Advice in using 'layers' in my images. HELP

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h14nha

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Name
ian
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Hi everyone.
This coming year I am going to concentrate on improving my PP skills. I have had one of my images used by Springwatch, another used on an online map, one published in a book and a few 'explore's' on Flickr so I have has a little bit of success, but I'm a bit embarressed to say an area I am lacking in, is the use of LAYERS. No matter how many tutorials I have watched I can't get my head around how to use them. I understand the principle of the glass pane/tracing paper with the image showing through, but for the actual implementation on one of my images, it's a no go for me.
When I watch a tutorial, it's, click this, click that rather than why you click this and that. When I see other people post a before/after image, I can see that's whats holding me back. I think I've reached the point now where my lack of PP is the singular thing which is restricting me moving to the next level.
I am using LR3 as my main editing software, but I have PSE7 which I occasionally use. I am about to update PSE7 to PSE11 and as such, will start to use that more and more mainly for the use of layers. I don't want to spend out for full Photoshop as a hobbyist shooter, LR3 and PSE11 will be all I need I think.
Any help will be gratefully received,
Ian
 
Hi Ian, where in south Wales are you?, I'm near Swansea. The main advantage of ajustment layers is to preserve the original image, and to offer more control, that said many people manage quite happily without using them at all.
 
Hi Wayne,
I'm on Bridgend/Port Talbot border at the moment. I do understand about making layers to work on, to allow for the origional to stay untouched. I think it may be because I am using PSE7. If I am correct the later versions do more with the 'layer' pallette. I am especially interested in blending two exposures for my landscape pics, one to preserve sky deail and one to balance the foreground too. I know PSE7 doesn't do this, either 8 or 9 introduced blending I think.
I'll post a shot to illustrate what I am struggling with. An early morning a few weeks back, ( Margam Park ) had a great sunrise but no amount of filters could hold the highlights back. You can see the result, I have worked on it over and over but when you blow the highlights its tough love :(


Margam Sunrise by ian hatch, on Flickr
 
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From elements 9 onwards there been proper layer masks, this makes it much easier to blend layers, the latest version 11 (and I think 10) also has the HDR option for blending images as well.
 
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