Calling all Photoshop Elements Hogs: I recently learned how to replace a background but ran into a problem. It appears that with the new background I cannot perform usual functions...

photodoc16

I recently learned how to replace a background but ran into a problem. It appears that with the new background I cannot perform usual functions like cloning. Could this be true or am I missing something?

Linary Loc: UK

photodoc16 wrote:

I recently learned how to replace a background but ran into a problem. It appears that with the new background I cannot perform usual functions like cloning. Could this be true or am I missing something?

Make sure the background layer is selected - you may have selected whatever you placed onto that layer. Also ensure the background layer is not locked.

photodoc16

Thank you Linary,
After I closed the edited image and then returned to Elements, I could then perform the edits that I usually can do on any other image. I think I pulled the trigger a little too soon on this one.
I get the feeling that there are not a lot of Elements users on this site. There are very few ways to get answers to questions about Elements so it would be great to have users here to query. And, if the rumors are true about the doubling of the rent to use LR and PS in the cloud, there may be a lot of others using Elements soon.
Photodoc16

Linary Loc: UK

photodoc16 wrote:

Thank you Linary, br After I closed the edited ima... (show quote)

Actually there are quite a few Elements users on the Hog. The Post Processing section is home to some of them. I used to use PSE alongside the full blown PS, now PS only.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

This may be of interest
http://www.photoshopelementsandmore.com/

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Linary wrote:

Make sure the background layer is selected - you may have selected whatever you placed onto that layer. Also ensure the background layer is not locked.

One of the mistakes I ran into when I first started using layers: Forgetting to make sure the layer I wanted to work on was the selected layer!
As with so many things: User error interferes with what I want to accomplish :-)

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

photodoc16 wrote:

I recently learned how to replace a background but ran into a problem. It appears that with the new background I cannot perform usual functions like cloning. Could this be true or am I missing something?

Besides what others are advising, a common problem with PS is hitting the caps lock key. Everyone gets bit by that. When things are not working as expected, like changing brush size, the first thing to check after making sure the layer is the active layer, and it's not locked (the background layer is locked by default) is the caps lock key.

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

photodoc16 wrote:

I recently learned how to replace a background but ran into a problem. It appears that with the new background I cannot perform usual functions like cloning. Could this be true or am I missing something?

Photodoc16, Rick Peterson's site, http://www.essential-photoshop-elements.com/ is an excellent source for learning and using Elements. Rick will respond to particular questions, and has been a great help to many over the years.
Good Luck
Papa Joe

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Merge layers by going to layers list and at the bottom is "flatten" image. The parts become one and you can clone. In fact you can go to "window's" list and have two side by side and clone from one to the other.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

photodoc16 wrote:

I recently learned how to replace a background but ran into a problem. It appears that with the new background I cannot perform usual functions like cloning. Could this be true or am I missing something?

Maybe this will help:
I opened a photo, used the eraser to remove the background.
Then added a new layer with a different background.
A small part of the "old" colour was still visible.
I selected the clone stamp, then picked up the "new" colour (Alt + mouse click) and tried to paint away the old colour. No joy.
Then selected the new layer, without changing the clone stamp or the colour it had picked up, and painted over the old colour. Perfect.
I noticed someone else suggested to flatten the image before trying to clone, there's no need for that. It's all in the selection of the correct layer.

As you're learning, or trying out things, may I suggest you keep your left hand fingers on or near the Ctrl + Z buttons - just to take your work back one step at a time, if you mess up.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

to do additional work you have to select the layer, thats not just clicking the button beside the layer but you must also highlight the layer by clicking to the right of it to work on that layer ... Or once done you have to flatten the image, then you can work on all of it at once.

tequilacvx Loc: Sarasota, FL

Thanks. A terrific lead for learning.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

Suggest two books that are my Go-to. Photoshop Elements (whatever version) for Dummies, and Scott Kelby's Photoshop Elements (version) for Photographers. Every time I update to a new version of the software, I also get the books for that version. Kelby's is a sort of tutorial. I've used PSE exclusively ever since the original. By no means an expert, but fairly familiar.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Morning Star wrote:

I noticed someone else suggested to flatten the image before trying to clone, there's no need for that. It's all in the selection of the correct layer..

There is rarely a reason to flatten an image in PS. When you save as jpg, PS automatically flattens the image and only saves the visible layers anyway. If you save as a PSD file, a flattened image will not have any layers saved, defeating the major reason for saving as a PSD file.