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BH888
Inspiring
August 17, 2019
Question

Cannot re-adjust the opacity of a layer after saving the image as a PSD file

  • August 17, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 1005 views

Created several retouching layers during the retouching of a portrait.  Saved the image as a PSD file.

Following day, reopened the image with the intention of re-adjusting the opacity of one of the layers.  All layers have been preserved.  Good!

However, attempts to re-adjust the opacity of a layer have no effect on the image (i.e., no effect on the opacity of the retouching done on that layer earlier).

What am I doing wrong?

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    3 replies

    Chuck Uebele
    Community Expert
    Chuck UebeleCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 17, 2019

    The stamp visible layer will hide the others layers, so you won't see the opacity change, unless you turn off the stamped layer.

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    BH888Author
    Inspiring
    August 18, 2019

    Yes, later found this to be the case; i.e., if I turn off the stamped layers above the particular layer that I want to re-adjust, the re-adjustments can be made and do become visible on the image.  But these stamped layers (above the layer in question) had been embedded with other types of retouching along the way.  In order to affect those other types of retouching, the stamped layers have to be turned on again.  When the stamped layers are turned on again, however, they will contain the retouching adjustments originally made to the  layer in question, - not the re-adjustments or tweaks that we want to make hours or days later.

    How then do we go back and re-adjust or tweak the opacity of a particular layer without losing the work embedded in successive stamped layers created after that point?  i.e., what protocol should I follow that will retain the option of revisiting an earlier layer and easily make another adjustment to that layer at a future time?

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      BH888Author
      Inspiring
      August 21, 2019

      Simple solution is to not stamp layers at least not that often. WIth few adjustment layers one above another you can easily make any required change which will be immediately visible. There are many features in Photoshop which are over or wrongly used just because they are there. I am using stamp layers feature from time to time to apply some filter, for example, to the image with all 'adjustments' included but not that excessive after each layer added to patch or fix some small problem.

      I must also ask if you aware that majority of the tools and options to retouch something in Photoshop can be used on blank separate layer. Sometimes you will need to change Sample option to all layers in order to make tool work as expected. If you want to use some filter then you can stamp layers and your best option is to convert layers to Smart Object layer to work non-destructively with the ability to change filter settings at any time.


      I do not recall what originally compelled me over the last week or two to create a stamped visible layer after each & every specific retouch.  As you have pointed out, I can perform many of the retouching operations on blank layers, which I have now been doing with new portrait retouching tasks. By utilizing blank layers now, there has been no problem going back and making re-adjustments to prior layers (e.g., opacity).  Creating stamped visible layers, as I had been doing, just isn’t necessary most of the time.   Problem solved!

      As you and others have explained or implied, a stamped visible layer has embedded within it all the retouching done on layers beneath it.  Any attempt to go back and make changes in an underlying layer is futile – because the opaque, stamped layer above still contains the retouching corrections made on layers below it and continues to impose those corrections on the image, regardless of attempts to make re-adjustments to retouched layers underneath.

      As many have explained in the comments, the opaque stamped layer has to be turned off, in order for adjustments to a revisited lower layer to render in the image.  Of course, if the stamped layer is turned on again after revisiting and re-adjusting a layer underneath, the re-adjustments will now be hidden by the stamped layer overhead.  Only alternative at that point, as Jane pointed out, is to delete the stamped layer.

      Learning Photoshop one step at a time.  Thank you all for your help.

        Michael Bullo
        Community Expert
        Michael BulloCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        August 17, 2019

        It sounds like you know what you are doing but a couple of questions…

        • Is your retouching definitely contained within the retouching layers? Could you have accidentally retouched your original image? Try turning off the visibility of every layer and then turn on the visibility of each layer one at a time.
        • The "stamp visible layer" should be a completely opaque layer at the top of your layers. Are you trying to review layers that are now hidden by this top most layer?
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        BH888Author
        Inspiring
        August 17, 2019

        The procedure I followed:  After completing specific retouching on a layer, I created a stamped visible layer before moving on to another type of retouching on a subsequent layer.

        Bojan Živković11378569
        Community Expert
        Bojan Živković11378569Community Expert
        Community Expert
        August 17, 2019

        Can you show us screenshot of Layers panel with highlight which layer's opacity you want to change? When you create stamp visible it will merge layers into one layer so it is pointless to try to change visibility of that, stamped layer.

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