How to Merge Photos with Software

You can digitally merge multiple photos using a graphics design program.

You can use a graphics editing program to merge multiple photo files, creating seamless lines and the appearance of a realistic photo. You can mash up photos to create a fun scene, insert your face on the head of an Oscar winner, piece together pictures to create a panorama or any number of other photo-merging tasks. Using either the industry standard Adobe Photoshop or its free alternative GIMP, you can create professional-looking results.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Graphics design program

Instructions

1. Launch Photoshop or GIMP, opening a new file if you want your final product to have an image size that is different than the background picture you will work with. Otherwise, select "File" and "Open" to locate and open the picture you want to appear in the background.

2. Select "File" and "Open as Layers" to insert the additional pictures you want to merge into the final product. If the "Layers" toolbox is not already visible, click "Windows," "Dockable Dialogs," then "Layers."

3. Click on the layer you want to edit and use one of the selection tools located in the main toolbar. If you want to select a face, you can use the Ellipse Select Tool to highlight the elliptical region. To select a uniquely shaped region, use the Free Select Tool to hand-draw the isolation, beginning and ending at the same point to highlight the region.

4. Retain your selection by deleting the rest of the layer. Once you have selected the portion of the layer you want to keep, click "Select," then "Invert" before pressing the "Delete" key. Then, click "Select" and "None."

5. Use the Move Tool to position the partial layer, clicking on the icon and then clicking on the layer and dragging the layer with the mouse, or shifting it using the arrow keys. Use the Eraser Tool as needed to correct the edges. Use a "Circle Fuzzy" brush type for soft edges or a regular "Circle" brush for a hard edge.

6. Edit any additional photo layers you want to incorporate and save the file. Select "File" and "Save As" before entering a file name and clicking "Save."

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to save your file as a one-layer image using a photo extension such as ".jpg" or ".png," after pressing "Save" you will be prompted to "Merge Visible Layers" and "Export" the file. Click "Export," then "Save."

• If you expect to make additional edits in the future, be sure to save your file as a multi-layer workbook in addition to saving it as a picture. Use ".xcf" as the file extension in GIMP, or ".psd" in Photoshop.

References

• GIMP: Combining Layers
• GIMP: Layer Modes
• Sketchpad: Working with Layers in Photoshop

Resources

• GIMP: The GNU Image Manipulation Program
• Photoshop