#auto align

Photoshop (PS) Vs Photoshop Elements (PSE)

The Project is to "merge" these two photos.

Photoshop Elements (PSE) PSE 8 and lower, does not have "masking layers" except when you use Adjustment Layers, and that as you will see gives us a work around if you need to make a mask in PSE 8 or lower. Layer masks were added to PSE 9. More on that later. Also there is no auto align layers "button/menu" in PSE 8. Anyone know if that was added in PSE 9?

PSE's Photomerge®Group Shot However PSE has a  "merge"  Wizard that let's you accomplish this task all in one place.

Load the images into the "bin" that you want to merge in PSE. Then toggle Menu: New > Photomerge®Group Shot You will see something like this...

Click the pic to see a larger version.

There is an auto align feature in the wizard, and hidden "masks" that allow you to use a pencil or a brush tool to add or subtract what you want in the final image... Quite straight forward, but I found it to be more time consuming than using auto align and layer "masks" in Photoshop.

PS Photomerge in Photoshop

Use either One A or One B to load photos into photos shop

Step One:

A. Using the Bridge.

Bridge has a quick way to directly send images centered in Photoshop's Layers In Bridge highlight the two images you want to merge then,

Use the Menu item Tools > Photoshop > Load Files into Photoshop Layers...

Step One: Opening Photos in Photoshop

B: Open the images into Photoshop using the Menu item: File > Open

To Layer the images... Use the Move Tool ("v" key),  but hold down the shift key while holdind down the mouse button and drag one picture on top of the other.  Holding down the shift  key will automatically center the image you are dropping on the top of the other photo.

Step two:

Unlock the background layer.

Step Three:

Select both layers by holding down the Shift Key, and click each layer with the mouse. You can also use the Command Key (Mac), Control key (PC), (using the command/control key lets you select non contiguous layers.)

Step Four:

Choose Menu: Edit > Auto-Align Layers Then choose Projection: "Auto" (Let the computer do the work) Click OK

Step Five: Make a layer mask by clicking the

  button at the bottom of the layers palette. Click inside the "white" mask so you can see an outline indicating it's active. Make the foreground color black and paint with a soft edged brush on the canvas over the areas you want to appear from the bottom layer. To see what's under neath you can make the top layer 50% transparent using the Opacity setting at the upper right of the layers palette.

The result:

Click image to see a larger version.

                    Photoshop Elements 8 and lower Layer Mask work around

Think of a mask as having black holes that allow the light from the layer below to shine through! We can make a layer mask in Photoshop Elements (8 or under) by borrowing the mask from an adjustment layer, in this case we used the adjustment layer,  "Levels". By grouping a duplicate layer with the previous layer, with the Levels Mask, we can borrow and use the levels mask as-if it were a regular layer mask.

Grouping

When you duplicate layer 1, move it above the Levels adjustment layer and select it. To make the duplicated layer "group" with the adjustment layer use the key board combination Control G (Mac) Command G (PC) or the menu Layer > Group with Previous.

The duplicated layer will move to the right and a little arrow will point down at the adjustment Layer. The PSE layer palette shows how the Photoshop Elements layers pallet work around works.

To align the layers in PSE change the top layers opacity to 35 - 50%

Select the move tool keyboard "v" and use the up/down, left/right arrows on the keyboard to "nudge" the images until they match...

Now all you have to do is select the mask and paint with shades of gray to black to allow the effects in the layer below to show through.

Unlocking Photoshop Elements

Three web sites offer Photoshop’s way of doing things by unlocking Hidden Features in Photoshop Elements. They both offer a free demo-download that unlocks a few of the PSE's hidden features. The free demo from each company offers The Layer Mask for free!

The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements

Elements Plus

Grant's Tools

Give 'em a try!

If you have any questions… ‘ holler