Digital Blending

[snapshot]

I have been enjoying working with your tools for PSE 4, and am trying to understand all the different masking tools. Something I've been trying whenever I can while shooting is digital blending, where you take two identical exposures, one for the shadows, the other for the highlights, and then blend the two in PSE. I know I could use the Layer Mask tool on the top layer, to paint in black the areas I want to mask out, or to copy and paste the background into the mask. I was wondering if there was a better way to do this with the Hidden Power Tools. I'm particularly weak in understanding the Blend Mask tool.

Thanks!

Snapshot

[DannyRaphael]

Until Richard is able to reply, here's a very good resource for Elements if you have not discovered it yet. Best I can do since I don't have Elements myself. ...

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/

[Richard_Lynch]

Ouch, Danny, plugging the 'bad guys'! Did you know they were coming out with a new book in January that has the SAME EXACT TITLE as my new book? I guess they know a good idea when they see it. Not only don't they pay their writers, they steal from the ones they don't already own. I think they are ruthless and awful. Please let's not talk of them here...

Snapshot, can you give me some detail about why you think you don't get the Blend Mask tool? It is probably not exactly what you are looking for as you want to mask with tone. I have a new tool coming out called Magic Mask...and I need beta testers. Want to give it a try?

[DannyRaphael]

Sorry Richard... thought that WAS your book.

[snapshot]

Hi Richard-
Thanks for the reply. I've spent some time going over the pages regarding the Blend Mask tool, and it's becoming more clear. As I understand it, it makes a regular layer a transparent layer, grouped with a duplicate of the background layer. The transparent portion lets any change made to the "mask content" layer show, while the opaque areas block any changes in proportion to how opaque it is. The trick is in how you define the part that is masked.

Yes, I would love to try your new Magic Mask tool! How can I help?

snapshot