Photoshop Elements >

Multiple Opacities >

3 - With a Collage

We'll make a collage using multiple opacities.

Be sure to check off as you go along.

Base Photograph

1) Open a photograph.

2) Create a Background copy layer.

If you haven't already done so, go to Create a Background Copy Layer.

Rename

3) Rename the Background copy layer as Base.

Base

Background

The tulip photograph below will be our base photograph.

Parts of this photograph will appear in the second photograph.

Base Photograph

Top Photograph

4) Open a second photograph.

This second photograph will be located on top of the base photograph.

The nighttime landscape below will be our top photograph.

Top Photograph

Move the Top Photograph

5) Press Ctrl + a to select the top photograph.

6) Press Ctrl + c to copy the top photograph.

7) Click the Base photograph in the project bin.

8) Press Ctrl + v to paste the top photograph, as a layer, into the layers stack of the Base photograph.

If you haven't already done so, go to Move a Layer.

Layer 1

Base

Background

Rename

9) Rename Layer 1 as Top.

Top

Base

Background

Reduce the Opacity

10) Reduce the opacity of the Top layer to 25%.

The Opacity box is at the top of the layers stack, to the right of the Blending Mode box.

It probably has 100% inside.

You'll be able to see both the Top and base layers.

11) Make sure the base layer is active (highlighted).

Top

Base

Background

12) Select a portion or portions of the Base layer using the selection tool of your choice.

Here, Transform was used to stretch the tulips.

Then, the Magic Wand tool was used to select the tulips.

13) If needed, go to Selection > Feather, and enter a value.

If you haven't already done so, go to Feathered Brush.

No feathering was used here.

14) Make sure the Top layer is active (highlighted).

Top

Base

Background

15) Go to Edit > Fill Selection.

The Fill Layer window will open.

16) Do the following.

a) Select Foreground Color in the Contents section.

In the Blending section:

b) Select Clear in the Mode box.

You could use other blending modes for special effects.

c) Enter a figure in the Opacity box.

50% was entered, here.

Note, opacity values work in reverse here.

100% opacity is transparent.

0% opacity is opaque.

More than One Selection

Here, the tulips were selected together.

You could make more than one selection.

After each selection, go to Edit > Fill Selection, and enter the opacity value.

A different opacity value could be used for each selection if needed.

Change the Opacity

17) Change the opacity of the Top layer to 100%.

18) Press Esc or Ctrl + d to deselect the selection.

Moon with Tulips

Saving the Photograph

If you haven't already done so, go to Saving Files.

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