Merging down Screen blending mode

Here is a problem I face professionally all the time. I have seen it solved only once and never found out how it was done. Maybe some one can shed some light on this for me. I will use a hypothectical file for an example.



I have a photo from a photo shoot of a plane with no landing lights on. That is masked out and is layer 01.



Then I place a photo of a night sky in the background.



I adjust the color of the plane to look like it is taken at night. Looks perfect!



Then I take a separate photo taken directly into a shining light with all the wonderful natural golden auras and flares. I place the photo of the light over where the plane would have landing lights and put the photo of the light on SCREEN MODE.



Adjust curves and PRESTO it looks beautiful.



Now here is the problem! Say I want this to be moveable by my clients down the line. I want only 2 layers. The sky background and the plane with lights. I apply all my color to the plane and apply the mask. But HOW do i apply the screen layer to the plane so it is just 1 layer and can move all over the background and still be see thru and get all the wonderful look the blending modes give you? So no matter where you move the layer it interacts correctly with the background layer.



I can not flatten every thing, nor can i copy merge the background on to a separate layer and clip it too the lights. They must be applyed to the plane layer and still look just like they do in SCREEN MODE.



I know this is very advanced. But I work on advanced stuff.



Thanks.
Merging down Screen blending mode
What about locking the layers or grouping them?
Merging down Screen blending mode
Can only be 2 layers. Locking or grouping gives the client who will have the layered file and opportunity to unlock and accidently move something and potentially screw something up. We only deliver files that are idiot proof.

Nothing is idiot-proof, but putting the the plane and light layers into a group with the blending mode for the group set to the default ''Pass Through'' really is the simplest way.

Like I said before, this is a hypothectical example. I have seen a file where some one achieved this and want to know how it is done. There are dozens of ways to deliver this leaving the screen layer intact and make it as simple file structure as possible. But this exact technique has boggled me. Just want to know it is possible and if so how. Not other methods to solve this example. Thanks

If I read the problem correctly, I have solved similar issues by grouping layers %26amp; converting to Smart Objects.

%26amp;gt;We only deliver files that are idiot proof.
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%26lt;br /%26gt;That sounds like a flattened file to me....
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%26lt;br /%26gt;Can't the client use the eraser tool, convert color space, assign profile, paint with brush? If you lock the layer's transparency and pixels (leaving only move as an option), and then drop them in a group, you've made it pretty hard to f-up. If you want to be extra paranoid, embed a set of layer groups and lock those too. Then they've got two hoops to jump through. Or another iteration. Now three!
%26lt;br /%26gt;
%26lt;br /%26gt;
%26lt;a href=''http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1v0QVfjiQcbLNfrzfGEgFIxSWzV0'' /%26gt;%26lt;/a%26gt;
%26lt;img alt=''Picture hosted by Pixentral'' src=''http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1v0QVfjiQcbLNfrzfGEgFIxSWzV0_thumb.png'' border=''0'' /%26gt;
%26lt;br /%26gt;
%26lt;br /%26gt;Blending modes are calculations based on two layers' pixel values. Think about what you're asking--it seems absolutely impossible to me. You can approximate it many ways. Set the lights to screen over black and then select their luminosity, then copy/paste. Or run the peel off black filter and set them up that way. But they'll blend as normal then.

Nice Maxxlava. [ed] Blending modes are still a problem (with SOs). SO is the same as grouping and setting group to normal...

%26gt; have seen a file where some one achieved this and want to know how it is done. There are dozens of ways to deliver this leaving the screen layer intact and make it as simple file structure as possible.



No, it is not possible to have the screen layer merged down onto a normal layer and maintain the screen effect in one layer. There is only one way to leave the screen layer intact and make it as simple as possible, and that is the way suggested in post #1. One layer for the plane, one for the screen layer, put them both in a group and you're done. You can't get any simpler than that.

Maloney, what is the ''peel off black filter?'' Is that a new CS4 feature?

Thanks,Mitch

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