Copy and Pasting a layer

[JThompson]

I am beating my head against the wall. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to copy a right eye to paste it over a left eye. I am selecting the right eye with the marquee tool. Pressing ctl J to create a new layer. Selecting the move tool. Trying to move the selected area over, but nothing happens because doing that never actually selected any part of the layer to move. I am sure I am making a stupid mistake because I have done this before! and it worked great! Now - I have no idea what is going on.  I'd love your help! Thank you!

[Damien Symonds]

Hi Jessica, could you show me a screenshot?

[JThompson]

Here- I am trying to put her right eye ontop of her left to cover up the glare from the glasses. 

[Damien Symonds]

What is the Background copy layer for?  That'll be the problem.

[JThompson]

oh...  I used it to get rid of the glare that was on her right eye. Here is a shot of it without the background layer on.

 

Any other ideas as to how I can get the glare off her eyes? I tried using clone tool on her left eye, but I really stink at it.

[Damien Symonds]

See, it's the Background copy layer you have to be on!  Then draw your marquee selection, and Ctrl J, so that the new chunk is ABOVE the Bg copy layer.

I suspect what you've been doing is creating and moving the chunk UNDER the BG copy layer, and it's been there just fine, but you haven't been able to see it!

[JThompson]

Ahh!! THANK YOU!!!! Finally got it!!! Should have asked before I was ready to throw my computer out the window! 

[Damien Symonds]

This is somewhat relevant, and quite important: http://www.damiensymonds.net/2015/07/order-of-layers-for-complex-pixel-edits.html

[JThompson]

I thought I had the hang of this last night - until I started working on it again today and I realized, I was actually dragging over the copy of the background layer. 

I started over, made a duplicate background layer, used the marquee tool to select her left eye, pressed ctl j for new layer, clicked on selection tool, clicked on the area that I just selected with marquee tool ONCE to drag over (and then I drug a levels layer instead), so I went back a step and clicked on the area I selected TWICE. Then I was able to move it (but it was then that I realized the layer I created for this new eye was gone and I was actually dragging the background layer. ... I wasn't sure if that was going to work, so I just went with it for a while, but quickly realized it wouldn't let me continue to make changes. Once I clicked the check mark saying, yes, i was ok with the move - it wouldn't let me rotate it anymore. So, I assume - it's essential to be using that new layer I created in the first place?

[Damien Symonds]

I don't really understand what you're saying, but it seems that you're trying to do this too fast.  Take care with each step, make sure you have the right tool and the right layer selected.

[JThompson]

Can I send you a video somehow? 

[Damien Symonds]

Sure!  https://www.hightail.com/u/BellePhotography

[Damien Symonds]

Oh!!!  I can't see it in your video, but I bet you have the bloody "Auto Select Layer" checkbox checked in the Options Bar for your Move Tool!

Yep, I just glimpsed it.  That's the problem.

[Damien Symonds]

While you're at it, turn off the "Show Transform Controls" one as well, if you like.  That thing irritates me.  (But I know some people love it)

[JThompson]

 YES!!!!! It works now!! For sure this time! haha! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!

[Damien Symonds]

Phew!