Photoshop Layers Tutorial #1 23-24 – Shanyah Wilson's Photography Blog

In a new document the default layer is white and locked.
When you see a checkerboard pattern that means that part of the document is transparent / there is nothing on it.
There are different types of layers: shapes, text, image, paint, etc.
The layer on top is the first layer visible.
The shortcut key for the move tool is “V.”
To blend layers, you can use a different blend mode in the drop-down menu “Normal.”
The New Layer button with the icon of a paper folded at the corner will create a new transparent layer that can be manipulated
To manipulate which layer goes on top and behind, you can adjust their order in the layers panel.
Using the marque tool, you can draw a shape and select an area.
To manipulate this layer you select the move tool and cut this area out of the layer.
When you have an area cut out of a layer, you can then move whatever is within that area around the image but only on the layer you have selected.

The selected layer will always be highlighted.
The half-black half-white circle is the menu of adjustment options.
When you select an adjustment option, it creates a new top layer.
The properties menu is used to make the edits for the adjustment.
The highlighted layer will pop up in the properties menu.
If you brush black on a layer’s mask, it will erase the adjustments made on that layer.
To ensure the layer mask is selected, there will be a white outline on all four corners of the layer’s thumbnail.