strange problem - image changes when moved

I'm working on a collage of sorts (same picture I posted about asking for print/screen size help) with about 15 layers.

One of those layers is a small photo of my sister (on a transparent background) that I cut out of the original pic.

When I move that layer around, something odd happens which I didn't notice right away - her face changes when I move the layer around. In the original pic, she is smiling and both eyes are open, but as I move the layer around, the facial expression appears to change and she goes from smiling to frowning and the eyes go from open to a real squinty look. It's not one of those things that adjusts back to normal after you set it in place either - the deformed facial expression remains after I'm done dragging/moving the layer.

As it is, I've placed the photo in a spot that compromises position with the least deformed expression, but what on earth is going on here? Why is the pic being deformed when I move it? No other areas of the photo change when I move it (at least that I can see), only the face.

Thanks again,

EZ

I should have clarified: When I say it changes when I move the layer, I am referring to moving the image around using the "move" tool, not to moving the position of the layer within the layer stack.

As you did say you added transparency to the image of your little sister, maybe what is happening is the images on the layers "under" the layer with you sisters image on it are deforming it. I mean if your sis's pic is transparent then it will show through to what is beneath so maybe what is on the layers beneath seem to be changing her expression because of the transparency.

Open a new document, slightly larger than the layer with your sister's photo, and, with the move tool, drag the layer to that new document. Does it still get deformed? Or are there parts missing?

Arden, I didn't know I could drag & drop between two open images like that; I have been copying & pasting selected areas up til now. Thanks for that tip. Can you tell me how to copy a multi-layered image onto a new image? I have been copying the layers one by one - seems there should be a way to copy the entire image with all it's layers at one time?

Anyway, I did as you said and the face still deforms when moved (no parts missing).
I thought that maybe as the other person suggested, the layer behind it is showing thru, but the pic of my sister isn't transparent, only the background area surrounding her pic.
Maybe this happens with other layers and I just haven't noticed it before since it would be more noticible on a face? I have noticed that changing the zoom level affects it - the smaller I view the pic, the more apparent the facial change is.

using the Marquee tool (selection box) draw around the area that you want to copy. Then under 'edit' select 'copy merged'. That will copy all of the layers how they look in the selected area. Then click on where you want them to be moved too and paste it.

And as for your deformed pic I dont know. Im still pretty new to all this, but I have learned a few things playing around. Maybe you have the size of the pic too small? Cause you said it appeared more deformed when you viewed it smaller.
Like when I take a big picture and try and shrink it down to 90x90 pixels it just doesnt look as right ya know?

You can also group layers by making a new layer group (looks like a little folder in the Layers palette) and dragging layers into it. You can drag an entire group to a new image like the layer trick.

Thankyou - those "tricks" will make it much easier!

And you can easily put a bunch of layers into a layer set by clicking the "link" button in the layer palette for each layer, then choose "New set from linked" in the layer's drop-down menu. I find that easier than dragging the layers individually into my new layer set. Then, as Arden pointed out, you can drag the entire layer into another document.

Or, if the document you want to copy the layer set to is open but hidden by something else (so you can't easily drag to it), you can choose "Duplicate Layer Set" from the palette dropdown, and then in the dialog dropdown select the name of the document you want to copy the layer set to.

Or, if you want the layer set in a new file, you can choose "Duplicate Layer Set" from the layer palette dropdown, and choose "New" from the dialog dropdown, and that will put your layer set into a new untitled document.

As always, Photoshop offers about a bazillion different ways to accomplish something. There are probably more ways to do this that I haven't discovered yet.