Tips

[Benny Pedersen]

The "Create adjustment Layer" > Gradient
would create that, but the "align with layer" option for a radial, black and white gradient
will only work if something was selected when that adjustment layer was created.

Word around: First press Ctrl + A, then "Create adjustment Layer" > Gradient.
Fill the mask with black.

Now Whenever wee need that gradient to be aligned, wee just have to
make a selection and fill the mask with white.
Where the mask is white the gradient would be aligned.

In other words:
If a selection, e.g. Ctrl+A was not done before the adjustment layer was created, wee
would still be able to fill the mask with black and white, but the option "Align with Layer"
will not work.

Benny,
PS.

If I create a gradient (0 ... 255), flatten image, and then select all that has the
color 020202, it look like this (right picture):

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1479&stc=1&d=1191306386

Now, if a copy and paste that layer onto a mask, its distorted.
So to avoid unwanted patterns when lots layers/masks are used, wee
maybe have to eiher blur, or rotate the mask after its unlinked.

EDIT Okt 3: Blur on mask isn't good. Its better to use dither.

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1480&stc=1&d=1191306386

Also notice the difference when anti-alias was used (magic wand tool).
(lower left corner of the picture).
The pictures to the right are thoose selections filled with white.

[Byron Gale]

Benny,

I enjoy reading about your experiments with this program! Thank you.

Byron

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny,

I enjoy reading about your experiments with this program! Thank you.

Byron

Those experiments was done because I shot some night clouds + moon with halo. Lisabee said that something special was in the nature and some in control. Also Wendy said it was a great shot, I thought that it was just something she said everytime, but they are right about it. Since there was night clouds the night after, and again the next night, and so on... I shot lots moon photos. None of them was even close to the first results, so that night seem to have been very special.

Because I wanted non manipulated photos, I didn't used any adjustments except exposure in the RAW Editor, then masks to enhance the light in long distance from the center.

Since the following RGB values can't be used on a mask:
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 14 17 19 22 25 28 32 36 40 44 50 55 63 71 84,
and both 13 and 14 are round down to 12, and both 7 and 9 is rounded to 8, the result can be very distorted. When we make a pure picture like that, the dither option for the gradient along with rotated masks seems to be a good solution.

Benny