Are you trying to create a shadow on a layer or on the base image?
You can only create drop shadows on layers and it will create the shadow around the edge of the image that is on that layer, so you won’t see it unless the edge of the layer that you are adjusting is somewhere inside the borders of your image. It works best when you are adding a layer, let’s say a person clipped out of another photo, to a background photo. Create a layer of your image, in this case a person, and then try doing drop shadows on it. The drop shadow adjustment should now work, but it is really only good for creating a 3-D type effect. It isn’t very good at creating very real looking long shadows across the ground, let’s say, of people.
If you want to create a significant shadow, lets say of the person above, create a second duplicate layer of them. Then temporarily turn off the view of this layer and switch back to the first layer copy of them. This will be your shadow layer. To make it a shadow, first delete the color and then adjust the contrast and brightness sliders all the way to the stops to creade what looks like a black silouette. Then apply some gausian blur (all shadows have blurred edges). The shadow is now complete except it’s directly behind your second copy layer (which is hidden). Turn on the view of the top layer copy so you can see them again, but keep your shadow layer selected. You should now see the person, but they will have a black fringe around them (your blurred shadow). With the shadow layer selected, go to free transform and then drag the top of the shadow off to the side of your choice to create their shadow across the background. Now adjust the opacity of this shadow layer to make it transparent and you are finished. You can go back and add more gausian blur or even free transform it again if you wish to make it more realistic. If you want the shadow in front of them you can swap the image layer and the shadow layer positions (drag the shadow layer on top of the image layer). Then free transform the shadow again for the correct angle and you will have a front shadow. This takes some practice, but it’s very effective at making good realistic looking shadows.
I hope this helps. If not, please try to better describe what you are trying to do.
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Charley
"Bob" wrote in message
I’m using elements 3.0. I can’t create drop shadows. the layers won’t
apply.
what could be the problem. Even MS Digital Image Pro 10 has problems creating drop shadow (they don’t save as drop shadows). What could be the problem with shadows?
thanks.
