Hey everyone, this is just a quick bit related to using layers in Photoshop:  Consider making it a habit to duplicate your background layer as your first step in editing any photo.

Why???

I never do any alterations directly to the original layer. You never know when you’re going to need those pixels just the way they were. During the course of retouching or really getting artistic in a project, you may find there was something back in the original image that you want back. There are ways to re-open and import the image, but it’s just easier to have it sitting at the bottom of the pile, untouched. I also frequently will do a quick before/after check if I’m retouching portraits to make sure that I haven’t gone too far with a particular edit…trust me, it happens and you can make your subject look really kinda creepy pretty quick if you aren’t careful.

So as soon as I open an image I hit Ctrl/Cmd + J (by the way – for those who may not know what that is, it’s shorthand for holding down the control key on a PC or command key on a Mac and then pressing J). There are other ways to make a duplicate layer which were covered in my beginning tutorial on layers (here), but the “J” key shortcut is nice and quick.

That’s all for this post. Happy shooting!!