Does anyone know...

[thursnext]

If you can do a seperate layer for drop shadows on PSE4 & if you can how? I am trying to do some quick pages for a family photo album. I will send quick pages to siblings & they will put in their photos & journaling & send back to me & we will get it bound.I was having a problem doing drop shaodows when not using a frame & cutting the part out for the photo. I lose the shadow so thats why I was wandering. Thanks for any help.

[Kim2002]

Not sure if this is the right way, but I would just duplicate the layer of the element, then apply the drop shadow and then reduce the FILL to 0%. The FILL is located beneath the opacity feature in the Layers Palette.

[debra8898]

Hummie's Blog is loaded with pse tutorials...

http://www.hummiesworld.com/tutorials.html

[Jafer Design]

This is how I do it and it works great. I select the item I want to have a drop shadow and add a new layer directly under the layer the item is on. I activate that layer and contract my selection by either one or two depending on what looks better. I then apply the shadow to that layer. I like doing it this way because if the shadow isn't quit right I can lower the opacity of the drop shadow layer to make it look right.

[Hummie]

I have read your question over and over and I am not totally sure I understand it.

Here is my tutorial on custom shadows.
http://www.hummiesworld.com/tutcustomshadows.html

The only way to get a shadow on a separate layer is to select the area that you want to have the shadow applied to and filling the selection with any color. Thereafter, apply the drop shadow to the "template." Keep the template aligned perfectly with the original element and on the layer just below. Lock the two if needed.

Help me understand your question. Are you trying to apply the drop shadow to the photo they have inserted? Is that photo on top of a mat or frame or is it peaking through a transparent area?

If it is setting on top, just use the selection tools to select the photo and then do a control J to put the photo on its own layer, applying the drop shadow to the new photo layer.