Library: Creative Design

Increase text legibility in your images with Photoshop's Drop Shadow effect (CS/CS2)

Including a caption within an image is sometimes necessary because of layout requirements. This can be a simple thing if your image has open areas in which to locate your text. But if your subject contains many textured or complex shapes, text can be rendered illegible. To increase text legibility, simply apply a modifi ed Drop Shadow layer style to your text.

To do this, select the Horizontal Text tool from the Toolbox and enter your caption in your image. Double-click on the text layer, and when the Layer Style dialog box opens, select the Drop Shadow check box. Now, select Normal from the Blend Mode pop-up menu, and then double-click on the Set Color Of Shadow swatch box located to the right. When the Color Picker dialog box opens, choose white for the color, or enter values of 255 in each of the R, G, ...