Playing with shadows

[Jayell]

I just found out about all shadows on a page having to go in the same direction. And if you change one of them .. the other one changes!! And if you flip a piece around, the shadow actually changes location! I never knew that!! That was almost as unsettling as learning about Santa Claus!

So I want what I’ve shown below. The top and bottom edging are two separate pieces.

I did it by placing a drop shadow on the top piece. Then copying the bottom piece .. de-saturating it, then moving and tweaking as required. Is there a more direct way to let me have different pieces with shadows going in different directions? .. even though I know it's just trying to help me.

Using Photoshop CS5

shadows.jpg

[Steve Grisetti]

You could also uncheck the option to make your Drop Shadows global.

When that option is check, all shadows fall the same direction. Uncheck the option and each can be created independently.

[Jayell]

I knew it had to be something simple. I swear I looked all over that page for some kind of default to uncheck.
OK, so maybe I shouldn't admit that .. since I obviously looked right past that box.

The tutorial I learned it from created special Styles just to accomplish that, so that's what made me think maybe there wasn't a way around it.
Thank you, Steve!!
I love those simple answers!