Layers And Blending - CCofC presentation notes

[What follows are the presentation bullets from a tutorial I'm giving tonight at the Camera Club of Cincinnati. Future blog posts will expand on some of these topics... -RRD]

Layers And Blending

Agenda

• Layers?
• Important photography blending modes
• Advanced examples & reading

What are Photoshop Layers?

• Stack of cards
• Allow for non-destructive editing

Creating Layers

• New layer icon
• Duplicate layer (drag, menu, CTRL+j)
• Naming is a good habit

What are Blending Modes?

• How the layers combine with each other.
• Sometimes called “Apply modes”
• Basically math; some simple, some complex
  • Some more useful than others…

Important Blending Modes

Normal

• The default mode
• Layer is opaque or varied by Opacity Slider
• Masks and/or advanced blending for control

Normal Usage

• Pretty much everything!
• Look to Channels for starting Masks
  • e.g. – grab blue channel to replace a sky…
• Remember the Gradient Tool!
  • Easy way to mimic a Grad ND filter (think double-RAW conversions & dramatic skies!)
• Cloning works; ensure “Sample all layers” is checked!

Multiply

• Darkens Images
• Analogous to stacking slides in a projector

Multiply Usage

• Washed out image: duplicate layer and set Multiply
  • Adjust Opacity as necessary
• Darken skies: Duplicate layer and Gradient Mask

Screen

• Opposite of Multiply – Lightens images
• Analogous to Film Multiple Exposure

Screen Usage

• Multiple Exposures:
  • Take two (or more) exposures
  • Compensating for exposure (e.g., -1 stop if two, -1.6 if three, etc.)
  • Paste into new Screen Layer
• Lighten image:
  • Duplicate background and set Screen
  • Adjust Opacity to taste.

Overlay

• Neutral at 50% Gray
• Lightens if lighter than gray
• Darkens if darker than gray

Overlay Usage

• Dodging and Burning (use Soft Light - a cousin of Overlay)
  • Create new Soft Light layer, fill with 50% Gray
  • Use dodge & burn to lighten & darken from middle gray
  • Could also leave transparent and brush with black/white
• Noise
• Create 50% filled Overlay layer
• Use filter to generate noise
  

Luminosity

• Only affects the lightness of pixels – NOT saturation
• Useful for Contrast Curves & Sharpening
• Cool lighting tricks from B&W Channels

Luminosity Usage

• Using Curves Adjustment Layer, set mode to Luminosity
• Edit | Fade | Luminosity post-sharpening
• B&W Contrast, color image
  • Copy a Channel with interesting light
  • Paste as new Luminosity Layer
  • Mask effect / opacity as needed

Advanced Blending Options

• Double-click near layer name
• Various built-ins helpful for text, etc.
• Blend-If sliders very powerful!

Recommended Reading

• Skin by Lee Varis: http://tinyurl.com/3d3y6u
  • Assumes some Photoshop Knowledge
• Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers by Martin Evening: http://tinyurl.com/yvhr93

Contact Info

• Ryan Dlugosz
• ryan@rrdphoto.com
• Blog: http://blog.rrdphoto.com

Copyright ©2007 Ryan R. Dlugosz