When you mix photos and text, it's most common for the text to be on top of the photo. But if you want to really get noticed, make an image sandwich, with part of the photo behind the text and another part of the photo in front of the text. This simple yet effective technique works well in magazines, brochures, and many other publications. I'll walk you through how to create it in Adobe Photoshop CS2, CS3, or CS4. For instructions on creating the effect in InDesign, see "Make an Image Sandwich in InDesign."

Step 1
Open the image you want to use. It should have something (or someone) that will be in front of, and behind, the title text. Mine is from iStockphoto (c)ISTOCKPHOTO/MARK APLET.

Step 2
Duplicate the Background layer by pressing Cmd-J (PC: Ctrl-J) or by clicking-and-dragging the Background layer onto the Create a New Layer icon in the Layers panel.

Step 3
Click the Eye icon next to the Background layer in the Layers panel to temporarily remove its transparency.

Step 4
Next, you need to remove the pixels on Layer 1 where you'll have the text title, with the exception of what you want on top of the text. For my example, I want the text to be on top of the background but behind the skater's head, so I'll need to make a selection after making sure Layer 1 (the top layer) is selected in the Layers panel.

Since the edge in my photo is pretty clean, I'll use the Quick Selection tool. Depending on your image, you may want to make a selection with the Quick Selection tool, or with the Magic Wand tool, the Lasso tool, the Polygonal Lasso tool, the Magnetic Lasso tool; or create a path with the Pen tool and make it a selection.

Step 5
Press Delete (PC: Backspace) to remove the selected pixels. The transparent pixels will be in a checkerboard pattern.

Step 6
Type some text in for the title.

Step 7
Drag the Text layer in between the two photo layers. Click the Eye icon next to the Background layer to bring its visibility back.

You're finished! You now know a simple technique to hide text but keep it part of the cover in a magazine, newspaper, brochure, or other publication.

Chad Neuman is an internationally published freelance magazine writer, graphic designer, photographer, and educator from Florida. Subscribers to his mailing list to receive very occasional updates and free vector art/graphics.