This is one of Richard's Lynch powertools: it transforms a grayscale layer into a layer where luminosity is translated into opacity. Whites are transparent, grays less so, and blacks are opaque.
You can do it yourself like this:
1 - Select the layer to be transformed and copy to clipboard (Ctrl A + Ctrl C)
1 - Create a solid color fill layer (filled with black) on top of the layer stack. It is created with a mask.This hides the underlying layers, but don't worry...
2 - Select the mask of the fill layer (Alt Click in the mask icon)
3 - Paste from clipboard (Ctrl V) into the mask
4 - If you want an inverted transparent grayscale (black=transparent), inverse the mask content (Ctrl I)
5 - Select the underlying layer
6 - Add a new blank layer (click on new layer icon).
7 - reselect the fill layer above the blank layer.
8 - Merge down (Ctrl E)... There it is!
Now you can use it instead of a layer mask, as a clipping layer group.
Typically you have a background, above it the transparent grayscale layer, and above it and linked to it a second layer. Transparency will show the background and opacity the upper layer. The effect is the same as a mask on the upper layer, but since Elements has not layer masks natively, it can be useful if you have no mask add-on.
(Edited = fill layer, not adjustment layer)
You can do it yourself like this:
1 - Select the layer to be transformed and copy to clipboard (Ctrl A + Ctrl C)
1 - Create a solid color fill layer (filled with black) on top of the layer stack. It is created with a mask.This hides the underlying layers, but don't worry...
2 - Select the mask of the fill layer (Alt Click in the mask icon)
3 - Paste from clipboard (Ctrl V) into the mask
4 - If you want an inverted transparent grayscale (black=transparent), inverse the mask content (Ctrl I)
5 - Select the underlying layer
6 - Add a new blank layer (click on new layer icon).
7 - reselect the fill layer above the blank layer.
8 - Merge down (Ctrl E)... There it is!
Now you can use it instead of a layer mask, as a clipping layer group.
Typically you have a background, above it the transparent grayscale layer, and above it and linked to it a second layer. Transparency will show the background and opacity the upper layer. The effect is the same as a mask on the upper layer, but since Elements has not layer masks natively, it can be useful if you have no mask add-on.
(Edited = fill layer, not adjustment layer)