newby layer problem

[*mark]

This is so simple but I can't work it out.

I've copied and pasted a small selection from the background making it a new layer.

I need to add brightness to the new layer only, but when I try to apply brightness to the new layer, (with the new layer selected) AF will only brighten the background layer no matter what I do.

Why is AF ignoring the fact that the new layer is selected and brightening the background instead? How do I separate them? (none of the layers are locked)

I've been using Pshop where a copied layer is independent of the background it's copied from, whereas in AF it somehow appears to be locked to the layer it has been copied from?   

Edited November 18, 2020 by *mark

[GarryP]

Welcome to the forums @*mark
Your two Brightness Adjustment layers will affect all the layers below them in the layers tree.
To get an Adjustment layer to affect only one layer you need to nest the adjustment layer inside the layer you want to adjust.
In my attached image the “Brighter” adjustment layer only affects the upper-right rectangle while the “Darker” adjustment layer affects every layer below it (original rectangles are on the left for comparison).
Does this help?

brightness-adjustments.afdesign

Edited November 18, 2020 by GarryP
Added example document.

[*mark]

Thanks Garry...I think I get what you mean, but it throws up a couple of other questions:

1- Do you mean every time I make ANY change to a layer I'm then rearranging the 'change' layers because the program doesn't?

2 - Doesn't that then make simple tasks very convoluted? As I'm cutting and copying various elements in my image. So every time I do that, I've got to attend to grouping each 'change layer' with my cut layers?

3 - Or does the one 'pixel' layer have all the changes on it?

4 - Or for every change, another new layer is created, and that also needs to be nested?? Thanks 

[Move Along People]

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[*mark]

Thanks Haakoo - that's helpful too.

[GarryP]

There will probably be lots of ways to do what you want but you might not be doing things in the most economical way.
If you can show us what you are starting with and describe what you want to have as a result - not what you are doing now - then someone can give you a good workflow.

[*mark]

I'm simply duplicating a small section of an image, then tweaking it by i.e. brightening or colour balance (then sometimes the same, duplication of different parts of the image 8-10 times).

That's why I need to get my head around organising my workflow and multiple layers, but each layer will only have fairly simple alterations

[GarryP]

If you want the same Adjustment Layer to affect multiple layers then you can group the layers and put the Adjustment Layer at the top of (and inside) the group. Adding more layers to the group – under the Adjustment Layer – will make them similarly affected by the adjustment.
There are some ‘insertion helpers’ (search for “targeting” in the help, without the quotes), see attached image, that you can use, but I never use them so I can’t say how well they work or how useful they are.

[*mark]

That's useful to know, Thanks, although generally each layer I create has the same treatment, but needs different depths of light or colour.