Transparent layer over photo in photoshop

[SAS]

I want to take a photo in photoshop 7.0 and make it light white over the photo, faded out, or transparent layer what ever it's called. So the text will stand out.
I guess I'm asking this right.

I have been playing with photoshop lately. I picked up photoshop 7.0 classroom in a book off ebay. But can't find it in the book, maybe I don't know what I'm looking for.

Thanks

 

[WOODBS]

not that i know alot , but it sounds like you can just turn down the opacity of the photo in the layers palette??

 

[weaselboogie]

On the layers palette, select the layer you want and at the top of the layers box is the opacity level defaulted at 100%.

You could either select the photo, and drop the opacity. If you want to see what it would ACTUALLY look like without the checker pattern in the background, you could add a new layer on top of the photo, fill it white and then drop that opacity down.

 

[eforer]

Just changing the opacity will work, but try a different blending mode too, screen etc. produce a nice sort of lightening and contrast removal effect.