Yes this was very informative. I have been using PSE for years and I never took the time to learn those small simple things that make photo compositing much easier and more realistic looking thank you for vid and valuable info.
And of course, once again, I learned a FEW new things watching this video, even tho I thought I already knew how to do this! Always great! Thanks George and I will be getting your course. Learning all these little things really makes a diff You’re the best!
Great video again! I actually got both fancy mouse and fancy keyboard, both equipped with several programmable buttons. Makes me much faster in all my production work.
This was very instructive...I do have a question though. I make candle labels and I have a picture of my dog that I want on the label, just down in the corner. I had a transparent photo off just his head but now I want to use a different photo. I use Canva for my labels and I import a photo for each individual fragrance and just put the transparent photo on each one. However, with my new photo, I can't seem to get the background to be transparent. It is showing up with either a white or black background. I don't remember how I got the transparent photo saved. I don't want to have to put the dog photo on each label before importing to Canva. I want to save the transparent photo to insert while designing my label. What am I doing wrong?
You need to make a duplicate of the photo layer, hide the original layer. Now you can get transparency. For the transparency to work it needs a layer below the image layer, and if that layer is either hidden or doesn't have anything on it you will get the transparency.
@@HTGPhoto Thanks for the answer but I guess I don't understand it because it still doesn't work....I imported the photo into photoshop elements but I guess I don't know how to hide the original layer. Thanks for helping though
@@patDunn-s9w Here is how its done. Open your image in Elements, right click on the name of the layer, choose Duplicate. You now have 2 layers. Click on the eye icon on the left side of the lower layer. Then click on the upper layer. You can now remove the background on that upper layer and have a transparent background.
Great video! Thank you for it! I have a tiny problem though...when I'm using "lasso" and try to move the object with "hand" (not letting go of the mouse button and holding down spacebar) it then follows the movement of "hand" and when I let go of the spacebar it then adds it to the selection :( Which is annoying and pretty much unusable...
That is a problem with the hand tool and the only solution is to improve your technique. When moving the image with the hand tool pay careful attention to where the cursor is to start, then move the cursor back to that spot before letting go of the space bar. Or, use the Polygonal lasso tool which doesn't have any of those problems.
Nice video. I learned a lot. However, following the procedure displayed at 14:00, when I drag a mask layer to a new photo, I was not able to reposition the image in the new photo. There were no control handles. I basically had one shot to place the masked photo correctly, and I had no opportunity to resize it. I am running Photoshop 2024. What gives? Thank you.
Sometimes the control handles don't automatically display, if this happens then use the ctrl+t keyboard shortcut to display them. The t stands for Transform and the control handls are the Transform control handles.
I follow your channel and learn great tricks. But I don't think I have seen you explain the Adjust Edge category in Refine Edge. Can you demonstrate these features.
Thanks Bill, the adjust edge simply moves the selection closer or further away from the subject. Since it moves the selection evenly around the whole subject I never use it, tends to fix problems in one spot but creates more problems elsewhere around the selection.
Where did the red background come from mine is white, and when I use the refine edge tool it leaves a shadow of the original background and it puts a shadow over the subject if I happen to touch it. I think this is much harder than you suggest. when I select subject it selects the person and the object they are on even though they are distinctly edged.
Hi Ken, sounds like you have an image that Photoshop Elements is having a hard time separating from the background. Select subject looks for hard edges and contrast changes to find the subject, if there isn't much contrast change or hard edges between the foreground and background it will be hard for PSE to successfully select the subject. In Refind Edge Photoshop Elements is doing the same thing, trying to find the edges, if it can't then it won't do a good job and you will get shadowing. Remember, this is a computer trying to find the edge, not a person, and computers are pretty stupid, so even if it looks obvious to you it may not be obvious to PSE. The red background in Refind Edge is an option, right at the top where it says View Mode click on the down arrow next to the thumbnail and you will be able to choose which background you want around the subject, pick the one that works best for you, there is no right choice. I personally like the red.
@@HTGGeorge Thanks George. I appreciate your help. I think I understand the edge, I was able to refine the edge with erase and clone stamp. but I couldn't clone stamp the new edge to stretch it a bit. I have the image with a transparent checkered background but when i save it and paste it onto my background, the "transparent" space the saved rectangle prints it's original background on top of the new background.
@@kenwilson793 HI Ken, I am now in the correct channel, the checkerboard shows the transparency, if you paste that into another file anything behind that layer will show through. So if you are putting that back into the original image, the original image will be showing through the new image with transparency, so you will see the original image. Not sure why you are saving and pasting the cleaned up subject layer into another image. If you save it as a png file then any layer that is showing will be included in the png file, make sure that all layers below your layer with transparency are hidden before saving. Or just add your new background into the file that includes the transparency layer, put your new background layer below the transparency layer.
@@HTGPhoto Thanks, George. I have done this previously with a very old version of Photoshop elements so I understand the basic process. In today's case with the new PS elements, I have isolated a figure (subject) and have done the edge work. The figure appears with a checkerboard background. But when I place the figure in a new background, it brings its old background with it as if it were not transparent. I amd going to postpone this project until I can get someone to textbook me through it step by step. I love my Mac and use PS elements to clean up old B/W photos for publication, but layers in the new PS has me baffled. Thanks again for posting your TH-cam videos.
🔴 Easiest Way to Learn Photoshop Elements! howtogurus.com/photoshop-elements-online-course/
Yes this was very informative. I have been using PSE for years and I never took the time to learn those small simple things that make photo compositing much easier and more realistic looking thank you for vid and valuable info.
You are so welcome!
And of course, once again, I learned a FEW new things watching this video, even tho I thought I already knew how to do this! Always great! Thanks George and I will be getting your course. Learning all these little things really makes a diff You’re the best!
Thanks!
Another great video... Thanks George!
Glad you enjoyed it Debra!
Thank you! This helped a ton :)
Glad it helped!
Very helpful, just subscribed!
Thanks! And Welcome! Along with my videos you will also find a welcoming and helpul community in the comments.
Great video again! I actually got both fancy mouse and fancy keyboard, both equipped with several programmable buttons. Makes me much faster in all my production work.
Thanks! Those programmable buttons really come in handy.
As always, thanks for the great content!
Thanks Joe!
This was very instructive...I do have a question though. I make candle labels and I have a picture of my dog that I want on the label, just down in the corner. I had a transparent photo off just his head but now I want to use a different photo. I use Canva for my labels and I import a photo for each individual fragrance and just put the transparent photo on each one. However, with my new photo, I can't seem to get the background to be transparent. It is showing up with either a white or black background. I don't remember how I got the transparent photo saved. I don't want to have to put the dog photo on each label before importing to Canva. I want to save the transparent photo to insert while designing my label. What am I doing wrong?
You need to make a duplicate of the photo layer, hide the original layer. Now you can get transparency. For the transparency to work it needs a layer below the image layer, and if that layer is either hidden or doesn't have anything on it you will get the transparency.
@@HTGPhoto Thanks for the answer but I guess I don't understand it because it still doesn't work....I imported the photo into photoshop elements but I guess I don't know how to hide the original layer. Thanks for helping though
@@patDunn-s9w Here is how its done. Open your image in Elements, right click on the name of the layer, choose Duplicate. You now have 2 layers. Click on the eye icon on the left side of the lower layer. Then click on the upper layer. You can now remove the background on that upper layer and have a transparent background.
Very helpful! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! Thank you for it! I have a tiny problem though...when I'm using "lasso" and try to move the object with "hand" (not letting go of the mouse button and holding down spacebar) it then follows the movement of "hand" and when I let go of the spacebar it then adds it to the selection :( Which is annoying and pretty much unusable...
That is a problem with the hand tool and the only solution is to improve your technique. When moving the image with the hand tool pay careful attention to where the cursor is to start, then move the cursor back to that spot before letting go of the space bar. Or, use the Polygonal lasso tool which doesn't have any of those problems.
@@HTGPhoto Polygonal lasso idea is very good! Thank you!
Nice video. I learned a lot. However, following the procedure displayed at 14:00, when I drag a mask layer to a new photo, I was not able to reposition the image in the new photo. There were no control handles. I basically had one shot to place the masked photo correctly, and I had no opportunity to resize it. I am running Photoshop 2024. What gives? Thank you.
Sometimes the control handles don't automatically display, if this happens then use the ctrl+t keyboard shortcut to display them. The t stands for Transform and the control handls are the Transform control handles.
That did the trick! Awesome!
Very cool!!!!
Thanks!
I follow your channel and learn great tricks. But I don't think I have seen you explain the Adjust Edge category in Refine Edge. Can you demonstrate these features.
Thanks Bill, the adjust edge simply moves the selection closer or further away from the subject. Since it moves the selection evenly around the whole subject I never use it, tends to fix problems in one spot but creates more problems elsewhere around the selection.
Hi Bill, sorry, answered your question from the wrong account, but I agree with my advice.
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Where did the red background come from mine is white, and when I use the refine edge tool it leaves a shadow of the original background and it puts a shadow over the subject if I happen to touch it. I think this is much harder than you suggest. when I select subject it selects the person and the object they are on even though they are distinctly edged.
Hi Ken, sounds like you have an image that Photoshop Elements is having a hard time separating from the background. Select subject looks for hard edges and contrast changes to find the subject, if there isn't much contrast change or hard edges between the foreground and background it will be hard for PSE to successfully select the subject. In Refind Edge Photoshop Elements is doing the same thing, trying to find the edges, if it can't then it won't do a good job and you will get shadowing. Remember, this is a computer trying to find the edge, not a person, and computers are pretty stupid, so even if it looks obvious to you it may not be obvious to PSE. The red background in Refind Edge is an option, right at the top where it says View Mode click on the down arrow next to the thumbnail and you will be able to choose which background you want around the subject, pick the one that works best for you, there is no right choice. I personally like the red.
@@HTGGeorge Thanks George. I appreciate your help. I think I understand the edge, I was able to refine the edge with erase and clone stamp. but I couldn't clone stamp the new edge to stretch it a bit. I have the image with a transparent checkered background but when i save it and paste it onto my background, the "transparent" space the saved rectangle prints it's original background on top of the new background.
@@kenwilson793 Sorry Ken, should have answered the comment from my other channel account, I will go and add my new comment from the correct channel.
@@kenwilson793 HI Ken, I am now in the correct channel, the checkerboard shows the transparency, if you paste that into another file anything behind that layer will show through. So if you are putting that back into the original image, the original image will be showing through the new image with transparency, so you will see the original image. Not sure why you are saving and pasting the cleaned up subject layer into another image. If you save it as a png file then any layer that is showing will be included in the png file, make sure that all layers below your layer with transparency are hidden before saving. Or just add your new background into the file that includes the transparency layer, put your new background layer below the transparency layer.
@@HTGPhoto Thanks, George. I have done this previously with a very old version of Photoshop elements so I understand the basic process. In today's case with the new PS elements, I have isolated a figure (subject) and have done the edge work. The figure appears with a checkerboard background. But when I place the figure in a new background, it brings its old background with it as if it were not transparent. I amd going to postpone this project until I can get someone to textbook me through it step by step. I love my Mac and use PS elements to clean up old B/W photos for publication, but layers in the new PS has me baffled. Thanks again for posting your TH-cam videos.
I miss a Shadows from the dog
You can always add a shadow