[Jeff Hinkle]

Sadly, Dominic speaks truth. Your perspective will never match. But there may be a solution! Viewers don’t know what your table looks like, so who’s to say that center channel doesn’t just run the length of the table? Quite easy to grab a chunk of the center channel and bridge the gap between the two. Might need a little adjusting and blending, but it’ll fix the issue. No end caps, just a long, unbroken center channel.

Now, what’s your plan for the paper towel roll?

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

I’d do a linked Levels Adjustment Layer to the pillows layer (ALT/OPT-click between the layers so the Adjustment is only affecting the pillow layer) and darken them as far as possible. Super-dark. You’ll be removing the Adjustment Layer later so the appearance doesn’t matter, just want them as dark as you can get them while minimally affecting their white background. Then pop into Channels and find the channel with the greatest contrast. CTL/CMD-click that channel to make a selection of the white areas (if the pillows aren’t dark enough to not be partially selected, you can also Magic Wand the white area of the channel). Invert your selection (SHIFT-CTL/CMD-I).
Create a new layer, call it “Pillowshadows” or whatever you like. Fill the selection with white, add the Drop Shadow Layer Effect, and set the layer to Multiply. Link Pillowshadow to Pillows so you can easily move them together. Delete the earlier Adjustment Layer. That should give you an editable shadow for your pillows without any masking.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Record an action that applies your chosen effects and then Batch process your folder of images.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

No worries. I had to look around a bit the first time, too. Not the most eye-catching thing.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Just click the orange “reply” button on the far left of the strip of colored buttons on the bottom right of the post.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Do you have the rotation field highlighted? Select the degree field and that should do it.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Command/Ctl-up arrow and down arrow seems to work.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Thanks for the tips, Roei. Guess I should have clarified: I’m already a Lynda subscriber (although I’ve not watched the Christiansen courses so thanks for that recommendation) and I’ve read my Meyer book to tatters. What I’m looking for is more of a traditional school approach, with actual course structure and assignments. Something next-level beyond independent study.

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Depend what you mean by “put together.” Are you trying to place an image over a new background, or blend one image into another’s shape? What is your desired end result?

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It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.

[Jeff Hinkle]

Think I saw something on the Adobe forums in the past that this problem can be caused by a missing required plugin after a move/install/update, and that a reinstall is the safest solution (or on a Mac, the only solution since the required files are part of the application bundle). Since you seem to be missing not only PNG, but quite a few file types, I’m thinking that might sadly be your best bet.

—
It is easier to destroy than to create.
More fun, too.