I've selected a part of an image, deleted the rest.  Now I want to flatten and save the selected part while maintaining the transparency around it.  But when I flatten and save, Photoshop automatically adds a white background.  Even when I click the 'preserve transparency' icon in the layers palette.  Anyone know how I can save my subject, and the surrounding transparent area?  Thanks!

What are you saving the file as? JPG? If so, it doesn't keep the transparency. You'll have to save as a PNG or a PSD or what have you.

Add alpha channel for transparent areas, use merge instead of flattening. And finally save as one of this formats .TIFF, .TGA, .PNG :)

Tihomir

are you using the "flatten image" in the layer option? that might be it. or you are saving in a format that doesn't allow transparency. I suggest saving in .PNG for example,  and use the "merge visible" option in layers instead of flattening. lock transparency basically locks the transparent parts of a single layer, not the entire image.

hope that helps!

gif and png support transparancy (if you gonna use it webwise)

tif only ignores the white (or any background) IF you have made an Alpha Channel and save it with it.

you can also create and export a Path (if you're gonna use it in Illustrator) 

it really depends on "what" you want to use the image for.

:}
retrocity

Thanks!

layer merging works well if you can master tranparency, i like to use the background layer as a Matte (yeah it may be a gradient, not solid white). I tend to go to the history pallete and make a new document from current state, which i can flatten, knowing i can go back edit the layers of the orginal document.

with the selection active, go ahead and flatten it, go on, don't fret though - the selection remains active after the flattening? yes?
do the ol' duplicate layer, (control+j = pc? - command+j =mac). Navigate over to the layers pallette, throw the baground layer in the bin , yeah the tiny trash can icon in the layers pallette, and prepare to say boo-yaaa.

.deselect the selection if u want.

save you image as .png  .gif. .or whatever from there

note sig.

Before you flatten your image, while you're looking at a chunk of image floating on a transparent background (image on another layer, the Background Layer transparent - little checkerboard pattern), just do this:

File>Save As> choose PNG and Preserve Traqnsparency which I've found works best - GIF is gonna compress the crap out of your image (if this is for web, it can be okay if it's teeny).

To save as a PNG, you don't have to flatten it at all - PS will save it as a copy of your doc, and it will be flattened and the background wil be transparent.

Hope this helps-
-Lew ;-)