Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/25

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Subject: Re: [Leica] (slightly OT) photoshop help needed
From: Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 19:51:18 -0800

It's been a couple of years since I used Photoshop 5.0, and I honestly
can't remember if it has built-in drop shadows. 

If it does, then you need to make sure the images is in RGB and then go
to the "Layer effects" item in the Layers menu; there are a couple of
parameters you can play with. "Drop shadow" is one of the layer
effects. 

I have a vague memory that a built-in drop shadow command didn't show
up until 5.5; if that's true, then you want to do this, which is
actually quite a nuisance. 

Duplicate the layer twice.
Delete the background layer (drag it to the trash in the layers menu)
The lower layer will become your drop shadow.
 * select the entire layer and desaturate it
 * shrink the selection by 1 pixel
 * invert the selection and delete. This gives you a 1-pixel-wide white
   border around the desaturated image.
 * blur it using a Gaussian blur. The white at the edges gives it
   something light to blur towards.
 * move it down and to the right by however many pixels you would like.
 * lighten it until you are happy with the shadow