Something Every Photoshopper Should Know

I learned about this tip from the Photoshop TV podcast--it's available free off Apple's site. I was struggling to find a way to combine two images smoothly--this method makes that a breeze.

1. You open the photos you intend to combine and arrange them so they are both partially visible.













2. Select the "Move" tool (the arrow) in the toolbar and simply drag one photo into the other. It will appear in a new layer.













3. Move them around until you're satisfied, then go down to the bottom of the layers palette and select the "Layer Mask" option (the little rectangle with a circle inside).

4. Click on the "Gradient" tool (hidden under the paint bucket) and choose the "Black, White" gradient in the dropdown menu. Drag it across the picture in the top layer--not all the way to the edge--and you have a nice smooth blend. The pictures can be moved or edited as much as you want.












So there's my brief tutorial of the day. It shouldn't be too hard to put to use.:)