Merge Photos

Merging photos together gives a cinematic, professional look to any combination of photos. Every photo editing program is different; the following will give a general step by step using Adobe Photoshop to merge your photos into 1 seamless piece of art.

Steps

  1. Scan or import the photos you wish to merge into your photo editing program on your computer. For this example, import your photos into Adobe Photoshop.
  2. Open the 2 photos you want to merge in their own separate document windows.
  3. Grab the "Move" tool in the tools palette. To use a shortcut, simply press the "V" button on your computer's keyboard.
  4. Click on the photo you want as the background photo to select that photo's document window.
  5. Drag the selected background photo into the unselected document window of the second photo by holding the left click of the mouse. When you let go of the left mouse click, both images will appear in the same document window, 1 on top of the other.
  6. Click on the "Layers" tab to view both images as their own separate layer. Be sure the photo you want as the background photo is titled "Background" and the photo you want for the front is labeled "Layer 1."
  7. Resize both layers as necessary so your photos will merge with the desired images showing. Do this by using the "Free Transform" command (shortcut for Windows is "Crtl + T," shortcut for Mac is "Command + T") and dragging the edges of each photo as necessary.
  8. Press "Enter" if using Windows and "Return" if using a Mac when you are finished resizing the photos to accept the changes made.
  9. Add a layer mask to the front photo, layer 1, in order to seamlessly blend. To do this, select the layer 1 photo in the "Layers" tab then click on the "Add a Layer Mask" icon at the bottom of the "Layers" tab. Photoshop will then show you the layer mask next to the layer 1 photo in the "Layers" screen.
  10. Select the layer mask within the "Layers" tab screen. You will know that it is selected by seeing a white highlighted border around the layer mask. The layer mask is the white thumbnail next to your layer 1 photo's thumbnail within the "Layers" screen.
  11. Select the "Gradient" tool from the tools palette (shortcut for both Windows and Mac is simply pressing the letter "G").
  12. Click on the "Options" bar at the top of the screen then click on the downward facing arrow of the gradient preview strip to access the list of gradient options called the "Gradient Picker." Select the "Black to White" gradient option by clicking on it; this option will be on the top row, third from the left. Click anywhere on the screen outside of the "Gradient Picker" box to close the gradient window.
  13. Holding the left click, drag the gradient tool to set the gradient transition area in order to blend the photos together. Place the top "+" of the tool where you want the background, or layer 0, photo to begin blending into the layer 1 photo. Set the bottom "+" where you want the blending to stop.
  14. Release the left click once you are done setting the gradient transition parameters. Adobe Photoshop will now show you the photos blended together as 1 seamless image.



Tips

  • If you make a mistake during the photo editing process, simply press "Crtl + Z" for Windows or "Command + Z" for a Mac to undo.
  • To avoid distorting your photos when resizing, hold the "Shift" key on your keyboard to retain its original height and width ratios while moving the edges accordingly.
  • Adobe Photoshop will not allow you to move the background image because it automatically locks the layer titled background. In order to move the background photo around, go to the "Layers" tab and simply hold "Alt" for Windows or "Option" for a Mac and double click on the title "Background". When you do this, Photoshop automatically renames the background as "Layer 0", enabling you to move the photo around.
  • If your photos are different sizes (i.e. 1 photo is in "landscape" size and the other is in "portrait" mode) press "Ctrl + 0" for Windows and "Command + 0" for Mac to fit everything into the screen.

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Sources and Citations

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