Layers: The Complete Guide to Photoshop’s Most Powerful Feature

The Only Layer Mask “Gotcha”

THERE’S ONE LITTLE DIFFERENCE YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT REGULAR LAYER MASKS BEFORE MOVING ON

Okay, you got me. I lied earlier. Really, it was just a tiny lie. I said earlier that there was no difference between the layer mask that was added automatically with the adjustment layer and the layer mask that you add to a regular layer. Well, that’s not totally true. There is a very small difference. When we added the adjustment layers, all you had to do was click anywhere on the adjustment layer to edit its layer mask. Well, with a regular layer mask, it actually matters where you click on the layer.

Step 1: Open Two Photos to Blend Together

First, go ahead and open two photos. They could be of anything, but I take any ...