Wavelet Denoise problems

[JoeB]

In that case changing the opacity of the whole upper layer likely wouldn't be the best method. But the opacity of parts of it can be changed (for example, if you still think the figures at the far end are too overexposed). You can use the eraser with low opacity setting to brush over them to make them a bit less opaque and allow a bit of the underlying layer to show through in just that area. The eraser is a tool useful with layers because of the ability to completely erase parts of the upper layer and expose what is beneath it or erase with varying hardness and opacity different areas of the layer. In the latter case it can be useful in helping blend erased parts gradually. Used with the Smart Edge checkbox selected it attempts to only erase within the edge of the object you are clicking on as long as there is a reasonably well defined edge between that object and the adjoining area of the image .

[cooltouch]

Hmmm . . . I follow what you're saying for the most part, but I can tell that all this is gonna require that I'm basically going to have to totally redo the way I've been handling image enhancement. Hopefully it will all be for the better. I suspect it will, though, since the way you're describing a layer-involved process sure seems to clearly indicate there's much more control and refinements available once I've expanded my palate beyond the basics of the background layer. I need to get busy. Proof's in the pudding and all that.

[JoeB]

Hmmm . . . I follow what you're saying for the most part, but I can tell that all this is gonna require that I'm basically going to have to totally redo the way I've been handling image enhancement. Hopefully it will all be for the better. I suspect it will, though, since the way you're describing a layer-involved process sure seems to clearly indicate there's much more control and refinements available once I've expanded my palate beyond the basics of the background layer. I need to get busy. Proof's in the pudding and all that.

I can honestly say that learning to use layers will definitely add much more control to handling image enhancements! If you aren't all that familiar with all of the PSP tools I would suggest you start using the link another person provided to Corel's tutorials and work through that first. That way, once you also become more familiar with layers you'll also be able to start recognizing how to use the other various tools and filters on layers to make your enhancements easier but also make your workflow easier and less time consuming. The time and effort put in at the front end to learn this stuff will pay off in spades later in terms of productivity as well as the pleasure of achieving your goals with much less frustration than that which occurs when trying to do everything on only one layer.

Again, I will repeat an important rule: When working with layers make sure that you have the layer you want to work on selected (highlighted) in the Layer's palette. It is something that even long term users sometimes forget to do in the heat of the moment. Also, of course, to see the effects of what you are doing to that layer it has to be either moved to the top of the stack (you can drag them around in the layer's palette) or the visibility of the layers above has sto be turned off, otherwise the layer you're working on might actually be hidden by upper layers.

[cooltouch]

Your advice is noted. I'm not a total noob at layers, I just hardly use them. As for PSP's tools, well, I can't say that I'm acquainted with all of them, but that's because I have no use for many of them. But I do make thorough use of many more. Even with my techniques of doing everything to the background layer, I find I can do much more -- and much more quicker -- than I can do with Photoshop. PSP has commands that Photoshop doesn't -- and I make use of a number of these commands. Yes, there are aspects of Photoshop that I still find superior to PSP, but I keep hoping that they'll be addressed in future releases of PSP.