Do some layering to make your pictures pop

Back in the days when digital photo editing was in its infancy, there were a lot of choices when it came down to which software to use. Each one did pretty much the same things as the others, albeit with different names and menus. Then Adobe did something with its Photoshop software that changed the game. It added the ability to work with layers, and set itself apart from the crowd.

Getting the most out of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements or any photo editing program requires some facility with the programs' Layers options. I've posted a Photoshop Elements tutorial on my photo blog that shows what is possible when using layers and combining them with various effects and filters, using the two photos above as samples. I'll cross post most of those tutorials here, but for today, slide on over to Points of Light to see the first in the series.

Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2009 James Jordan.