The basics

114 ADVANCED PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 5.0 FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
IMAGE CHANGES –
BEYOND THE BASICS
Understanding layers
In a lot of ways traditional fi lm-based shooting is very similar to digital photography. After all,
apart from a few useful additions such as a preview screen on the back and a slot for my memory
card, my digital camera is not unlike my fi lm camera (in fact they even share the same lenses).
But thinking that these similarities extend to the pictures themselves can mean that you are
missing out on some of the more powerful capabilities of your digital pictures.
Digital pictures are not always fl at
The traditional photograph contains all the picture elements in a single plane. Digital images
captured by a camera or sourced from a scanner are also fl at fi les. And for a lot of new digital
photographers this is how their fi les remain – fl at. All editing and enhancing work is conducted
on the original picture, but things can be different.
Most image editing packages contain the ability to use layers with your pictures. This feature
releases your images from having to keep all their information in a fl at fi le. Different image parts,
added text and certain enhancement tasks can all be kept on separate layers. The layers are kept
in a stack and the image you see on screen in the work area is a composite of all the layers.
Sound confusing? Well try imagining for example that each of the image parts of a simple portrait
photograph are stored on separate plastic sheets. These are your layers. The background sits at
the bottom. The portrait is laid on top of the background and the text is placed on top. When
viewed from above the solid part of each layer obscures the picture beneath. Whilst the picture
parts are based on separate layers they can be moved, edited or
enhanced independently of each other. If they are saved using a
fi le format like Photoshop’s PSD fi le (which is layer friendly) all the
layers will be preserved and present next time the fi le is opened.
Layers >> A digital picture is often
composed of many parts, each
stored on a separate layer. Image
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Types of layers
Image layers: This is the most basic and common layer type,
containing any picture parts or image details. Background is a
special type of image layer.
Text layers: Designed solely for text, these layers allow the user to
edit and enhance the text after the layer has been made.
Fill layers: Users can also apply a Solid Color, Gradient or
Pattern to an image as a separate layer.
Adjustment layers: These layers alter the layers that are
arranged below them in the stack. They act as a fi lter through
which the lower layers are viewed. You can use adjustment
layers to perform many of the enhancement tasks that you would
normally apply directly to an image layer without changing the
image itself.