ChrisAnn
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 220 
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by ChrisAnn on Nov 8, 2020 12:42:23 GMT
I'm working on a retirement card and want to put a photo as the background behind a selection of other photos. I want to fade the background photo so that it isn't too dominant but can't work out how this is do ne. Could someone point me in the right direction please. (I'm using InDesign to create the card but, of course, using PSE to prepare the individual photographs.) |
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Post by Sepiana on Nov 8, 2020 13:12:59 GMT
Hi ChrisAnn,
Depending on what fading effect you have in mind, you could . . .
- Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and move the Lightness slider to the right (to the "plus" area).
- Create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and move the Saturation slider to the left (to the "minus" area).
- Apply the Gaussian Blur filter.
- Or a combination of the above.
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Post by hmca on Nov 8, 2020 13:23:35 GMT
The first thing that came to my mind was to create a white background layer and place the photo you want to fade above it. Reduce the opacity on the photo layer and merge the layers. You now have a faded background on which you could place your other image. I didn't test that but I think it should work. Just tried it. If I am understanding you correctly, it should work.
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Post by Lillias on Nov 8, 2020 14:21:45 GMT
The first thing that came to my mind was to create a white background layer and place the photo you want to fade above it. Reduce the opacity on the photo layer and merge the layers. That's the way I do it Helen and it works just fine. |
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Post by Sepiana on Nov 8, 2020 14:34:12 GMT
The first thing that came to my mind was to create a white background layer and place the photo you want to fade above it. Reduce the opacity on the photo layer and merge the layers. You now have a faded background on which you could place your other image. That will do and it's simpler than using an adjustment layer. However, I would recommend not merging the two layers but creating a composite layer (stamp visible) instead. This will add editing flexibility to the workflow. If ChrisAnn decides to further adjust the opacity, all she has to do is delete the composite layer and she will still have the original reduced-opacity layer to work on. |
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Post by hmca on Nov 8, 2020 14:59:54 GMT
Good point, Sepiana!
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Post by pontiac1940 on Nov 9, 2020 0:22:09 GMT
ChrisAnn For what it is worth. For this composite, I selected a muted photo for the background and blurred it. Then the insets were dropped in and all given the same "Edit layer style" treatment in which they received a stroke and outer glow. I would have done one inset and then copied the layer style and pasted the layer style to the remaining insets. Possibly of interest to you. Clive i.ibb.co/74QNS1k/desert-collage-2000-CAS05401.jpg
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ChrisAnn
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 220
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by ChrisAnn on Nov 9, 2020 8:56:59 GMT
Wow! Thank you all so much. Lots of lovely ideas. I knew there'd be a way just couldn't get my brain around it. Now off to have a play - I can see that I'm going to be thinking up all sorts of things to do with my new found skills.  |
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Post by cats4jan on Nov 9, 2020 15:27:42 GMT
ChrisAnn - sounds like you are dipping your feet into a mode of digital scrapbooking. Make sure you check out PSE&M's section about digital scrapbooking. Lillias (BillieJean) is keeping it active with her wonderful ideas and beautiful layouts. You don't have to get fancy and add a bunch of doodads to a scrapbook page to end up with a beautiful result.
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Post by Sepiana on Nov 9, 2020 16:36:09 GMT
Wow! Thank you all so much. Lots of lovely ideas. I knew there'd be a way just couldn't get my brain around it. Now off to have a play - I can see that I'm going to be thinking up all sorts of things to do with my new found skills. ChrisAnn, you are most welcome! Post back if you have any more questions. Success with your project! |
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HappyScot
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 111
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by HappyScot on Dec 6, 2020 22:14:21 GMT
'but creating a composite layer (stamp visible) instead.' Sepiana - how do I do that? that looks to be a useful thing to do. |
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Post by Sepiana on Dec 6, 2020 22:44:43 GMT
HappyScot, There is more than one way to create a composite layer. The easiest one is using a shortcut. 1. Make sure the top layer in the stack is selected. 2. Press this key combo -- Shift+Alt+Ctrl+E (Shift-Option-Cmmd-E on a Mac). Elements will combine the contents of all your visible layers into a new layer at the top of the stack. If you don't want a layer (or layers) to be included in the composite layer, just turn off the visibility of those layers. The advantage of creating a composite layer is that you can work on this layer while leaving the other layers untouched. In this way, you can go back to them if you need to.
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HappyScot
Junior Forum Member
Posts: 111
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by HappyScot on Dec 7, 2020 19:50:54 GMT
That is a very useful thing to be able to do! Thank you. That will go on to yet another post it note on my desk!!
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Post by Sepiana on Dec 7, 2020 21:39:01 GMT
HappyScot, you are most welcome! Yes, composite layers are very useful, especially when one is working with lots of layers. BTW, I forgot to mention this . . . If your project is a complicated one, you can have multiple composite layers. If you have PSE 15 and above, you can assign a color to the composite layer. This will help you locate it in the Layers Panel. Just right-click on the layer and select a color from the menu.
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