Bill,

If you are trying this on a networked computer what I say may not apply.

As Beth said, go to File>Open and navigate to the image you want. Check that the box is setup to display "All Formats" for file type. With that file highlighted, click on Open. Now the image is open on your work area and you have one layer, named Background, in the Layers Palette. This is well and good. The original layer is always named Background. Since not all editing functions are available to a "Background" layer, simply double click on the Background layer and it will offer to rename it Layer 0. OK that. You have one layer in the palette. Check in Image Size to see what the resolution is.

I think your notion to make a new layer and "import a photo into it" is where you are going astray. If you would like to place a different entire image on a layer above Layer 0, don't make a new layer. Go to File>Open, the folder you last used will be shown, navigate to your second image and open it. It is displayed on your workarea and covers up the first image. Its Layers Palette shows it possesses one layer called Background. Double click it to rename to Layer 0. Check to see what the resolution is of Image 2. It must be the same res. as Image 1 or else will change size when you drop it there. Change the res. if needed. Hold the Ctrl key and hit the minus sign a couple of times to reduce the display size of Image 2 so you can see part of Image 1 underneath. With Image 2 being active and its Palette showing, click in the Palette on the layer, drag it over an exposed piece of Image 1 and drop it there.

Your palette now shows two layers. Image 1 on the bottom, Image 2 on the second layer above it. Close Image 2 as you are finished with it. If you want to bring in more images, just repeat the steps above and each new image will create a layer for itself in the palette of the composite you are building. Remember to always match resolutions. Only the last image you added to the stack will be visible on the workarea because it is covering up the ones below, but they are there, you can see them in the palette.

If you want to have only parts of successive images added to your original instead of the whole image, just use a selection tool and copy and paste that section onto its own layer. So, say in Image 2 you only wanted a piece of it...you'd select it, copy/paste it to new layer within its layers palette to become Layer 1. Click/drag Layer 1 and drop it on Image 1 on your workarea. Close, save without changes Image 2. Image 1 would have Layer 0 and Layer 1 which is that part of your second image you selected.

Make sure you are always working on copies. It is best to always use the .psd format while editing so you preserve layers and quality. You could also choose to move in an entire image for each layer of your composite and mask each one to hide the parts you won't have visible. This would accomplish the same thing as adding a selection to a new layer. Advantage=more flexibility to change amount visible in composite. Disadvantage=increased file size.

I think this should work out for you. If it doesn't, try deleting your preference file, it must be corrupt. Hold alt/ctrl/shift keys down, launch program, answer yes and let it load.

Nancy

Bill_V

Replied in the following topics

photoshop elements - importing or copying photos to layers