Problem with layers

[ken1606]

I hope this is the appropriate forum for such a question. If not, maybe someone will recommend another forum. I have PS7 and have been 'volunteered' to take over 100 team pictures at a charity golf tournament this Saturday. The Photoshop pro at my office has always done this fun job but he's out and I get to do it. This will involve taking and printing 100+ photos over 4 hours and having 400+ photos ready to hand out after the rounds. We have always had an 'overlay' in red letters placed in the clouds above a team's heads with a small text box including:
5th Annual Charity Golf Open
September 27, 2003
Tumbleweeds Golf Course - City, St

We have, I believe, set this up as a layer and put it over each picture just before printing. Many players are very complimentary of our donation of time and supplies and we enjoy doing it. Until this year! I looked at last year's pictures and they are saved without the overlay (pardon if this a misuse of the term overlay). I took one of last year's pictures and got this year's text on the picture as desired. It is on a layer and printed correctly.

1. How can I "separate" this text layer and/or save it so that it can be applied over every picture for the day? I would also like to have the text always center horizontally in the picture area.

2. Also For some reason, every time I click on the picture that is the background, I get a new blank layer that I must delete. These new layers, sometimes several of them don't show up anywhere except that they are just in the way.

3. Lastly, we would like some shortcut to automatically apply 'Auto Levels, Auto Contrast and Auto Color' settings to every picture when it first comes up in Photoshop or just before printing. Sometimes over the last year's we have missed a setting or two and the pictures are not consistent.

Thanks for any help. Ken

 

[SPYDERIX]

Hi,

You are doing mass images like this I would setup a photoshop action and do a batch process (much quicker, and you should be able to make your deadline no problem).

1 - If the text layer is already merged with a photo, don't bother trying to extract it, just re-create it again using the type tool (T). If you want the text to be centered then goto WINDOW > PARAGRAPH and select the 2nd button at the top (you can see the lines being centered)

2 - I don't understand ???????

3 - Again, setup an action and do a batch process

For help on photoshop actions and batch processing check out my FAQ here: faq229-2791

Hope this helps!

NATE

http://www.mainframe-webdesign.com

Got a question? Search G O O G L E for links to the fastest answers: www.google.com

 

[ken1606]

I had just read about "actions" and will try them, along with your link, tonight.

So there is no convenient way to "insert" the same text box with centering, fonts, colors, shadows, etc into many photos? I'm afraid after 3-4 hours in the sun I might mis-spell something if I must re-type everything for every picture.

Thanks, Ken

 

[SPYDERIX]

What????

No, that's not what I meant. Type the text layer from an existing image and spell it all correctly then save that as a layer [ONCE]. Then in the batch process copy and paste the text layer in on top of the image and then have it position accordingly.

Out of curiosity, are all the images going to be the exact same size and the same layout (layout meaning landscape or portrait)? I ask that b/c it will depend on how you create your action and your batch process.

NATE

http://www.mainframe-webdesign.com

Got a question? Search G O O G L E for links to the fastest answers: www.google.com

 

[ken1606]

I've been experimenting on last year's pictures and have a little success. I've found that once I get the text box contents as desired on the first picture, I can copy it to the clipboard, open the next picture, adjust the image size, color, contrast and level adjustments, then draw a new text box and paste the clipboard into it. Probably not as pretty and there is the chance I'll get the text boxes off-center, etc but the text will be right.
Yes, we get each team to stand together in the same area so the backgrounds, clouds, spacing, etc are very similar. We have always put the titles (my text box with pasted text) at the top in red with a small drop shadow. If I can figure out the "actions" functions, I will try to stack up the following commands:
Image, Image Size, 6" x 4" (to be a landscape photo)
Image, Adjustments, Auto Levels
Image, Adjustments, Auto Contrast
Image, Adjustments, Auto Color
Then draw my text box and paste in the header contents.
Print 4 copies at best resolution on premium glossy HP paper and open the next picture.
Thanks again, Ken

 

[rickwells]

Create a separate document with the text on a layer.
Open each photograph file. Drag the text on to the picture whilst holding down the shift key. This will place the text in the centre of the picture. Holding down the shift key, drag the text up to the desired position.