Learning Photoshop, problem with layers.

[LaurenceT]

I've decided to bite the bullet and learn Photoshop after having jogged along for years being happy with Lightroom for my wildlife photography. I'm starting a free YouTube course but at the same time learning how to use the Astronomy Tools Action Set with Photoshop. I notice on the YouTube videos I've followed (Astroexploring and Astroaddict) that when an action is performed a new layer appears, but when I do it the new layer appears for a brief half second and then disappears. I find this frustrating because it means I can't undo an action if I don't like the results.

Be grateful for some advice. 

[AstroNebulee]

What I do before using any of the action sets is create a new layer first. Then perform the action required and if I don't like the outcome I just delete the new layer I created before the action. 

There's a way in the history tab but I can't remember so I just do the new layer thing above. 

Lee 

[LaurenceT]

27 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

What I do before using any of the action sets is create a new layer first. Then perform the action required and if I don't like the outcome I just delete the new layer I created before the action. 

There's a way in the history tab but I can't remember so I just do the new layer thing above. 

Lee 

Excellent Lee, I'll try that 👍

[wornish]

The History window tab is designed to solve your problem.  Can show it by selecting it from the top menu Window - History

If you have it open it shows a new entry after every adjustment you do.  The bottom one is the latest. To go back to the previous state simply click on the history step above.  You can go back as many steps as you want.  A lot astronomy actions do many individual steps so they add quite a few entries in the history list.

[LaurenceT]

2 minutes ago, wornish said:

The History window tab is designed to solve your problem.  Can show it by selecting it from the top menu Window - History

If you have it open it shows a new entry after every adjustment you do.  The bottom one is the latest. To go back to the previous state simply click on the history step above.  You can go back as many steps as you want.  A lot astronomy actions do many individual steps so they add quite a few entries in the history list.

Thanks for that Dave.

[carastro]

If you are using automatic actions, then separate layers will disappear as part of the action.  If you are doing the processes yourself you create you new layer and can then work on it.  I find if I use any automatic action (I rarely do) that you can't step back in the history, so you need to make a duplicate copy if you think you might want to step backwards.

You may find my Photoshop YouTube Tutorials helpful.

https://sites.google.com/view/astrophotography-carole-pope/video-tutorials?authuser=0

Carole  

Edited November 28, 2022 by carastro

[LaurenceT]

22 minutes ago, carastro said:

If you are using automatic actions, then separate layers will disappear as part of the action.  If you are doing the processes yourself you create you new layer and can then work on it.  I find if I use any automatic action (I rarely do) that you can't step back in the history, so you need to make a duplicate copy if you think you might want to step backwards.

You may find my Photoshop YouTube Tutorials helpful.

https://sites.google.com/view/astrophotography-carole-pope/video-tutorials?authuser=0

Carole  

Brilliant, thanks. I'll have a look at those videos.

[ollypenrice]

False click. Please delete. Sorry.

Edited December 6, 2022 by ollypenrice

[ollypenrice]

As said, you create a copy layer before running the action on either the top or the bottom. However, the Astronomy Tools actions have actions 'As layer on top' or 'As layer underneath' and these will retrospectively generate a new layer for the post-action image.

This is good because you can choose the opacity of a layer, maybe making it half as influential as it is on its own. Or you can keep it in some parts of the image and  erase it from others. To select areas to erase, use Select-Colour Range. Maybe you've done a noise reduction which you only need on the darker parts of the image? Select the brighter parts, feather the selection and erase them, totally or partially.

Maybe you've done a local contrast enhancement and you like the effect its had on the darker parts but feel it has brightened the stars too much. Make it a top layer and change the blend mode to darken. Then it will apply the darkening but not the brightening.

Layers and selection tools give you stunning control and a real-time preview of what's happening.

Olly