I want to use the Lighting Effects Filter (Filter/Render/Lighting Effects Filter) on an image, but I don't want to work directly on the image. I want to work on a layer.

How do I create a new layer to work on?

Please give me the breakdown stage by stage. I'm a beginner! ;-)

I'm using CS2 on a PC.

Many thanks.

D.

The easiest way is to duplicate your image layer and work on this layer. Then, you can adjust opacity and use layer masks.

- To duplicate the image layer, select your layer in the layer palette (if you open your image, it's already selected), then in the menus Layer>Duplicate Layer...
- You can also use the menu Layer>New>Layer from background..., in your case the result is equivalent.
- Your new layer will be selected and now you can use your filters!

This works fine if there is only a single layer to duplicate. If there are already multiple layers, and if you want to merge and duplicate all of them into a new layer to work on, see my post in the thread "sharpening using a layer" here:

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=10775

I recommend http://www.radiantvista.com/news/ for an excellent collection of video tutorials - great way for a beginner to get up to speed.

It's advisable to learn keyboard shortcuts as they'll make PS work much more tolerable in the long-term than just using the mouse.

And on that note, Ctrl+J duplicates a layer but if there are numerous layers, then select the top layer and type Ctrl+Alt+Shift+N to create a new blank layer (if you don't hold down the Alt key, you get a dialog letting you name it and select a blending mode) and then Ctrl+Shift+E to stamp all visible layers into the new layer.

Chris,
I assumed that Dinarius only had the background layer since he doesn't know how to create a new layer. But you're right!

You are absolutely right about shortcuts. I'll add that for frequent use, creating an action to merging the visible layers (or any other editing sequence) will make it even quicker. But that's for another thread...