Rookie Photoshop Question

<p>Using Bridge and ACR to process my NEF's, on a ROBUST windows machine, and I'm finished in Photoshop CS3 and it's time to save. What <strong><em>save as</em></strong> choice do I select so that all my adjustments (layers, Hue/saturation, highlights and sharpening) are preserved so that when I re-open this image I can pick up where I left off? <br>

I don't want to save it as a jpg or tiff, I want to reopen it as if I NEVER closed it so that I can for example, reduce the amount I previously sharpened ?<br>

Thanx<br>

Bill</p>

<p>Save as *.psd</p>

<p>PSD.</p>

<p>Saving as *.psd doesn't work. When I save as *.psd and then reopen all of my steps in the history dialog are gone ?</p>

<p>Look in the layers palette. I think the history palette is only for the present session.</p>

<p>No good, all you get from the layers palette is the background.</p>

<p>I have no problem achieving this using capture nx2, but I prefer ACR for NEF conversion. I have tried every single save option in cs3 without success. To reiterate, I want to reopen my image with the same history dialog so that I can drag any previous adjustment to the trash can like I never closed it. There has to be a way.<br>

Thank you<br>

Bill</p>

<p>All the different layers of the PSD should be available in the layers palette, on opening the PSD file. If not, then something is wrong.</p>

<p>". I don't want to save it as a jpg or tiff, I want to reopen it as if I NEVER closed it ..Saving as *.psd doesn't work. When I save as *.psd and then reopen all of my steps in the history dialog are gone ?"</p>

<p>Another reason to buy Lightroom.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I haven't really used Photoshop since the advent of Capture NX and Lightroom, so I've just opened it now and created a three layer PSD. On re-opening the PSD, I find all the layers are available to me but no history states - as I wrote previously, "I think the history palette is only for the present session".</p>

<p>As I duplicate my image before I adjust anything, I will adust highlights and saturation and noise reduction and sharpening on the BACKGROUND layer. It's not necessary to create a layer. As I save as *.psd this BACKGROUND layer (the ONLY layer) I cannot retrieve these adjustments after saving and reopening. Is the answer, I must use a separate layer for every adjustment ?</p>

<p>Unless you save each adjustment as a separate layer, you won't be able to make any further "tweaks" to them.</p>

<p>Each "edit/history" adjustment, in Capture NX is, in effect, a separate layer, which is why they are available to you when you reopen a file in NX. The edit panel in NX is like the layers palette in Photoshop.</p>

<p>Norman, thank you for your help.<br />So in CS3 if I want to reduce noise (ninja plug in), make a Highlight/Shadow adjustment, increase saturation, and finally sharpen, I'll need four adjustment layers ontop of the background layer in order to achieve what I want?<br />NX2 is looking better all the time.<br />As I will defer to the title of my OP, I learned something today.<br>

Bill</p>

<p>You could add all your adjustments as layer masks, that way they will be saved for adjustment at a later time. Adjusting everything on one layer and trying to adjust it after reopening it is not going to happen as the history is not saved with the image.</p>

<p>When working with PSDs, just treat the layers palette in Photoshop much as you would the edit list in NX.</p>

<p>William, you can make all of your layers "smart" (absolutely, fully adjustable) in CS3. When you are in ACR click on the line below the main box that has colorspace etc., i.e: ProPhoto RGB; 16 bit; 4096 by 2723; (11.2 MP); 360 dpi. When that opens check the box: open in Photoshop as Smart Object. That will make your Background Layer fully adjustable. You can click on the lower right hand corner of the mini icon and return to ACR at any time. Adjustments made directly on that layer in PS such as a Noise reduction filter will automatically become Smart filters, click on the appropriate Filter Name and adjust away.</p>

<p>Adjustments like Hue/Sat, Curves, Levels, etc., should then be done on Adjustment Layers, not as Image Adjustments. Click on the small light/dark circle next to the mini mask icon and the appropriate Layer box will return.</p>

<p>At any point that you want to add an adjustable layer for more filter work, say a sharpening layer at the end, go to Layer and hold down the Alt-Windows/Option-Mac key and then click on Merge Visible. This will create a new layer on top while retaining all the previous layers. Immediately go to Filter>Convert to Smart Filter and now all filters in that layer will be fully editable just like your background layer.</p>

<p>And finally always save as a PSD and every move you've made previously is fully editable. You will need that ROBUST machine as that was what CS3 was made to do with dual core machines. I haven't used the History state once since CS3, smart filters made it a thing of the past. </p>

<p>William, only the layers are saved in a psd file, not the history. The history is only available while the file is open in Photoshop. Once you delete the image file from your work space (even if you have saved it) or if you exit from Photoshop then you loose the history.</p>

<p>One thing you can do, and it may or may not be very helpful, is in the preferences/general, there is an option to save a history log to the file. Check the box "metadata" and select "detailed" in the drop-down menu at the bottom of the window. The next time you open the file, you can select File menu and Image Info. You will be able to see everything you have done to the photo, but unfortunately you can not undo or change anything.</p>

<p>As previously noted, Photoshop's History is lost when you close the file. But there is something better, Smart Filters.<br>

On the Filter menu select "Convert for smart filters." Do this after the conversion from raw but BEFORE any editing.<br>

Now changes like Sharpen, Noise, and Distort are editable after the fact, and after saving and re-opening the file. You can turn them on, off, or change their adjustments at any time in the Layers display by double-clicking them.</p>

<p>PSD! If you are using PS in a non-destructive fashion you don't need the History preserved. If you are layering, converting to Smart Objects, and Layer Masks then it is all good with no worries in the future edits.</p>

<p>Why don't you want to save as layers? That is the hole beauty of PS, having layers so that the original image is not changed at all, plus the advantage with with layers is layers masks. Like mentioned if you save and make all the background layer a smart object then it is non destructive as well with what ever you do to it.</p>

<p>Reading all this bugs me to no end. I hear the frustration in all of the responses. I would like to save my history state also. Exactly how William is asking. Bottom line, you can't do it. That bites my ass. Photoshop has gotten so good that we expect and want more and more and we want it with one click. I know I'm spoil. As I kick and thrash on the floor. I'm sure soon Adobe will remedy this for us in a dummy proof way. I really like it when it's dummy accessible :)</p>

<p>I know it 's not what you want, but why not layers/tiff? Then you can reopen and edit any layer. This is what it's made for so you can come back later and reedit.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>"...Is the answer, I must use a separate layer for every adjustment ?.."</p>

<p>thats the whole point of using layer!? or use Ligthroom and export only when all is finished.</p>