Layers cs5

Hey all....looked through quite a few threads and did not see this...most likely because it is so basic to most of you!
Ok...Have an image, copied it...cntrl J and made some adjustments. Did another and so on. Then made 4 new layers, not copies, and some minor skin work, painting flesh tones etc. I then added and adjustment layer.
Here is where I am stuck. How do i make a copy of the background layer to edit further without merging all the other edits i did?

You can easily duplicate the background layer by double clicking it and then renaming it (it defaults to layer 0 if you don't have one already) and then you can ctrl-J it to create a copy or drag it to the new layer icon at the bottom of the layers panel. Keep in mind that anything that you have done in the layers above this will hide the same area in the new layer if it is below them. This assumes that your blend mode for the layer is normal. You would have to move the newly created layer up in the panel in order for any new edits on it to appear in the same areas where you already have edits in the other layers. You could highlight all the layers where you already have changes/edits and ctrl-G will move them into a layer group. You can then turn this off/on and make the changes on the background copy. Why would you not want to have the changes you have already made appear in the new background copy. What you are explaining is backwards to the way I would do things. I would make a new copy of the background along with your edits up to this point but this is your choice.

Bill, I urge you to explore adjustment layers. All that duplicating is awfully clumsy. You'll enjoy a slicker workflow if you employ adjustment layers.

I think you might also want to investigate Layer Masks, so that you can limit certain changes, especially in adjustment layers, to the parts of the image that you want them to apply to. Personally I usually duplicate the background layer as a first action, so that I can apply pixel edits to it and have a quick out. this is especially useful if you know you will be using several different layer masks in multiple layers, much easier to have a clean copy of the background layer. Much easier then having to re-export from the RAW converter, and then import the layers that you want to keep.

Alan

It sounds like you want to create a new layer that has the background plus all of the adjustments burned into it for further editing. You want to Stamp the layer stack, select the layer on the top of the stack and - CMD-SHIFT-OPTION-E (CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-E). THe stamped version will be a layer with all of the adjustments burned into it, and it will appear at the top of the stack.

kirk

Not exactly clear what it is you want to do.

Copy only the BG layer: Highlight it and hit Cmd+J.
Merge all layers into a new layer: Highlight the top (adjustment) layer and hit Shift Cmd Opt E.

Without being clear on what you are after, I'd encourage looking into adjustment layers as well.

One way of "playing" is to select an area of your background layer, then choose "Adjustment Layer". The A. Layer will open with the selected area in White, "revealed", so that the adjustments you make will show up. The rest of the layer will be Black, "hidden", so that the underlying layers will show up.

kirkt wrote in post #15239951
It sounds like you want to create a new layer that has the background plus all of the adjustments burned into it for further editing. You want to Stamp the layer stack, select the layer on the top of the stack and - CMD-SHIFT-OPTION-E (CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-E). THe stamped version will be a layer with all of the adjustments burned into it, and it will appear at the top of the stack.

kirk

i think that this is it. I will give it a go.
Thank you all that replied. I know I may not have described it just right.
I do use adjustment layers often. But, for example..........
Start:
Background layer
Copy
Make minor edits
Copy again......adjust color, tone whatever.
Then, i work on skin....this one has very pale skin with some acne and redness around the nose.
I created new layers, not copies of anything, to fix each area and adjust the opacity as i like.
After these layers are done, I see that i need to remove a hair near his eye.....I can't perform the action on top of the added layers. I need to do the action using the background layer, i think. does this make any more sense?
And I want to save the PSD work flow. I cant merge all the layers and save the flow can I?

ssim wrote in post #15239374
You can easily duplicate the background layer by double clicking it and then renaming it (it defaults to layer 0 if you don't have one already) and then you can ctrl-J it to create a copy or drag it to the new layer icon at the bottom of the layers panel. Keep in mind that anything that you have done in the layers above this will hide the same area in the new layer if it is below them. This assumes that your blend mode for the layer is normal. You would have to move the newly created layer up in the panel in order for any new edits on it to appear in the same areas where you already have edits in the other layers. You could highlight all the layers where you already have changes/edits and ctrl-G will move them into a layer group. You can then turn this off/on and make the changes on the background copy. Why would you not want to have the changes you have already made appear in the new background copy. What you are explaining is backwards to the way I would do things. I would make a new copy of the background along with your edits up to this point but this is your choice.

That is exactly what I want to do! But was not sure how to get there.

1downfall wrote in post #15241852
i think that this is it. I will give it a go.
Thank you all that replied. I know I may not have described it just right.
I do use adjustment layers often. But, for example..........
Start:
Background layer
Copy
Make minor edits
Copy again......adjust color, tone whatever.
Then, i work on skin....this one has very pale skin with some acne and redness around the nose.
I created new layers, not copies of anything, to fix each area and adjust the opacity as i like.
After these layers are done, I see that i need to remove a hair near his eye.....I can't perform the action on top of the added layers. I need to do the action using the background layer, i think. does this make any more sense?
And I want to save the PSD work flow. I cant merge all the layers and save the flow can I?

If you have a copy of the background layer you don't want to make changes to the background layer. For one thing, Photoshop won't let you do edits directly to the background layer (unless you change it to a "regular" layer) and besides, edits to anything under a background copy layer won't show up unless you either apply a mask to the copy layer "revealing" the edits or you lower the Opacity of the copy layer or mess with Layer Modes in a way that will let things underneath show up.

thank you all for the help! kirk hit the nail right on the head! has saved my work flow and patience!
I see what your saying Tony....am working towards using mask more often! ty!