Finding history of picture

[Rachel]

I did some changes on a photo and want to figure out what steps I did. Is there a history that I can use to figure it out.? It was in the filters area that I made the changes.

Thanks.

[ljameso1]

If you saved your pic without flattening as a psd or tiff; open it and under window turn on the history pallette. If flattened you're out of luck. Some people record stuff like that in the metadata, but must do before saving.

[Byron Gale]

If you saved your pic without flattening as a psd or tiff; open it and under window turn on the history pallette...Linda,

Is that new with PSE6? I know that in PSE1-5, the History palette does not retain anything between editing sessions. Once you close the image, History is gone.

Byron

[ljameso1]

oops. That's what I get for answering questions after working all night. Should have said if don't flatten and have named your layers with what you did the layers palette will show.
Bryon, maybe you can answer a related question for me. Under File>File info there is a history tab. Is there some way to get the history palette to record there? Mine is always blank and doesn't let me type in it.

[Byron Gale]

Linda,

I've never seen anything on that part of the File Info window - don't know how you could put anything there.

If I learn anything about it, I'll post back.

Byron

[TonyW]

Byron: In Photoshop there's a Preference that lets you turn on an option to save the history steps as metadata. When that is turned on and detailed selected (in CS2 it's off by default so needs to be turned on) that field in File Info contains the detailed steps you used when editing the image which is very useful - for example:

2008-05-17T07:51:59-04:00 File XXXX.jpg opened
Open C:\XXXX.jpg
Duplicate Layer
Duplicate current layer 2
Emboss
Emboss Angle: 86
Height: 28
Amount: 74
Blending Change
Set current layer To: layer
Mode: overlay
2008-05-17T07:51:59-04:00 File XXXX.jpg saved

Although Elements will show the data if you open the file created in Photoshop with the option turned on there is no option within Elements to turn it on. Pity but that's one of those full Photoshop benefits :)

Tony

[Michel B]

The full Photoshop is smarter than Elements... you'd expect that considering the price!
Don't feel frustrated with Elements. Try to persuade yourself that Elements users must be smarter... they have no other choice.
You have no way to record actions or history... but if you think about it before saving and closing your file, you have several ways to record your workflow.
- most important advice is to use adjustments layers as much as possible instead of a succession of commands. Pro retouchers are said to use up to one hundred adjustments layers... Each layer records an editing step.
- take the time to rename the layers to indicate the settings, opacity, your purpose...
- When adjustments layers do not exist, use the 'stamp visible' shortcut (Shift Alt Ctrl E) to make a kind of snapshot on the top of the layer stack, and give it a name to remember its purpose.

The layers stacks will be an history of your steps.

Before you flatten or close your file, you can drag the layers and the history palette out of the palette bin, resize them and copy them to clipboard (Alt Prtscreen key). Then menu file/new from clipboard... and save the palettes pictures.

Before saving your final version, you can also make a duplicate file (file/duplicate whithout flattening) which you'll resize to a very small size and save as a psd. This does not save the history, but saves the layers palette, without producing a huge file.

[Byron Gale]

Tony,

Thanks for the info on File Info!!

Michel,

Very wise words...

Byron

[ljameso1]

Tx Tony, Always wondered what that history was for.
Tx Michel, I do that as well and if want more notes utilize the comments section of the metadata.

[Michel B]

Tx Michel, I do that as well and if want more notes utilize the comments section of the metadata.
How can I do that in PSE6? I can add notes from the organizer, but I don't see how to do this from the editor?

[TonyW]

Michel: It's a bit confusing the way PSE6 has the fields named. In the Editor you can put a lengthy note into the Description Field in the IPTC Content Panel. That field is shared with the Caption field in the IPTC Description Field and will also show as a Caption in the Organizer (although to see it you may need to update the thumbnail and as in the Organizer there is only one line available it's hard to read a lengthy description.) Notes in the Organizer unfortunately only appear the File Info panels under Advanced in the http//ns.adobe.com (http://ns.adobe.com)/album/1.0/ section (under Abum:Notes) and that isn't editable (or at least I don't know how to do it).

Would be nice if Adobe provided custom IPTC panels for Elements rather than just using the Photoshop CS ones which don't really match up with the Organizer but I guess we have to live with what we've got.

Tony

[Michel B]

Thanks Tony.
This is possible, but not really practical. I cannot imagine filling this text afterwards when there are a lot of edits I cannot remember. I must find a way to record changes as they are made, and the best way is to document the layers as they are made. Keeping track of the edits is a strong point in favour of raw editing in ACR. Maybe only a few of my edits need a detailed recording: when I am playing for a challenge, experimenting with new ideas, or when I want to document a process as a mini tutorial. In that case I know I have to force myself into documenting the layers. Even in those cases, if I want to be creative I happen to forget...

[ljameso1]

File>file info. Many of the panes in this section such as caption,keywords, or description have areas you can type notes to self in the box.

[Rachel]

Thanks everyone for the replies. First time that I have been online since I posted the question. My husband and I have been on the road. So will try to find the history. I didn't flatten the picture.