glass, it looks cooler than it sounds). But I am taking it slow and carefully, I'll mainly play with saturation and vibrance when I have something like a sunset on the river or with plants, grean and a lot of color. I would upload some examples, but since it's members only who can upload and I am still on my 30 day free trial membership, I can't. Hmmmm.... I'll see if I can upload the before and after photos that I have been toying with on my Flickr page, and then copy the site on here.

Alright, I got a couple of my Flickr page, and I've organized them so that anyone can find them. Here it goes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31410979@N07/sets/

I made sets and the ones I'm talking about on in CS4 learning (duh ). Take a look and let me know what you think.

Andrea, et.al:
If you haven't tried it, you might go to ADOBE at http://tv.adobe.com/# and check out the tutorials selection there.

Don

I did on my laptop and it kept saying I needed a plugin, but when I would search for any available plugins, Quicktime was the only one that came up. But I will try it on this computer, thanks again.

I looked at the before and after images at Flickr.
The saturation is a wee bit strong for my taste, but nothing outlandish.
Not sure if Vibrance could do much with these particular colors.

If you had used adjustment layers and saved the 'after' file with them intact, you could go back and retweak it should you care to.

Thanks John, yeah I do kind of agree on the after photo, mainly my dislike is the sky still, but I like the way the reflections in the water came out, though in the back behind the little boats, it is a little much. I could see about toning it down a little. Thanks again.

ndrea,

I agree with all that has been said; lots of great info for you.

I use CS2, and according to PS Help, merging layers makes the changes to the layers permanent. Once the layers are merged, one cannot go back and make adjustments to either of the merged layers.

In my own workflow, I create a 'Master' image file (either tif or psd). I use adjustment layers and layer masks as needed. I save the file early, and often. When I am ready to print, or create an image for the web, I open my master file, duplicate it and then close my master file. Next, I flatten the layers in the duplicate image, resize as needed, sharpen, and save the file.

Using a 'master' file (with all its layers intact) and creating 'targeted' files from it ensures that I can always go back and make adjustments as need or taste dictates.

I should note that I work from scans of 4x5 film; so, your workflow with RAW files will be slightly different. The main thing is to create the 'master' file from original media and work with it.

-P

Yeah I agree. the other question I do have, since I am playing with the layers and stuff right now, is the what looks to be eyeball in a box next to each layer, you click on it and it goes away, but the picture changes also, from each change that I've made on each layer. I've thought of going through the help menu and stuff, problem is I don't know where to begin, because I don't know what the eyeballs are really about, or what looks like a chain link... I guess I could search for diffferent tutorials and figure it out. Also John, I played around with the saturation and vibrance a little more, one layer I used the eraser to go over the sky and the backwater behind the boat to get rid of some of that exagerated color, I don't know how natural it looks because I would think the water mirrors the sky color, so if I take away some of that color of the sky but leave the warm orange color on the water, it won't look believable. I tend to like the reflections in the water but think the overblown flare in the sky that comes with it is too strong. If I didn't make any sense at all, please tell, cause I'm typing while staring at the pic in CS4. CS4 will take some getting used to, layers and all, it reminds me of Quick Books Premier (if anyone on here knows that), you open a menu and hundreds more pop out. It is a lot.

The eyeballs simply turn the layer on or off.
This allows you to preview the changes you've made.

Andrea,

The "eyeball" controls the visibility of the layer. Let's say you have a 'contrast' adjustment layer. You then make an adjustment to the contrast. If you click the eyeball, you'll see what the image looked like before you made that adjustment. Be sure to have all layers visible before flattening the image..

Here's what the chain link next to a layer icon does...From PS Help...

"By default, a layer or group is linked to its layer mask or vector mask, as indicated by the link icon between the thumbnails in the Layers palette. The layer and its mask move together in the image when you move either one with the Move tool. Unlinking them lets you move them independently and shift the mask’s boundaries separately from the layer."
1. To unlink a layer from its mask, click the link icon in the Layers palette.
2. To reestablish the link between a layer and its mask, click between the layer and mask path thumbnails in the Layers palette."

You can also link layers together by selecting each layer using shift-click (hihlightin each layer you want to link) At the bottom of the layers palette is a 'chain link'. Click that. and your selected layers will be linked.

-P

-P

Wow, this thing just gets bigger, but I guess that's why you gotta practice with it as much as possible. I have to admit that what the two of you have said did kind of hurt my head a little, but that's alright, hopefully as time goes by and I get used to playing with different sorts and choices, I will know exactly what you mean. I mean I understand what you're saying, but trying to picture it is another story Thanks to everyone who was willing and happy to help me, I really appreciate it.

Andrea, the next best thing to layers is MASKS! Once you have the layers thing all squared away, you have to incorporate masks into your work flow. It opens up a whole other world of creativity.

I definitely can't wait to get the hang of this, I'm going to have a blast with it, I mean it will take a while but I'm sure if I keep playing with it, I'll get it. Thanks again for everyone's advice.