Photoshop Layers Tutorial

Photoshop Layers tutorial

The Importance of Photoshop Layers

Photo Tip Friday February 27, 2015

Photoshop has many useful tools for editing and one of the most powerful and important tools to understand is “Photoshop Layers”.

In this tutorial I am going to show you one way, from hundreds of possible examples, of how Photoshop Layers can make your image editing easier and less time consuming.

For this tutorial I am going to use an example of a client who wants you to remove the background of his portrait and change to another background. Here is how understanding Photoshop Layers can save you lots of time.

1-I opened the photo in Photoshop and used the QUICK SELECTION tool to select the person.

Photoshop Layers the most powerful tool for editing
Photoshop Layers the most powerful tool for editing

2-Select the MOVE tool and drag the photo to the new background by holding the mouse key. (Don’t let go of mouse key until you get to the background image)

Photoshop Layers allows you to work on separate images individually or in a group
Photoshop Layers allows you to work on separate images individually or in a group

3-Now you see that you have two layers in the right hand panel. Select the background layer and select CROP tool to crop the background. Then go FILTER > BLUR > Gaussian Blur. In next window start to adjust the blur to your liking. In this photo I set it around 5 pixels.

In Photoshop Layers you can use filters for each layer individually
In Photoshop Layers you can use filters for each layer individually
Photoshop Layers in photo editing
Photoshop Layers in photo editing

3-Now you can move the background around to select the part that you prefer.

in Photoshop Layers you can move and modify each layers individually
in Photoshop Layers you can move and modify each layers individually

4-I thought it would be nice to make two photos/looks for the client, one with daytime and one with nighttime background. Since I am using Photoshop Layers I can easily drop another photo to the background and without any more editing I can have the second version done in no time!

06 07

Do you want to learn more about the layers?

Our Photoshop Layers and Mask workshop is scheduled for April 16 and 17. Follow the link below to register for this fun and exciting workshop.

Photoshop Layer and Mask Workshop

Scroll to Top